The St. Michael”s Horsemen fell short in their attempt to defeat the top-ranked Rio Rancho Rams, losing 73-66 in a closely contested game on Tuesday night. Despite a resilient performance, the Horsemen struggled with turnovers, which ultimately hindered their chances of victory.
The game started with the Rams showcasing their impressive perimeter shooting, quickly establishing a 15-point lead. A technical foul on St. Michael”s head coach Dakota Montoya added to the Horsemen”s challenges early on. Nevertheless, St. Michael”s managed to shake off the initial setbacks and remained competitive throughout the match.
St. Michael”s, ranked first in Class 3A, demonstrated their capabilities, particularly against a Rams team that entered the game with a 12-1 record, ranked No. 1 by MaxPreps.com. Senior guard Kamal Stith expressed confidence in his team”s ability to compete, stating, “We know what it takes. We knew if we brought the energy and came in here with confidence, we would be able to bang with them and potentially take it.”
Despite their efforts, the Rams capitalized on the Horsemen”s 23 turnovers, taking advantage of each opportunity. Rio Rancho”s length and physical play allowed them to maintain a significant lead, reaching a 47-32 advantage midway through the third quarter.
Montoya”s technical foul proved pivotal, as it led to a seven-point swing for the Rams. Following a foul called on Noah Redus, Montoya”s frustration in seeking an explanation resulted in the technical. This sequence allowed the Rams to extend their lead and put the Horsemen in a difficult position.
However, the Horsemen responded with a strong second-half performance, highlighted by stellar contributions from seniors Dillon McCoy and Stith, who scored 21 and 20 points, respectively. Their combined effort helped fuel a 25-12 run, bringing St. Michael”s within striking distance at 59-57.
The Horsemen made significant adjustments in the second half, tightening their defense and limiting open looks for the Rams. Rio Rancho”s shooting cooled off, but St. Michael”s could not capitalize fully due to their earlier turnover issues. The team recorded 15 turnovers in the first half alone, which proved costly.
Despite their struggles, St. Michael”s held an impressive rebounding advantage, outpacing the Rams 30-19 on the boards, including 14 offensive rebounds. Montoya noted that the Rams” size did not significantly impact their defensive efforts in the paint.
As the game drew to a close, St. Michael”s was positioned to make a final push. However, a series of turnovers in crucial moments allowed the Rams to extend their lead again, ultimately sealing the victory. Rio Rancho made eight of ten free throws in the last two minutes, which helped maintain their advantage.
Looking ahead, St. Michael”s will face Pojoaque Valley and Santa Fe High in their final two nondistrict games. The Horsemen have shown resilience, going 8-2 since their 2-2 start, despite injuries to key players. Montoya remains optimistic about his team”s potential as they prepare for District 2-3A play. “We just gotta learn from this loss and recover for the next two,” he said. “This gives us an opportunity to have some really good momentum going into district play.”
While the Horsemen may have fallen short in terms of style points, they are focused on securing victories as they move forward in the season.
