Vikings Can’t Overcome Slow Start vs. Eagles

Cibola Keeps Rio Grande Winless

Rich Harbin’s mid-November notion was this: He coached a girls basketball team that he felt could stand with anyone in Class 5A’s top 10.

That may prove to be true eventually, but eight days into the 2012-13 season, Harbin was having trouble tapping into the optimistic half of his nature.

Visits from Eldorado sometimes have that effect.

“I’m very disappointed in our lack of a will to win,” Harbin said after the Eagles came into the North Valley on Wednesday night and easily swept aside the Vikings 57-38.

Harbin said there was only one silver lining, and that was that Valley won the second half. But a 38-15 deficit in the first half was weighing on his mind.

“In the first half,” Harbin said, “they did their thing and we didn’t respond.

“The thing with my team is, we have a lot of kids back, but we’re not a physical team, and we’re not a real aggressive team. I think when we play teams of lesser talent, we’re more aggressive and more physical.”

Eldorado shot 32 free throws Wednesday. Valley attempted only nine.

It was telling, Harbin said, that his two leading scorers Wednesday, Alexis Reyes (11) and Brianna Roybal (10), are both freshmen. His senior point guard, Jordan Gutierrez, had just seven points, nearly 10 below her season average from last year.

“We’ve got to find a floor general that will really run the team,” Harbin said. “Overall, there’s not anyone on this team that’s willing to take the reins and the leadership of this team. I’m having to micromanage, which I don’t like to do. It’s almost like a ship without a rudder. We’ve got to find people who can take charge.” Valley is 1-1. Eldorado is 2-0. “I honestly feel that we’ll get there,” Harbin said. “But until as a team we decide to fight back, we’re gonna have these setbacks. It’s up to the kids to see if they want to respond.”

Friday the Vikings take on Albuquerque Academy.

CIBOLA 56, RIO GRANDE 20: Wednesday night at Rio Grande, Kassandra Harris had 15 points for the Cougars, and 10 different players scored in a rout of the Ravens.

Cibola is 2-0, Rio Grande 0-2.

Tuesday Girls

Bosque fell 36-28 to Pecos. Louisa Mackenzie had 16 points for the 1-3 Bobcats.

Also Tuesday, Sandia defeated West Mesa 52-41, St. Pius improved to 2-0 by routing Manzano 64-31, and Atrisco Heritage Academy — now 0-2 — fell 74-45 to Santa Fe.

There was no further information available on any of those games.

Tuesday Boys

All eight West Side Journal schools were in action Tuesday night.

In what could be a playoff preview later in the season in Class 4A, St. Pius edged visiting Gallup 60-56, as Micah Sanchez led the Sartans with 20 points. Nic Stafford added 11, Ray Reyes 10 for St. Pius, which was playing its season opener.

St. Pius visits 3-0 Bernalillo tonight.

At Cibola, Joe Anaya had 16 first-half points for visiting Valley (1-1), which posted a 46-33 win over the Cougars (1-1). Anaya had all 22 of his points in the first three quarters.

Adonis Saltes added 10 points, including eight in the final period.

Valley outscored Cibola 27-12 in the middle two quarters.

“The second quarter was horrible,” CHS coach Ray Rodriguez said.

Senior post Ross Buchman was in foul trouble most of the way, but led Cibola with 14 points.

Cibola tonight is at Albuquerque High. Valley plays host to Valencia next Tuesday.

At Santa Fe, Juwan Brooks had 19 points, including four 3-pointers, as Rio Grande downed Santa Fe 65-51. Mike Torrez added 17 points for the Ravens (1-1), who are home tonight to Belen.

At Hope Christian, West Mesa’s early season scoring troubles continued. Eric Gutierrez had a team-best 11 points for the Mustangs, who lost 63-43 to the Huskies. West Mesa is only averaging 45 points in two losses. The Mustangs return to the floor Tuesday at home against Sandia.

At La Cueva, Bryce Alford just about single-handedly led the Bears to a 64-62 win over visiting Volcano Vista. Alford had 42 points. Nick Martin scored 17, Seth Warfield 13 for the Hawks (1-1), who visit Atrisco Heritage tonight and play host to Albuquerque High on Saturday night.

In Belen, Atrisco Heritage (2-0) routed the Eagles 63-43. Eleven different AHA players scored, led by Corbin Waquie’s 14 and Phillip LaCour’s 10. The Jags, after Volcano today, take on top-ranked Eldorado at AHA at 3 p.m. Saturday.

At Bosque, the Bobcats improved to 3-1 with a 56-42 win over Pecos, which is now led by former Hobbs coach Russ Gilmore. Gabe Chavez scored 21 points and Andres Rivera 16 for Bosque.

Coming Saturday

The West Side Journal will preview the 2012-13 wrestling season, which begins this weekend. Also, Saturday’s section will run down the local football players who earned all-district recognition for the 2012 prep season.