It’s hard to believe that the regular season for high school basketball has come and gone.
Now it’s time for state championship contenders to make their final tweaks during this week’s district tournament, while the remaining teams have one final chance to salvage a season with a great run that ends with a district tourney championship.
The Mesa Vista boys and girls each clinched automatic state tournament berths by winning District 5-2A, as did the Española Valley girls by winning District 2-4A.
Boys basketball
Feb. 16
To’hajiilee 59, Coronado 44
Omar Apachito scored 32 points to lead the Warriors past the host Leopards (10-15, 4-3 in District 1-1A).
Feb. 17
Pojoaque Valley 69, Moriarty 35
Serafin Mendez scored 15 points with 11 rebounds and Matthew Romero added 10 points with seven boards to lead the host Elks (13-12 5-2 In District 2-4A) past the Pintos.
Feb. 18
Questa 41, McCurdy 38
Trey Cloud scored 13 points to lead the Wildcats past the host Bobcats (7-18, 0-9 in District 5-2A).
Feb. 19
Escalante 54, Mora 43
Mateo Torrez scored 13 points with seven rebounds and five assists, leading the Lobos (19-6, 7-2 in District 5-2A) to a tough win. The teams were tied 37-all entering the fourth quarter before Escalante’s RJ Atencio’s basket put the Lobos ahead for good.
Mesa Vista 81, Peñasco 43
Kaileb Atencio had 21 points for the Panthers, but the visiting Trojans (22-3, 9-0 in District 5-2A) had too much firepower.
Dulce 78, Laguna Acoma 67
Four players scored in double figures for the Hawks (16-9, 7-2 in District 1-2A), led by Jaiden Yazzie, who had 27 points with eight rebounds and six assists. Alexander Keeswood had a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds, while Adolf Vigil had 18 points and Eric Tsosie 15 points.
Feb. 20
Española Valley 46, Taos 43
A staunch fourth quarter defensive effort turned into a big win for the visiting Sundevils (9-17, 5-3 in District 2-4A), who won a third consecutive game by beating the district front-running Tigers.
Isaiah Chavez scored six points in the deciding fourth quarter and Irvin Primero led Española in scoring with 10 points, including four in the fourth.
Pojoaque Valley 58, Los Alamos 46
The visiting Elks (13-13 6-2 In District 2-4A) weathered the Hilltoppers opening salvo when the home team scored 20 in the first quarter, then rallied to win as Joziah Salazar had 11 points and five rebounds and Joshua Gonzales added 10 points, five rebounds and four steals.
Feb. 21
Escalante 42, McCurdy 30
The visiting Lobos (20-6, 8-2 in District 5-2A) jumped out to a 10-2 first-quarter lead, then held off the Bobcats (7-19, 0-10), the rest of the way.
Mora, 56, Mesa Vista 53
After getting outscored 21-6 in the third quarter, the visiting Trojans (22-4, 9-1 in District 5-2A) still had a chance to pull out the win, tying it up at 45-all on a Jordan Gallegos bucket, but the Rangers then pulled out a 7-0 run to take back control of the game.
Dulce 92, Navajo Pine 78
The visiting Hawks (17-9, 8-2 in District 1-2A) rallied from a 46-42 halftime hole with big offensive efforts from Jaiden Yazzie (33 points, eight assists), Adolf Vigil (22 points, 11 rebounds) and Eric Tsosie (21 points, four steals) against the Warriors.
Pine Hill 48, Coronado 38
Girls basketball
Feb. 16
To’hajiilee 63, Coronado 31
Mia Gallegos scored 12 points for the host Lady Leopards (13-12, 4-3 in District 1-1A), but it was not enough to overcome the Lady Warriors.
Feb. 18
McCurdy 51, Questa 34
Despite allowing the Lady Wildcats’ Alyse Lovato to pour in 21 points and grab 13 rebounds, the visiting Lady Bobcats (17-8, 5-4 in District 5-2A) were able to pull out the victory.
Coronado 51, Walatowa 19
Mia Gallegos scored 15 and Chastelyn Jaramillo added 13 as the host Lady Leopards (14-11) got out to a big lead and coasted to the win
Feb. 19
Mesa Vista 46, Peñasco 42
In a game with plenty of post-season repercussions, the visiting Lady Trojans (23-2, 9-0 in District 5-2A) came roaring back from a 20-14 halftime deficit to beat the Lady Panthers. Aaliyah Boies scored 28 points for Mesa Vista with eight steals and Valerie Martinez added nine rebounds and three steals to help secure the win.
Laguna Acoma 59, Dulce 47
Mattison Vigil scored 19 points with seven rebounds and Emma Martinez-Pierce had 16, while Anya Rivas added a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds, but they didn’t get much scoring help from their teammates as host Dulce dropped (12-11, 3-6 in District 1-2A) a tough district game.
Pojoaque Valley 52, Moriarty 28
Escalante 47, Mora 30
Feb. 21
Española Valley 41, Taos 24
Leah Vigil scored 14 of her game-high 17 points in the pivotal third quarter and a gritty defensive effort helped the visiting Lady Sundevils (17-9, 7-1 in District 2-4A) to clinch the district title for the second consecutive year. “We’re a greatly improved team from the beginning and middle of the season,” coach Ray Romero said.
Mesa Vista 63, Mora 17
It wasn’t quite a romp from the outset as the first-quarter score stood at 8-5 in the visiting Lady Trojans favor, but they put the game away with a 28-8 second quarter, then allowed the Rangerettes to score just four second-half points. Aaliyah Boies had 23 points, 10 steals and six assists and Janessa Sandoval added 10 points for Mesa Vista (24-2, 10-0 District 5-2A).
Pojoaque Valley 37, Los Alamos 35 OT
The host Elkettes (18-8, 6-2 in District 2-4A) rallied from 17-10 halftime deficit to pull out the win with a strong defensive effort.
Dulce 67, Navajo Pine 42
The Lady Hawks (13-11, 4-6 in District 1-2A) used a big second half to pull away from the Lady Warriors.
McCurdy 56, Escalante 32
Pine Hill 51, Coronado 26