Regular season to end with non-league trip
Four three-pointers by sophomore post Bryce Finn in as many tries not only gave the Ignacio boys enough momentum to stun and separate from Ouray, but hopefully to carry them into – and through – their last two regular-season contests.
With a crucial rematch versus Mancos set for Tuesday, Feb. 12, inside IHS Gymnasium (results unavailable at press time), the Bobcats got a game-best 16 total points from Finn, 12 from sophomore forward Dylan Labarthe and ten from sophomore guard Triston Thompson in trumping the Trojans 60-34 Saturday afternoon, Feb. 9.
Entering the House of Troy not 48 hours removed from a 45-40 loss – their first in five outings since an 11-point setback Jan. 15 at MHS – at non-league 2A Del Norte, the ’Cats started slowly against an OHS team which had won four of its previous five, including a 20-point road win at Norwood the night before.
Ouray won the opening tip-off, allowing head coach Adam Trujillo to call timeout and remove guard Zach Briggs, playing with a cast on his right hand as one of five seniors saluted on Senior Day, seconds after play began, and senior Scout Manley got the scoring started 1:43 in with two free throws.
Junior post Channing Green then dropped in another, but Ignacio (9-8, 8-2 2A/1A San Juan Basin League) responded with two Thompson triples – giving them a lead they’d not again lose. A late trey by sophomore reserve Jackson Leo brought OHS (11-3, 8-3) back to 13-8, but Thompson sank two freebies and rebuilt the lead to seven points entering the second quarter.
Junior post Ocean Hunter promptly snared a defensive rebound and passed ahead to junior guard Keegan Schurman for a breakaway layup and 19-10 lead with 6:13 left before halftime and Trujillo called timeout even faster, sensing the Trojans still weren’t up to comparative speed. He’d be proven correct in short order; Bobcat freshman guard Gabe Tucson canned a trey late to max Ignacio’s first-half lead out at 15 points, 30-15, and IHS went back to the locker room ahead 32-19.
And it wasn’t really even that close; 10-of-15 free-throw shooting kept the home team in their own building (the guests were 4-of-5), as three second-quarter Green buckets were the Trojans’ only other makes from the field besides Leo’s three-ball.
Finn’s first two long-range hits keyed an 8-0 burst right after intermission, his third three running increased IHS’ advantage to 43-21, and his fourth made the score a soul-crushing 52-21 before Ouray managed two points and went into the final frame down 52-23.
Six points by an oft-transitioning Labarthe and two by senior Randy Doyebi helped seal the deal, though Leo sank two three-pointers to finish with three bombs and an Ouray-best 12 points. Slowed by first-half foul trouble, Green finished with seven points and Manley matched junior reserve Liam Miller’s five, but was held without a field goal.
Doyebi netted eight points, including a flying weakside tip-in over the 6’3” Green of a Hunter miss late in the second quarter, and Tucson totaled six points, having nailed two of Ignacio’s eight three-pointers. Reportedly battling the effects of a sinus infection, Hunter also contributed six points and Schurman logged two.
Against DNHS, which then defeated Southern Peaks League foe Sargent 52-47 the next day, Finn managed one three and booked a team-leading 13 points while Hunter scored seven and Schurman six. Senior guard Kade Glover buried all five of his team’s treys and tallied 19 points for the Tigers (11-6 overall), while sophomore forward Logan Cestone recorded 12.
Slated to conclude the Ignacio boys’ regular-season schedule is a Feb. 15 trip out to Blanca to face 1A Sierra Grande at 4 p.m. The Panthers stood 8-9 overall prior to a Valentine’s Day visit from struggling non-league 1A La Veta (which began the week 1-16 overall) the night before.
CHSAANOW.COM CLASS 2A BOYS’ BASKETBALL POLL (2/11)
- Holly
- Yuma
- Ault Highland
- Fowler
- Denver Christian
- Byers
- Limon
- Fort Collins Heritage Christian
- Sanford
- Simla
Others Receiving Votes – Peyton, Greeley Dayspring Christian, Del Norte, Pueblo Dolores Huerta Prep, IGNACIO, Rocky Ford, Akron, Julesburg-Ovid Revere Sedgwick County.