Jaguars, Hawks crash the bash
Storm, Las Cruces join APS surprise teams as 6A boys semifinalists
Double-digit mania lives on. Upstarts Volcano Vista and Atrisco Heritage — whose combined seed total, and number of combined losses, both add up to 20 — joined Las Cruces and Cleveland as Class 6A boys state basketball quarterfinal winners on a crazy Wednesday at the Pit.
Albuquerque’s two newest high schools play in the first semifinal at 4:45 today. Normalcy is represented in the lower half of the draw by the Bulldawgs and Storm at 8:15 p.m.
No. 12 VOLCANO VISTA 45, No. 4 ELDORADO 44: The Hawks, who dropped six of seven before the postseason began, suddenly are two wins from duplicating what Rio Rancho (an 11 seed) did 12 months ago.
Forward David Cormier made the second of two free throws with 6.6 seconds left to break a tie and advance Volcano Vista (16-12).
“We just have been trying to stay as consistent as possible,” Hawks coach Greg Brown said. “Even when we were not winning games, we still practiced the right way and we still believed.”
The 6-foot-4 Cormier, as he had done frequently Wednesday, had isolation at the top of the key, then dribble penetrated into the lane, where he drew contact.
“David is really difficult to deal with, especially in one-onone situations,” Brown said.
Said Cormier: “My mentality was to try to make the right play. Finish ... or if they stop me, I have good shooters around me.”
Eldorado (20-7) repeatedly learned this the hard way. Cormier, who finished with 16 points and 12 rebounds, either scored, was fouled or kicked out to a shooter.
“Best athlete in the state,” Eldorado coach Roy Sanchez said.
Cormier’s free throw represented the 13th and final lead change of a competitive chess match. There was considerable counterpunching in this game with minor bursts, but no major runs.
The Hawks clearly had pace in their favor, holding Eldorado 21 points under its season average.
“Tempo is important for our team,” Brown said, whose team also outrebounded Eldorado 32-21. No. 8 ATRISCO HERITAGE 55, No. 1 OÑATE 47: Junior post Jordan Arroyo had a 13-point, 10-rebound day, and freshman guard Joziah Ramos scored six of his eight points in the fourth quarter to send the Jags (19-8) up against Volcano Vista for the third time this season. They split two earlier meetings.
Ramos, the fearless frosh, buried a 3-pointer with 3:47 left to give Atrisco Heritage a 47-45 lead, one that the Jaguars did not relinquish.
Jags coach Adrian Ortega singled out the effort of the 6-foot-6 Arroyo.
“All the film we watched ... we just felt like if we were gonna win this game, Jordan had to get shots and he had to finish,” Ortega said.
“We did our homework on Oñate and got the job done,” Jags sophomore wing DeMarcus Sutphen said.
Oñate (23-6) was dismal from the arc (5-for-22) and the rebound differential (40-23) heavily favored the Jaguars.
“We knew all their plays,” Ortega said. “And I think it really flustered them.” No. 3 CLEVELAND 74, No. 6
CIBOLA 59: The Storm (22-7) dominated in the paint, scoring 56 points inside, and led from start to finish, but had a difficult time shaking the Cougars (19-9), their District 1-6A rivals.
Cleveland scored the game’s first eight points. Through the first three quarters, they led by as many as 11 (28-17) and as few as two (37-35) in the early stages of the second half.
Up 37-35, Aamer Muhammad hit a long jumper, Marcus Hill had a layup, and then Muhammad added a 3 as the Storm extended to a 44-35 lead. Cibola was not closer than five the rest of the way.
“The final (margin) was 15, but it doesn’t feel like it,” Storm coach Sean Jimenez said.
Hill and Marquise Hill each had 16 points for Cleveland. Four other players scored at least eight points.
Now the Storm moves on to face Las Cruces, which beat Cleveland in Rio Rancho 70-69 on Dec. 16.
Cleveland shot 56 percent (31for-55) from the field. No. 2 LAS CRUCES 79, No.
7 HOBBS 44: The Bulldawgs (23-6) undoubtedly had more trouble traveling up to Albuquerque on Tuesday than they did in this game with the Eagles (20-10).
Las Cruces’ bus broke down north of Socorro, extending a 3-hour drive into a 7-hour odyssey. The Bulldawgs’ basketball engine hummed without a hitch.
A 12-0 run in the second quarter put Las Cruces in front 37-20. In the third quarter, guard Markus Collins went off, with 11 points in a span of 1:50 —including three long 3s — and the rout was on.
Collins finished with 17 points, and Las Cruces shot 58 percent (29-for-50) from the floor.
Ironically, the two District 3-6A games between these two were both 71-68 in favor of the home team.
“I can’t,” Las Cruces coach William Benjamin said, asked to explain this blowout. “There’s no way you can anticipate a win like this, especially against a team like Hobbs.”