Healthy Wildcats win on road

ARTESIA — Playing at full strength for the first time in a month, Clovis sophomore guard Jaden Isler helped the Wildcats down Artesia 70-61 Friday in a non-district tune-up game.

Isler and junior guard Cody Thornsbury lead the Cats in the game for the Cats (13-6) with 17 points each.

“We looked a lot more comfortable on offense,” Clovis coach J.D. Isler said. “With Jaden healthy, it certainly makes things a lot smoother.”

Jaden Isler’s strong outing included two 3-pointers.

“It’s not necessarily that we needed him to score,” the Clovis coach said. “But it helps to have him as a threat.”

Jaden Isler, the coach’s son, injured his right hand in late December, and had been playing with a cast prevented him from shooting even free throws with his dominant hand.

Freshman wing Derek Montoya, Artesia coach Ike Montoya’s son, lead the Bulldogs (10-9) with 21 points while sophomore post Landry Jones added 17.

“We had a good flow and we played well on defense,” Coach Isler said. “I think our press bothered them. It was a real balanced effort.”

Clovis lead by 16 late in the fourth quarter before coasting to the nine-point win.