SantaFeToday.com Santa Fe’s Hometown News
By Arnie Leshin
There’s not much of a difference when you take a look at the upcoming boy’s basketball schedule for Monte del Sol Charter and Albuquerque Menaul.
After Menaul emerged with Thursday’s 74-55 victory over the visiting Dragons, the next five games are all on the road but clearly in favor of the Panthers.
First, the win over MDSC wasn’t easy, with Menaul only up 18-17 after one quarter and 33-31 at halftime, but the 19-9 third quarter run and 22-15 fourth quarter resulted in Menaul advancing to 14-7 overall and 4-1 in District 2-2A.
Now the Panthers head for five opponents with a combined won-loss record of 26-41 — Academy for Technology and The Classics, Tierra Encantada, Albuquerque Native America Community Academy, Santa Fe Waldorf, and Mora.
Then there’s the road the Dragons will travel with a 11-11 overall mark and at 3-3inyn district — Espanola McCurdy, East Mountain, Santa Fe Waldorf, Mora and Dulce, a quintet at 40-60 overall.
This was the second time the Panthers have gotten past the Dragons, but not quite as simple as the 78-38 romp the previous time.
In another boy’s contest Thursday, Santa Fe Indian School turned back Santa Fe Prep, 57-52, in 2-3A at the Braves’ Pueblo Pavillion, with Indian School cruising to a 15-3 lead after one quarter, but the Griffins rallied for a 42-35 advantage halfway through the fourth quarter.
But Prep couldn’t maintain the pace and fell to 9-8 overall and 2-2-2 in district while the Braves improved to 14-7 and 2-3, and playing at district rival West Las Vegas Friday. The Griffins are home to frontrunner, transfer portal Robertson on Saturday.
Junior Mitch Grover tallied a game-high19 points for Prep, junior Van Anderson dropped in 16 and sophomore Morgan Field scored 13. For Indian School, the high was 15 points by sophomore Kenyen Callado.
