CCS edges Eunice in OT

EUNICE - It's been a busy, but profitable, last few days for Clovis Christian boys basketball team.

Playing their fourth game in five nights, the Eagles edged host Eunice 51-50 in overtime on Monday night, extending their winning streak to six games. Over the weekend, they captured the Mountain Top Invitational tournament at Cloudcroft, knocking off Cliff 55-38 in Saturday's championship tilt.

Sophomore Jaden Martinez gave CCS the lead in Monday's game by hitting the second of two free throws with 12 seconds to go in OT. The Eagles then committed a foul on the other end, but the Cardinals (3-5) missed both free throws and Clovis Christian hung on.

Junior Noah Gershon scored 28 points and junior Carter Teune had 11 for the Eagles, who struggled on offense after building a 22-12 first-quarter lead. For Eunice, sophomore Jorge Gomez finished with 17 points and junior Jonathan Caballero scored 12.

In Saturday's final at Cloudcroft, the Eagles overcame a slow start against Cliff (6-2) with 40 points in the middle two quarters.

Teune led CCS with 18 points en route to all-tournament honors, while Gershon and junior O.B. Blanco contributed 14 points apiece. Junior Coy Judd was the Cowboys' lone double-figure scorer with 10 points.

Tiger Invitational - Host Elida held Mesilla Valley to 11 first-half points and went on to a commanding 57-42 victory over the previously unbeaten Sonblazers in the championship game.

Elida led 23-11 at halftime and never led Mesilla Valley get much closer. Junior Jose Jimenez scored 19 points and senior Rylan Crieghton 15 for the Tigers, while the Las Cruces-based Sonblazers (6-1) were paced by junior Logan Morris with 17 points and senior Carlo Velarde with 12.

Dora claimed third place in the event with a 50-46 victory over the Clovis junior varsity as junior Steven Masini scored 31 points, 13 coming in the third quarter when he helped the Coyotes (5-2) turn a five-point halftime lead into a 39-28 advantage. Senior Cache Skelley chipped in 10 tallies.

For the Wildcats, Blake Curtis scored 10 of his team-leading 14 points in the second half while Kairyl Dickson finished with four 3-pointers and 13 points.

Reserve (5-3) captured fifth place in the tourney with a 70-46 triumph over Grady as junior Omar Ledezma led four Mountaineers in double digits with 20 points. Also, freshman Ray Varela collected three 3s and 16 points and seniors Jared Nicolds and DeShaun DeLaO posted 15 and 10, respectively.

Only four players scored for Grady (2-5), led by sophomore Zane Rush with 22 points and senior Jordan Verble with 13.

Meantime, in the seventh-place tilt, Floyd earned its first win of the season by walloping Carrizozo 50-11.

The Broncos (1-5) held the Grizzlies scoreless in two of the four quarters, including a 13-0 run in the opening stanza. Senior Cristian Mascorro tallied 13 points and sophomore Daegan East had 12 for Floyd.

Junior Abriel Marron topped Carrizozo (0-6) with seven points.

Melrose topples Pintos in OT to capture title - Melrose survived a big fourth-quarter rally by host Moriarty to edge the Pintos 63-59 in overtime for the championship of the Bruce King Invitational at Moriarty.

Senior Logan Devaney scored a personal-best 18 points for the Buffaloes (3-2). Senior Brody McAlister also had his top scoring performance, finishing with 15, while senior Brandon Garcia added 10.

For Moriarty (5-3), senior Bruno Garcia and junior Cade Griego notched 11 points each, and junior Herman Archibeque finished with 10.