The Panthers started fast last Friday, and then had to scrap and claw their way to the Four Corners Classic tournament championship.
After dispatching Shiprock, N.M.s Northwest, 99-35, and the Shiprock High junior varsity, 80-30, it set up Saturdays championship showdown with 4A Western Slope rival Delta.
It was a competitive battle that was finally settled in overtime, with Montezuma-Cortez prevailing, 75-67
The hometown Panthers erased a 13-point first-half deficit behind tough defense and the hot shooting of Christian Chupp to force overtime en route to defending its Four Corners Classic tournament title.
Give a lot of credit to Delta, because they came out and they fought like dogs to beat us, M-CHS coach Eric White said. We were down. It was good to see the boys be down in a game this early in the year, and come back and win. It was a big confidence booster for them knowing they can do it now. Being back-to-back champions is kind of fun, kind of cool to start out 3-0. I think were off on the right direction.
M-CHS started slow, spotting Delta the first seven points. Chupp and fellow guard Alex Lopez put M-CHS on the board with consecutive 3-pointers to make the score 8-6. Devin Fox added another 3, but the Panthers trailed 15-9 at the end of the first quarter.
Delta extended its lead to 19-9 to open the second and later built a 30-17 advantage behind Colin Fraser, who was unstoppable from beyond the arc.
M-CHS cut the deficit to eight and trailed 34-26 at the half.
In the third quarter, both teams traded the next eight points until Chupp drove to the hoop and was fouled. His layup and free throw cut the lead to 38-33. M-CHS pulled within one at 44-43, but Fraser hit another 3 to put his squad back up four. Deltas 47-43 lead held going into the fourth quarter.
Delta extended its margin after Jake Ames made one from downtown to start the fourth, and it was 50-43. But Chupp responded with a 3-pointer of his own and M-CHS was right back in it down four. After a Nick Haukeness layup and Delta foul shot, Chupp tied the game at 51 with his fourth 3-pointer with five and a half minutes to go.
On the next M-CHS possession, Panthers forward Destry Smith gave his team its first lead of the game at 52-51 going 1 of 2 at the free-throw line.
However, Fraser was left open and popped another 3 to give Delta a 54-52 advantage. Delta went back up by five at 59-54 with just 3:24 remaining. M-CHS needed to make a play and Chupp, again, did. This time, on defense, as he stole Chris Blacks pass and took it the distance for the easy deuce to get M-CHS within three points. Delta called timeout and didnt score on its possession. Fox had the ball for M-CHS, dribbled around a pick and found Chupp open for 3 money! And the game was knotted at 59. Deltas Douglas Hawkins broke the tie tipping in Frasers rare miss. But senior captain Jay Rainer came back with a baseline driving layup to make it 61-61. That was the score at the end of regulation.
In overtime, it was the home team and its home crowd energy that took over.
Fraser nailed another 3 to put Delta up 64-61. But back-to-back baskets by Rainer and Fox gave M-CHS the lead for good, as it pulled away for the eight-point victory.
I think our offense that were running is opening up a lot easier shots for the outside guys to shoot, White said. I think our outside shot has improved a bunch.
Chupps outside shooting was key as the senior went 5 of 8 from 3-point land and 8 of 12 from the field overall to lead M-CHS with 23 points.
Our team, this year, weve probably been playing together since middle school. Were really comfortable with each other, Chupp said. Towards the end of the game, after I hit a couple, I was just more relaxed, got the butterflies out. It was big time. I wanted to come through and hit some shots and get some passes to our post. They did awesome all weekend.
Rainer scored 16 points and was 6 of 7 at the free-throw line. Lopez chipped in 10 points, while Smith recorded seven points and snared eight rebounds.
Chupp has done well so far as the M-CHS starting point guard.
I started the first three games last year and had some troubles, he said. This year, I wanted to really come back and redeem myself, really come out with a bang. Last year was kind of a disappointment for me, as far as my performance. I wanted to come out and do a lot better this year.
Fraser had a game high 29 points for the Delta Panthers (2-1), who knocked off Monticello (Utah) and Bayfield to get to the championship game. Ames scored 12 and Black poured in 11.
M-CHS will continue preseason (nonconference) tournament play on Friday and Saturday with two games at the Wolf Creek Classic in Pagosa Springs. M-CHS will face Gunnison on Friday at 5 p.m.
Reach Bobby Abplanalp at bobbya@cortezjournal.com.
