After a few seasons below program expectations, the Pojoaque Elks look to be back to a great team.
Pojoaque boys basketball is on pace for their best season since the New Mexico Activities Association moved back to five classifications for 2018-19, moving Pojoaque to 4A — putting the Elks in a new district along with bigger-enrollment schools like Los Alamos and Española Valley (the first time Española and Pojoaque were in the same classification since at least 1981).
Pojoaque (6-2) took third place in the Al Armendariz Tournament at Capital High School, defeating Española Valley (1-8) 52-37 in the third-place game on Dec. 10. They won 65-40 over Kirtland Central (5-3) in the first round, and lost to eventual tournament champion Capital (5-2) 61-29 in the semifinal.
The Elks went up 5-0 on the Sundevils in the opening minute, but then the scoring slowed down, with neither team scoring for the next three minutes. Pojoaque led 11-3 at the end of the first quarter.
Española found a run late in the second quarter to go into halftime with momentum trailing by six. Derek Sanchez and Nate Chacon traded baskets in the third quarter, at the end of which Pojoaque led 35-25. But a strong close by Sanchez — who scored 12 of his 30 points in the third quarter — gave the win to the Elks by 15. Sanchez also led the Elks with six rebounds.
“We came out focused; on the ride up we were focused,” Sanchez said. “We knew we had to take care of business.”
The game represented a return for Española coach Joey Trujillo, who coached at Pojoaque until 2017, and won a state title in 2008.
“Of course I want those kids to do well,” Trujillo said. “Except when they play us.”
Pojoaque jumped out to a 13-2 lead against Kirtland Central at the end of the first quarter, and cruised to a win. Sanchez led the team with 19 points, while DJ Jaramillo scored 16. The Broncos ultimately went on to win the consolation bracket.
Against Capital in the semifinal, Pojoaque looked to be in control early, as they took an 8-3 lead in the first few minutes, and Jeremy Quintana drew two charges. From there, Capital went on a 12-0 run, and ultimately forced a 32-4 margin from there through halftime. The Jaguars outscored Pojoaque 20-2 in the second quarter, and they led by 23 at the break.
“We have some work to do, for sure,” Jaramillo said.
The offense picked up slightly in the fourth quarter as a younger group of players entered and held their own against Capital.
“We’re working so much on our mental toughness,” Mossman said. “We’re still making strides … We got rattled, and we never got out of it.”
Sanchez hit Pojoaque’s first two baskets in the game, then did not score for the rest of the day, finishing with four points, his lowest total in two years.
“I think we got a little too comfortable,” Sanchez said.
Jaramillo led the team with 10 points, while the Elks went 0-for-10 from the 3-point line.
After finishing five games in a six-day span, Pojoaque gets a bit of a breather in their schedule, and will next play in their home Ben Lujan Tournament. Their first-round game comes Thursday against Monte Del Sol (3-2).