Coyotes pull away late from Cats

ROSWELL — For 3 1/2 quarters on Thursday night, Clovis High’s boys pretty much gave Roswell High all it wanted.

The roof finally caved in on the Wildcats, but not until late in a 70-47 loss to the Coyotes.

CHS boys coach Scott Robinson said it was a step in the right direction.

“We got off to a good start,” he said. “That was a focal point for us this week.

“We’ve got to get to where we play four (full) quarters, and we haven’t been able to do that yet. We always seem to have about a quarter that gives us trouble.”

Clovis has three games remaining before starting District 2-6A play against Eldorado on Jan. 17, including matchups against longtime district rival Hobbs tonight on the road and here next Thursday. In between, the Cats host Roswell Goddard on Tuesday at The Rock.

‘It’s good for us to play these teams,” Robinson said. “These four games will get us ready for district.”

The Cats (6-7) opened a 12-8 lead at the quarter on Thursday before Roswell High (11-3) scored the first 11 points of the second period. The Cats rallied back to tie it late in the half before a 3-pointer at the buzzer by senior guard Garret Smotherman gave the Coyotes a 25-22 advantage.

Clovis tied it a couple of times early in the third quarter. Roswell High led 42-36 at period’s end, and was up 54-44 about midway through the final stanza before going on a backbreaking 12-0 surge.

Sophomore guard Tarren Burrola finished with 24 points and had seven 3-pointers for the Coyotes. Their only other 3 was Smotherman’s halftime buzzer-beater.

Senior guard Chris Mesquita added 18 points for Roswell High. Meantime, junior guard Brandon Romero led the Cats with 13 points while senior guard Taitt Kuchta added 11, including three of the team’s five 3-pointers.

Hobbs (8-4) set a season scoring high a 97-72 thumping of Centennial on Tuesday at Las Cruces. The Eagles are led by junior post Clay Strasner (20.9 ppg, 10.5 rpg), senior guard Deuce Goodrich (16.8 ppg, 7.9 apg) and senior guard Vincent Taylor (13.7 ppg), the latter the younger brother of former Eagles star Jeff Taylor.

The Cats counter with junior guard Jakeem Wynn (15.7 ppg, 2.6 apg), Taitt (9.8 ppg) and junior center Jonathan Williams (4.7 rpg).

Robinson said Goodrich “is probably the best player” for the Eagles.

“They’re a really fast team,” he said. “They play well in transiton, and that’s the strength of their team.”