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By N. Waddell
The Hayden Lobo basketball varsity teams traveled to Tucson on Tuesday, Dec. 17, for a return game against the Knights of Immaculate Heart High School with the boys’ game turning into a runaway.
With four Lobo players scoring in double figures, the game had a running clock half way through the second period with the score 49 to 18 at the end of the first half. The Lobos, with every player getting some time on the court, did not let down in the second half still out scoring the Knights to take the win with an 80 to 42 score.
Julian Gomez led Lobo scoring with 25 points followed by Matt Martinez with 16 points. Michael Rabago added 14 points with Adrian Ochoa putting in 13 points to go with his defensive play. Rounding out the scoring were Rodney Ortiz with seven points, Erik River and Jeremy Holyoak with two points apiece and Roman Padilla with one point.
The Lady Lobos were not so lucky in their game against the Lady Knights. They had no answer to the Knights’ leading player who scored 24 points against the Lobo defense. The Lady Lobos were held back getting into foul trouble early, limiting their defensive pressure. The final score ended 22 to 45.
Melinda Marinez led Lobo scoring with eight points with Cheyanne Gaona adding six points. Getting two points apiece were Kyana Garcia, Angelica Cabrera, Makayla Ramos and Devin Estrada.
The Lobo basketball teams were on the road the next day traveling to San Manuel High School for a contest against the Miner basketball teams. The boys’ game was very puzzling especially after the officials came out in the second period with some sort of grudge against the Lobo team.
The first half was a close contest with the three point shooting of the Miners giving them a 17 to 22 lead at the end of the half. The start of the second half had the handcuffs on the Lobos. They could not do nothing with fouls whistled for everything. But the Lobos still fought back evening the score at 26 to 26 at the end of the third quarter.
The start of the fourth period had one official taking over the game, warning the Hayden coaches to sit down, not to get up, and to stay quiet. With a time out called by San Manuel, the Lobo coaches stood up to talk to the team when the official came over to the Hayden bench and issued a technical foul on the Lobo assistant for standing up. When the time out was over, the assistant gave some instructions to one of the players; the official came over and issued another technical foul for talking and threw the assistant out of the basketball game.
From there on it was nothing but fouls for the Lobos, with the only good out of the situation the inability of the Miners to sink the free shots. In the fourth quarter the Miners had 20 free shots to none for the Lobos; but they did not give up despite the officiating, losing with a score of 34 to 39.
Julian Gomez had the high score for the Lobos with 16 points with Michael Rabago and Marcos Gonzales each scoring six points. Adrian Ochoa, Roman Padilla and Rodney Ortiz each scored two points.
The Lady Lobo game against the tall Lady Miner team was exciting and close until the taller Miners finally solved their inability to put the basketball in the basket.
The Lady Lobos came out strong taking an 11 to 3 lead after the first period despite the numerous fouls against the Lady Lobos trying to stop the taller Miners. The Lady Lobos continued to play hard protecting their lead at the end of the first half 21 to 15. It would be as close as the Lady Lobos would get when the taller Miners finally started to put back the missed shots under their basket to take a 26 to 34 lead at the end of the third quarter. The Lady Lobo continued to play hard but with the Lady Lobo rebounders in foul problem they had no answer to the taller Miners who took the game with a 31 to 42 score.
Cheyanne Gaona and Melinda Marinez led Lobo scoring with 12 points apiece followed by Devin Estrada with four points, Kyana Garcia with two points and Ashley Cruz with one point.
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