Vikings top Bulldogs in nail-biter
Valley wins in overtime to advance to this week’s quarterfinals in Pit
The boys basketball rivalry between Valley and Albuquerque High is sure to go on in some form or another — but it may not ever look like this again.
Which is a shame.
Their possible valedictory matchup as sameclass rivals produced one of the most riveting games in the history of this long, competitive series Saturday night. Both teams had chances to win in regulation, but it was the sixth-seeded Vikings who got it done in overtime as they beat No. 11 AHS 61-59 in a thrilling first-round matchup of the Class 6A state tournament.
“Relieved,” Valley coach Joe Coleman said. “We found a way to win when I didn’t think we played that great.”
The Vikings advance to Wednesday’s quarterfinals at the Pit against Atrisco Heritage, at 8:15 p.m.
Saturday night, there was not a single open seat inside Valley’s gym, and there was nowhere to stand, either, as the teams played through sweltering conditions.
There were 11 lead changes and six ties as the current District 4-6A rivals met for the final time before Valley drops down a classification for at least the next two seasons.
It was Valley (19-8) that scored the first five points of the OT, and the Bulldogs (15-12), who had seen big man Marlon Cunningham foul out late in the fourth quarter, struggled to match the Vikings in the extra session.
Valley senior guard Anthony Chavez, who will be a preferred walk-on with New Mexico after he graduates, scored the first two field goals of the OT, the last of his game-high 25 points.
“I feel like we struggled a little bit,” Chavez said, “but we pulled it out. This team really deserves to get a chance to play in the Pit.”
Chavez maybe could have helped Valley avoid overtime, but he missed two free throws with 21 seconds to go with the Vikings up 52-50. (Valley actually wasted a five-point lead in the final 88 seconds of the fourth quarter.)
Then, at the other end, AHS missed two free throws, with Randy Castillo and Silas Cole both going 1-of-2 in the final 12.4 seconds. Otherwise the Bulldogs might have stolen this game.
“We had our chances to win,” AHS coach Ron Garcia said. “They had some balls bounce their way.”
Neither team led by more than five points Saturday.
Cunningham finished with 18 points before fouling out. Randy Castillo led AHS with 25 points — 21 in the second half. It was his play with Cunningham out of the game that got the Bulldogs into overtime.
— James Yodice No. 5 CLEVELAND 87, No. 12 RIO RANCHO 73: At Cleveland, the Storm (20-9) scored the game’s first seven points and never looked back, building a double-digit lead two minutes into the second quarter and holding off its city foe for the third time in four meetings.
Four of the five Cleveland starters scored in double figures.
Jalen Munn, who grabbed a dozen rebounds, and Aamer Muhammad scored nine points apiece in the Storm’s 30-point second quarter, which ended with it holding a 49-33 lead at halftime.
The Rams (16-13) threatened in the third period, when they got as close as eight, but a buzzerbeating 3-pointer by Josh Tarry gave Cleveland a 66-55 lead heading into the fourth quarter, and the Storm cruised to the win.
Muhammad finished with a game-high 20 points, Munn had 19, Nakqi Smith contributed 14, including three 3s, and Jayden Phillips added 11.
Keshawn Banks came off the Rams’ bench to score 16 points. Blaine Gallegos was good for 13 and Royce Olney had 11, also hitting three 3s.
“We knew they would come back and they actually had a really good third quarter,” Storm coach Sean Jimenez said. “We shot the ball really well, we pushed the ball, and there’s always concern when you get a lead not to get lethargic and start to look ahead.
“That’s what I kept telling our team: It’s a tie ballgame, keep pushing it.”
— Gary Herron No. 8 WEST MESA 60, No. 9 MANZANO 53: At West Mesa, the Monarchs won the final 28½ minutes. But it was the game’s first 3½ minutes that sealed their fate.
The Mustangs (19-9) went on a 12-1 run after the opening tip, and Manzano (15-11), despite several pushes, never could overcome that sluggish opening.
