Coyotes deal Clovis third-straight defeat

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Roswell started strong and finished strong, while the Clovis Wildcats could never quite finish what they started.

link CMI staff photo: Kevin Wilson

Clovis senior Traivon Sopila gets around Roswell defender Sterling Cooper in the second half Friday at Rock Staubus Gymasium. Sopila had 12 points and 12 rebounds in Clovis’ 79-62 loss.

Daniel Amador scored 19 points to lead four players in double figures, and the Coyotes rolled out of Clovis with a 79-62 win Friday night in a non-district game at Rock Staubus Gymnasium.

Cesar Nava added 18 and Marquel Warner had a double-double with 14 points and 10 boards for the Coyotes (22-1), ranked No. 1 in Class 4A, which led by as many as 23 in the fourth period and went 4-1 against the three-team District 4-5A. Carlsbad accounts for Roswell’s only loss this season in three games.

“I thought in the second half, we really started playing well,” Coyotes coach Britt Cooper said. “We wore them down, and that’s what we do to a lot of people.”

The Wildcats, who lost their third straight and seventh in their last nine games, fell to .500 for the first time since mid-December due to the poor shooting that has plagued them for the last few weeks.

“It’s a tough situation, but it can get mental with kids,” Clovis coach Matt King said. “You have to stay positive, keep your head up and get up as many shots as you can. You’ve got to believe in your kids, and we will. We always will.”

Willie McCray led Clovis with 20 points on 8-of-19 shooting, while senior forward Traivon Sopila notched a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds.

link CMI staff photo: Kevin Wilson

Clovis senior Willie McCray goes by Roswell defender Cesar Nava for the layup in the second half Friday at Rock Staubus Gymasium. McCray scored a game-high 20 in Clovis’ 79-62 loss.

Marquese Gaither, who scored nine points on 3-of-8 shooting, was the only other Wildcat to register more than five points.

The Wildcats close out the regular season next week with a pair of district games — Tuesday at home against Carlsbad and Friday at Hobbs. The Cavemen defeated Hobbs 56-48, keeping the race for the top seed going.

“We’re going into next week knowing if we can win two games, we’re tied for the district lead,” King said. “Everything is still in front of us. Tuesday is the biggest game of the year.”

Friday

Non-district

Roswell High 79, Clovis 62

Roswell (22-1) — Daniel Amador 7-13 5-5 19, Cesar Nava 6-10 6-6 18, Marquel Warner 5-8 2-6 14, Javon Hicks 4-6 2-2 10, Matthew Sedillo 2-8 2-2 8, Sterling Cooper 2-5 1-1 5, Frank De La O 1-2 1-2 3, Dominic Gamboa 1-1 0-0 2, Emlyn Evans 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 28-55 19-24 79.

Clovis (12-12) — Willie McCray 8-19 -3 20, Traivon Sopila 4-11 4-5 12, Marquese Gaither 3-8 2-2 9, Justin Henderson 2-4 1-1 5, Roland Chavez 2-8 0-0 4, Kamal Cass 2-7 0-0 4, D.D. Egbert 1-5 2-4 4, Kaine Bender 1-2 0-0 2, Brandon Brewer 0-4 2-2 2. Totals 23-68 14-17 62.

Roswell High 16 18 20 25 — 79

Clovis 14 15 8 25 — 62

3-pointers — Roswell High 4-13 (Warner 2-4, Sedillo 2-7, Evans 0-1, Amador 0-2), Clovis 2-17 (Gaither 1-5, McCray 1-6, Henderson 0-1, Egbert 0-2, Brewer 0-3). Rebounds — Roswell 32 (Warner 10), Clovis 36 (Sopila 12). Total fouls — Roswell 12, Clovis 19. Fouled out — none. Junior varsity — Clovis 71, Roswell 59.