West Mesa rallies in second half to beat Sandia
Playoff game in 2-5A is likely to determine top seed in bracket
A playoff game in District 2-5A boys basketball seems imminent, thanks to the West Mesa Mustangs.
No. 4-ranked West Mesa turned an 11-point, thirdquarter deficit into a 14-point, fourth-quarter lead on Thursday night, and the Mustangs eventually held off No. 2 Sandia with a stirring 70-65 victory.
“I think these guys have big goals, and they have some confidence right now, too,” West Mesa coach Shonn Schroer said. “They feel like they can beat anybody in the state.”
That anybody on Thursday was Sandia (20-5, 7-2 in 2-5A).
The Matadors led by 12 early in the game thanks to some hot 3-point shooting by Dalen Moyer. They led by 9 at halftime, 35-26.
And Sandia was still sitting relatively pretty, up 39-28 two minutes into the third quarter.
But West Mesa (20-6, 8-2) began to light it up from beyond the arc and overtook Sandia.
Elijah Espinosa, Sonny Ortiz (two of them) and Elijah Brody all buried shots from long distance as West Mesa carried a 46-44 lead into the fourth quarter.
“I think the energy changed coming out in the third quarter,” said the 6-foot-5 Ortiz, a senior wing who scored all 13 of his points in the second half. “We knew we had to play better and that momentum won us the game.”
Leading 52-51 after a 3 by the Matadors’ Andrew Hill, West Mesa went on a game-clinching 13-0 run that spanned three electifying minutes of the fourth quarter.
Espinosa hit another 3, Brody had six points, and Ortiz made four free throws in that run.
Brody led West Mesa with 24 points. Hill of Sandia led all scorers with 25 points.
Sandia closes the regular season at home Friday night against 2-22 Piedra Vista. If the Matadors win, there will be a playoff game Tuesday at La Cueva, Sandia athletic director Brian Weems said.
In District 1-5A Thursday night, No. 1-ranked Volcano Vista (24-1, 7-1) clinched the regular-season title. The Hawks won 58-52 at Atrisco Heritage, while third-ranked Cleveland (19-7, 6-2) lost 63-59 to Rio Rancho.
District tournaments begin everywhere starting Monday.
WEST MESA 70, SANDIA 65
WEST MESA (20-6, 8-2 in 2-5A): Elijah Brody 24, Brandon Lagunas 7, Elijah Espinosa 6, Sonny Ortiz 13, Donovan Cruz 11, Darian Lucero 5, Torrance Burdex 4. Totals 21 16-17 70.
SANDIA (20-5, 7-2): Andrew Hill 25, Dalen Moyer 11, Thomas Adams 7, Lamarion Coleman 2, Gerald Lujan 3, Ely Lovato 14, Mason Howell 3. Totals 23 11-12 65.
West Mesa 10 16 20 24 — 70
Sandia 16 19 9 21 — 65
3-point goals: WM 12 (Ortiz 3, Cruz 3, Brody 2, Espinosa 2, Lagunas, Lucero); S 8 (Hill 3, Moyer 3, Adams, Lujan). Total fouls: WM 11; S 17. Fouled
out: WM, Espinosa; S, Lovato.