SantaFeToday.com Santa Fe’s Hometown News
By Arnie Leshin
It became a game of numbers, when and where, but the grand total of 300 career boys basketball victories belonged to Capital head coach Ben Gomez after wrapping up Tuesday night‘s 56-49 overtime non-district triumph over visiting Valencia, also the Jaguars.
Two brothers who starred for him, present assistant coach Bryan Mirabal and older brother Terence Mirabal, weren’t certain of when these numbers were posted, but to Gomez, it was no big deal. The team accomplished what it set out to do.
After 24 years of the program, the Jaguars wanted to win this one at home, but first had to overcome Valencia’s patient pace and lead, and it took overtime to do so.
Capital played at Valencia’s slow, deliberate pace for most of the time, and that slowed down the Jags’ usual transition game that brought turnovers, especially in the open court.
Valencia (6-11) had only eight turnovers through the first 32 minutes and maintained the lead. Capital still trailed 44-41, and it was 44-all after regulation.
In the OT, the home court Jags got back-to-back baskets, one from 5-foot-6 junior Isaac Ortega and the other from 5-9senior wing Sanchez-Velancia. Then they led 49-46 on a pair of free throws by Ortega.
“They were big,” Ortega said, “once we saw their energy go down, ours went up.”
Record-wise, it upped Capital to 10-4 and brought some joyous celebration afterwards.
“Number 300 came,” Gomez said, “and that was nice. We already had the 600 total victories for the program.”
Gomez’ Jags have won one state championship and Bryan was on that team. Gomez also steered teams to five other state finals. This team has scored 808 points and allowed 672. Its next game is against visiting Pojoaque Valley.
In this one, Valencia led 14-10 after one quarter, 27-18 at the half, 33-25 after three quarters and Capital outscored the other Jaguars 15-11 in the fourth to force the extra stanza.
His son, Ben, Jr., is also one of his assistant coaches and Terence is employed by the city of Santa Fe.
NEW MEXICO HIGH SHOOL BASKETBALL UPDATED RESULTS
BOYS:
ATATC 59
QUESTA 38
TAOS 56
PECOS 51
ESPANOLA VALLEY 41
KIRTLAND CENTRAL 58
EAST MOUNTAIN 21
MORIARTY 46
ROSWELL 40
GODDARD 57
ALBUQUERQUE COTTONWOOD 51
WEST LAST VEGAS 62
HOBBS 69
LAS CRUCES 64
ALBUQUERQUE ACADEMY 70
LOS ALAMOS 54
CLOVIS 48
SANDIA 78
LOS LUNAS 31
ALBUQUERQUE VOLCANO VISTA 71
NEWCOMB 72
THOREAU 63
DEMING 54
MAYFIELD 56
BERNALILLO 51
ALBUQUERQUE ST. PIUS X 72
ALBUQUERQUE BOSQUE 69
ROBERTSON 55
NAVAJO PREP 67
TOTACHI 45
PENASCO 45
SANTA FE INDIAN SCHOOL 53
CUBA 32
ZUNI 78
LORDSBURG 42
HOT SPRINGS 52
MESA VISA 54
DULCE 69
CROWNPOINT 53
WINGATE 43
ALAMAGORDO 54
SILVER 53
VALENCIA 49
CAPITAL 56
