ALAMOSA – The Alamosa High School boys basketball team had a tough opponent on Saturday when it hosted second-ranked Montezuma-Cortez at the AHS gym.

The Panthers proved their ranking as they defeated the Mean Moose 60-35.

“I think they moved up to No. 1,” said Alamosa coach Caleb Cotten. “They just have some great players and they’re well-coached. They do all the little things right. We jumped out on them early and just couldn’t sustain it.”

Victor Zepeda gave the Mean Moose the early lead with a 3-point basket. Trey Hall put the Panthers on the board with a layup, but Kingston Wilcox made a layup and Zepeda added his second trey to give Alamosa their largest lead at 8-2.

Cortez quickly chipped at the lead. First Hall made two free throws, and Ah-dae Lang scored in the paint. Asher Bennetts made two free throws to tie the score, and Lang split at the line to give the Panthers a 9-8 lead.

Kaleb Schmitt and Hall both scored two points, and Trace Hartsoe three to extend the Cortez lead to 16-8 at the end of the first quarter.

Gabe Mora began the second-quarter scoring with a layup, but Justin Bane answered on the other end. Mora then drained a three, and Wilcox a layup to bring the Mean Moose within 18-15.

Royce Watts made a three, and Hall scored five points. Wilcox made a layup, but Kyler Wyatt and Lang both scored in the final minute to give the Panthers a 30-17 halftime lead.

Lang made two 3-poiners to begin the second half, while Zepeda made a jumper. Hartsoe knocked down a jumper, but Wilcox did the same.

Wyatt Oliver, Hall and Hartsoe all scored to give Cortez a 44-21 advantage. Zepeda made his third trey, but Oliver also made a 3-pointer, Hall two free throws, and Bennetts a layup for a 51-24 lead.

Wilcox hit a jumper, and Mora a three to cut the deficit to 51-29 at the end of the third.

Bane scored the first points of the fourth quarter, followed by Wyatt with a layup and a free throw. Wilcox accounted for the Mean Moose’s first points of the quarter, but Hall made two more free throws.

Jaidyn Burciaga made two baskets in the final seconds but it was not enough.

Wilcox and Zepeda both scored 12 points to lead the Mean Moose, followed by Mora with eight.

Hall led all scorers with 17 points. Lang scored 11 for the Panthers.

Bayfield 52, Alamosa 42

The Mean Moose was defeated by Bayfield 52-42 Friday at Bayfield’s gym.

Wilcox was Alamosa’s leading scorer with 15 points, followed by Zepeda with 13.

What’s next

Alamosa (7-12, 2-6) hosted Monte Vista in the final home game of the season on Tuesday. It will play the remainder of its schedule with three road games beginning with Pagosa Springs on Friday.

“Those games are super important,” Cotten said. “All league games on the road against pretty good teams, and we have to go play our best.”

Montezuma-Cortez 60, Alamosa 35

Montezuma-Cortez – Hall 5 6-6 17, Bennetts 1 2-2 4, Hartsoe 4 1-1 9, Lang 4 1-2 11, Oliver 2 0-0 5, Schmitt 1 0-0 2, Watts 1 0-2 3, Tafoya 0 0-0 0, Wyatt 2 1-1 5, Bane 2 0-1 4. Total 22 11-15 60.

3-point goals – Lang 2, Hall 1, Oliver 1, Watts 1. Total 5.

Alamosa – Zepeda 4 1-2 12, Burciaga 2 0-1 4, Arambula 0 0-0 0, Wilcox 6 0-1 12, Gonzalez 0 0-0 0, Solis 0 0-0 0, Mora 3 0-0 8, Gutierrez 0 0-0 0, Bogner 0 0-0 0. Total 15 1-4 35.

3-point goals – Zepeda 3, Mora 2. Total 5.

Montezuma-Cortez 16 14 21 9 – 60

Alamosa 8 9 12 6 – 35

Fouls – Montezuma-Cortez 14, Alamosa 12.