Wolverines put up good fight

TEXICO — It was another tough Saturday for the Texico boys basketball team, but this time a much better showing for the Wolverines.

Down by 13 and missing a member of their rotation for most of the second half, the Wolves fought back to make it a game against Santa Rosa in Saturday’s regular-season home finale at Texico Sports Arena. Though the Wolverines ultimately lost 60-53, they had shown fight a week after losing to Pecos at home by 32.

Santa Rosa head coach Frank Ortiz was impressed.

“I think we played a really good team,” Ortiz said Saturday, “and we were really fortunate to win tonight.”

The Wolverines, though, couldn’t help feeling like they let one get away.

“There was a missed opportunity there for sure on our part,” Texico head coach Ty Thatcher said.

Saturday’s loss, coming two days after a 70-53 road win of Clayton, had Texico emerge from the week with a 20-5 overall record, 3-2 in District 7-2A. Santa Rosa improved to 16-7 overall, 2-3 district.

The Wolverines have lost two of their last three, which Thatcher thinks may the result of a season-long problem that has worsened recently.

“I think this team’s gotta figure out how to come out and play better in the early stages of the game,” Thatcher said. “It’s been a nagging thing all year, we’ve just gotten away with it. Teams haven’t capitalized the way Santa Rosa did.”

The Lions jumped ahead 21-8 after one quarter, 35-23 by halftime.

Texico opened the second half with possession and senior forward Isaac Ortiz completed it by hitting a foul shot that brought his team within 11. The first time Texico was on defense in the second half, Ortiz injured his left ankle trying to stop Santa Rosa’s Sean Agar from scoring. Ortiz had to be helped off the court, unable to put any pressure on the ankle.

“Definitely a severe ankle sprain,” Thatcher said. “It’s going to be some time before he’s back in the mix.”

Texico forged on without him Saturday night. Agar scored on the play to put Santa Rosa up 37-24, but the Wolverines began surging back from there.

A pair of Cole Rohrbach free throws, a one-handed runner by Skyler Davis, a bank shot from Dalton Thatcher and a Davis putback made it a 37-32 game with plenty of time still remaining in the third quarter.

After a hook shot by Santa Rosa’s Martin Madrid, Thatcher buried two free throws and pulled Texico within 39-34 at the 3:48 mark of the third period.

Luke Phipps hit the first of two free throws, and though he missed the second, Texico retained possession. After two head fakes underneath, Rohrbach scored and brought the Wolverines within 39-37.

Texico climbed as close as 41-40 in the third period, and trailed only 46-43 by quarter’s end.

Santa Rosa scored four straight to open the fourth quarter, building a 50-43 edge. But a driving shot from Davis and a foul shot by him on the Wolverines’ next possession drew Texico within 50-46.

The Wolverines had it down to three twice in the fourth quarter — 52-49 and 54-51 — but could get no closer than that. The Lions created enough second- and third-chance baskets for themselves to close it out.

“We hopefully get some momentum out of this win,” Coach Ortiz said, “but we’ve been very inconsistent this year.”

Texico now looks ahead to its last regular-season game, a road contest at Pecos this Friday. Plenty of time to rebound from Saturday’s defeat.

“Those kids are pretty dedicated,” Coach Thatcher said, “and they’ll put in the time and effort to do what it takes to get back in the swing of things and play a better brand of basketball.”

But they’ll do it without Isaac Ortiz.

“There are plenty of kids that have the ability to come in and take Ortiz’s minutes and do something with them,” Coach Thatcher said. “We’ll have to go down the list and find a guy that’s ready to go.”

Girls cruise

There’s only one unbeaten girls team in District 7-2A and it wears the green and white.

Texico’s girls are 5-0 district, 20-3 overall, as a result of Thursday’s 37-34 road win at Clayton and Saturday’s 62-20 home rout of Santa Rosa.

Thursday, the Lady Wolverines had to rally from a 20-16 halftime hole and a 25-23 end-of-third-quarter deficit to sweep Clayton in the regular season.

Texico’s Jasmine Davalos scored a game-high 14 points. Baylee Sours added 11 points for the Lady Wolves.

Saturday against Santa Rosa, Texico led only 7-6 during the first period but stretched to a 16-8 lead by quarter’s end.

The Lady Wolverines then thoroughly dominated the second quarter, outscoring the Lady Lions 24-4. Texico, in fact, held Santa Rosa to just four points in each of the last three quarters.

Sours led all scorers with 15 points. Sydney Furrow contributed 11 points for Texico.

The Lady Wolverines will also conclude their regular season at Pecos on Friday. The girls tip-off is slated for 5:30 p.m., the boys game for 7 p.m.