Gallup garners win over Grants in barn burner

Posted by Quentin Jodie | Dec 24, 2014 | Basketball |

Gallup’s Matt Begay, left, and Colton Lowley (32) go for the ball against Piedra Vista Dillon Mason (45) and his teammate on Friday in Grants, N.M. Gallup defeated Grants in the championship game by a 62-54 count. (Times photo – Donovan Quintero)

GRANTS, N.M.

It was a game that befitted a tournament championship.

Heck, it was a game that resembled a state tournament game.

That seemed to be the notion the fans got after Gallup defeated Grants 62-54 in the championship game of the Eddie Pena Holiday Classic on Saturday night.

The Bengals iced the game by m

aking 6-of-7 at the charity line down the stretch in this nip-and-tuck game.

“I wish we can make them earlier instead of them giving me a h

eart attack,” Gallup coach Domonic Romero said of their free-throw shooting woes as they went 8-of-15 in the first three quarters.

But at the end, Romero said they found a way to close Grants out as the home team scored only four points after leading 50-49 on a baseline drive from Armando Ramirez.

The Bengals took the lead for good on a basket by junior Matt Begay with 3:28 left to go.

A minute later, Begay hit a clutch three-pointer as he finished the game with 15 points.

Admittedly, Romero said that was not the shot they were looking for but it paid dividends for Gallup as they scored eight of the next 10 points for a 62-52 lead.

In the midst of that Gallup run, the Pirates shot themselves in the foot by missing three one-and-one opportunities.

“It basically came down to that fourth quarter in who wanted it more,” Grants coach Joseph Chavez said. “Ultimately it came down to the free throws and the 50-50 balls, and those long rebounds that we just couldn’t get and that Gallup wanted more.”