For the Mountain Mail
SOCORRO -- With five games remaining in non-district play, the Socorro boys basketball team still is trying to find its winning ways, losing two close games on back-to-back nights last week. The Warriors fell to the Chaparral Lobos on Friday night, 54-52, followed by a loss to the Wingate Bears on Saturday night, 53-45.
The Warriors’ grueling schedule continued Thursday in the Warrior Dome as they hosted the 17-0 Mesilla Valley Son Blazers. Even though the Son Blazers are a 2A school, they are putting up 5A numbers and rolling through their season defeating each team from 2A-5A by an average of 22.8 points per game.
On Friday night, the Warriors will host 3A powerhouse Sandia Prep Sundevils. The Sundevils are currently ranked second in 3A. Sandi Prep will be the fifth top 10 team the Warriors have faced in 3A this season.
The Warriors almost dug themselves out of an early first-half hole against the Lobos (6-12) trailing 33-21 at halftime. Socorro made a run in the second half cutting the Lobo lead to 7 after three quarters 46-39. The Warriors continued to mount a comeback in the fourth quarter but fell short losing 54-52.
According to Assistant Coach Robert Mata, Socorro tied the game at 52 with a four point play by Jared Marquez.
Marquez was fouled while making a three point bucket and made his free throw to complete the four point play. After Socorro tied the game, the Lobos failed to score which gave the Warriors final possession of the game.
Kenneth DeCosta had an open look under the basket with 20 seconds to go which would have given the Warriors the lead but was unable to convert. The Lobos drove down and scored with about 15 seconds left. Socorro had one last opportunity with one second left. Erik Garcia put up the final shot which bounced off the rim.
Jared Marquez and Andrew Contreras each had 14 points to lead the Warriors.
On Saturday night in Socorro, the Warriors went up against the eighth ranked 3A Bears (9-6). Marquez was the lone scorer in the first quarter with 15 points to give Socorro a 15-9 first quarter lead.
Socorro maintained their lead with four more Warriors getting into the scoring mix which included Zach Esquivel, Michael Contreras, Ibrahim Maiga, and Andrew Contreras.
The Bears recaptured the lead after a technical foul was called on Andrew Contreras with 12 seconds left in the half. Wingate converted both free throws followed by a last second bucket to give them a 26-25 lead.
The third quarter ended up being the deciding factor in the game.
“We ended up just doing quick shots and playing their game not ours,” Assistant Coach Robert Mata said of the third quarter. “They like to run up and down and score fast break points we needed to slow it down and look for some inside buckets and we just didn’t do that.”
Socorro was only able to score three points in the third quarter, allowing the Bears to go on a 21-3 run that spanned from the end of the first half to the start of the fourth quarter.
Wingate had built up a 41-28 lead before Socorro came battling back.
Six quick points by Andrew Contreras cut the Bear lead to just four, 45-41, with 2:36 left in the game. However the Bears did not let the Warriors get any closer.
Marquez led the Warriors with 20 points followed by Andrew Contreras with 10.
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