La Cueva outlasts Cats

In the end, Clovis High's boys didn't reach their goal of a three-game sweep in the Clovis Holiday Classic. What the Wildcats gained, though, may be more important in the long run.

After surviving at the buzzer against Class 3A power Navajo Prep in the semifinals, the Cats came up short down the stretch in a 69-64 loss to La Cueva in the finals of Clovis' Holiday Classic at Rock Staubus Gym.

Senior guard Dylan Chavez hit back-to-back 3-pointers to transform a one-point Bears deficit into a 63-58 lead with just over three minutes left, and they hung down the stretch.

It seemed the difference may have been the fact that La Cueva (6-3) got to a few more 50-50 balls than Clovis did.

"I won't say we got outworked," Cats coach Josh Mattox said. "We were outsized a little bit, but we were a couple of little plays away from having a chance to win it."

Junior forward Jayden Cox knocked down five 3-pointers and tallied a personal-best 26 points for the Cats, including 10 in the first quarter and three 3s and 13 points in the third. His brother, senior center Marvin Cox, added 15 while junior backup guard Kalil Torres-Pierre chipped in nine.

"We had to fight through some adversity," Jayden Cox said. "Our emotions got the best of us at times, but next time we'll be ready."

Chavez finished with 22 points for the Bears (6-3), while 6-foot-9 sophomore Eric Jacobsen added three 3s and 13 points and junior forward Cameron Dyer scored 10.

"It was a battle," La Cueva coach Eric Orell said. "We knew coming down to places like this, it's a good environment. Any time we have a chance to come to the south (in New Mexico), it's good for us."

The Cats (7-3) opened a 25-17 lead on a basket by reserve Johnny Molina early in the second quarter, but the Bears countered with a 9-0 run in a span of less than a minute to move in front. Junior Daniel Lovato's putback in the final minute gave La Cueva a 30-29 lead at halftime.

Clovis led 36-32 early in the third. Threes by senior guard Javion Jones and Jacobson pushed the Bears into a four-point cushion, but a 3 by Jayden Cox and two free throws by Torres-Pierre gave the Cats a 48-47 advantage at period's end.

The previous high for Jayden Cox was 13 points against Roswell Goddard on Dec. 5 at The Rock.

"We've been waiting on him to have a game like that," Mattox said. "Tonight, he was super-confident and aggressive. He looked fearless out there."

The lead changed hands six times in the final stanza before the 3s by Chavez swung the match La Cueva's way.

"We thought we could handle them," Jayden Cox said. "They were definitely bigger than we anticipated, but we fought hard."

Jayden Cox and senior forward J.J. Jones represented the Cats on the 10-man all-tournament team.

In other final-round boys tilts on Friday, Valley ran away from Silver 66-44 while Las Cruces High edged Class 3A Navajo Prep 55-53. The Eagles, who came into the event 5-0 for the season, lost three games by a total of eight points to Class 5A schools.