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Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas
Sports
Wednesday, November 17, 1999
First quarter problems doom Eagles
By JON FULBRIGHT
Staff Writer
PECOS, Nov. 17, 1999 -- Getting the ball across the halfcourt line
was a fatal problem for the Pecos Eagles on Tuesday, in their season-opening
boys basketball game against the Monahans Loboes.
The Eagles had problems all night with Monahans' full court press, which
created turnovers on the court and off the inbounds pass by Pecos. They
allowed the Loboes to jump out to a 17-2 first period lead, most of which
they were able to maintain the rest of the way in a 55-43 win at the Pecos
High School gym.
Coach Tino Acosta started just one senior in his debut as varsity head
coach, and while the Eagles did a good job rebounding, especially in the
first half, they had far fewer scoring chances due to the turnovers.
"That was my biggest fear coming into the game. We kind of showed our
youth against the press," Acosta said. "At times we did execute, and we
were able to get points. We're going to be OK, it's just a matter of practice."
Brian Morris hit a 3-pointer to start Monahans' scoring, but the Eagles
were still down by just five with 3 ½ minutes left in the quarter
when the turnover problems became costly. David Gaddis scored consecutive
baskets off steals, and Ben Johnson would close out the period with a pair
of baskets, one following a turnover, to help the Loboes build their 15-point
advantage.
"I think some of that (deficit) was nerves. It took us a little time
to get over our nerves," Acosta said.
The lead would climb to 16 late in the half, after two foul shots by
Efrain Dominguez, and Monahans would start the third period up 29-13.
Pecos' best streak came at the end of the third period and the start
of the fourth. Down by 17, the Eagles cut the lead to 40-30 on a three-point
play by Len Carson, and baskets by Adrian Tarin, Richard Rodriguez, Hector
Rodriguez and Daniel Terrazas, the last on a steal off the inbounds pass
following Hector Rodriguez' lay-up.
Pecos would then get another turnover, but gave it right back on a steal
by Ovid Porras. Ramon Porras then hit two foul shots, and Ovid followed
with two more free throws and another lay-up off a steal, allowing the
Loboes to pull away again.
The Eagles' lone senior starter, Adrian Rayos, led Pecos with 10 points,
while Hector Rodriguez had nine for the Eagles. Monahans had a balanced
attack with no player scoring in double-digits, but seven with between
six and nine points. Morris had the nine, to top the Loboes' total.
Monahans also won Tuesday's junior varsity opener over Pecos, by a 53-31
final score. Jason Carrillo led the Eagles with 10 points.
The Eagles' schedule will be tough over the next 10 days, with back-to-back
games against Odessa High, at home this Friday, and in Odessa the Saturday
after Thanksgiving.
MONAHANS (56)
O. Porras 2 3-4 7 R. Porras 3-24 8; Rodriguez 0 0-1 0;
Gaddis 3 0-0 6; Welch 2 2-2 6; Cadena 0 0-0 0; Dominguez 1 4-6 6; Morris
3 2-6 9; Arroyo 2 1-2 3; Johnson 4 0-3 8. Totals 20 14-28 55.
PECOS (43)
Weidner 2 0-0 4; R. Rodriguez 2 1-4 5; Salazar 1 1-2 3;
Rayos 5 0-1 10; Garcia 1 0-0 3; Chavez 0 2-2 2; Tarin 1 0-0 2; H. Rodriguez
4 1-3 9; Carson 1 1-1 3; Terrazas 1 0-0 2. Totals 18 6-13 43.
Monahans 17 12
9 17 -55
Pecos
2 11 13 17 -43
Three-point goals: Monahans 1 (Morris), Pecos
1 (Garcia). Fouled out: Pecos, Tarin. Total fouls: Monahans
18, Pecos 21.
Pecos girls falter after fast start in opener
By JON FULBRIGHT
Staff Writer
PECOS, Nov. 17, 1999 -- The chemistry of the Pecos Eagles' basketball
team is a very fragile thing right now, as was shown in their season opener
against Alpine on Tuesday. It's also something coach Brian Williams hopes
will improve over the next six weeks, before the start of District 2-4A
play.
