Mancos boys crush 3A Bayfield on basketball court

Mancos boys crush 3A Bayfield on basketball court

January 15, 2002

CAMBRIA HANSON (32) of the Mancos High School varsity girls basketball team leaps high in the air to go after a fast-break pass during action Saturday night against Bayfield in non-conference game in the Mancos Performance Center. Hanson got to the ball and made the layup at the other end of the court. Class 3A Bayfield won 48-38.

BY JIM THOMAS
Journal Sports Editor

The Class 2A San Juan Basin League boys basketball teams should be aware, that after a shaky December, Mancos High School is ready to take on the task ahead.

MHS all but crushed a seemingly hapless 3A Bayfield team 75-41 Saturday night, Jan. 12, in the Mancos Performance Center. Mancos was coming off an upset of a good 3A Ignacio team a few days earlier.

"We feel pretty good right now about going into league play next weekend," MHS coach Gary Hill said immediately following the game. "After not playing all that well in December, we have put together two big wins over larger schools."

After dropping a controversial decision (overtime loss) to Bayfield earlier in the season, the Blue Jays made a statement this game.

The Blue Jays had no problems after jumping out to a huge start in the first period.

Mancos completely and totally dominated Bayfield in the first quarter. The Wolverines were frustrated by a tough MHS press. In fact, they were so messed up two timeouts were called very early in the period. Bayfield could not stop Kyle Yeomans who scored 11 of his 13 points in the quarter. Yeomans not only scored from the inside (making several tips) but also from the outside (a three-pointer). Bayfield also missed several easy shots, which didn’t help matters. With 3 minutes, 09 seconds to go, MHS led 15-5 when Yeomans connected on his trey. Bayfield called its third timeout at 2:44 with MHS leading 17-5. Yeomans later scored a layup off a nice pass from Ryan Shepherd.

The Jays continued their torrid play in the second quarter. Their matchup zone underneath and their full-court triangle and two press still confused the Wolverines. The defense helped set up the offense. Bayfield did go on a 5-1 run to pull within 26-14 but that was a close as it would get. Shepherd’s two free throws with 3:35 showing put the Jays up 34-19. Kent Russell made two layups in a row off breaks to put Mancos up 44-19. Mancos led 46-23 when the half was over.

"We played very, very well in the first half. And we came out and played hard in the third quarter. The kids are not only believing in themselves but in our way of doing things. Their hard work is now paying off. We really have some good kids," coach Hill added.

Shepherd started the third quarter off the right way with a layup. Travis Clark scored on an alley oop pass off an in-bounds pass which put Mancos up 26-25 with 4:08 on the clock. Clint Hill’s pair of charity tosses put Mancos up 58-27 with 2:40 to play. Hill came back a few seconds later to make a fast-break layup. MHS held a commanding 65-29 lead when the period closed.

Coach Hill replaced all of his starters early in the fourth. Russell made a nice backdoor layup which gave the Jays a 73-37 advantage with 2:42 left.

The Jays got balanced scoring. Besides’ Yeoman’s 13, Kelley Smith pumped in 14, Clark 13, Russell 11, and Shepherd 10. Three Bayfield players scored 6 points each.

Mancos will host Dolores County beginning with the girls’ game around 4:45 p.m. and the boys will follow on Saturday evening in the Mancos Performance Center.

MHS girls well for three quarters against a quicker Bayfield team but it wasn’t enough as BHS won 48-38.

"We looked tired. I think in coming off the break, playing earlier in the week (against Ignacio) and finals, it was hard on them." MHS girls coach Kevin Dimmick remarked.

The only bad quarter came in second when BHS outpointed Mancos 16-8. Blue Jay Cambria Hanson did tie the score at 6-6 with a layup early in the period. The score was knotted again at 8-8 but BHS slowly started pulling away. Shaw’s three with 3:39 put BHS ahead 15-10. Cassie Dunavant drove the floor for a layup to put BHS up 19-12. Lacy Beck’s trey put BHS ahead 22-12 with 1:03 to go and it led by that margin at the break.

Mancos played solid defense in the first quarter, although the girls looked a little fatigued. Mancos got some good looks offensively, but nothing seemed to drop. Jackie Shaw canned a three-pointer, scoring half of the team’s points that quarter for a 6-4 BHS lead. Jori Yeomans and Katie Paxton each scored two each.

The teams played evenly in the third and fourth quarters. Bayfield outscored Mancos 14-13 in the third while the Jays outpointed the Wolverines 13-12 in the fourth. Bayfield pressed nearly the whole second half which created some turnovers and easy buckets. Mancos got some turnovers of its own but failed to convert.

"We have got to have everyone contributing. For this group, that has got to happen in order for us to be successful. We’re also not finishing on our breaks. We didn’t do that tonight. But the girls are playing hard and I see improvement," he added.

Bayfield was paced by Shaw and Michelle Miller, each popping in 11. Hanson led Mancos with 11 while Katie Paxton chipped in 9 and Jori Yeomans 8.

Bayfield High School girls’ basketball nearly pulled off an upset of Dolores, sending the game into overtime, but fell short 50-43 in Dolores on Friday.

The Wolverines led the first quarter 10-9 before the Bears rallied to a 21-18 lead at the half. The score was tied 38-38 at the intermission. DHS, though, outscored BHS 12-5 in the overtime.

Tracy Everett led the way with 14 while Jennifer Trevillian and Amanda Cross each tossed in 9. Kim Piccoli paced BHS with 15 while Shaw added 7.

Dolores had defeated Bayfield 49-29 when they first came back from the holidays. Everett scored 9 and Trevillian 8 in the win. DHS bested Aztec JVs 63-28 last Tuesday. Trevillian and Everett both scored 15 each in that easy win.

Dolores boys defeated Shiprock JVs in a makeup game last Wednesday, Jan. 9, winning 79-70.

The Bears broke the game open in the second period, outscoring Shiprock 26-8 to take a commanding 45-29 lead at the intermission.

"We picked up our defense another notch in the second period," DHS head boys coach Scott Story commented. During one stretch we made six turnovers and we converted all of them."

Dolores outscored the Chieftains 19-13 in the third but SHS came back strong and outscored DHS 28-15 in the fourth. Shiprock’s Calvin Smith scored 19 of his 27 points in the fourth.

"After not having played in nearly a month, we looked like it," he remarked. "But we started playing better as the night went on."

Cullen Zion apparently has not missed a beat. He scored 28. Waylon Bennett chipped in 18 and dished out 8 assists. Aeson Reed contributed 12. Trevor Howard also had 22 for Shiprock.

Dolores County girls came back from the break by playing against Cortez JVs on Tuesday, Jan. 8, and lost 41-37.

"We started out in the first half 10 points down," DCHS girls head coach Jim Buffington reported. "We came back in the second and even had a four-point lead. The lead changed hands several times in the third but then Cortez started doing things it had to do and we didn’t."

Dolores County boys visit Montezuma-Cortez JVs at 7 p.m. today, Jan. 15, in Ron Wright Memorial Gym. DHS girls and boys travel to Ignacio beginning at 6 p.m. today. DHS girls and boys open league play at home against Norwood this Saturday.

Buffington still must have been pleased as four players put some points on the board. Teresa Martin led with 9, Nikki Hassell and Erin Fury tossed 8 apiece, and Erin Ivie 7.

Montezuma-Cortez High School boys and girls were idle this past weekend. Both Panther teams will return to action this Friday (6 p.m.) and Saturday (noon), Jan. 18-19, when they host Fruita-Monument and Central of Grand Junction for Southwest League play.