Ahead by three points after three quarters, the Montezuma-Cortez High School basketball liked its chances to beat Alamosa.
A sloppy fourth quarter doomed the Panthers however, as M-CHS lost 59-55 at home on Jan. 17.
“It was a rough game,” said Panthers head coach Michael Hall. “We were ahead all three quarters, and in the fourth quarter, we lost it. We turned the ball over way too many times.”
Senior shooting guard Taylor Wilson led the Panthers in scoring with 15 points. Senior Jonathan Walck scored 13 points, and Randy Haley contributed 10.
M-CHS led 11-8 after the first quarter and 28-25 at halftime. The Panthers led 44-41 heading into the fourth quarter.
“It was a good team effort early on,” said Hall. “We shot the ball really well. Jonathan Walck stepped up in the second quarter and knocked down some big shots.”
Hall said that Alamosa seized control in the fourth quarter after several M-CHS miscues and a few costly defensive breakdowns.
Next up for the Panthers will be home matchups against Grand Junction Central on Jan. 23 and Grand Junction High School on Jan. 24.
“League play starts this weekend, and one of our goals is to win the league,” Hall said. “We’re focusing on limiting our turnovers and playing better defense. Grand Junction High School is going to be tough. We’re going to have to bring our A-game.”