Playing their five starters in the first five minutes of the game, Pecos
jumped out to a 13-4 lead on Alpine. But once Williams send his reserves
in, the Bucks took control of the game, and neither the Eagles' first team
or second team players could get it back, as t he Bucks went on to score
a 56-35 win at the Pecos High School gym.
"We lost our composure and started making mental mistakes," said Williams.
"We hit eight of our 20 shots in the first half, and only five of 30 in
the second game."
Pecos looked nothing like the team that one only four games last season
at the outset of play Tuesday. Philonicus Fobbs used her height advantage
inside to score off a pair of bank shots, and Katrina Quiroz fed sophomore
Mireya Medrano for a pair of lay-ups off steals as part of a 10-1 opening
run.
But from the late first period on, Alpine's guard would dominate the
game. Ariana Dominguez, Kari Grant and Audrey Garcia came up with several
steals against Pecos' reserves, and cut the lead to 15-14 by quarter's
end. Then in the second period Grant scored seven points in the final 90
seconds, including a 3-pointer off a steal at the buzzer, which turned
a 21-18 Alpine lead into a 30-20 halftime advantage.
"I think our sophomores discovered the game is a lot quicker than what
they're used to," said Williams, who still plans to give his younger players
considerable court time.
"They've got to understand in district games I've got to rely on everyone.
There shouldn't be anyone on the varsity who I fear putting into the game,"
he said.
The Bucks continued to pull away in the second half, as Pecos could
never get their half-court offense going. The Eagles went nearly five minutes
at the end of the period without a basket, and while Alpine had problems
of their own, they were able to widen a 37-26 lead to 46-26, before a Quiroz
lane jumper just before the period ended.
The teams then traded points in the final eight minutes, mostly from
the foul line, though neither team shot free throws very well. Pecos was
11-for-28 from the line, while Alpine hit just 16 of their 37 free throws.
Aside from the foul shots, Williams said rebounding was the other thing
Pecos needed to work on before their next game, at home Saturday against
Stanton. "We gave them too many second chances," he said.
Fobbs' 10 points led Pecos in scoring, while Grant had 18 to lead the
Bucks, while Dominguez added 12. Quiroz' eight points was next best for
Pecos.
The Eagles' junior varsity saw their late comeback effort fall short,
as they lost to Alpine by a 33-31 score. Tiana Terry led Pecos with seven
points. Saturday's games against Stanton will be afternoon contests, beginning
with the JV game at 2:30 and the varsity at 4 p.m.
ALPINE (56)
Dominguez 3 5-8 12; Grant 8 1-7 18; Garcia 3 2-4 8; Jacquez
1 1-4 3; Batista 1 6-8 8; Garza 1 0-0 2; McKea 0 1-2 1; Babb 2 0-2 4; Moore
0 0-2 0. Totals 19 16-37 56.
PECOS (35)
Marquez 1 0-0 2; Quiroz 2 4-5 8; M. Arenivas 1 1-2 3;
Medrano 3 1-2 7; Fobbs 4 2-7 10; C. Arenivas 0 0-1 0; Rodriguez 0 0-0 0;
Molinar 0 1-2 1; Salcido 0 2-5 2; Salgado 0 0-0 0; Lara 1 0-4 2. Totals
12 11-28 35.
Alpine 14 16
16 10 -56
Pecos 15
5 8 7 -35
Three-point goals: Alpine 2 (Dominguez, Grant).
Fouled out: Alpine, Garcia, Jacquez. Total fouls: Alpine
23, Pecos 25.
RCCRD accepting volleyball sign-ups
PECOS, Nov. 17, 1999 -- The Reeves County Community Sports and Recreation
Department is currently forming a co-ed volleyball league.
Registration forms are available at the RCCRD office in the old Pecos
High School gym, and sign-ups will be accepted through December 3. For
further information, call the department of 447-9776.
The RCCRD also has opened the fitness center in the old gym for the
public use weekday evenings from 5 to 10 p.m. The center will also be open
on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. beginning this Saturday.
Pecos Enterprise
York M. "Smokey" Briggs, Publisher
Division of Buckner News Alliance, Inc.
324 S. Cedar St., Pecos, TX 79772
Phone 915-445-5475, FAX 915-445-4321
e-mail news@pecos.net
Associated Press text, photo, graphic, audio and/or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium.
Copyright 1999 by Pecos Enterprise
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