Possibly not used to having the ball in his arms, particularly as a result of he;’s a linebacker in soccer season, Cleveland Excessive’s Stratton Shufelt (21) is pestered by two Sandia Matadors within the Storm’s APS Metro semifinal loss final Friday night at Albuquerque Excessive. (Joe Grimando picture)
Town’s 4 varsity basketball groups and their coaches are in all probability glad the annual APS Metro Basketball Championships are over with for an additional 12 months.
Within the 16 video games performed altogether, Rio Rancho groups had been 8-8.
The Cleveland Excessive College boys crew had the very best end, fifth, however had been drubbed by 20 and 33 factors within the semifinals and third-place recreation, respectively.
Right here’s how the town’s groups fare, and what’s subsequent for every:
Cleveland boys: The Storm (11-4) opened the four-games-in-five-days tourney with an 81-58 victory over Hope Christian, and adopted that up with a 54-48 victory over Highland to qualify for the semifinals.
Then, on Friday night at Albuquerque Excessive, Sandia was en fuego, turning what had been a 15-14 lead on the finish of the primary quarter right into a 36-26 lead at halftime.
The Storm had been down by 19 after three quarters and trailed by as many as 24 within the fourth quarter.
“We simply received run over,” coach Sean Jimenez mentioned. “We in all probability had 20 turnovers at half, in all probability one other 15 within the second half. You may’t win ballgames whenever you flip the ball over.”
Remy Albrecht and Nic Trujillo paced the Storm with 15 factors apiece. The opposite three CHS starters mixed for 8 factors and simply three discipline objectives.
The Storm had been drubbed 76-432 by West Mesa within the third-place recreation; it was their second lack of the season to the Mustangs, the place former Storm participant Elijah Brody now performs.
After a house recreation tonight (Jan. 10) vs. La Cueva, the Storm have a rematch with Sandia Thursday at 7 p.m. on the Matadors’ court docket within the Northeast Heights.
“We’ve simply received to handle the ball – that’s the largest factor,” Jimenez mentioned.
On Saturday, Hobbs – a 57-54 loser to Cleveland in Hobbs on Dec. 30 – visits the Thunderdome for a3:30 p.m. tipoff.
The Storm performed the Metro with out one in all their prime scorers, Daniel Steverson.
Jimenez mentioned he didn’t anticipate Steverson to play this week, both, preferring to maintain him sidelined with an ankle harm till the District 1-5A opener Jan. 17 vs. visiting Volcano Vista, the Metro champ.
Rio Rancho boys: The Rams (11-5) positioned ninth on the Metro, disadvantaged of any championship hopes after a 71-68 additional time loss to La Cueva within the first spherical, performed on the Bears’ court docket.
Jayden Johnson hit a 3-pointer buzzer-beater to ship the sport into OT.
“La Cueva is a more-athletic crew,” coach Wally Salata mentioned. “We did soar out on them within the first quarter by seven, however then the second quarter, we received out-scored 22-9 as a result of we received in foul bother. … It got here all the way down to the free throw line.”
The Rams then beat Albuquerque Excessive, 66-52, the subsequent evening, as Maddox Presser led them with 22 factors and Jerry Archuleta and Johnson – 5 of 12 on the foul line – had 15 apiece.
Within the comfort bracket, the Rams beat Hobbs, 86-78 – which they’d misplaced to, 43-42, on Dec. 1 on the Metropolis of Champions Basic in Artesia — to maneuver into the ninth-place recreation, the place they eked out a 51-49 victory over Hope.
The rams are dwelling Friday night at 6 to fulfill Roswell, then open District 1-5A motion Jan. 19 at Atrisco Heritage Academy.
Cleveland ladies: The Storm had any hopes of taking part in for a trophy dashed within the first spherical, once they fell to perennial Metro energy West Mesa, 50-44. Aaliyah Ayanniyi led CHS with 13 factors, and Savannah Madueno had 10.
Relegated to the comfort aspect of the bracket, the Storm then beat Santa Fe, 52-42 – their second win over the Demonettes this season – as Aubrey Jaramillo and Kindyll Sandoval shared scoring honors with 10 factors every.
Then the Storm bumped into district foe Cibola, which eked out a 43-42 win, with Madueno once more prime scorer for CHS with a dozen factors.
That dropped the Storm into the Eleventh-place recreation, the place they beat Highland handily, 64-37. Madueno scored 18 factors, Ayanniyi had 16 and Sandoval added 11.
After a recreation at La Cueva this night (Jan. 10), the Storm (11-6) tip off their District 1-5A slate Jan. 18 at defending champ Volcano Vista.
Rio Rancho ladies: First-year coach Lori Mabrey’s Rams had the unenviable process of dealing with eventual winner Hobbs, a newcomer to the Metro occasion, within the first spherical at Cibola, and had been dispatched into the comfort bracket after a 64-37 loss to the Eagles.
Again at Cibola the subsequent evening, they fell to Mabrey’s former crew and 1-5A foe, the Cougars, 41-38.
Then, their third win over Santa Fe this season, this time 53-32, at La Cueva on Jan. 6, put the Rams (8-7) into the sport to resolve thirteenth place.
After a 49-47 loss to Hope Christian, the Rams settled for a 14th-place end.
After street video games at Roswell (Jan. 13) and Los Alamos (Jan. 17), RRHS opens District 1-5A play Jan. 20 when Atrisco Heritage Academy visits the RAC in a 7 p.m. tipoff.