For Pojoaque’s Ellen Cruz, the Elkettes’ Jan. 3 game against Wingate was a reversal of roles.
The senior 5-foot, 9-inch point guard is normally the player who delivers pinpoint passes to her Pojoaque teammates in the paint to score points. But against the Bears, Cruz combined her passing skills with dominant inside scoring to break open a tight game and lead the Elkettes to a 60-37 home victory.
“She has the ability at any time to change her game to whatever needs to be done,” Pojoaque coach Lanse Carter said.
With 6-foot, 2-inch post Jackie Bartleson on the bench with two fouls and Pojoaque putting up bricks from the floor, Wingate took a surprising 8-6 lead at the end of the first quarter. The score was tied 14-14 in the second quarter with 5 minutes left before halftime when Cruz took over.
First, she grabbed a rebound and fired a baseball pass downcourt to Janelle Roybal, who scored to give Pojoaque a 16-14 lead. Cruz followed with a basket to make it 18-14 in favor of Pojoaque.
After a basket by the Bears, Cruz converted a basket inside and drew a foul. She sank the ensuing free throw for a five-point Pojoaque lead. Cruz made the score 23-16 with another basket in the paint.
With just 20 seconds left in the first half, Dionna Montoya nailed a three-pointer for Pojoaque. The rattled Bears turned over the ball on their next possession. With seconds left, Cruz rolled the ball inbounds to Montoya, who let the ball roll toward midcourt before picking it up and firing a pass to Marissa Romero. Romero fired another three-pointer that went through the basket at the buzzer, giving Pojoaque a 29-16 lead at halftime.
Cruz scored nine points in the second quarter.
“I was posting up inside,” she said. “My teammates did a good job of getting it in to me.”
In the third quarter, Pojoaque scored 10 unanswered points and the rout was on. Cruz returned to her familiar role as playmaker. She hit her teammates with pinpoint passes for easy baskets inside. Montoya assumed her role as defensive dynamo, causing turnover after turnover by the Bears. The Elkettes blitzed Wingate by scoring 19 points to the Bears’ seven and taking a 48-23 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
“At halftime, we said let’s try to carry the momentum into the third quarter,” Cruz said
The Elkettes’ lead grew to 30 points in the fourth quarter. Cruz took a well-deserved rest and let teammates Kiana Vigil and Romero run the show. The Elkettes cruised to a 23-point victory.
Romero led Pojoaque with 14 points. Cruz finished with 12, and Montoya and Bartleson each had 11 points for Pojoaque.
The Elkettes’ slow start may have been due to their bus breaking down on the way back from a 63-48 victory in Socorro Jan. 2. The problem delayed the team’s arrival in Pojoaque until 2 a.m. in the morning.
“A number of teams are bringing their best out against us,” Carter said.
Pojoaque improved to 13-0 on the season. The closest game the Elkettes have played this season was a 72-59 victory over Cimarron Dec. 19 in the semifinals of the Ben Lujan Tournament. In 10 of their victories, Pojoaque has blown out their opponent by 20 or more points.
Carter expects the Elkettes’ road will not be as smooth once the Elkettes enter District 2AAA competition. Pojoaque plays at Robertson Jan. 22 in its district opener
“Yes,” he said when asked if Pojoaque’s most competitive games were ahead of them. “Robertson will be extremely tough.”