The Trojans took an extra step this year.
With a young team, they made it further than they have in years, getting all the way to the state semifinals a year after getting bounced in the first round.
“We took one huge leap,” said Mesa Vista Coach Thomas Vigil.
But Mesa Vista (24-6) lost 50-34 to No. 1 seed Academy for Technology and the Classics (28-3) in The Pit on Friday in the state semifinals.
“If we had gotten today’s game, that’s just exponential,” Vigil said. “And that was our expectation. We didn’t expect anything but to come in here and win.”
Throughout the game, ATC used their size to their advantage. Rocky Miller finished the game with 18 rebounds and 23 points. ATC finished the game with 21 offensive rebounds, 19 second-chance points, and 36 points in the paint.
“I mean, can you prepare for a team like that?” asked Vigil. “We were prepared. They just played really well.”
Jordan Gallegos finished with 15 points, seven rebounds and four blocks. In the second quarter, ATC pivoted to guarding him with Miller, and Gallegos took advantage. But that did not last long, and they adapted in the second half.
“Just going to make us want it even more,” Gallegos said. “Work harder in practice next year. Come back next season.”
Mesa Vista struggled getting good looks, and later with missed layups, shooting 29 percent in the game. Outside of Jordan Gallegos, the team was just 8-for-32, and they shot just 1-for-10 from deep.
Officials let a physical game play out — Mesa Vista only went to the free-throw line seven times despite often driving to the basket — which favored the bigger ATC team against Mesa Vista’s small guards.
Mesa Vista had one run to close the second quarter and open the third quarter to tie the game. ATC responded with 10 straight points, and never gave up the lead again. ATC led for more than 31 minutes of the 32-minute game.
“It was fun,” Santiago Martinez said. “It was great playing in The Pit for the first time.”
Vigil also praised his team’s composure and sportsmanship throughout the frustrating game.
“That’s as big as winning,” Vigil said. “I know they’re going to take that with them the rest of their lives. We have good kids in Ojo Caliente.” He listed all of the many towns from which Mesa Vista pulls students.
The Trojans entered the year with low external expectations. They were district runners-up a year ago, eliminated in the first round at state, and possibly their three best players.
And yet, after a 2-4 start to the year, they won 22 of their next 23 games to get to The Pit. And they went in with the expectation that they would win it all.
“Look at their faces right now,” Vigil said, pointing to the red eyes on Gallegos and Martinez. “They believe that we should have brought home a state championship.”
This will not be the end for Mesa Vista.
Gallegos is a sophomore. So is Martinez — who had eight points and five rebounds. Starting point guard Andres Valdez is a freshman, along with sixth man Ezequiel Nevarez.
The team has four seniors on it, but Marcos Martinez, the former Coronado transfer, was the only starter. But his loss will be big, and the team all spoke glowingly of him.
“I don’t even know where to start,” Gallegos said. “Last year, he didn’t want to take over games, because we had a lot of seniors. He’s very talented, but he’s also a good person. He’s a really smart player. Whenever the ball touches his hands, he knows what to do with it.”
“You’ve got to remember, Marcos drives about an hour every day to practice,” Vigil said. “We practice at 6:30 in the morning. And he’s never late.”
Vigil brought inspiring words to the press conference, referencing a famous Giannis Antetokounmpo quote about failure.
“How could this run, where we won 22 of the last 23 games prior to today, how could it be a failure?” He said. “How could it?
“It feels like a failure. It sure does. And to have to pick up my guys in the locker room, and try to be strong, and try to be strong, and you look around and your guys are heartbroken. It feels like a failure. But in no way was this season a failure. Absolutely not.”