Adams, Moriarty reach final: there awaits top seed Portales
Even a gimpy ankle could do little to slow down Moriarty’s do-everything guard, Alyssa Adams, who had 29 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks in the third-seeded Pintos’ 47-38 win over No. 7 seed Pojoaque Valley in Class 4A girls semifinal action Thursday at the Pit.
Next up for the 27-4 Pintos is top-seeded Portales in today’s 3:30 p.m. championship game at the Pit.
No. 3 MORIARTY 47, No. 7 POJOAQUE VALLEY
38: It took Adams a bit to get going. She scored just one point in the first quarter as the Elkettes (23-6) built an 11-5 lead.
Pojoaque increased that advantage to 20-13 in the second quarter before the Adams train really started chugging along.
“What happened in the second quarter, we played pretty good defense the whole time,” Moriarty coach Joe Bailey said. “We dug ourselves a hole in the first quarter. We didn’t rebound well and gave them too many easy chances. Once we started rebounding better, that got us turned around.”
Adams then scored five points in a quarter-ending 6-0 run, then seven more as Moriarty (27-4) scored the first nine points of the third quarter, pushing the Pintos to a 28-20 lead.
The run at the end of the second quarter was crucial going into halftime, said Moriarty post Lydia Schmutz, who had six rebounds.
“I think it started in the first half when we came back and it just carried through,” she said. “At halftime, we realized we’re back in this game and we can come back.”
Pojoaque, however, didn’t go away, despite falling behind by as much as 36-25 at the end of the third quarter.
“It’s the state semifinals,” Bailey said. “They have good coaching. They have good players, as well. It’s not always easy.”
Twice in the waning minutes, Pojoaque cut it the deficit to three points, including once after Adams had gone to the sidelines to get her right ankle worked on.
“I think I was just freaking out a little bit because it hurt,” she said.
The Elkettes thought that might have been their chance. “We could tell right away that they opened the door for us and we just had to walk through,” coach Seledon Martinez said.
— Glen Rosales NO. 1 PORTALES 65, NO. 4 SHIPROCK 54: The Rams (27-2) used a 28-4 run that spanned the end of the second quarter and the entire third period to overwhelm the Chieftains (20-10).
Taylee Rippee had 14 points and 10 rebounds to lead four players in double figures for Portales. Point guard Zamorye Cox served as a catalyst for the Rams offense, as she had 11 points, seven rebounds and 11 assists.
Lanae Billy had 15 points for Shiprock. Tia Woods added 14 points and 11 boards.