Rubber-match win means crown for Gallup
Bengals top KC in a packed Pit, 57-47
The biggest prize in Class 4A girls basketball is returning to a familiar home. But not Kirtland, N.M.
Kirtland Central was seeking its 21st state title, but instead watched its to-the-south rival from Gallup take the 4A crown. The second-seeded Bengals took down the top-seeded Broncos 57-47 before a raucous crowd on Friday night at the Pit. The lower bowl was nearly filled as this much-anticipated final attracted probably the biggest fan gathering of the week.
Gallup, with its seventh championship, has won state for the second time in three seasons. The school’s 2021 title happened in May, and in a pandemic season when there were restrictions on crowd size.
The last full-season championship for Gallup (28-5) occurred in 2011. This win also allowed the Bengals to take the season series, 3-2, against Kirtland Central.
“Both the programs are at a very high level,” Gallup coach Todd McBroom said. “Both teams are separated a lot from other teams in 4A at the moment.”
To that end, this seemed less like No. 1 Kirtland Central and No. 2 Gallup, and more like No. 1 and 1A.
“I would agree with that,” McBroom said.
His team took control with an 11-2 run to close the first half, then withstood a furious Broncos rally in the second half.
Sophomore forward Rylie Whitehair put the Bengals ahead for good midway through second the quarter. She knocked in a shot off the glass as she was falling down, was fouled, and completed the three-point play for a 23-22 lead.
“Rylie, she’s a good post,” Kirtland Central’s Aaryanna Lansing said. “She’s big, she’s strong, and it’s hard to work around her.”
Whitehair was physical throughout, shooting a game-high 10 free throws. She said she took every opportunity “to take (my defender) to the basket.”
The Bengals, once in front, stayed in front.
Kiera Livingston and Daliyah Morris connected on back-to-back 3-pointers as the Bengals, who had trailed 16-10 earlier, seized a 31-22 lead late in the half. Gallup also converted two late turnovers into baskets and carried a 35-24 halftime lead up the ramp. Gallup outscored Kirtland Central 25-8 in the pivotal second quarter.
“We had to go to five guards, and we haven’t gone five guards all year,” Broncos coach Devon Manning said. “Our bigs were in foul trouble.”
But Kirtland Central (29-4), down 43-30 midway through the third quarter after Gallup scored six straight, including two runouts that led to wide open layups, made it interesting. It scored the next 11, cutting the deficit to 43-41 with 5:38 remaining.
But Livingston, a Gallup senior guard, hit a 19-foot jumper seconds later, and Tello scored on a drive to the basket to stop the Broncos’ momentum for good.
Gallup’s Whitehair had 18 points and 13 rebounds. Livingston contributed 12 points and four assists. The Broncos’ Lansing finished with 19 points and 10 boards.