AZTEC – The host Aztec High School girls basketball team will face Durango in Saturday’s Lady Tiger Rumble in the Jungle Tournament title game inside Lillywhite Gym at Aztec High School.
Here’s a recap of the second round winners bracket games held Friday night.
Durango, led by junior Claire Goodwin, secured a spot in the championship game against Grants with a 48-22 victory. Goodwin scored 18 points while senior Ellie White added 11.
The first four minutes saw a close contest, with the Demons holding a slight 6-5 lead over the Pirates. Durango took control at the 3-minute mark when Goodwin converted a steal into a layup. Teammates Mariah Maestas, Tyler Trujillo, and Lilly Fitzpatrick each scored two points, pushing the lead to 18-7 by the end of the first period.
In the second quarter, Durango extended its lead with offensive rebounds, converting two of four into points.
Grants had trouble finishing as they penetrated Durango’s defense, missing several layups. The Pirates also faced foul trouble, as guard Aubrhyanna Garcia accumulated three personal fouls and sat out the remainder of the half.
Grants broke their silence at the 3:40 mark when Promise Garcia hit a 3-pointer and followed with a two point goal, accounting for all five of their points in the quarter. Durango led 30-12 at halftime.
Grants came out in the second half with renewed energy, adjusting their defense to double-team the Demons offense. The Pirates limited Durango to seven points in the third quarter, preventing them from scoring more than double digits.
Foul trouble, however, continued to hurt the Pirates as Aubrhyanna Garcia picked up her fourth personal foul early in the third quarter and was benched while Amy Salazar picked up her third and sat out later in the quarter.
Durango’s hustle led to seven steals on defense but also caused them to rush plays, resulting in overthrown passes and contributing to their low scoring in the third quarter. Despite this, they outscored Grants 7-3, ending the quarter with a 37-15 lead.
Grants rallied with a strong defensive effort to start the fourth quarter, using a smooth man-to-man defense that prevented Durango from driving to the 3-point line.
Durango struggled to convert two-point field goal attempts and scored most of their points from the free-throw line, capitalizing on eight team fouls by Grants. Durango made 8 of 10 free throws.
The Demons resorted to a double-team defense at the top of the key to hold Grants down to a seven-point improvement in the final period to seal the deal.
Durango head coach Lauren Moran praised her team’s offensive rebounds and shifting defensive strategies for preventing Grants from gaining momentum.
“Offensive rebounds and steals are hallmarks of what we try to emphasize,” Moran said. “Those come from playing hard, and we’re small, so we make sure everyone plays with intensity.”
Durango (5-2) moves to play in the championship game on Saturday at 6 p.m. against Aztec.
Aztec secured a spot in the championship game with a 39-28 win over Belen, relying on free throws and traveling violations by the opposing team.
Belen took control early, leading Aztec in rebounds and open shot opportunities. Dani Bob hit a pair of 3-pointers, and Belen capitalized on more drives to the paint, scoring on two of five field goal attempts.
Aztec, led by senior Bailey Clarence, struggled to convert two-point field goals but tied the game at 10-10 by scoring four of eight free-throw attempts in the first quarter.
Traveling violations hindered Aztec’s offense, while Belen’s fast-paced game led to overthrown passes, preventing both teams from setting up proper offensive plays. Aztec had a 21-17 lead heading to the locker room.
Clarence, who scored 13 of Aztec’s 39 points, got into foul trouble early in the third quarter, accumulating four fouls by the end of the period. Despite her foul issues, Aztec held a steady 28-18 lead, limiting Belen’s scoring opportunities.
Clarence picked up her fifth and final foul early in the fourth, forcing her to sit out the remainder of the game. Aztec relied on free throws and three of eight field goals to maintain their lead, while Belen struggled to convert on both two- and three-point attempts, giving Aztec the victory.
Aztec head coach Bill McLaughlin said his team anticipated Bob’s shooting and adjusted after Clarence’s absence in the second half.
“We knew Bob was going to come out and shoot the threes. In the second half, we did a better job identifying where she was on the court,” McLaughlin said.
After Clarence fouled out, Jazzlyn Gomez stepped up, scoring seven points in the second half. McLaughlin credited her performance for helping secure the win.
“(Gomez) really did a good job taking care of the ball and making sure they got it in the
right hands,“ McLaughlin said.
Aztec (6-3) will face Durango in the championship game at 6 p.m. on Saturday.
