The Pojoaque Elks saw their four-game District 2AAA winning streak come to an end at home Feb. 4 at the hands of a familiar foe. The St. Michaels Horsemen scored 19 points in the four-minute overtime period win 57-47 over Pojoaque.
The victory was the Horsemen’s 12th consecutive win over the Elks and moved St. Michaels into first place in District 2AAA. Pojoaque fell to second with a 4-1 district record.
The Elks had taken a 40-38 lead in overtime on a layup by B. J. Roybal after the two teams had battled to a 38-38 deadlock at the end of regulation. Then St. Michaels point guard Jordan Romero made a three-pointer to give the Horsemen a one-point lead. Keneth Kinderwater scored on a layup and drew a foul. His ensuing free throw gave St. Michaels a 44-40 lead.
Pojoaque’s patience wore thin and the Elks began to misfire from the floor, leading to a 7-2 run by the Horsemen that extended St, Michaels lead to 51-42 with 1:35 left in the overtime period.
“They showed composure and we didn’t,” Pojoaque coach Joey Trujillo said. “It should never have gone into overtime.”
The Elks were just 6-of-13 from the free-throw line in regulation and finished 9-of-17 from the charity stripe for the game. St. Michaels was 14-of-19, including 8-of-10 in the overtime period.
“It was a different game in overtime,” St. Michaels coach Ron Geyer said. “We got the lead and they had to come down and take quick shots. They were forced to foul us.”
The 28 points scored in the four-minute overtime exceeded the point total of both teams in the first half. The Elks and Horsemen put on a determined defensive display for the first 16 minutes of the game, which ended with Pojoaque holding a 14-12 lead.
Pojoaque led 33-27 in the fourth quarter when St. Michaels’ Michael Yardman-Frank turned things around, hitting back-to-back three-pointers to tie the score.
“That was key,” coach Trujillo said. “We had built up some momentum.”
Orlando Trujillo tied the game at 38-38 with a free throw with 1:12 left in regulation. Garcia missed a three-pointer with four seconds left for the Horsemen to send the game into the decisive overtime period.
Pojoaque and St. Michaels both entered the game with identical 13-7 records. The two rivals will meet again in the final game of the regular season Feb. 20 at St Michaels in Santa Fe.
Trujillo doesn’t want that to be the last time the two teams meet this season; he would like the final meeting to come at the end of the District 2AAA tournament.
“I hope it’s for the district championship,” he said.