Wildcats jump on rival Hobbs in crucial district game

Clovis’ Jacob Jones changes direction as he dribbles up the court during the first half of their game Tuesday at Rock Staubus Gymnasium. (CNJ staff photo: Eric Kluth)

When the Wildcats calmed down and executed, they took control.

Clovis outscored Hobbs 22-8 in the third quarter on their way to 60-48 win over Hobbs on Tuesday at Rock Staubus Gym.

The win gives the Wildcats (17-2, 2-0 District 4-5A) an early lead in district play.

Clovis senior Tigg Bunton scored 24 points and pulled down 11 rebounds as the Wildcats pounded the ball inside to the 6-foot-8 post.

“Tigg was pretty much unstoppable inside,” Clovis coach J.D. Isler said.

Hobbs coach Russ Gilmore couldn’t agree more.

“He was a load and we didn’t have an answer,” he said.

However, it was in the third quarter, when both Clovis guards and forwards became involved in the scoring, that Clovis pulled away.

After leading 24-20 at halftime, Clovis jumped on Hobbs (13-7,1-1) with an 11-2 run to start the third quarter. Seniors Elliott Hita, Tizrick Phillips, Dominique Easterlin and Bunton all had at least one point.

Hita scored a season-high 10 points. After sitting much of the first half, Easterlin scored all 10 of his points in the second half.

Clovis senior guard Jacob Jones, who had one of the team’s steals and a number of deflected passes, said the team increased their effort in the second half, leading to steals and subsequent fast breaks. Isler added the team played more comfortably, and executed better on their fast breaks than in the first half.

Clovis was up 46-28 at the end of the third quarter and was up by as many as 21 early in the fourth.

Hobbs pulled to within seven with under four minutes left in the game.

“Too little, too late,” Gilmore said.

Both teams let their emotions get to them in the first quarter, to different results.

The Eagles’ first basket came from senior B.J. Meridyth with 6:17 left in the first half. Hobbs missed their first 15 shots.

Gilmore said his team tightened as the shots teetered around the rim but didn’t fall. With about 90 seconds left in the first quarter, the Eagles had four or five lay ups rim out in succession, despite getting the offensive boards right near the hoop. Hobbs had one point at the end of the first quarter.

However, Clovis failed to capitalize.

Hobbs first field goal put the score at 8-5 Clovis, because the Wildcats missed all six free throws in the first quarter.

“It’s frustrating to us because we’re a good free-throw shooting team,” Isler said.

Normally, Clovis hits close to 70 percent of their free throw shots. Tuesday, they were 15 of 29.

Clovis then went on a 10-point run. Nine of those came from Bunton.

But Hobbs came right back, cutting the lead to 24-20 at halftime as drives from Meridyth start to go down. Meridyth led Hobbs with 24 points and Junior Austin Turner added 17.

“We started hitting a few shots and it loosened us a little bit, Gilmore said. “We felt pretty good going in down four.”