-
The Grants High School Boys’ Basketball team was off to a hot start to the 2023-2024 season with a 61-45-point win over the Bloomfield Bobcats (0-2). “We did an extremely good job of taking care of the ball,” said GHS head basketball coach Landon Chavez. Franklin Romero - CC
Basketball season started for Cibola County teams and the Grants High School Boys’ Basketball team was off to a good start with a 61-45 win over the Bloomfield Bobcats (02).
“Bloomfield was a great opener----we were all knotted at 20 at the half—it was early in the battle,” said Landon Chavez, head coach of the GHS Boys’ Basketball team. “Missing three pointers and nine shots in the paint at the half---we knew our shots would begin to fall.”
In the second half, the Pirates pulled away outscoring the Bobcats 18-10 for a 38-30 lead at the end of that quarter. “We got off to a hot start in the third quarter,” said Chavez. In the fourth quarter, the Pirates continued their hot streak and outscored the Bobcats 23-10.
Pirate Junior Boudy Melonas and Tristin Fernandez, a sophomore, scored 14 a piece in that game, followed by senior Isaiah Griego who came through strong in the second half with 11 points. Matthew Trujillo, a junior, was close to double digits, also with nine points. Melonas was six of 11 from the field and Fernandez was six of eight.
“It’s always valuable to have three players finish in double digits,” said Chavez. “We did an extremely good job taking care of the ball land the lead in the fourth quarter—great first win against a good Bloomfield team.”
Andrew Flores of the Bobcats had 19 for the night followed by Christian Alcantar with eight points.
Next up for the 1-0 Pirates is the Tournament of Champions held at Capital High School this Thursday where they will face off against the Farmington Scorpions. This will be a season opener for the Scorpions.
The Lady Pirates also had their season opener last week and played at home against the Bloomfield the Lady Bobcats of Bloomfield and lost 47-30. Next up for the Lady Pirates will be the Lady Eagles of Hobbs (2-1) in tournament play.
CIBOLA COUNTY SPORTS ROUND-UP
The Laguna-Acoma Hawks basketball teams had their first two games this season. The lady Hawks are 1-1 after a 35-33 loss to Del Norte High School (3-2) on November 28. They defeated Bosque Prep (0-1) by a score of 40-15 on November 30. Next up for the Lady Hawks are the Academy Chargers (0-0) on December 8.
The LA Hawks boys’ basketball team are 0-2 after recent defeats by 4-A Del Norte High School (1-2) on November 2 by a score of 86-26 and a 63-60 overtime loss to Mescalero Apache (2-0) on Dec. 1. Next up for the Hawks will be Moriarity High School (0-2) on December 5 in a home