Tech on Valley’s Coleman helps lift Atrisco Heritage

Joe Coleman is rarely anything but candid, and this was no exception.

“I blew it,” Valley High School’s boys basketball coach said.

An extremely rare — rare because of the timing — technical foul called against Coleman with 26.7 seconds remaining in a tie game Wednesday night led to the winning points for visiting Atrisco Heritage, and the Jaguars beat the Vikings 45-41 in a District 4-6A opener.

The game was tied 41-41 at the moment of the technical.

Diego Ortega buried both free throws at the other end, and DeMarcus Sutphen added two insurance free throws with 9 seconds to go for third-ranked Atrisco Heritage (13-2, 1-0).

“The first (district win) is always the hardest regardless, especially on the road,” said Atrisco coach Adrian Ortega.

The Jaguars in the last minute were holding for a final shot; they’d already connected on two buzzer-beating buckets to end the first and third quarters.

Near midcourt, an Atrisco ball-handler tried to pass around Valley defender Segun Oyeku. The ball caromed off his leg and into the backcourt.

One of the officials ruled it a kick. Coleman was furious, feeling that the ball incidentally made contact with Oyeku’s leg.

Coleman yelled in protest, and thus was hit with a ‘T.’

“Our team plays their butt off against a really good basketball team, and I determine the game by doing something stupid,” Coleman said.

It was yet another close loss for the Vikings (8-7, 0-1), who have lost six games this season by four or fewer points.

They went scoreless over the final 2:52 on Wednesday after taking a 41-39 lead on Derick Chavez’s 3-pointer.

Atrisco led the entire first half — by as many as nine, but only by two at halftime. The Vikings caught the Jags midway through the third quarter and the two rivals seesawed back and forth the rest of the way.

Chavez and Joziah Ramos of the Jags each had 13 points to lead their respective teams.