The Española Valley Sundevils survived a tumultuous week by recording two home victories despite the suspension of three players and an apparent arson attempt at the home of coach Richard Martinez.
Española defeated Albuquerque High School 70-67 Jan. 16 and opened District 2AAAA play Jan. 13 with a 75-63 win over Taos.
“In life, God will test you every which way,” Martinez said.
With starters Luis Alvarado and Aaron Aragon and reserve guard Juan Trujillo suspended from playing but on the bench (see related story on page A1), junior guard Rodney Coles and senior post Gabriel Rodriguez led a fourth-quarter rally against Albuquerque after the Sundevils squandered a 13-point third-quarter lead with “selfish” play.
“We made bad decisions and took careless shots,” Coles said. “Coach settled us down and told us not to be so selfish.”
After a three-pointer and free throw by Coles had given the Sundevils a 41-28 lead in the third quarter, Española began firing away from the perimeter without passing the ball. After an 8-0 run by the Bulldogs, Martinez sat his starters and put in his substitutes. Albuquerque took a 48-46 lead into the fourth quarter.
“I let them see that if you share the ball, you can become great,” Martinez said. “If you do not share the ball, you cannot become great.”
The Sundevils started the fourth quarter with an 11-0 run that featured back-to-back three-point plays by Rodriguez and Coles. The Bulldogs stayed on the Sundevils’ heels, but Coles or Rodriguez always had an answer when Albuquerque got close. Coles was 7-of-7 from the free-throw line in the fourth quarter.
“We concentrated on penetrating,” Coles said. “Getting fouls or getting layups.”
Rodriguez drove the final nail into the Bulldogs’ coffin with five seconds left to play and the Sundevils up by one point. Rodriguez drove down the lane and scored on a layup to give Española a 70-67 lead.
“I saw an opening and I went for it,” he said. “Thank god I hit it.”
Coles and Rodriguez scored all of the Sundevils’ 24 fourth-quarter points. Coles finished with 27 points overall and Rodriguez had 18 points, 10 of them in the fourth quarter.
The difference in the game was free throws. The Sundevils sank 23-of-25 free throws, including 12 consecutive made free throws by Coles. The Bulldogs hurt themselves from the line, going just 11-of-23 and just 4-of-10 in the fourth quarter.
Coles and Rodriguez had stepped up against Taos Jan. 12 in the Sundevils’ District 2AAAA opener. Alvarado. Aragon and Trujillo were suspended for that game, too, and were not in attendance. During the game Martinez was informed of the fire at his house, but chose to stay on the sidelines while his brother and assistant coach Eric Martinez went home.
Taos took a 57-52 lead in the fourth quarter, but the Sundevils finished the game with a 17-3 run. Coles had 20 points and Rodriguez added 17.
“We had to not focus on what happened,” Coles said. “We had to step up and play.”
The players have expressed support for Martinez, whose mother was home at the time of the arson at his home and had to be hospitalized.
“He’s like a second parent to me,” Coles said. “I try to show respect to him and the fans. He really stands by some of the decisions I make, even if they are bad. He doesn’t put me down or anything.”