Toppers Blow Out Moriarty In District Hoops Opener

Submitted by Carol A. Clark
on January 22, 2023
- 9:20 pm

The Toppers run onto the court to face the Moriarty Pintos in a district game Thursday night in Griffith Gymnasium. Photo by John Mchale/ladailypost.com

GG Romero takes a shot at the basket in the fist quarter. She had 16 points to be the high point player of the game. Photo by Nate Limback/ladailypost.com

By MIKE COTE
Sports
Los Alamos Daily Post

In the first District 2-4A game of its season, the Los Alamos Hilltopper girls basketball team unveiled a new tactic, and it paid big dividends.

On Thursday, Los Alamos came out with full-court pressure against the Moriarty Pintos and that pressure took the Pintos completely by surprise.

Using the pressure to full advantage, Los Alamos put up 51 points in the first half of Thursday’s game – very possibly a program record for points in a half – and cruised in the mercy-rule-shortened second half to win 64-28 at Griffith Gymnasium.

That game was broadcast on the Los Alamos Daily Post’s YouTube channel.

The Hilltoppers have never been known as a pressing team, which is likely one of the reasons Moriarty was stunned by the tactic. Moriarty (9-8 overall, 0-1 in district), which has been a thorn in the Hilltoppers’ side in recent years, simply couldn’t find a way to beat the press and turned the ball over more than 20 times in the first half.

Guards Abby Martinez and Carley Holland both came up huge in the first half leading the Hilltoppers’ defensive effort against Moriarty en route to a 51-16 edge at the break. Martinez forced three key turnovers early and ended up with 10 points in the opening half, while Holland both aided the defensive effort in forcing turnovers and attacked the basket in transition, coming up with 14 points in the contest.

In all, four Hilltoppers finished the night in double-figures. GG Romero led Los Alamos with 16 points and Sofia Trujillo added 10 more.

Moriarty was led Thursday by veteran guard Aneesa Chavez, who came up with 15 points. Only three Pintos got into the scoring column against Los Alamos.

The biggest offensive quarter for Moriarty was the fourth, in which the team came up with 12 points. By that time, Los Alamos had very much salted away the victory.

Whether Los Alamos, which has now won 10 of its last 12 contests, will continue to employ full-court pressure this district season remains to be seen.

Pressure defense, of course, is a staple of several teams in northern New Mexico, notably Los Alamos’ District 2-4A rivals Pojoaque Valley and Española Valley. It is a tactic that Los Alamos has struggled against for many years.

Coming up Tuesday, Los Alamos (10-6, 1-0) will have a key early district season contest at Española Valley (9-9, 1-0), which defeated Pojoaque Valley 42-29 Thursday in its district opener. The winner of that game will have the early advantage in the 2-4A race.

Española Valley will be at Moriarty Saturday.

Carley Holland drives to the basket in the first quarter with Aneesa Chavez close behind her. Photo by John Mchale/ladailypost.com