PICTURED: The Bulldog basketball team awaits the start of the game Feb. 14 against Lovington at Bulldog Pit.
(Photo Courtesy Artesia Bulldog Paw Prints)
BULLDOG BASKETBALL
The Runnin' 'Dog basketball came out of the gate strong Tuesday in their penultimate regular District 4-AAAA game against Portales on the road, setting the tone for what would become their fifth consecutive D4 win, 58-42.
The Bulldogs' 21-8 lead coming out of the first and a 17-10 showing in the third spelled the difference in the contest, as the Class 4A top-ranked Artesia boys continued their charge toward an unblemished run through the district. Head coach Michael Mondragon and his staff couldn't have asked for a better start in hostile confines, with the 'Dogs racking up 17 points in the opening period before the Rams ever got on the board.
Six points from Charlie Campbell, four from Clay Kincaid, three apiece by Trent Egeland and Braylon Vega, and a Jack Byers free throw comprised Artesia's 17-0 advantage, and just 1:30 remained in the quarter when Portales finally broke its drought with a bucket from Jacoby Bamforth. A late three from Vega helped put the Bulldogs up by 13, 21-8, going into the second.
The 'Dogs would maintain that margin there, as the Rams matched them point for point. Campbell continued to be a threat from both the field and the free-throw line, and Cael Houghtaling knocked down an early trey to help send Artesia into the break up 33-20.
The boys in orange came out reenergized in the third, with Egeland posting five quick points on a pair of buckets in the paint and a free throw. A shot off the glass by Kincaid and a Campbell layup made it 42-26 midway through, and the Bulldogs would close out the quarter on an 8-0 run that included another basket from Kincaid and two old-fashioned three-point plays by Vega.
That gave Artesia a 20-point edge going into the fourth, 50-30, and the 'Dogs were able to cruise from there. Corbyn Dominguez drained a three and Vega a jumper en route to the 58-42 final.
Vega led all scorers on the night with 18, followed by Campbell with 14 and Kincaid with 10. Carson Pfaffenberger and Joel Lujan each had 11 for the Rams.
The Bulldogs will now be looking to top what they hope will be a 6-0 showing with the D4 crown Friday, Feb. 21, as they tip off at 7 p.m. against Goddard at Ground Zero in Roswell. The Rockets (10-14) and Lovington (15-10) are both 2-3 in district play, followed by Portales (11-13) at 1-4. Goddard fell to Lovington Tuesday on the road, 66-35. Tickets for Friday's contest are on sale now, and Artesia fans are encouraged to make the short trek north to support AHS basketball!
STAT BOX
Artesia 58
Portales 42
Artesia (17-7, 5-0): Braylon Vega 6, 5-6 18; Charlie Campbell 4, 6-8 14; Clay Kincaid 5, 0-0 10; Trent Egeland 3, 2-4 8; Corbyn Dominguez 1, 0-0 3; Cael Houghtaling 1, 0-0 3; Jack Byers 0, 1-2 1; Tootie McNeil 0, 1-2 1
Totals: 20, 15-22 58
Portales (11-13, 1-4): Joel Lujan 4, 3-5 11; Carson Pfaffenberger 5, 1-1 11; Xavier Tarpeh 3, 0-0 6; Pierce Culpepper 2, 1-1 5; Jase Hightower 2, 0-0 5; Jacoby Bamforth 1, 0-0 2; Elijah Tellez 1, 0-0 2
Totals: 18, 5-7 42
Field Goals: Artesia 20; Portales 18
Three-Pointers: Artesia 3 (Dominguez 1, Houghtaling 1, Vega 1); Portales 1 (Hightower)
Free Throws: Artesia 15-22 (68%); Portales 5-7 (71%)
Turnovers: Artesia 13; Portales 15
Fouls: Artesia 10; Portales 17
Fouled Out: None
LADY BULLDOG BASKETBALL
PICTURED: Ashton Craft splits the Lovington defense for a layup during Artesia's game against the Lady Wildcats Feb. 14 at Bulldog Pit.
(Photo Courtesy Artesia Bulldog Paw Prints)
The Lady Bulldog basketball team put forth a strong effort Tuesday on the road but could unfortunately never find their offensive rhythm in Portales' home gym.
The Artesia girls were unable to break out of single-digit scoring in any quarter and were without a field goal in the fourth as the Class 4A fourth-ranked Ramettes rolled to a 66-28 victory that kept them unbeaten in District 4-AAAA at 5-0.
The Lady 'Dogs claimed the upper hand early in the contest, going up 9-3 on the girls in red on a pair of buckets from Hattie Harrison, one from Brookelyn Thacker, and a Kailee Padilla three. But Portales would close out the opening quarter with 14 unanswered -- including a pair of treys from Myleigh Banda -- to lead 17-9 going into the second.
There, the Ramettes continued to hit from beyond the arc, with Tya Rippee, Maria Lujan and Evannie Fulfer all getting in on the action. Artesia didn't score until around the five-minute mark on a shot off the glass from Gracen Kuykendall. Kuykendall would score again late, but those buckets combined with one from Brooklyn Fuentes and a Harrison free throw could only keep Artesia's deficit under 20, 33-16, at the half.
Portales didn't let up in the second half, outscoring Artesia 19-9 in the third, and the Lady 'Dogs could only manage a trio of free throws -- one apiece from Padilla, Thacker and Peyton Barela -- in the final eight minutes as the Ramettes pulled away for the 66-28 win.
Padilla and Kuykendall finished with six each for Artesia, while Banda led all scorers with 22 for Portales. The Ramettes were aided significantly by a whopping 40 trips to the stripe, from which 24 of their points on the night came. The Lady 'Dogs were 7-14 from the line.
The Lady Bulldogs (9-15, 1-4) will now join the Bulldogs in Roswell Friday, Feb. 21, to close out regular D4 play against Goddard at Ground Zero. The girls will tip off at 5:30 p.m. against the Lady Rockets (13-12, 1-4), who fell to Lovington (15-10, 3-2) 56-41 Tuesday in Lovington. Tickets are on sale now.
STAT BOX
Portales 66
Artesia 28
Artesia (9-15, 1-4): Gracen Kuykendall 3, 0-0 6; Kailee Padilla 1, 3-6 6; Hattie Harrison 2, 1-2 5; Brookelyn Thacker 1, 1-2 3; Jenna Whitmire 1, 1-2 3; Avery Frederick 1, 0-0 2; Brooklyn Fuentes 1, 0-0 2; Peyton Barela 0, 1-2 1
Totals: 10, 7-14 28
Portales (15-9, 5-0): Myleigh Banda 7, 5-6 22; Angel Ornelas 3, 6-12 12; Evannie Fulfer 4, 2-5 11; Tya Rippee 1, 6-6 9; Maria Lujan 1, 3-4 6; Erin Van Leuven 1, 2-3 4; Addyson Mayberry 1, 0-0 2; Brielle Lucero 0, 0-2 0; Skyler Massey 0, 0-2 0
Totals: 18, 24-40 66
Field Goals: Artesia 10; Portales 18
Three-Pointers: Artesia 1 (Padilla); Portales 6 (Banda 3, Fulfer 1, Lujan 1)
Free Throws: Artesia 7-14 (50%); Portales 24-40 (60%)
Fouls: Artesia 12; Portales 8
Fouled Out: Artesia 1 (Frederick, 5:43-4Q); Portales 0