A few minutes later, the sharp-shooting senior launched a shot from five feet behind the three-point line and watched as the ball found nothing but the bottom of the net.
In the end however, Casey’s heroics were not enough as the Montezuma-Cortez High School boys basketball team (7-13 overall, 4-6 in IML) lost at home to Centauri (9-11 overall, 2-8 in IML), 66-54, in the first round of the Intermountain League Basketball Tournament on Feb. 21.
“It was a tough night,” said M-CHS head coach Michael Hall shortly after the game. “I think nerves probably played a roll in that. A lot of our kids haven’t been in this position before, and I don’t think they knew how to handle that kind of pressure.”
The effects of postseason pressure were evident throughout the first quarter as the Panthers players missed several easy layups and turned the ball over numerous times in route to a 10-1 first-quarter deficit.
M-CHS managed to turn things around in the second quarter however, thanks in part to a highlight reel pass from junior Jasen Engel to sophomore Cordell Baer for an easy layup. Later in the quarter, Casey drilled a fade-away jumper along the left baseline to cut Centauri’s lead to 15-9 and by halftime, the Panthers trailed 18-14.
“Seeing our team down, I just tried to bring us back,” said Casey, who scored five points in the second quarter. “I love being on the court and playing ball.”
Playing with confidence early in the third-quarter, the Panthers narrowed their deficit to 29-27 when Daniel Fernandez drew a foul and scored after receiving a fast-break pass from Cordell Baer. Reacting to the home crowd’s cheers as he hit the floor, Fernandez pumped his fist and yelled before being helped to his feet by teammates.
Centauri responded to Fernandez’s bucket with a 7-0 run however, which was made possible by several defensive breakdowns by the Panthers.
“I went out there and tried to get the win and we didn’t,” Fernandez said. “Our heads weren’t in the game all game long. That’s probably a big part of why we lost.”
Entering the fourth quarter trailing 38-30, the Panthers looked to Casey to create late-game magic, and the senior responded, drilling three three-pointers in the fourth quarter, including a long-range bomb with 1:21 left to cut Centauri’s lead to 56-50.
Solid free throw shooting from Centauri down the stretch sealed the Panthers fate however, as the Panthers lost their 13th game of the season.
Casey led No. 3 seed M-CHS with 20 points, while Engel scored 12 and Fernandez scored nine.
Martin Garcia scored 17 points for No. 6 Centauri, which will play No. 2 Bayfield in the second round of the Intermountain League Tournament on Friday, Feb. 24 at Bayfield.
“I’m proud of the way our kids played,” Hall said. “We were down a lot and we came back, but we just couldn’t get over the hump. Our junior and senior class are fighters. I’m excited for next year, and I think they should be too.”