Senior Trajan Garcia sank two three-pointers and sophomore Trace Crane one during the fourth quarter Friday evening, March 1. The Ignacio boys’ spirited comeback attempt against vaunted Bishop Machebeuf came up short in the opening round of the 2024 CHSAA Class 3A Boys’ State Basketball Tournament.
Facing the Buffaloes, seeded second in the Round-of-32, in Denver, the No. 31 Bobcats threatened to pull off perhaps the classification’s biggest upset, but ultimately suffered a season-ending 63-54 loss despite staying within four points, 29-25, of BMHS after halftime.
Trailing 17-9 after the first quarter, but able to close to 34-29 at intermission, IHS (8-15 overall) then battled the Buffs to a 15-15 draw in the third quarter – setting the stage for an intense final eight minutes of Region II semifinal action. Garcia totaled nine points, as did sophomore Ambrose Valdez and senior Phillip Quintana, who made one three and went 2-of-4 from the free-throw line before fouling out.
Crane (1-4 FT) totaled eight points, senior Devante Montoya buried two first-half treys and ended up with six points, and senior center Gabe Cox was held to four. Sophomore Sonny Flores also booked four points, junior Charley Pargin nailed one three-pointer and junior Coty Webb one two-pointer.
Senior Kibre Sibhat and junior John Menke each scored 13 points for Bishop Machebeuf, with juniors Miles Edgar-Parchman (12) and Jack Menke (10) joining them in double figures. Junior Ben Mages finished with nine points and classmate Landon Sulser contributed six. Edgar-Parchman was also credited with 12 rebounds, seven assists and six steals, and the Buffaloes as a team went a vital 11-of-15 from the charity stripe.
AFTERMATH
BMHS won Region II the next afternoon by routing 15-seed Crested Butte Community School 70-40. The Titans finished the 2023-24 grind standing 17-6 overall, while the Buffaloes rose to 22-1 prior to facing Colorado Springs-based No. 10 Banning Lewis Academy (20-4) Thursday afternoon, March 7, in the ‘Great Eight’ at the University of Denver.
CBCS had clipped No. 18 Broomfield Prospect Ridge Academy (9-12 overall) in the late Region II semi, 54 to 50, to earn a chance at toppling Machebeuf in the title tilt.