“(Not starting quick) has been a thing that’s hurt us all year,” said West Mesa coach Shonn Schroer. “That was key for us.”
The Mustangs will face No. 1 seed Eldorado at 1:15 p.m. Wednesday at the Pit in the quarterfinals.
And as much as Manzano lamented that horrible start, West Mesa was celebrating the play of senior guard Jose Vigil.
Vigil was dazzling in the first half, scoring 19 points on 7-of-8 shooting, including three 3-pointers. He had the last eight points of that 12-1 run that opened the game.
“I just wanted to take my team to the Pit,” said Vigil, who finished with 26 points. “I’ve never been to the Pit.”
Vigil added 11 points in the second quarter, including the final seven of the half as West Mesa led 33-24 at intermission.
“Jose was pretty darn good tonight,” Schroer said. “And you know what? He was really under control.”
Manzano did eventually settle in, and truth be told, the Monarchs were on the fringe of catching West Mesa the entire game. But whenever Manzano put together a run, the Mustangs would respond.
Case in point: Manzano, on a 3 from Erick Campillo-Terrazas, closed to 39-33 late in the third quarter. But then West Mesa, fueled by Izayah Ortiz and Eloy Medina, scored the next six to end the quarter.
Manzano got to within five at 47-42 midway through the quarter and even was down four at 49-45 with 2:46 to go, with the ball. Manzano had a good look at a 3 that didn’t go down, and that seemed to end their hopes.
“Maybe nerves a little bit,” Manzano coach Dominick Romero said of his team’s slow start. “When you dig yourself a 12-1 hole, it’s a tough uphill climb the rest of the way … (But) we fought all the way to the end.”
Free throws also were a factor. West Mesa was 23-of-30 from the line, including 13-of-16 in the fourth quarter. Manzano made 13 out of 17 for the game.
Medina added 16 points and Ortiz 10 for West Mesa.
Eric Sonnenberg had a teambest 14 points for Manzano.
— James Yodice No. 3 ATRISCO HERITAGE 51, No. 14 SANTA FE 48: At Atrisco, the Demons had an open look at a game-tying 3-pointer at the final buzzer, but it didn’t go in and the Jaguars (23-3) advanced to the quarters to face Valley, a team that worked Atrisco Heritage on its home court just eight days ago.
“Santa Fe was a really dangerous team,” Atrisco coach Adrian Ortega said.
Senior forward Jordan Arroyo led the Jaguars with 23 points.
No. 4 VOLCANO VISTA 53, No. 13 OÑATE 43: At Volcano Vista, Jorell Phillips buried two crucial 3-pointers in the third quarter for the Hawks (20-6) after the Knights (18-11) had tied the game, as Volcano Vista advanced to a fifth meeting with Cleveland in Wednesday’s 9:45 a.m. quarterfinal game at the Pit.
Jalontae Gray led Volcano Vista with 17 points. Cesar Madrid added 16 for the Hawks, who beat the Storm in three of four meetings during the regular season.
No. 1 ELDORADO 65, No. 16 PIEDRA VISTA 47: The Eagles (24-2) started quickly in their first-round game with the Panthers (13-15), racing out to a 17-3 lead.
It was mostly cruise control from there for Eldorado, which moves ahead to face West Mesa in the quarterfinals.
“West Mesa does a good job of controlling tempo,” Eagles coach Roy Sanchez said. “They’ve got a couple of good shooters, so it’ll be a tough game.”
Tyler Quintana had 16 points to pace Eldorado. Kameron Valencia chipped in with 14 points.
No. 2 LAS CRUCES 54, No. 15 SANDIA 39: At Las Cruces, the Bulldawgs (28-1) beat the Matadors (10-17) for the second time this season and advanced to Wednesday’s quarterfinals, when they will play Hobbs at 4:45 p.m. at the Pit. The Eagles outlasted La Cueva 95-87 in overtime at Ralph Tasker Arena.
Vincente Johnson had 17 points to lead Las Cruces.