Pirates Poised for District Tournament

Franklin Romero, Sports Correspondent

“We know the challenge of beating a team three times,” said GHS boys basketball head coach Landon Chavez. They will face off at home against the Belen Eagles for a third time in the district tournament.

The Pirates are 16-10, 4-4 and third in district 5 4-A after defeating the Belen Eagles (9-17, 2-6) on Tuesday, February 20th by a score of 79-74 in the Pirates last game of regular district play.

The Pirates are just behind St. Pius (15-10, 72) and Highland. (21-6, 81) in first place after last week’s district season wrap-up.

The Pirates will host the first playoff game in districts since 2016. “Excited to host a district playoff game,” said Chavez. “After looking at the state seeding criteria, we are at an 8 seed and Belen is at a 16 seed—this is a must win for both teams.”

Top scorers for the Pirates in last week's game against Belen were Noah Victorino with nineteen points, Boudy Melonas with eighteen points and John “JJ” Horacek with fourteen points.

“We will need another strong performance against Belen to come out on top,” said Chavez.

The winner will play the winner of St. Pius and Valencia (11-5, 0-8).

The lady Pirates lost their first round of the district tournament after a 55-29 loss to Valencia High School on February 26th.

The Lady Pirates finished last of five teams in district 5 4-A with a record of 4-22, 1-7. St. Pius was first in that district with a 22-3, 8-0 record followed by Valencia with a record of 17-10, 5-3, Belen with a record of 11-16, 3-5 came in third and the lady Hornets of Highland High School came in fourth place with a record of 12-15, 3-5.

Laguna-Acoma High

The Laguna-Acoma girls basketball team defeated the Dulce Hawks by a score of 54-51 in a playoff game to determine first place in district 1 2-A girls’ basketball this past Monday, February 26th. Currently their record is 17-8, 16-1. In second place in their district is Dulce with a record of 1610, 5-2. Rehoboth Christian is in third place with a record of 12-13, 2-4. Navajo Pine came in fourth place with a record of 2-25, 0-6.

The L-A boys basketball team 4-21, 1-5 after defeating Navajo Pin 1115, 1-5 by a score of 6651 also on Monday, February 26th.

The Hawks are fifth in the district out of four teams.