Mike Smith
Artesia Daily Press
msmith@currentargus.com

Braylon Vega scored 18 points as Artesia downed Carlsbad 64-51 in the second game at the Bulldog Pit.

Two Artesia players joined Vega in double figures as 6-foot-8 junior center/power forward Clay Kincaid scored 15 points and junior guard Charlie Campbell added 11.

“Artesia played hard,” Carlsbad head coach John Zumbrun said after the game. “They’re huge. It was hard to keep them off the boards and we didn’t shoot enough high percentage 3s. We’ve lived by them all year and died by them tonight. Thought we had open looks – just got to knock them down. That’s what it comes down to. Coach (Michael) Mondragon does a good job. Those kids played hard and they beat us up on the offensive boards. We kind of knew that was going to happen.”

Three-pointers have been 6-2 Carlsbad’s mainstay in all of its wins this season.

“I was happy with our kids that they played hard,” Zumbrun said. “Give Artesia credit for making us miss shots. You’ve got to give Artesia credit for that.”

Mondragon said the Bulldogs used its length and height to wear down Carlsbad.

“I thought we did a really good job limiting them to one shot,” he said. “We rebounded the ball really, really well. We’re getting there, we’re slowly getting in shape seeing some of that basketball cohesiveness. What a great, great team job, especially on the offensive end with execution.”

Artesia ended the week with a Saturday trip to Albuquerque and lost to the Valley Vikings 50-46.

The 4-3 Bulldogs travel to Hobbs Dec. 26 through Dec. 28 for the 65th Annual Hobbs Holiday Tournament.

Artesia opens play at 3 p.m. Dec. 26 at the Ralph Tasker Arena against Albuquerque El Dorado.

Friday, the Bulldogs will face either Albuquerque El Dorado or Wichita Falls, