Rio Rancho boys win thriller
Here come the defending state champions.
No. 2 seed Rio Rancho posted a thrilling 85-83 road victory at No. 1 Cleveland in the District 1-6A boys basketball final Saturday night.
Senior guard Clay Patterson poured in 30 points, including six 3s, for Rio Rancho (20-8). Keshawn Banks added 20 in the paint.
The game featured 12 ties and 11 lead changes. Joe Elmalhy, on a feed from Patterson with 6.5 seconds remaining, scored from close range to break an 83-all tie.
In 2-6A, well-rested No. 1 seed Eldorado (19-6) belted visiting No. 5 seed Sandia 65-43. The Matadors (13-15) were playing their fourth road game in five days.
Albuquerque High won four games in five days to claim the 4-6A tournament crown. The third-seeded Bulldogs (20-8) upended host and No. 1 Atrisco Heritage (17-8) 62-46.
Portales had the day’s stunner, getting a buzzer-beater to upset Hope Christian 59-56 in the District 4-4A tourney final.
GIRLS: Rio Rancho, Sandia and West Mesa won 6A district tournament titles.
In 1-6A, the top-seeded host Rams (1711) held off No. 3 Cibola 38-36, with Kamirah Decker leading the way for Rio Rancho with 19 points.
In 2-6A, No. 3 seed Sandia (22-5) earned a 73-66 road win at No. 1 La Cueva (178). Cara Liggins led the Matadors with 21 points; she, Sapirah Broussard and Inayah Broussard each hit three 3-pointers in the victory.
At Rio Grande, West Mesa’s top-seeded girls buried 15 shots from beyond the arc, one off the state record, in a 63-43 win over No. 2 seed Highland in 4-6A.
Host Los Lunas came from behind to nip St. Pius 43-41 in the 5-5A title game, and Española Valley defeated visiting Albuquerque Academy 46-31 in 2-5A.
From Class 4A, both Hope Christian (4-4A) and Sandia Prep (5-4A) won tournaments at home. The Huskies downed Portales 67-50; the Sundevils, sparked by Madie Trainor’s 45 points, beat Santa Fe Indian School 72-50. Trainor needs one point to tie the school career scoring record of 1,712 points.