There’s a never-say-die attitude with Montezuma-Cortez boys basketball this year. Down by as many as 19 in the second half, M-CHS pulled within four points in the fourth quarter but couldn’t complete the comeback in a tough 86-78 road loss Thursday to Grand County.
The Panthers entered the game looking to bounce back from their first loss of the year, an 86-67 defeat at the hands of San Juan (Utah). The game also promised a battle of two of the most prolific scorers in the region, with leading Panthers scorer Teagan Whiteskunk looking to guide his team against leading Red Devils scorer Kaine Allred.
The Red Devils (3-2) threw the first punch of the game, leaning on eight points from Allred to build an early 19-16 lead after a quarter.
Panthers senior Titus Jackson emerged in the second quarter, battling amongst the Grand County defense to collect points in the paint. Montezuma-Cortez tied the score at 25 with three minutes to go in the second quarter thanks to 11 first-half points from Jackson.
With an electric pace, the Red Devils pressed the Panthers, forcing turnovers and leading to easy points for the home team. Within a 90-second span, Grand County rattled off 10 unanswered points and took a 38-28 lead into the locker room.
The third quarter provided more of the same, as Grand County ballooned the lead to 19, thanks in part to role player Eli Hazlett catching fire from the floor. The senior poured in 10 points in the third quarter alone, and even though the Panthers were starting to heat up themselves, they couldn’t make up ground on the Red Devils.
Panthers senior Adrian Mark and Whiteskunk started to catch a rhythm behind the arc, and the Panthers guards combined for seven second-half three-pointers.
However, at the same time, Allred continued to steadily tally points to keep the Panthers at arm’s length. He and Jackson engaged in a riveting back-and-forth contest through much of the second half, as each demonstrated sterling athletic ability around the rim. Grand County were content to trade baskets, however, and held a 14-point edge heading into the fourth quarter.
The fourth quarter took on a life of its own, as the Panthers finally started to shave into the deficit, bringing the visiting crowd to its feet. Whiteskunk amassed 23 of his game-high 34 in the second half and shouldered the offensive burden that brought the Panthers within four, 75-71.
M-CHS forced quick Grand County shots and elevated the already frenetic pace to one that suited head coach Mike Hall’s liking. The intensity resulted in M-CHS taking extra risks, and Jackson ultimately picked up his fifth foul with two minutes to play.
Without their second leading scorer on the floor and playing from behind all game, M-CHS finally ran out of steam, as Grand County finally started to break the late press, recording layups that ultimately put the game out of reach.
Hall recognized his team’s valiant effort in the comeback but also knew that there was much to learn from falling into such a deep hole. “The second half was the pace of the game that we have to play,” said Hall. “These two teams know each other well, so it may have been a case of our kids coming out of the gate trying to do a bit too much.”
Part of those challenges included managing the Red Devil press. “We had some turnovers that were uncharacteristic for us – we tried to dribble too much through the press and that hurt us,” Hall said.
Allred finished with 28 points to lead the Red Devils, and Hazlett added 24.
For the third time in four years, the Panthers dropped a meeting with Grand County, which has been part of the rivalry across state lines that has developed.
M-CHS demonstrated resilience that they know they will need once 3A Intermountain League play kicks off in January. “We learned that we’re never out of any game,” said Hall, “and that no matter how bad things get, we’re going to continue to fight.”
The Panthers finished with three double-figure scorers, led by Whiteskunk with 32, followed by Jackson’s 21 and Mark’s 15 tallies.
Montezuma-Cortez now has a week to prepare for a highly anticipated county matchup, when they take on Mancos on Thursday, Dec. 19 at 7:30 p.m. at Mancos High School.