Coyotes improve to 7-3

TULAROSA — The Dora Coyotes overcame a first-round loss Thursday and an overtime game Saturday to win the consolation bracket of the Tularosa Tournament. They beat Cloudcroft 58-53 to advance their record to 7-3 on the season.

Overall Dora coach Ty Thatcher said he was pleased overall with his team’s effort.

“We had high expectations for that first game (agianst Cliff),” Thatcher said. “There team was up and clicking on all cylinders though.”

After nine straight road games, Thatcher says his team is fatigued and a little banged up and ready to get home.

“But to go 2-3 (in the tournament) and play one overtime, we did well, we got what we needed,” Thatcher said.

Dora established itself early in Saturday’s contest with Cloudcroft and maintained 8-10-point leads throughout the first half. But down 26-17 at the break, the Bears had different ideas about how the second half would go.

Cloudcroft hit three straight 3-pointers in the third quarter to stop the bleeding and end the quarter tying Dora’s offensive output with 13 points.

Foul trouble caused major problems for the Coyotes early in the fourth as three of Dora’s starters went to the bench with four fouls. A technical against Dora made things worse and Cloudcroft cut the Coyote lead to five from the line. Seconds later Bear Joel Pyburn gave Cloudcroft a one-point lead.

Dora held it together down the stretch and regulation ended with a 48-48 tie.

“We didn’t do a very good job of running the clock or hitting our shots in the fourth,” Thatcher admitted.

During overtime, Dora went for broke, foul trouble and all and built a quick lead. After shooting 11-12 in the first half from the line and falling back to 3-8 in the third and fourth, the Coyotes regained their touch at the stripe to go 4-5 in overtime to assure the win.

Tyler Wilhoit came away with 18 points for the Coyotes while Casey O’Connor had 12 and Austin Prewett scored 11.

For the Bears Drew Swope scored 18 and Jason Driekosen had 12.

The Coyotes return home for a Friday contest against Farwell.

Floyd girls win consolation bracket

Darcee Chenault led three in double figures with 14 points and the Floyd Broncos moved to 3-3 with a 56-45 victory over Kress, Texas in the consolation bracket of a tournament at Whitharral, Texas.

Floyd coach Cody May said switching defenses helped the Lady Broncos put the opposition away.

“We didn’t play very well (early). We didn’t have much intensity and they hung with us.,” May said. “Coming out in the third quarter, we switched presses and created about six turnovers right in a row. We just kept it up.”

Carley Dement had 13 for Floyd, Alexis Benoit had 10 and Kelli Johnson added nine for Floyd, which plays Thursday in the Route 66 Tournament in Tucumcari.

Floyd boys drop game against Hart

A 16-5 third quarter made the difference, as Hart defeated the Broncos in the consolation championship of the Whitharral Tournament.

Floyd coach Rafael Roybal felt the Broncos had an unbalanced effort — Chet Chenault had 18 to lead the Broncos, and senior Kyle Kropf’s five was the next highest total.

“The big thing is that we didn’t come out and play,” Roybal said. “They hit their first five shots (of the third quarter) and we didn’t play at all.”

The Broncos will face Elida Thursday in the first round of the Route 66 Tournament in Tucumcari.