The Patagonia High School basketball teams closed out their home schedule on Jan. 31 with Hoopcoming festivities, complete with royalty, a bonfire and a boisterous gymnasium. All that was missing was a victorious finish for the Lobos boys team.
The Lobos girls team did its part to contribute to the festive mood by rallying in the fourth quarter for a 41-39 victory over San Manuel, but the opposite was true for the Lobo boys. After jumping out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter, they were unable to sustain any momentum and fell apart in the second half, losing to San Manuel 50-46.
The girls game was a back-and-forth affair, with Patagonia jumping to a quick 10-2 lead. San Manuel cut the gap to 18-13 by halftime, then outscored the Lobos 12-4 in the third quarter to pull ahead. The Miners built the lead to as much as six points before Patagonia rallied. Junior Emma Lewton’s three-point shot tied it at 39, and after a couple of San Manuel turnovers, Lewton made two of four free throws for the final margin. Junior Valeria Castellanos led the Lobos with 17 points, and Lewton finished with 15.
The Lobos have played short-handed all season and were down to seven players for the home finale after senior Alexis Fimbres was injured earlier in the week.
“The girls are coming together as a team. They stuck with it, they held on, and they’re coming together,” coach Michele Shadrick said. “This last home game, they wanted it. They played hard, they played like they wanted this game, and they did. I’m very proud of them.”
The Lobo boys led 31-16 at the half and still held a 38-24 advantage going into the final quarter before the wheels fell off. Centers Gavin Arbizo and Jaxon Yslava both left the game with injuries, and leading scorer Diego Carranza saw his playing time limited by foul trouble before fouling out in the fourth quarter.
San Manuel opened the fourth quarter with a 14-2 run to cut the lead to two, but D.J. Castro and Kannon Shore hit back-to-back three-point basket to put the Lobos up 46-41. Patagonia wouldn’t score again, as a succession of turnovers enabled San Manuel to score the game’s final nine points. Castro and Shore scored 14 points apiece to lead the Lobos.
Both the girls and boys teams are scheduled to play in the 1A South regional tournament at St. David High School, Feb 6-8.