Clovis girls nab first district win

Staff report

ALAMOGORDO — It’s not very often this season that the free throw line has been a friend for the Clovis High girls basketball team.

Friday night against District 4-6A foe Alamogordo, though, it certainly was.

The Lady Wildcats converted 20-of-28 from the line, including 18-of-22 in the final period to help seal a 48-34 victory over the Lady Tigers.

Sophomore post Mimi Coleman finished with a season-high 19 points while senior guard Serena Garcia added 11, including 6-of-7 from the foul line as the Lady Cats (8-13, 1-2 district) broke into the win column in 4-6A play.

Clovis scored the game’s first 11 points, watched the Lady Tigers (11-12, 0-3) close within 26-24 late in the third period and then pulled away with the help of foul shots. Clovis scored the final basket of the third period and added first seven points of the final stanza, and was never seriously challenged the rest of the way.

“The difference in this game (compared to district losses to Carlsbad and Hobbs) is that we had a great start,” CHS coach Jeff Reed said. “That really put us in the driver’s seat the rest of the game.”

Alamogordo, which snapped a seven-game losing streak on Tuesday with a stunning 49-41 win at Las Cruces High, struggled mightily from the field all game, especially from the 3-point line where the Lady Tigers went 0-for-19.

Senior forward Kristyn Archuleta scored all but one of Alamo’s 15 first-half points, but finished with just 17 for the game.

“About halfway through the third quarter we started pressing,” Reed said. “We were able to get them to rush some shots.”

The Lady Cats begin the second round of district play with a 7 p.m. game on Tuesday against Carlsbad at Rock Staubus Gym. The Cavegirls won at home 59-28 in the earlier meeting.