Cats absorb 1-point loss to Bulldogs

ARTESIA — After posting three relatively close wins to start the season, including two that went into overtime, Clovis High’s boys tasted defeat for the first time on Thursday.

Artesia took the lead at the free throw line in the closing seconds, and the Bulldogs withstood a final long-range 3 try from junior guard Elijah Garcia to edge the Wildcats 59-58.

If nothing else, CHS boys coach Jaden Isler said the end-of-game tests should serve his team well with District 4-5A play looming next week.

“We’ve been battle-tested,” he said. “We just got in some foul trouble early in the game.”

Garcia and fellow senior guards Jaden Phillips and Jaylen Hyman all drew two early fouls and sat out long stretches. Garcia then picked up his third early in the third period.

“Credit to the guys on our bench,” Isler said. “I thought they did a good job of stepping into those spots.”

Senior guard Johntae Rodriguez had 17 points for the Bulldogs (3-3), who lost to Roswell High 70-59 on Friday, while senior post Jacob Creighton tallied 14 and senior guard Cord Cox 11. Rodriguez had three of Artesia’s five 3s, and Cox netted the other two.

For the Cats, junior guard Juan Hernandez finished with 12 points, while sophomore guard Bryson Goldsmith had 11 and Garcia, scoreless until the final period, finished with 10.

Clovis 50, Texico 35 (Tuesday) — After playing three overtime periods in their first two games, the thought of another extra session for the Cats wasn’t completely lost on Isler.

Leading the feisty Class 2A Wolverines by just three points, Clovis finally put the game out of reach with a 16-4 domination of the final stanza.

“It was close (most of the way),” said Isler, whose team was coming off an OT win at Espanola Valley the night before. “I thought we played a little bit flat offensively in the first half. Part of that was we didn’t have our legs.”

Texico (1-2), which beat Tucumcari in its opener on Monday and lost at home to Portales on Thursday, pretty much gave the Cats all they wanted.

“They (Wolverines) did a good job of understanding you’ve got to win the small battles to win the game, no matter who you’re playing,” said Wolverines coach Craig Cook, who is Isler’s cousin and, like him, graduated from CHS. “They understand the concept of playing as a team. It puts us in a position to be ready for (our) district.”

Garcia led the Cats with 16 points, including three 3-pointers, while senior guard C.J. Gutierrez added 10.

“Elijah Garcia has been really consistent for us,” Isler said. “I thought our defense was the big key. We didn’t shoot particularly great in the second half.”

For Texico, senior forward David Davalos put in 13 points while sophomore guard Jahvon Askew contributed 12.