EARLY EAST-WEST RIVALRY
WILL WEST LAS VEGAS MEET ROBERTSON IN STU CLARK TOURNEY FINALS?
It hasn’t happened too often. As a matter of fact, the last time hosts West Las Vegas and Robertson met in the finals of the annual Stu Clark Tournament came back in 2001.
“I was an assistant at West then and we won,” said tournament director Gene Mathis.
Although Mathis and other tournament organizers would love to see just such a scenario, there are six other quality teams that will have a thing or two to say about that.
“This is one of the more competitive fields that we’ve had,” Mathis said, pointing out that the field includes 6A West Mesa (2-4), perennial 5A power St. Pius (4-1), which won the tournament a year ago in a tight game over the Dons, and rising 5A Miyamura (5-4). The field also includes Silver (4-2), Bernalillo (3-4) and Kirtland Central (1-5).
All but West Mesa are on Robertson’s side of the bracket, leaving Cardinals coach Manuel Romero leery of prognosticating of any kind.
“My half is very competitive,” he said. “Both brackets are very competitive, but ours is tough. Silver City is one of the top teams in the classification. St. Pius, every year, is fairly tough in basketball. And then we have Miyamura and they’re no pushover. We have to come to play
in that first game; if not, we could find ourselves in the losers’ bracket.”
And that’s something nobody wants to see.
As a matter of fact, while the coaches may not want to meet up before district play starts, a Robertson (4-2)West Las Vegas (6-0) finale would be special.
David Bustos remembers that 2001 game, as well.
“It was awesome,” he said. “The gym was packed, and it went down to the final seconds and West won.”
If both teams were to reach the championship game, “it’s nice for the community, as always,” Bustos said. “It will be tough for both us of to get to the finals, but it will be a great game for the community. For the kids, it’s nice to become part of the rivalry, but I don’t know if the two coaches will be looking forward to it.”
With several key players still getting the kinks out from football, Romero said he would just as soon wait until district play to meet the crosstown rivals, especially since the Dons are rolling.
“I don’t want to play them so early in the year,” he said. “It would be great for gate receipts and moneymaking, but I don’t want to play them so early. But I guess if it happens, it happens.”
WLV, of course, will be banking on the talents of the coach’s son, junior D.J. Bustos, who is one of the top players in the state regardless of class. The Dons also field a veteran group of players that helped them reach the 4A championship game last season.
Robertson also has a veteran group that is ready to make some noise in the post season, and can make other programs sit up and take notice with a strong showing in the Stu Clark.
“We’re gradually trying to get them up and down the court,” Romero said. “These kids have been with me since they were ninth-graders. They know the system and they know what we do. But it’s been a challenge to know when to substitute and when to get them a break. We’re getting the younger players involved and they play a role. But these guys are not into basketball shape yet.”
In particular, that would be Francisco Arguello, Sebastian Gonzales and Arjay Ortiz.
The championship pedigree those players have from the gridiron is rubbing off on their teammates, Romero said.
“They not only bring that winning competitiveness, but they’ve been a plus in terms of true leadership,” he said. “They know what it takes to get to the championship.”
And, for now, it’s just a matter of trying to reach Wednesday’s finale for both local schools.
“The atmosphere is just crazy when those two teams meet in the Stu Clark,” coach Bustos said. “People that played in it long ago come out and it makes the kids that are playing now want to play in it. It takes that whole east-west rivalry to a whole ’nother level.”