Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Floyd junior Jona Baros spots up for two points as sophomore Hannah Bainster sets a screen against Carrizozo junior Jade Gabaldon during Saturday's seventh-place game in the Tiger Invitational basketball tournament at Elida. The Lady Broncos posted a 35-30 win.
ELIDA - Dora's bids for championships in the Elida Invitational on Saturday came up short with losses to Logan - 54-49 in the boys' finale and 40-30 in the girls' championship tilt.
The Longhorns (5-1) won a tight boys clash with the previously unbeaten Coyotes behind 14 and 12 points, respectively, from juniors Kaden Stoner and Brock Burns.
Three players were in double figures for Dora (6-1), led by 6-foot-5 senior Steven Masini with 20 points. Junior Cole Kircher added 11 points and senior Lane Faver 10.
In the girls finale, Logan held the Lady Coyotes (6-3) to nine first-half points, taking control with a 13-3 blitz in the second frame. Junior Liz Horner had 14 points and freshman Desta Rose 12 for the Lady Longhorns (5-1), while junior Faith Jasso kept Dora in contact with a season-best 21 points.
In the boys' third-place game, the Clovis junior varsity held off a late Elida comeback bid to subdue the Tigers 78-70. Jaden Cox netted 22 points for the Wildcats, while Cole Cabledue added 13 and Johnny Molina 10.
Top scorers for Elida (2-5) were senior Jose Jimenez with 22 points, junior Seth Jimenez with 19 and sophomore Harley Fraze with 12.
Also, the Clovis JV girls defeated Elida 46-8 for third place. Eighth-grader Gianna Cordova with 20 points and freshman Brynn Petner with 12 paced the Lady Wildcats, with freshman Hattie Bilbrey accounting for six points and eighth-grader Reatta Munsell two for the Lady Tigers (1-5).
In seventh-place games on Saturday, Floyd's boys defeated Carrizozo 47-33 while the Lady Broncos topped the Lady Grizzlies 35-30 in the girls' contest.
Bruce King Invitational, Moriarty - Melrose's bids for titles against larger schools in the eight-team tournament came up short on Saturday, with the boys losing to Las Vegas Robertson 61-44 and the girls dropping an 89-53 decision against defending Class 4A state champion and top-ranked Kirtland Central to hand the Class 1A Buffaloes and Lady Buffs their first setbacks of the campaign.
Robertson (5-0) erased a two-point deficit with a 14-5 run in the second canto, then broke it open by outscoring the Buffs 22-13 in the final period. Senior Bodie Dvhlinhrt led a balanced attack for the Class 3A Cardinals with 13 points, followed by 11 and 10, respectively, from brothers Nathan and Jesse Gonzales.
Sophomore Brayden Eldridge took game honors with 17 points for Melrose (5-1), while junior Michael Cardonita added 11.
Meantime, the Lady Buffs - playing their fourth Class 4A or 5A opponent of the season - couldn't handle the deep, talented Lady Broncos (8-0), who opened a 27-4 lead in the opening stanza.
Senior Aaryanna Lansing and junior Keira Beall-Gleason knocked in 20 points each for Kirtland Central, and junior Emilia Clani had 11. Top scorers for the Lady Buffs were junior Graci Odom with 19 points and senior Sorrell Allen with 13.
Bovina boys finish third - The Mustangs picked up two wins on Saturday in a tournament at Whitharral, Texas, thumping Lazbuddie 59-25 and, in the third-place tilt, Crosbyton 65-31 to go 3-1 for the weekend.
Against Lazbuddie (3-3), junior Miguel Lopez posted three 3-pointers en route to a game-high 17 points for Bovina (6-4), while senior Ceasar Amaya finished with 10. In the win over Crosbyton (4-3), Amaya poured in 21 points and Lopez added two more 3s and 10 points as 11 Mustangs scored.
For Crosbyton, Coleman Cruz and Eric Guerrero had seven points apiece.
Bovina's girls won two of three in the tournament. On Thursday, the Fillies (6-6) lost to Petersburg 44-41 before downing Lazbuddie 55-27 on Friday and Whitharral 39-32 on Saturday.
Bovina hurt itself with 8-of-23 free throw shooting in the loss to Petersburg. Junior Lesley Esparza had 13 points for the Fillies, while the Lady Buffs (11-6) got 11 points from junior Kianna Ortiz.
On Friday, Bovina and Lazbuddie (8-2) played even except for the second quarter, which the Fillies dominated 10-0. Aaliyah Garcia had 12 points for Bovina while Eva Froese scored 11 for the Lady Longhorns.
In the finale, Bovina overcame 9-of-33 free throw shooting by outscoring the Lady Panthers 19-11 in the final stanza. Leading scorers were Esparza with 12 for Bovina and sophomore with 12 Chavez and junior Tyler Parkinson with 10 for Whitharral.
