Clovis basketball preview capsules

Boys

Clovis (7-5) at Hobbs (9-5)

7 p.m., Hobbs High School

Last time out: Clovis had a six-game winning streak snapped Thursday night at Roswell after downing come by edging Belen 64-61 in the Griego and Sons Holiday Tournament championship game on Saturday night.

Hobbs last played on Tuesday, blowing out Centennial 85-47 at home. It was the same Centennial team that the ’Cats routed on Dec. 9 to begin their win streak.

Last meeting: The teams clashed at Rock Staubus Gymnasium on Dec. 1, with Hobbs prevailing 79-76.

The lowdown: The Wildcats want to get this one. Last month’s track meet was within their grasp, but late shots wouldn’t go down when they needed them. A Jakeem Wynn runner in the final minute came tantalizingly close to going in before spinning out and a Brandon Romero right-corner trey didn’t beat the buzzer.

The ’Cats did get to employ their up-tempo style for the first time of the season, after having been pressured out of it in the season opener against Rio Rancho six days earlier. Hobbs, though, also got up and down the court, as the teams tried to up-tempo each other, and the Eagles gaining the final edge.

Tonight could well come down to a basket here or there, just like the Dec. 1 matchup at The Rock. Hobbs, by the way, comes in on a four-game winning streak.

Girls

Clovis (8-5) at Artesia (5-6)

7 p.m., Artesia High School

Last time out: Against Lubbock Coronado on Tuesday at The Rock, Clovis jumped ahead 13-4 in the first quarter and stayed in control. The Lady Wildcats rolled on to win 56-37 behind 29 combined points from Teya Morris and Madison Tolbert, with Morris scoring a team-high 15.

Artesia also last played on Tuesday at home, but didn’t fare nearly as well, getting routed by Portales 67-36.

The lowdown: Clovis enters tonight’s matchup on a two-game winning streak, Artesia on a two-game losing streak.

The Lady Wildcats obviously want to keep rolling, but which team will show up tonight? They’ve had a Jekyll and Hyde thing happening at times this season, where they play well and shoot well consistently, then go cold as ice, like they did in last Friday’s Plateau Holiday Classic semifinal against Farmington.

If the Lady ’Cats are able to knock down shots on a regular basis tonight, their chances of making it three straight seem good.

Queens of the road: Tonight’s trek to Artesia will be the first of three consecutive long trips for the Lady ’Cats, who will visit Goddard in Roswell next Tuesday and Cleveland in Rio Rancho next Friday. They don’t play in front of the Rock Staubus fans again until Jan. 16 when Eldorado visits to kick-start District 2-6A competition.