Newcomb pushes back, wins title
Special to the Times | Ray Landry Newcomb’s Deondre Begay (22) goes up for a lay-up during a game against Tohatchi at Newcomb on Feb. 23.
NEWCOMB
Special to the Times | Ray Landry
Newcomb’s Deondre Begay (22) goes up for a lay-up during a game against Tohatchi at Newcomb on Feb. 23.
The Newcomb High School boys’ basketball team doesn’t know how to give up.
Throughout most of the season, the Skyhawks have pushed back when cornered and fought their way out of deficits, which made it fitting for them to end their regular season that way.
Newcomb went back and fourth with Tohatchi to claim the District 1-3A tournament championship, winning 57-43.
Newcomb head coach Dominique Richardson said his team has played in an unyielding manner especially at the turn of the district season, and it carried them through the district tournament.
“Playing that schedule that we did, coming out of Christmas break, we were more conditioned,” he said. “We outran everybody by pressing.
“The nine kids that I have on varsity are always relentless,” he said. “Anyone that I put in, they know defense, defense, rebound, push the ball. That’s what we got to live off of if we want to keep going and get to Albuquerque.”
Newcomb was the top seed in the district tournament and won a back-to-back district title.
No team has endured Newcomb’s high-pressure basketball more than Tohatchi, but for four quarters the Cougars did what they could to contain them.
Newcomb had a charging start, putting up three straight baskets off of forced turnovers to lead 6-2. Tohatchi made a few short runs to maintain the pace of the game. After the first quarter, Newcomb led 17-10.
The second quarter became a 3-point shootout with Tohatchi setting the pace. Tohatchi’s Ashtyn Burbank started the quarter off with a 3-pointer to cut Newcomb’s lead down to 17-13.
But the Skyhawks answered with a 7-0 run and two 3-point baskets. Newcomb led 30-22 at the half.
Tohatchi head coach Jim Smith said the first half went as expected, with Newcomb taking the lead and his team trying to keep up.
“What I kept reminding my boys about is that they (Newcomb) don’t quit,” he said. “You might get past them in a press breaker and think you’re done but, no, they’ll come up behind you and keep playing. They do have a great defense and play until the end of the game.”
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