Monte Vista can’t keep up with Bayfield

Noah Romero works some nifty ball control against Montezuma-Cortez during Alamosa's 70-31 victory to advance to the 3A district championship.

ALAMOSA — In the early game Monte Vista took on the Wolverines of Bayfield.  Monte Vista couldn’t pull off another upset and fell 83-61. Thursday night Alamosa boys' basketball got their feet wet in their first district action since the tournament began, with a 70-31 pounding of Montezuma-Cortez’s Panthers.   

The last time Alamosa and Cortez faced each other Alamosa prevailed in a 65-51 tilt in which Angelo Ramirez netted 14 points. On Thursday the Moose wasted no time getting after the Panthers. When Ry Adams started raining down threes, Alamosa blitzed out to a 16-5 lead in the first quarter.

Overall Adams went 6 of 10 from the outside, the only points he didn’t collect from the perimeter came from the free throw line, 20 points altogether. By the end of the first chapter the Moose enjoyed a 25-7 lead. With 5 minutes left in the second Cortez would score their lone basket of the quarter and Alamosa went right back to work scoring 12 unanswered points, six of which were credited to Brenden Crowther. Crowther was a revelation taking 6 shots and coming up with four 3-pointers tallying 12 points off the bench to have his best game of the year.

At the half Alamosa had reached a 35-point deficit thereby meeting half of the criteria for a running clock. The onset of the fourth quarter would meet the other half. The Moose would coast to the games conclusionwith thoughts on Saturday’s championship game.

Against number three in the district Pagosa Springs earlier in the week, Monte Vista showed heart taking a 3-point win in the upset. They would have their work cut for them on Thursday when they met the number 2 team in the district, Bayfield. The last time the Pirates met the Wolverines Monte Vista fell by 20 points. Monte Vista opened Thursday night by struggling to find the bottom of the net, spotting Bayfield an 8-point lead.

David Mascarenas ended the drought for Monte Vista hitting a 3-pointer. Mascarenas led the Pirates for the night with 30 points going 10-of-11 on his free throws. At the start of the second quarter Monte Vista had work to do trailing 21-9. In the second, the Pirates showed urgency,  Mascarenas added 7 points and Monte Vista outscored the Wolverines 21-19. However they were still haunted by that slow start trailing 40-30 at the half. Ryan Phelps and the Wolverines didn’t let up any as the game went on tacking on a 27 point third quarter and running away with the game.

Monte Vista will continue to play as they will face Montezuma-Cortez in the third place game on Saturday at 4:30 p.m.. The championship game will take place between Alamosa and Bayfield at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday.