Rehoboth Christian boys reach 2A title game
Lynx holdoff No. 2 Pecos in semis

By Lee Begaye
Special to the Times

ALBUQUERQUE

The sixth-seeded Rehoboth Christian Lynx defeated No. 2 Pecos 51-46 in the Class 2A semifinals Friday morning at The University of New Mexico Pit to earn a spot in Saturday morning’s state title game.

Rehoboth improved to 24-6 as the Lynx will face the winner of top-seeded Texico and fifth-seeded Mesilla Valley Christian in the Class 2A state championship game at 8 a.m. Saturday at The Pit.

Senior guard Trajen West led Rehoboth with 22 points, including 15 in the second half. Senior Thijs Meester added 11 points while frequently attacking the basket and going 7 of 11 from the free-throw line.

Both teams started slow, with Pecos (27-4) holding a narrow 10-8 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Rehoboth gained momentum in the second period behind junior Jonah Jones, who hit two key 3-pointers to swing the lead in the Lynx’s favor.

The shots helped Rehoboth take a 25-23 advantage into halftime. Senior Kodah Chapman also contributed in the first half before West and Meester took over offensively after the break.

In the third quarter, Pecos struggled offensively, shooting just 3 of 17 from the field. The missed shots allowed sophomore Simon Frederiksen to control the glass, as he finished with 16 rebounds.

The Lynx took advantage of the opportunities and built their lead to 39-31 by the end of the quarter. Chapman also contributed on the boards with seven rebounds as Rehoboth finished with 36 rebounds as a team.

Pecos attempted to rally in the fourth quarter, outscoring Rehoboth 15-12, but the Panthers could not overcome the deficit as the Lynx matched key baskets down the stretch to secure the win.

The victory sends Rehoboth back to the state championship game for the first time since winning the title in 2021.

Rehoboth head coach Kevin Zwiers said the team is excited about the opportunity.

“We are really excited to be returning to the state championship,” Zwiers said. “It’s been about four years since we’ve been there.”

Zwiers said the Lynx have relied on their size and length throughout the tournament as they defeated Oak Grove Classical Academy 46-39 in the first round before taking out the No. 3 seed Mesa Vista with a 65-61 triumph.

“We’ve been using our height and length in the past two games to our advantage,” he said. “Having Frederiksen under the basket gives us the ability to challenge the perimeter.”

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