NMMI Sports Press

 

The Colt Basketball team had two players finish with double-digit points, but the loss of a key player late in the first half, combined with lights-out shooting by the Bobcats in the second half resulted in a close loss for the Institute on the second day of the John Reid Dexter Invite.

 

The Colts got off to a hot start, scoring the first six points of the game and prompting a timeout by the Bobcats. NMMI kept the pressure on and finished the first period with a 16-7 lead. Sophomore guard Diego Martinez led all scorers during the quarter with five points, including a buzzer-beating 3-pointer.

 

The Colts held their largest lead midway through the second period at 27-13, but an injury to Martinez shortly before halftime shorthanded the inexperienced Colts. The do-all guard had five points, three rebounds, a block and a steal in his shortened appearance.

 

The Colts maintained an 11-point lead at halftime, but the Bobcats came out clawing in the third period, turning the Colts over five times and hitting four big 3s, including a buzzer beater to narrow the NMMI lead to 44-40 going into the final period. 

 

Senior forward Humberto Romero extended the lead to six points, but a 7-point run by the Bobcats put the Colts in the hole for the first time in the contest. Junior Humberto Valdez gave the lead back to the Colts for a short time at 48-47, but again the Bobcats put together a run to take a 5-point lead with 3:30 remaining in the game.

 

Sophomore Ernesto Martinez did all he could to cut into the lead, hitting a jumper before stealing the ball and drawing the foul. He made 1-of-2 from the line to make the score 55-51 in favor of the Bobcats with two minutes left.

 

The Colts intentionally fouled the Bobcats to extend the game and got a little Friday the 13^th luck as Hagerman missed the front side of two 1-and-1 opportunities. Humberto Romero hit a short jumper to cut the lead to two and with nine seconds left, NMMI had an opportunity for a game-tying or -winning shot, but couldn't find an open man.

 

Humberto Romero shot 7-of-12 for 14 points, had four rebounds and blocked one shot. Ernesto Martinez went 5-for-10 for 11 points, with four rebounds and two steals. Junior center Matthew McCargish led the Colts with eight rebounds.

 

After the game, NMMI head coach Connor Williamson was positive about the progression of his team despite losing to a team that the Colts had defeated by 26 points on Tuesday.

 

"A lot of guys played well. We came out really strong. It's too bad that Diego had that fall. Of course, his health is most important, but that was kind of the turning point in the game," Williamson said. "Jevan Aguilar (for the Bobcats) was in foul trouble last time and he was lights out today. They played well, better than we did."

 

Willamson was encouraged by the tougher play from his 6-foot-3 center McCargish.

 

"I think today was the most physical game he's played and we just have to keep continuing to develop that," he said. "We have a lot of guys with no varsity experience and we're rotating a lot of guys to try to get them all some experience."

 

The Colts (2-4) finish play at the Dexter Invite tomorrow with a 10 a.m. clash with Cloudcroft (4-10) for 7^th place.