Sixth-ranked Tigers slip past Colts in last non-district match-up

Left: Tiger guard Dominic Padilla drives to into the paint and gets a step on Colt forward Ian Thompson. Right: Colt guard Jacob Hayes goes baseline against Tiger wing Moises Echavarria. (NMMI Sports Press photos)
Left: Tiger guard Dominic Padilla drives to into the paint and gets a step on Colt forward Ian Thompson. Right: Colt guard Jacob Hayes goes baseline against Tiger wing Moises Echavarria. (NMMI Sports Press photos)
Posted: Feb 02, 2024

NMMI Sports Press

After collecting a big win over in-town rival Goddard High earlier this week, the New Mexico Military Institute Colts couldn’t make it two tough wins in a row, letting Hot Springs High, the No. 6 team in Class 3A, slip past them at home, 44-38.

Tiger senior point guard Dominic Padilla was the top offensive threat of the game, pouring in 23 points and four assists.

NMMI’s top scorer was junior point guard Lorenzo Peral. Peral’s 13 points included 3-for-5 shooting from behind the arc, but went 2-for-12 on the inside.

Senior and junior posts Matthew McCargish and Cole Seidenberger tied for the Institute’s second-highest point tally, each with six.

NMMI struck first on one of Peral’s treys, but the Tigers went on a 9-0 run. The Colts came back with a pair of buckets by junior guard Jacob Hayes and McCargish, to trail 9-7 after the first period.

Made free throws were the difference in the second stanza, which also resulted in a two-point advantage for Hot Springs. The Tigers made it to the line 8 times and made six, whilst the Colts went 2-for-5 from the charity stripe.

Hot Springs increased their lead to seven after the third. Peral poured in seven of the Colts’ 14 points during the period, but Padilla was hot for Hot Springs as well with 10 of the Tiger’s 17 points.

The Colts won a low-scoring fourth, 7-6, topped by Hayes’ four points.

Wit the loss, NMMI drops to 10-8 overall, while Hot Springs improves to 14-5. Next week begins district play with the Colts taking on Ruidoso at home on Tuesday, Feb. 6 at 6:30 pm in the Cahoon Armory gym, then travelling to Tucumcari on Friday for a 7:30 pm tilt against the Rattlers.

  • Tue, 04/30 | Colt Golf Black/Murphy Invitational 4th place R
  • Tue, 04/30 | Colt Varsity Baseball Tucumcari HS vs. Colt Varsity Baseball 0 - 11 (4:00 pm MDT)
  • Tue, 04/30 | Colt Varsity Baseball Tucumcari HS vs. Colt Varsity Baseball 0 - 14 (6:00 pm MDT)
  • Sat, 04/27 | Baseball vs. Amarillo College W, 9-8 (Final) RC | BX | PH | V
  • Sat, 04/27 | Baseball vs. Amarillo College L, 14-1 (Final - 5 innings) RC | BX | PH | V
  • Sat, 04/27 | Colt Varsity Baseball Colt Varsity Baseball at East Mountain HS 5 - 10 (11:00 am MDT)
  • Sat, 04/27 | Colt Varsity Baseball Colt Varsity Baseball at East Mountain HS 20 - 21 (1:00 pm MDT)
  • Fri, 04/26 | Baseball vs. Amarillo College W, 10-2 (Final - 7 innings) RC | BX | PH | V
  • Fri, 04/26 | Baseball vs. Amarillo College W, 11-1 (Final - 6 innings) RC | BX | PH | V
  • Thu, 04/25 | Colt Tennis District 4 Tourney G1 - No. 3 @ No. 2 L 5-4 (3:00 pm) PH
  • Tue, 04/23 | Colt Golf Alien 8 Invitational 1st place R
  • Mon, 04/22 | Colt Golf Artesia Invite 4th place R
  • Sat, 04/20 | Baseball at El Paso Community College L, 12-2 (Final - 5 innings) BX
  • Sat, 04/20 | Baseball at El Paso Community College L, 5-4 (Final - 7 innings) BX
  • Sat, 04/20 | Colt Varsity Baseball Sandia Prep HS vs. Colt Varsity Baseball 1 - 5 (10:00 am MDT) RC | BX | PH | V
  • Sat, 04/20 | Colt Varsity Baseball Sandia Prep HS vs. Colt Varsity Baseball 3 - 7 (12:00 pm MDT) RC | BX | PH | V
  • Fri, 04/19 | Baseball at El Paso Community College W, 9-5 (Final) RC | BX
  • Fri, 04/19 | Baseball at El Paso Community College W, 7-0 (Final - 7 innings) RC | BX
  • Thu, 04/18 | Colt Golf Lovington Invitational 4th place R
  • Tue, 04/16 | Colt Tennis Artesia W, 5-4 (3:00 pm)
  • Tue, 04/16 | Lady Colt Tennis Artesia L, 9-0 (3:00 pm)
  • Tue, 04/16 | Colt Varsity Baseball Colt Varsity Baseball at Ruidoso HS 17 - 3 (4:00 pm MDT)
  • Tue, 04/16 | JV Colt Baseball JV Colt Baseball at Ruidoso HS JV 7 - 6 (6:00 pm MST)
  • Sat, 04/13 | Baseball vs. Western Texas College L, 7-6 (Final) RC | BX | LI