Trailing by one point at halftime, the Bayfield Wolverines dug deep for a big third quarter.

The Bayfield High School boys basketball team jumped out to an early 15-9 lead against Mancos on Thursday night in Bayfield, but the Bluejays (3-3) responded by winning the second quarter 18-11 to take a 27-26 halftime lead. But the Wolverines scored 21 points in the third quarter and 27 in the fourth to take a 74-62 win and improve to 3-1 to begin the season.

The Wolverines outscored the Bluejays 21-10 in the third quarter.

“Our defense could’ve been better, and it did get better the second half,” BHS head coach Jeff Lehnus said. “We got the ball inside better and got some balanced scoring in the end.”

BHS 6-foot-7 senior forward Preston Hardy tied for the Wolverines’ team-high with 19 points on 8-of-16 shooting. Fellow senior Conner Kennedy also scored 19 points, and senior Dillon Hoselton scored 14. Also getting into double figures for BHS was Zane Phelps, who scored 10 points on 4-of-7 shooting. Phelps made it a double-double with 10 rebounds.

BHS junior Brody Mcghehey added seven rebounds, as did Hoselton, who led the team with four assists.

Lehnus said he is always happy to get the win, but nobody on the team was thrilled with how they played.

“Our defense at times is still adjusting to the very tight way games are being called. We’re getting in foul trouble and breaking the flow of the game for us,” he said. “We need to adapt.

“I don’t think anybody was content with our game. The score looks good, but we gave up too many points.”

The Wolverines will play again Saturday at San Juan High School in Blanding, Utah. The game is scheduled for 5 p.m.

“I’m looking forward to Blanding. I would like to have us play better than we did (Thursday), overall,” Lehnus said. “But we always have to get the ‘W’ no matter what.”

heraldsports@durangoherald.com