2018 New Mexico High School State Championship.
Related: 1A - Elida wins their 8th title
#1 Texico 48, #2 Tohtachi 47
The biggest and loudest crowd yet this year was on hand as the defending champion Tohatchi Lady Cougars took on top seeded Texico. The large crowd was roaring early as the Lady Cougars jumped out to an early 6-1 lead. Texico promptly responded with a run of their own, a 8-0 spurt including a Baylee Sours three that put Texico ahead 7-6. Maryelle Dickerman capped the run with a bucket in the paint and Tohatchi called for time. The Lady Cougars outscored Texico 7-4 the rest of the first quarter and took a 14-13 lead into the second quarter.
Tohatchi's Kailan Mitchell poured in 12 of her teams 14 first quarter points and added six more to her tally in the second quarter as she was a one-woman scoring machine. Her pair of freebies put Tohatchi ahead 23-16 but over the final 2:23 Texico held Tohatchi scoreless; they ended the quarter 4-0 to trail 23-20 at halftime.
After the game, Texico Head Coach Richard Luscombe said he emphasized defense and trying to step in front of Mitchell on her drives to draw offensive fouls in the second half. His team did just that. In the third quarter the Lady Wolverines turned up pressure while holding Mitchell scoreless in the process. Without their main offensive weapon going Tohatchi struggled to score and managed just three third quarter points. "I though Riley Thompson did an outstanding job on her [Mitchell] she is special player but Riley did really good," Luscombe said. Tohatchi's defense wasn't bad either though in the third, they held Texico to 11-points to keep themselves well within striking distance at 31-26 after three.
Texico pushed their lead out to 35-28 following a Sours score with 6:43. Mitchell scored four points and the Lady Cougars got a three-pointer by Brianna Denetso to tie the game at 35. The game went back and forth and Mitchell tied the game up at 41 with her score and 10th point of the quarter. Unfortunately for the Lady Cougars 19-seconds later she picked her fifth foul via a charging call and was forced to the bench with 2:02 remaining.
Dickerman corralled the rebound and found two inside to out Texico ahead 43-41 with 1:30 but on the ensuing possession Krystal Benally hit nothing but net on her corner three to put Tohatchi up one.
Dickerman notched another score and then later Mackenzie Haakma split two free throws to put Texico up two with just 23 seconds remaining. Denetso hit a three pointer 10 seconds later to put Tohatchi up one and the crowd was in full throat. Sours took the inbounds pass and raced up the floor as the clock ran; she drove right and then slipped a pass to her left to Dickerman who calmly banked in the shot with under six seconds to go. Tohatchi inbounded but was unable to get off a last second shot and the Lady Wolverines held on for a 48-47 victory.
"I knew they [Tohatchi] weren't going to be ready after they hit that three so I just took the ball and ran and found Mary [Dickerman] and she did the rest]," Sours said.
"It was really nerve racking, we work on that during practice and going up strong no matter how much time is on the clock or you are winning or losing," Dickerman commented on her game winning bucket.
Final Stats
Texico: Maryelle Dickerman 20 points 5 rebounds. Baylee Sours 14 points 5 rebounds.
18-14 (44%) FG
2-11 (18%) 3PT
10-19 (53%) FT
Tohatchi: Kailan Mitchell 28 points 6 rebounds. Brianna Denetso 8 points.
16-36 (44%) FG
5-13 (38%) 3PT
10-14 (71%) FT
