Boys basketball

What happened: The Trojans needed a big win, and what better than a nondistrict road win against a team that is ninth in the latest MaxPreps.com Freeman rankings? Mesa Vista overcame a 24-16 halftime deficit Monday by outscoring the Bears 35-23 in the second half, and 21-17 in the fourth quarter. Damian Trujillo had 12 points in the fourth, and the team knocked down seven of 12 free throws down the stretch to seal the win.

“Hopefully, this gets us on a nice little run here,” Mesa Vista head coach Richard Apodaca said.

Standouts: Trujillo finished with a teamhigh 22 points, while Ryan Garcia added 11. What’s next: Mesa Vista (11-11 overall) returns to District 5-2A play when it travels to Tierra Amarilla against Escalante on Thursday.

What happened: Coming off a runner-up performance at the Great Plains School for the Deaf Tournament in Oklahoma over the weekend, the Roadrunners looked lethargic in a District 7-1A opener in Larson Gym. Still, they pulled away in the final four minutes for the win.

“Thanks to our tight defense and heady play by our players, we were able to claim victory number 14,” NMSD head coach Leo Gutierrez wrote in a text.

Standouts: Without senior post Luis Villalobos, much of the scoring load fell on sophomore Bruce Brewer Jr. He did not disappoint with 36 points, eight rebounds and five steals. Freshman Kieran Vollmar added six points and nine rebounds, while Jesus Rios grabbed five rebounds and had two steals.

What’s next: NMSD (14-5 overall, 1-0 in 7-1A) plays at Albuquerque Evangel Christian/Oak Grove Academy on Tuesday.