Canku Ota Logo
Canku Ota
Canku Ota Logo
(Many Paths)
An Online Newsletter Celebrating Native America
 
 
 
pictograph divider
 
 
Laguna-Acoma Hawks Earn First Hoops Title
 
 
by Quentin Jodie - Navajo Times
 
credits: photos by Donovan Quintero - Navajo Times
 

ALBUQUERQUE, March 21, 2013 — Not that they needed reminding, but the Laguna-Acoma boys basketball team are in a class of their own.

On Saturday, the top-seeded Hawks captured their first state basketball title in the school's 64-year history by taking down No. 3 Dexter, 51-39, in the Class 2A bracket before a large crowd at the Pit in Albuquerque.

"This is too much to experience right now, it feels like it's not even real," Laguna-Acoma senior point guard Anthony Carpio said. "There is no other team on Earth I would do this with."

Hawk coach Ryan Peil shared Carpio's sentiments and went on to say that his team was destined to win the championship after being knocked out of the tournament, prematurely, in the quarterfinals last year.

"I wouldn't want to coach any other team, the sad part is that we have five guys graduating," Peil said. "That's going to be rough and that was why we had to get it done today because these guys don't have another opportunity. The seniors have to grasp that and realize that they get one shot.

"They did that and I am so happy for them," he added.

With a deep bench, the Laguna-Acoma bunch wore down the Demons as they stretched out a 27-22 lead midway through the third quarter into a 45-31 cushion with just over two minutes left in the fourth quarter.

In that run, Carpio went on a tear and scored seven of his game-best 23 points while fellow senior Austin Jones helped out with six.

"They were pressing us so that created lanes for us," Carpio said. "We got some easy buckets with back cuts."

Much to their dismay, the Demons had a tough time connecting with the basket as they missed 12 shots in that stretch.

"We're hurt and we're devastated," Dexter coach James Voight said. "We worked so hard all year long and we just came up short. Our shots were just not falling for us that usually do."

Despite trailing for all of the second half Voight said they had their chances to get back into the game.

"…If our shots had fallen it would have changed the momentum," he said.

For the game Dexter made 13-of-43 from the field for 30 percent with David Lopez leading the way with a dozen points while Kevin Bonner and Kevin Paez added nine and seven, respectively.

Laguna-Acoma, meanwhile, went 20-of-38 for 53 percent. Most of those shots were from close range. But the most telling part between the two teams was the comfort level.

"I think we were just ready to play," Jones said. "We've been waiting for this since before the beginning of the season."

"We were comfortable because we knew what we had to do," Laguna guard CJ Salvador added. "As seniors we had step up our game to show these young ones how to dictate the tempo of the game."

Of course they did that with their defense. Besides holding Dexter to a dismal shooting performance, they also forced 17 turnovers, which led 15 points on their end.

"We revolve around our defense," Salvador said. "That enables us to win and it brought us this far. You can't win championships without playing defense."

In addition to Carpio, Jones and Salvador, the Hawks will lose Josh Paytiamo and Cameron Riley to graduation. Nonetheless Peil said they'll enjoy this before they start thinking of next year.

pictograph divider
Home PageFront PageArchivesOur AwardsAbout Us
Kid's PageColoring BookCool LinksGuest BookEmail Us
 
pictograph divider
 
  Canku Ota is a free Newsletter celebrating Native America, its traditions and accomplishments . We do not provide subscriber or visitor names to anyone. Some articles presented in Canku Ota may contain copyright material. We have received appropriate permissions for republishing any articles. Material appearing here is distributed without profit or monetary gain to those who have expressed an interest. This is in accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107.  
 
Canku Ota is a copyright © 2000 - 2013 of Vicki Williams Barry and Paul Barry.
 
Canku Ota Logo   Canku Ota Logo
The "Canku Ota - A Newsletter Celebrating Native America" web site and its design is the
Copyright © 1999 - 2013 of Paul C. Barry.
All Rights Reserved.

Site Meter
Thank You

Valid HTML 4.01!