GALLUP, N.M. — When the Gallup High boys basketball team scores more than 60 points in a game, the Bengals usually win.
And the recent annual Gallup Bengals Boys Basketball Invitational contest against Window Rock was no different. The Bengals (4-8) beat the Fighting Scouts, 75-60, to advance. The Fighting Scouts lost a subsequent game in the 8-team tournament to runner-up Socorro, 74-62.
The Scouts went on to lose to Grants (7-6), 58-42, in a consolation game. The Grants game was the final game for Window Rock (7-6, 2-2) in the non-conference tournament.
“We didn’t play the kind of defense that we needed to play against a team like Gallup,” Window Rock Head Coach Murray Shirley said afterward. “We have to move our feet better and contest every shot inside and outside against a team like that.”
Senior big man Joaquin Ortega of Gallup terrorized Window Rock for 28 points and proved to be unstoppable from the inside and outside. Fellow senior big man Kody Touchine was a force, too, freeing up Ortega with picks and screens for point’s inside. On one play in the third quarter, the duo worked to perfection a give-and-go play down low that took a lot of steam out of a Window Rock scoring surge.
The first quarter started out evenly, with offenses for both teams trying to figure out what worked and what didn’t. Ortega seemed to purposely yield to guards Isaac Toehe and Tavian Joe for better shots — mostly from the outside. The first quarter ended with Gallup leading 18-13, but constantly fighting off runs by the Scouts.
Ortega wasted no time in the second quarter demonstrating his physicality, leading the Bengals to a 21-13 lead with 7:06 left on the game clock. But the Scouts managed to get close by the score of 25-21 with under five minutes to go in the first half. That was primarily attributed to the play of senior stretch forward Isaiah Begaye and senior guards Owen Mitchell and Caden Bia. Bia can find a shot anywhere on the court, and Mitchell is a mover who wreaks havoc on opposing guards.
Senior point guard Quarziar Martinez of Window Rock hit two free throws, but was uncharacteristically silent when it came to overall scoring. Shirley said the Gallup guards double-teamed and always had somebody shadowing Martinez. The second quarter ended with Gallup leading 39-30, but Ortega was off and running.
The big man, coupled with defensive breakdowns by Window Rock, helped Gallup to a 44-35 lead midway through the third quarter. Ortega was getting fouled on some shots and hit free throws to allow for Gallup leads. But Begaye, Bia and Mitchell wouldn’t quit. Together, they got the score to 48-42 with the third quarter almost over.
Gallup senior guard Trey Bruner hit a couple of jump shots to help the Bengals stay in the lead toward the end of the third— but it was Ortega who was clearly in a class by himself.
“Get back, get back on D,” Gallup head coach Josh Dunlop encouraged from the sideline. “Stay in position.”
The third quarter ended with Gallup leading 53-47 and fending of multiple runs by the Fighting Scouts. Ortega was slightly hurt toward the beginning of the fourth, but shook it off, and went on to grab key rebounds and score key shots down the stretch for Gallup — mostly from the inside.
Window Rock’s Mitchell finished the game with 16 points and Begaye scored 14 points. Bia recorded 12 points for the Scouts. Martinez averages double digits in scoring for the Scouts, but scored just four points against Gallup.
GALLUP, N.M. — When the Gallup High boys basketball team scores more than 60 points in a game, the Bengals usually win.
And the recent annual Gallup Bengals Boys Basketball Invitational contest against Window Rock was no different. The Bengals (4-8) beat the Fighting Scouts, 75-60, to advance. The Fighting Scouts lost a subsequent game in the 8-team tournament to runner-up Socorro, 74-62.
The Scouts went on to lose to Grants (7-6), 58-42, in a consolation game. The Grants game was the final game for Window Rock (7-6, 2-2) in the non-conference tournament.
“We didn’t play the kind of defense that we needed to play against a team like Gallup,” Window Rock Head Coach Murray Shirley said afterward. “We have to move our feet better and contest every shot inside and outside against a team like that.”
Senior big man Joaquin Ortega of Gallup terrorized Window Rock for 28 points and proved to be unstoppable from the inside and outside. Fellow senior big man Kody Touchine was a force, too, freeing up Ortega with picks and screens for point’s inside. On one play in the third quarter, the duo worked to perfection a give-and-go play down low that took a lot of steam out of a Window Rock scoring surge.
The first quarter started out evenly, with offenses for both teams trying to figure out what worked and what didn’t. Ortega seemed to purposely yield to guards Isaac Toehe and Tavian Joe for better shots — mostly from the outside. The first quarter ended with Gallup leading 18-13, but constantly fighting off runs by the Scouts.
Ortega wasted no time in the second quarter demonstrating his physicality, leading the Bengals to a 21-13 lead with 7:06 left on the game clock. But the Scouts managed to get close by the score of 25-21 with under five minutes to go in the first half. That was primarily attributed to the play of senior stretch forward Isaiah Begaye and senior guards Owen Mitchell and Caden Bia. Bia can find a shot anywhere on the court, and Mitchell is a mover who wreaks havoc on opposing guards.
Senior point guard Quarziar Martinez of Window Rock hit two free throws, but was uncharacteristically silent when it came to overall scoring. Shirley said the Gallup guards double-teamed and always had somebody shadowing Martinez. The second quarter ended with Gallup leading 39-30, but Ortega was off and running.
The big man, coupled with defensive breakdowns by Window Rock, helped Gallup to a 44-35 lead midway through the third quarter. Ortega was getting fouled on some shots and hit free throws to allow for Gallup leads. But Begaye, Bia and Mitchell wouldn’t quit. Together, they got the score to 48-42 with the third quarter almost over.
Gallup senior guard Trey Bruner hit a couple of jump shots to help the Bengals stay in the lead toward the end of the third— but it was Ortega who was clearly in a class by himself.
“Get back, get back on D,” Gallup head coach Josh Dunlop encouraged from the sideline. “Stay in position.”
The third quarter ended with Gallup leading 53-47 and fending of multiple runs by the Fighting Scouts. Ortega was slightly hurt toward the beginning of the fourth, but shook it off, and went on to grab key rebounds and score key shots down the stretch for Gallup — mostly from the inside.
Window Rock’s Mitchell finished the game with 16 points and Begaye scored 14 points. Bia recorded 12 points for the Scouts. Martinez averages double digits in scoring for the Scouts, but scored just four points against Gallup.