What started with a promising first quarter ended as a forgettable night for the Dolores Bears boys basketball team.
Matching up against the Bayfield Wolverines on Jan. 14, the Bears were pummeled from the second quarter on, losing 94-26 in one was by far one of their most lopsided contests in recent memory.
Clearly overmatched by the bigger and stronger Wolverines, the Bears played disciplined basketball during the first quarter and trailed 19-10 entering the second frame.
"We followed the game plan, and we took care of the ball," Bears coach Larry Schwartz said of his team's play early on. "We were being just as physical as they were."
Eventually however, Bayfield's physicality proved too much for the Bears to handle as the Wolverines began dominating down low and drilling three-pointers from the outside.
By the time the final buzzer sounded, the scoreboard showed a 68-point spread in favor of the visitors, leaving Schwartz anything but pleased.
"It was ugly," Schwartz said. "They are bigger, stronger and faster than us."
With their record now at 3-4 on the year, the Bears will prepare for a Jan. 18 home matchup against the Nucla Mustangs.
"Nucla is a young team," explained Schwartz. "Their coach is doing a really good job with them. We'll have to play our pass and cut offense and we're going to have to knock down some threes because (Nucla) will pack the paint."
After defeating the Mustangs 62-23 earlier this season however, the Bears figure to enter their weekend matchup brimming with confidence.