It’s a new season and a new beginning for the Española Valley boys basketball team.
Last season, the Sundevils lost their opening game to the Gallup Bengals. Then they proceeded to win their next 28 games, reach the top ranking in Class AAAA and earn a trip to the Pit in Albuquerque where they lost a close game to Albuquerque Academy in the state quarterfinals.
That loss still lives in the minds and hearts of the returning players, especially that of senior guards Donovan Maldonado, Matt Brito and Ray Romero, as well as that of their coach Richard Martinez.
Española took its first step toward returning to the Pit Nov. 26 when they avenged last year’s opening game loss and defeated the Bengals 66-58 in their season-opener in Española.
“This is a huge win for us,” Martinez said. “The experience of those three guards made a big difference.”
Brito led the way with 20 points, while Maldonado had 14 and Romero eight, including a key layup late in the fourth quarter with the Sundevils protecting a three-point lead.
“We had opportunities from the perimeter, so we took them,” Brito said.
Española never trailed in the game and used a swarming defense to create several turnovers. Española took a 10-2 lead after a three-pointer by Maldonado.
“This team is more defense oriented,” Maldonado said. “We had a lot of steals.”
Gallup rallied behind forward Alonzo Hubbard, who led all scorers with 21 points. The Bengals scored the next five points to narrow the lead to 10-7, but Maldonado buried another three-point bomb to stop the run. Española held onto a three-point lead at the end of the first quarter.
Luis Alvarado and sophomore sensation Rodney Coles kept up the long-range barrage for the Sundevils, knocking in back-to-back three-pointers to start the second quarter. Coles had seven points in the second quarter and the Sundevils took their biggest lead, 26-15. However, Gallup chipped away at Española and trimmed the score to 35-29 at halftime.
Brito buried a three-pointer to start the second half, Maldonado followed with another and Brito dropped another bomb through the net to push the Sundevils’ lead back up to 11 points. Gallup, which did not sink a three-pointer during the game, kept the game close because Hubbard, Zach Trancoso and William Porch controlled the offensive glass for the Bengals. The score was 40-35 at the end of the third quarter.
The Bengals battled back in the fourth quarter and with 4:04 left in the game, finally caught Española at 54-54 after a steal and layup by Porch.
After a time out, the Sundevils worked the ball into the corner for Maldonado, who buried a three-pointer.
“I kinda wanted that shot,” Maldonado said. “I told them, ‘I’ll make it if I get it.’”
Española came up with a steal on Gallup’s ensuing possession and Brito knocked in a long two-point basket to give Española a five-point lead.
Romero helped seal the game when he made a layup to give Española a 61-56 lead.
“That was a big layup, Ray,” Martinez said in the locker room after the game.
Española held off Gallup as the Bengals couldn’t buy a basket from the perimeter, and Brito buried two free throws to make the final score 66-58 in favor of the Sundevils.
Gallup shot an abysmal 11-of-25 from the free throw line, while Española was 12-of-20 at the charity stripe. Alvarado finished with 10 points for the Sundevils, while Porch and Trancoso each had 12 for Gallup.
After the game, the Sundevils didn’t celebrate rambunctiously. Instead they displayed a businesslike attitude. The team that began last season with a loss and ended it with a loss had started this season with a win. The goal is to end the season with a win.