Boys basketball
What happened: In a week of must-wins, the third-seeded Hilltoppers did their part to keep their 2023-24 season alive in upsetting the Tigers in the District 2-4A Tournament championship game Saturday night in Otero Gymnasium. Los Alamos used a 12-4 spurt to take a 20-13 lead after a quarter, then fashioned a 12-0 run that pushed the lead to 35-18 early in the third. The top-seeded Tigers cut the lead to 44-37 in the fourth, but Los Alamos scored five straight points to seal the win.
What’s next: Los Alamos (12-16) and Taos (1414) will both find out their seeds in the Class 4A bracket Sunday.
What happened: The Cardinals not only sealed the top seed for the Class 3A State Tournament, but they gained a measure of revenge against the Braves in the District 2-3A championship game in Michael Marr Gymnasium. Robertson only led 48-41 heading into the fourth, but it unveiled a press it hadn’t used in a while that flummoxed the Braves and led to a 12-0 run. The margin had been cut to 48-45 early in the fourth. “We hadn’t used that press in a while and it led to three straight turnovers,” Cardinals head coach James Branch said.
Top players: Nathaniel Gonzales had 12 points to lead a quartet of Cardinals in double-figure scoring. Freshman Michael Marr and eighth grader George Smith each added 11, and Jesse James Gonzales scored 10. Dainien Gonzales scored 14 points to pace SFIS, and Dontrey Callado added 11.
What’s next: Robertson (24-2) and SFIS (21-7) should be seeded within the top three of the Class 3A bracket.
What happened: The Trojans seemed to be in control of the District 5-2A Tournament title game, turning a 26-25 halftime lead to 46-34 late in the third quarter in Ojo Caliente. But the Lobos doggedly battled back and tied the score at 54-all on Luka Torrez’s runner with 22 seconds left. Trojans forward Jordan Gallegos overcame foul trouble to score the game winner with a putback with 4 seconds left to give the Trojans the tournament title.
Top players: Salvador Saavedra led Mesa Vista with 17 points, while Gallegos scored 10 of his 14 points in the second half. Marcos Martinez added 11. Damien Baeza led the Lobos with 15 points, and Torrez added 13.
What’s next: Mesa Vista (22-5) should get a top-five seed in the 2A bracket, while Escalante (19-9) is in the running for one of the top eight spots.