ALAMOSA – The Alamosa High School boys basketball team got off to a good start when it hosted Bayfield Friday at the AHS gym in the Intermountain League opener for both teams.

The Mean Moose had the lead for most of the game. However, the Wolverines found a way to win in the fourth quarter and went on to a 48-45 victory.

“We got away from a couple of things we were doing well,” said Alamosa coach Caleb Cotton. “Hayes Malone shoots it really well. We did a great job on him in the first half, then we lost him a couple times in the second half. We just didn’t finish possessions. We played a great first half and a little bit in the third quarter and just couldn’t finish.”

Victor Zepeda gave the Mean Moose the early lead with a 3-point basket. Harrison Williams scored the Wolverines’ first points, but Zepeda made two free throws. Cameron Queen brought Bayfield within 5-4, but Jaidyn Burciaga drained a three. Williams made a pair from the line, but Kingston Wilcox did the same thing for the Mean Moose.

Malone scored his first points to help Bayfield close to within a 10-8 deficit, but Wilcox scored two baskets and Zepeda made another trey to push the lead to 17-8.

Malone split at the line to cut the Alamosa lead to 17-9 at the end of the first quarter.

Wilcox scored the first points of the second quarter, but Malone answered with a jumper on the other end. Henry Ferrell then made a layup and added a free throw, and Brysen Bayles made a trey to bring the Wolverines within 19-17.

Zepeda made his third three to end the rally, but Malone scored in the paint. Gabe Mora hit a three and Burciaga a long jumper to increase the Mean Moose lead to 27-19.

Queen scored a layup to cut the score to 27-21 at halftime.

Queen scored two points and Malone four to tie the score at 27-27 early in the third quarter. Zepeda gave the lead back to the Mean Moose with a layup. Wilcox also scored a layup and Mora hit another 3-pointer for a 34-27 lead.

Malone buried a three, but Zepeda scored again in the paint. Matthew Solis made a layup to extend the lead to 38-30.

Malone made another three, but Wilcox made a layup for a 40-33 Alamosa lead at the end of the third quarter.

Williams and Queen opened the fourth quarter with layups and Drew Jepson made a 3-pointer to tie the score at 40-40 with 6:20 left in the game. Zepeda made another layup to put the Mean Moose back in front, but Malone made another three to give the Wolverines their first lead at 43-42 with 3:46 remaining.

Ferrell made two free throws to push the lead to 45-42, but Burciaga made a trey to tie the score at 45-45 with 1:55 to play.

Queen’s jumper gave Bayfield the lead for good and Malone made one of two from the line. Zepeda attempted a 3-pointer but it was blocked.

Alamosa retained possession, but the inbounds pass was stolen and the Wolverines ran out the clock.

Zepeda led Alamosa in scoring with 17 points, followed by Wilcox with 12.

Malone led all scorers with 21 points and Queen scored 10.

Montezuma-Cortez 74, Alamosa 46

Alamosa lost to second-ranked Montezuma-Cortez 74-46 Saturday in Cortez.

The Panthers led 23-5 after the first quarter, but the Mean Moose cut the deficit to 37-24 at halftime. Cortez increased the lead to 54-35 after the third quarter and its outscored Alamosa 20-11 in the fourth.

Statistics for Alamosa were unavailable.

What’s next

Alamosa (5-6, 0-2) played at Taos (N.M.) on Tuesday. It will host Pagosa Springs on Friday with the varsity game schedule for 7 p.m.

Bayfield 48, Alamosa 45

Bayfield – Sutherlin 0 0-0 0, Malone 7 3-6 21, Queen 5 0-1 10, Williams 2 2-3 6, Jepson 1 0-2 3, Ferrell 1 3-3 5, Roderick 0 0-0 0, Vyborny 0 0-0 0, Bayles 1 0-0 3, Laventure 0 0-0 0. Total 17 9-14 48.

3-point goals – Malone 4, Bayles 1, Jepson 1. Total 6.

Alamosa – Zepeda 6 2-4 17, Burciaga 3 0-0 8, Solis 1 0-0 2, Arambula 0 0-0 0, Gonzalez 0 0-0 0, Wilcox 5 2-2 12, Mora 2 0-0 6, Gutierrez 0 0-0 0, Aragon 0 0-0 0. Total 17 4-6 45.

3-point goals – Zepeda 3, Burciaga 2, Mora 2. Total 7.

Bayfield 9 12 12 15 – 48

Alamosa 17 10 13 5 – 45

Fouls –Bayfield  11, Alamosa 18.