Mesa Vista High School, in its first game under new head coach Leonard Torrez, scored the most points in a game in nearly a decade.
For the Lady Trojans, coming off a year where they were 12-15 and just 3-7 in district play, they look to be markedly improved as they look to make a run at a district title.
Torrez said he is looking to continue to implement an up-tempo offense with a pressing defense. He said he also will lean on the team’s deep bench to keep players rested.
“They’re used to bringing the ball back, and slowing the ball down,” Torrez said. “We want to push a Northern New Mexico style of basketball. Controlled chaos, is the way I describe it. We’re pushing the ball, but we’re pushing the ball smart.”
The speed and aggression paid off easily in Mesa Vista’s first game of the season, a 72-36 dominant win over McCurdy, as they looked like the far faster team throughout the game. The 72 points appears to be the most the Lady Trojans have scored in a game since Nov. 29, 2011 against Santa Fe Prep, according to Maxpreps.
And with only two seniors and no juniors on the roster, the program looks to be set up for a long-term run.
Emma Lovato hit a 3-pointer for McCurdy to start the game, and they took a 7-1 lead in the first two minutes. But Mesa Vista began to force turnovers, and soon gained the lead, ending the first quarter up 16-14.
Mesa Vista first-year coach Leonard Torrez said the team had early “first game jitters.”
“Implementing a new system, you’re always going to have your bugs,” he said. “Overall, them getting used to the new system is something that, we’re in for it.”
Through the second quarter, though, Mesa Vista’s press caused endless problems, and the Lady Trojans used that for easy transition scores to build a big lead, and were up 31-21 at halftime.
The scores off turnovers continued through the second half, as the Lady Trojans rolled, outscoring the Lady Bobcats 18-9 in the third quarter, and 23-6 in the fourth to come away with a 72-36 win.
“Overall, it was a massive team effort, and I’m proud of them,” Torrez said.
Amarissa Quintana scored 19 points, with 15 coming in the second half, and eighth-grader Tana Lopez also scored 19 to tie for the team lead, including seven from the free-throw line.
Senior Alyssa Cervantes, who led the Lady Trojans with eight rebounds, said the team had worked hard since the summer to get prepared for the season.
“We’re starting to work as a team now, and we’re starting to trust each other now,” she said.
Junior Lorena Pacheco scored nearly half of McCurdy’s points with 17 on 6-22 shooting, and had eight rebounds.
“We’re a young group, and we’re slowly coming together each game,” said McCurdy coach Lucretia Williams. “I’m very proud of them. I felt like this game, we had a lot of great moments, it’s just trying to sustain it.”
Torrez said he was hoping to have more tune-up games before playing Escalante, but hoped to take the momentum from the McCurdy game.
“Escalante is, obviously, the giant of the district,” Torrez said. “They’re the team to beat.”
Mesa Vista next faces Peñasco on Thursday (4/15).
McCurdy traveled to Mora Tuesday, and then took a shot at Escalante at home on Wednesday (4/17).