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In District 2-6A, Santa Fe High drops 72-62 contest against visiting Albuquerque Eldorado
By Arnie Leshin
Oh what a night at Perez-Shelley gymnasium.
For St. Michael’s, it went like this, eight full minutes without scoring in the fourth quarter and overtime, connecting on only 11-of-22 free throws, and still coming away with the Tuesday night 50-48 win over West Las Vegas in a clash for the top spot in District 2-4A boy’s basketball.
The Horsemen (10-12) had to overcome the failed shooting to gain this important victory, their third in a row and fourth in five starts, and put them in a tie with the Dons and Taos, all three at 3-1. Overall, West Las Vegas dropped to 12-10.
So as the stretch run comes, St. Michael’s has away games at WLV and at Taos, and home games against Las Vegas Robertson and Pojoaque Valley.
The Tigers were idle, but the Cardinals (7-12) did turn in a 66-47 triumph over the Elks (6-11). In district, Robertson is 1-2 and Pojoaque 0-3.
As for the thriller that brought mistakes and heroics, it included eight ties and only four lead changes, the final deadlock was at 43-43 at the end of regulation, and the last lead change went to St. Michael’s when senior Antonio Gabaldon tossed in a layup at the start of the extra four minutes.
Despite the spotty shooting from the foul line for the Horsemen, they did convert 6-of-6 in the fourth quarter, three each from senior guard Jerome Baca and junior guard Victor Otero, the team’s leading scorer with 10 points. And sophomore post Thomas Wood missed six of seven charity tosses, but did make a clutch one in the final minutes of regulation.
West Las Vegas took the early lead, scored the first six points, and maintained it though three ties, the last at 19-19 in the second quarter before the home team gained its initial lead at 21-19. After a 21-all deadlock, St. Michael’s increased its lead to 24-21 and led 28-23 at halftime.
The advantage went to 34-28 before the Dons forced a 34-34 tie with three minutes left in the third quarter, and took the lead back at 45-43. The last tie was at 45-all.
The Horsemen also had to overcome a shooting draught in the third quarter and were outscored 8-4, but the 7-5 edge in the OT decided things. Otero was the lone St. Michael’s player in double figures. Junior guard Jevon Montoya scored nine, Gabaldon seven, and Baca added six.
The next stop for St. Michael’s is Friday night’s home game against Robertson. It will also be home to Pojoaque and on the road against Taos and West Las Vegas.
In District 2-6A, Santa Fe High fell to 9-10 overall and 3-4 in district with a 72-62 loss at home to first-place Albuquerque Eldorado (17-2, 5-0). Also in 2-6A, Manzano topped Sandia in overtime, 58-50, in a clash of Albuquerque schools.
In District 4-4A, defending state champion Albuquerque Hope Christian rolled surprisingly over Portales, 76-41.
In District 2-3A, Santa Fe Prep won handily, 70-40, over visiting Monte del Sol to improve to 8-6 overall and 1-0 in district. The Dragons dropped to 13-7 overall and 1-1 in district.
In 4-5A, Albuquerque Sandia Prep turned back East Mountain, 65-55.
