LA JARA – A battle of Top 10 teams turned out to be the game that was expected as the Alamosa High School boys basketball team, ranked 10th in Class 4A, scored a 57-52 win over Centauri, the fourth-ranked team in Class 3A, Saturday at the CHS gym.

Brant Jackson gave Alamosa the early lead, but Kaleb Anderson answered it with one for the Falcons. Jackson scored again, however, Chaz Holman scored two straight baskets for a 6-4 Centauri lead.

Jackson tied the score, but Mason Sowards made a 3-point basket. Jackson then split at the free throw line, and Jayr Almeida knocked down a jumper to again tie the score this time at 9-9.

Jackson then drained a three, but Holman did the same on the other side of the court and the score was tied a 12-12 at the end of the first quarter.

Holman helped the Falcons regain the lead, but Parker Gilmore scored a layup, and Michael Motz made two free throws for a 16-14 lead. Leighton Curtis swished a trey to put Centauri back in front and Holman made a jumper to extend the lead to 19-16.

Kade Jones tied the score with a 3-pointer, and Motz drove for a layup to put the Mean Moose back inot the lead at 21-19. Mason Sowards tied the score, but Kade Jones made his second trey of the quarter for a 24-21 Mean Moose advantage.

John Taylor made a layup, and Curtis made another 3-point basket for a 26-24 Falcons lead. Luke Christensen tied the score, and then Jackson and Kade Jones both scored for a 30-26 Mean Moose lead.

Kiler Ullery made a three just before the buzzer to bring Centauri within 30-29 at the half.

Kade Jones and Jackson both scored to help Alamosa increase the lead to 34-29. Curtis made another 3-pointer, but Almeida split at the line, and Christensen made three free throws. Jackson then dunked the ball for a 40-32 advantage.

Kolton Johnson ended the Mean Moose run with a layup, but Christensen drained a trey. Kallon Russell made a three for the Falcons, but Kade Jones scored a layup and added a free throw. Christensen made two free throws to give Alamosa a 48-37 lead at the end of the third quarter.

Jackson scored the first points of the fourth quarter to give the Mean Moose their largest lead at 50-37.

Johnson made one of two free throws, and Troy Sowards made a trey. Holman then made two free tosses to help the Falcons close within 50-45 with 3:12 left in the game.

Almeida made two free throws, as did Kade Jones to push the lead to 54-45. Holman and Anderson both scored to close the deficit to 54-49, but Jackson made two charity tosses.

Russell swished a 3-pointer with 14 seconds left but that would be as close as the Falcons would come. Christensen made one of two from the line to wrap up the scoring.

Jackson led all scorers with 20 points. Also scoring in double figures for the Mean Moose was Kade Jones with 15, and Christensen with 11.

Holman was the Falcons’ top scorer with 15 points, followed by Curtis with nine.

Alamosa (11-1, 3-0 Intermountain League) will travel to Bayfield on Friday, and will host Ignacio on Saturday. The Mean Moose will travel to Pagosa Springs on Jan. 11 in a make-up of the game that was scheduled for last Friday. All three games begin at 7 p.m.

Centauri (10-2, 2-1) will travel to Montezuma-Cortez on Tuesday in a reschedule of the game to have been played last Friday, with tip-off scheduled for 6 p.m. It will host Ignacio Friday at 7 p.m., and it will travel to Pagosa Springs on Saturday for a 2 p.m. Tip-off.

Alamosa 57, Centauri 52

Alamosa – Jackson 8 3-4 20, Almeida 1 3-4 5, Kad. Jones 5 3-3 15, Kas. Jones 0 0-0 0, Christensen 2 6-8 11, Quintana 0 0-0 0, Motz 1 2-2 4, Meis 0 0-0 0, Gilmore 1 0-0 2. Total 18 17-21 57.

3-point goals – Kad. Jones 2, Christensen 1, Jackson 1.

Centauri – Holman 6 2-2 15, Johnson 1 1-3 3, M. Sowards 2 0-0 5, Anderson 2 0-1 4, Curtis 3 0-0 9, Russell 2 0-0 6, Ullery 1 0-0 3, T. Sowards 1 0-0 0, Taylor 2 0-0 4. Total 20 3-6 52.

3-point goals – Curtis 3, Russell 2, Holman 1, M. Soweards 1, T. Sowards 1, Ullery 1. Total 9.

Alamosa 12 16 18 9 – 57

Centauri 12 17 8 15 – 52

Fouls – Alamosa 10, Centauri 15.