Wolverines subdue Pecos

TEXICO - Craig Cook is hopeful his Texico boys basketball team learned a lesson against District 6-2A rival Pecos on Saturday - and in a win, no less.

Texico ran away to a 33-11 halftime lead - holding the four-time Class 2A state champion Panthers to just three field goals in the process - before things became a bit sticky late in what turned into a 62-51 victory.

On Monday night, the Wolverines stepped outside district play and rolled over Loving 65-8 in a game played at Tatum H.S.

Senior forward David Davalos tallied 14 points to lead four players in double figures on Saturday for the Wolverines (5-2, 2-0 district), but they had to overcome 30 turnovers and some foul trouble in the second half before nailing the door shut.

"That was a learning experience," Cook said. "We gave them a little confidence that they can take back to their place (in the return game on April 29)."

All that said, the Panthers - who graduated nine players off a team which four-peated - never got closer than eight points in the final moments.

"They created a big legacy the last four years with those nine seniors," said Wolverines senior forward Gabe Bailey, who scored all nine of his points in the first half before fouling out late. "It was a big win for us."

He said it was nice having a cushion when the Panthers (4-2, 1-1) made their run.

"The whole team got off to a good start," Bailey said. "I think in this game and the last one (Thursday at Clayton), we've found our way to play. (But) if we hadn't started off as good as we did, it would've been a lot tougher."

Meantime, Texico's defense also gave the Panthers problems, with Pecos committing 29 floor errors.

"We played into their hands when they picked up the tempo," Cook said. "We've got to be able to slow it down again.

"We've had more games than practices (since starting the season on April 5)."

Also in double digits for Texico were sophomore guard Jahvon Askew with 11 points and junior guard Cade Collins and sophomore guard Max Villarreal with 10 apiece. Senior Dana Benavidez and sophomore Jodiah Padilla led Pecos, each with 14 points.

Against Loving, the Wolverines held the outmanned Falcons (0-6) to just one field goal - a 3-point bank shot in the second quarter by freshman Elijah Fierro, who scored all but one of the team's points. Texico, which this time built a 34-3 at the half, didn't have the same problem as Saturday, and again put four players in double figures - Bailey with 13, senior Anders Nelson with 12 and Collins and Askew with 10 apiece.

Pecos 58, Texico girls 29 - The Lady Wolverines hung close until halftime, but a 12-2 surge early in the third segment pushed the unbeaten Lady Panthers (6-0, 2-0) to a dominating win.

"You can't play one half of basketball and just be satisfied where you are," Lady Wolverines coach Richard Luscombe said. "You're not going to be very successful doing that."

Pecos used a 26-point third quarter to extend its lead to 23. The Lady Panthers' pressure harried Texico (2-5, 0-1), which beat Loving 54-32 on Monday, into more than 40 turnovers.

"Their pressure hurt us, but you have to be in a position where you do things right," Luscombe said. "I just didn't feel like we executed anything at all."

Senior guard Trinity Herrera was 8-for-8 from the foul line and tallied 20 points for Pecos - all in the first three quarters - while her sister, sophomore forward Alexia Herrera, finished with 10. A total of nine players cracked the scoring column for the Lady Panthers.

Senior forward Riley Rohrbach led Texico with 15 points, including 7-of-10 from the foul line.

Against Loving, senior Rachel Phipps scored 19 points, Rohrbach added 17 and junior Cassidy Haakma had 11 as the Lady Wolverines easily put an end to their five-game losing streak. For the Lady Falcons (2-3), junior Mattie Cooksey finished with 21 points.