Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Courtesy photo: Scot Stinnett ENMU junior guard Lathan Lieb applies defensive pressure against Western New Mexico’s Terrez Scott during Saturday’s men’s basketball matchup at The Pit in Albuquerque. The Hounds improved to 3-2 with a 94-87 win over the Mustangs.
link Courtesy photo: Scot Stinnett
ENMU junior guard Lathan Lieb applies defensive pressure against Western New Mexico’s Terrez Scott during Saturday’s men’s basketball matchup at The Pit in Albuquerque. The Hounds improved to 3-2 with a 94-87 win over the Mustangs.
Staff report
ALBUQUERQUE — Junior guard John Gilliam scored a season-best 25 points and led a potent Eastern New Mexico University outing from 3-point range, hitting 5-of-6, as the Greyhounds built a 19-point, second-half lead before holding off Western New Mexico 94-87 on Saturday night at The Pit on the campus of the University of New Mexico.
After shooting 30 percent from 3-point range in their first four games (39-of-130), ENMU shot a blazing 14-of-23 from long-distance, hitting 60 percent or better in each half, and finished with four players in double figures.
Senior guard Michael Randle had 19 points for the Hounds (3-2), who ended a two-game losing streak. Senior guard Deyton De La Cerda added 14 points off the bench, including three 3-pointers, while junior point guard Chris Wyms finished with 11 points.
Senior forward Marcos Castrillo was a one-man wrecking crew for the Mustangs (0-3), pouring in a career-high 36 points to go with nine rebounds and three blocks.
Trailing 4-2, the Hounds went on a 14-6 run that included three 3-pointers by Gilliam and one by Randle. The Mustangs rallied, taking the lead briefly on Castrillo’s 3-point play with eight minutes left in the half, before ENMU opened a 45-37 margin at the break.
The Hounds dominated the early part of the second half, taking a 67-48 advantage with 13 1/2 minutes to go on two free throws by freshman Kevin Saiz. The Mustangs began chipping away, pulling to 79-78 with 3:30 left after two 3-pointers by Gavin Wood.
But the Mustangs could never get over the top, and De La Cerda iced the victory for ENMU by sinking four consecutive free throws in the final 31 seconds.
ENMU shot 51 percent for the game while the Mustangs, who were at 29 percent in their first two outings, found the range at a 46 percent clip (27-of-59) in this one.
Wood was WNMU’s only other double-figure scorer, finishing with 14 points.
