Thirteen players suited up Tuesday night, Dec. 3, for new head coach Trae Seibel.
Thirteen players scored at least one point apiece as Ignacio Boys’ Basketball tipped the 2024-25 season off by outrunning 2A Dolores 71-23 inside the Bears’ lair.
Seibel chalked the road victory up to relentless hustle up and down the floor and to contributions from up and down his roster – which built up a 17-4 lead by the end of the first quarter and cruised into halftime up 42-10.
Leading the way offensively for the ’Cats (1-0 overall, 0-0 3A/4A Intermountain) was junior Ambrose Valdez, who booked 10 second-quarter points and ended up with a game-high 17. Junior Stoney White Thunder chipped in six second-quarter points and totaled 10. Sophomore Cayson Burcham followed up his successful football debut season with eight points in his first outing this winter on the hardwood.
DHS (0-1 overall) got nine points, all after halftime, from sophomore Koby McClellan.
Fortunately for the Bears, there was little time to dwell on the defeat; Dolores was to next travel east to Mosca for 1A Sangre de Cristo’s Thunderbird Shootout running from Thursday to Sunday and a game on Day 1 versus 1A La Veta (1-0 overall).
Ignacio, meanwhile, will next visit 5A Durango on Friday, Dec. 6, for a 6 p.m. varsity-only showdown with Alan Batiste’s Demons then travel on Tuesday to 2A Mancos.
BAYFIELD GIRLS BREAK OUT: In the preceding game, Bayfield’s girls earned new head coach Ben Martinez – known to most as a longtime regional hoops official – a win in his bench debut by drilling Dolores 44-19.
Bayfield improved to 1-0 overall and Dolores fell to 0-1 overall.
Senior Renae Foutz paced the Wolverines with 15 points, and freshman Kieley White Thunder logged 13.
Up next, Dolores’ girls were to also play in the aforementioned Shootout and were to also duel LVHS on Day 1.
With a Dec. 17 rematch against DHS inside BHS Gymnasium already approaching, Bayfield will begin preparing by next hosting 5A Durango’s JV on Friday at 5 p.m.
