Texico girls start fast and roll past Gateway Christian

TEXICO — If there was a word to describe Tuesday night's Texico High girls basketball game, it would be "energy."

The Lady Wolverines roared out with it, used it to build a quick daunting lead, played with it for all four quarters, and rolled with it to a 55-13 victory over Gateway Christian at Texico High School.

As a result, Texico is back on the fun side of .500, improving to 3-2.

"We've been talking about that, about how important it is to start games and start halves with a lot of energy," Lady Wolverines head coach Richard Luscombe said. "I think we did a good job of that."

"Every game we play, we're always ready to play, no matter what," Texico junior guard Bayley Sours said. "No matter who (the opponent) is, we're going to come out with the same intensity every game. ... Good starts always lead to better finishes."

And Texico certainly had one lead to the other Tuesday night.

Sours got it rolling by knocking down a left-baseline three to open the game's scoring. Soon after she canned another trey, this time from the right elbow, and that sandwiched around a short follow-up basket from Maryelle Dickerman made it 8-0 Texico.

A turnaround bank shot from Dickerman gave the Lady Wolverines a 10-0 advantage.

Gateway Christian finally reached the scoreboard with roughly three and a half minutes left in the first quarter, but another Sours three gave the Lady Wolves a 13-2 lead. At that point, Sours had 11 of the 13 Texico points. She wound up with a game-high 20.

"She's one of those kinds of players," Luscombe said. "She's going to be able to create things, and then when they stop her, she's going to be able to create for the other kids. And that makes her a really good player."

"I was really concentrating on my shots," Sours said. "I mentally prepare myself for every game. It doesn't matter if we're playing the No. 1 team in the state or the last team in the state."

Texico kept it up, didn't relax, despite the big lead. A possession begun by a Dickerman steal ended with a Sours layup that gave the Lady Wolverines a 15-2 lead.

After Gateway Christian made it 15-4, the Lady Wolves closed the first quarter with a 19-4 advantage, thanks to consecutive baskets from Alex Hill, the second of which had Texico's teamwork on display. Riley Thompson came up with a steal and was fouled as she dribbled near the arc. Gateway Christian wasn't over the foul limit, so MacKenzie Clark inbounded the ball as result of the infraction, and found Hill for an easy up-and-in shot.

That teamwork continued in the second quarter. Though Alexus Hill missed two free throws early in the period, Ashley Hill was there to grab the second miss, and scored on the follow-up, giving Texico a 21-4 lead.

By halftime, the Lady Wolves had constructed a 30-6 advantage, and they remained dominant in the third quarter. Sours began and ended a possession with a steal and a field goal, giving her team a 32-6 edge, and she added a fast-break layup off a Mackenzie Haakma assist, getting fouled in the process. Sours drilled the ensuing free throw to make it 35-6.

A Dickerman steal set up a possession that ended with her scoring off a Sours pass, followed by a steal and layup from Jasmine Davalos. Another Davalos fast-break hoop and Haakma bucket later, the Lady Wolverines had a 41-6 lead.

A running clock helped bring about the 42-point Texico victory soon afterward, but the Wolves believed their was still more work to be done going forward.

"We've got to get better playing defense," Luscombe said. "Our defensive execution was not good early."

Luscombe also noted consistency. "One game it's good, one game it's not," he said. "We've got to find the consistency. I know we can."

Sours agreed. "Just keeping that same consistency all through the game," she said. "Get rid of the ups and downs, the highs and lows. Just keep it steady."