Inspiration, grit, fire, intensity, mental toughness and defense.
These are terms often used to describe a rivalry boys high school basketball game.
Durango had it all at home last Friday.
The visiting Montezuma-Cortez High School Panthers? Not so much.
A Durango Demons team flew out of the gate scoring 9 of the first 15 points. M-CHS guards Alex Lopez and Devin Fox each hit 3s to keep the Panthers within 9-6. But that was it for the visitors.
The Demons closed the first quarter on a 6-0 run to lead 15-6.
M-CHS kept turning the ball over, and the game kept getting farther and farther away. That Panthers battled late, but it was way too late in a stunning 56-29 defeat. The Panthers turned the ball over 32 times.
M-CHS (10-8, 1-4 5A/4A Southwestern League) has now lost four straight and is left searching for answers after such a promising start.
I think the biggest thing is we got to find it deep within the whole team and just pick our heads up, Panthers coach Eric White said. We got to come out next weekend and play hard. We need to have a good week of practice shooting, working on our offensive penetration against a tough defense.
Durango (10-8, 2-3 SWL) snapped its two-game skid and looked anything like a team just above .500.
After Lopez left leaner to open the second quarter made it 15-8, then the Demons used a stingy half court press. The defensive pressure disrupted the Panthers rhythm, forcing them to shoot outside. M-CHS couldnt get the shots to fall. M-CHS also couldnt get the ball where it needed, as Durango scored easy in transition off a barrage of turnovers.
Durango, got to give it to them, White said. They come out and they put a lot of pressure on our guards. We werent able to get the ball inside. Our guards had some turnovers up top that hurt us.
The Panthers trailed 31-10 at halftime and the home sea of red was in a frenzy.
M-CHS didnt fare any better in the third only scoring five points. Durango led 42-15 after three when the Panthers finally awoke from their comatose catnap.
Destry Smith battled down low for five points in the final frame. The Panthers showed some pride and scraped with its U.S. Highway 160 East rivals to a 14-14 fourth quarter tie.
Lopez and Jay Rainer led M-CHS with seven points apiece.
Were going to have to bounce back, Lopez said. Were going to have to execute even harder. Its league, so its a whole different picture than preseason was. We just got to take the good things that we did out of this game and take them to practice. The things we didnt do very good, we got to make them better. Hopefully, we can bounce back this weekend.
Rainer, the Panthers leading scorer, was held in check for a second consecutive game.
Teams are picking up that he is scoring 20-plus points a game, you know. Theyre keying on him, White said. Our other guys just havent stepped up yet and took advantage of the opportunity theyre getting.
Nick Hamlin led all scorers with 11 points for Durango.
M-CHS will try to regroup at home on Friday and Saturday against Montrose and Grand Junction Central at 7 and 1:30 p.m.
Reach Bobby Abplanalp at bobbya@cortezjournal.com.
