For the fourth consecutive season, the Española Valley High School boys basketball team opened the season with a victory against Gallup High School.
This time, however, the Sundevils did so in stronger fashion than any year prior, defeating the Bengals, Nov. 22, by a score of 80-48.
The next-strongest win the Sundevils had in an opener against Gallup was in 2015, when they won, 62-49. That year, they went on to win the state championship.
This game signaled the coaching debut of Española head coach James Branch, hired last May.
“Honestly, I’m pleased with the overall team’s defensive intensity and effort throughout the ball game,” he said. “That was the number one area that we have been trying to stress all season. Everyone contributed to the victory because of their effort, defensively.”
The Gallup community consistently brings massive crowds to cheer on the high school basketball teams, and this game was no different.
“They had a good crowd,” Branch said. “They were pretty loud, but I think we took them out of the game after the second half.”
The game was tight at the end of the first quarter, and the Sundevils held a two-point lead over the Bengals, 15-13.
They were able to build a slightly bigger lead in the second quarter, going into the half at 38-26.
A big third quarter lifted the Sundevils into comfortable territory and quieted the Gallup stands.
At the end of the third quarter, they held a 30-point lead, 62-32, allowing the Bengals six total points in that quarter. Their fast-paced style eventually wore Gallup down.
“Our stamina and our conditioning was a big factor in the third quarter,” Branch said. “We stayed with what we were doing and I think it led to the big third quarter that we had.”
With such a large deficit, the starters came out of the game for the fourth quarter, and left the game to be won by the players on the bench.
At the end of the three quarters, three of those starters were in the double-digits.
Azaziah Salazar had 19 points, coupled with 12 rebounds. Small forward J.P. Sena had 13 points and nine rebounds, while shooting guard Isaiah Vigil had 17 points and five assists.
Point guard Christian Fernandez dished out 12 assists, more than one-third of the team’s collective 32 assists.
As the starters sat out the fourth quarter, everybody on the team got playing time.
“It was a great way to open the season for our team,” Branch said.
Before the game started, Branch did not foresee such a dominant victory, as he noticed one of Gallup’s players dunking during warm-ups.
He also saw Al Martinez, the basketball coach at Wingate High School, who was expecting a close game between the two teams. Those two aspects caught Branch’s attention, so he was pleased as his side pulled away with a strong lead.
The Sundevils have two weeks before they play next. They will have time to work on certain aspects of the game, and will not merely rely on carrying momentum into the next game.
“I still feel like we are a team in transition, and a work in progress, because I am a new coach,” Branch said. “We have to still continue to work hard and strive to get better, because our district is a bear.”
The different style that Branch brings to this veteran Sundevil team is not yet fully developed. Once he feels that every player has bought into the system, and plays their role fully, he believes the Sundevils will be difficult for any team to deal with.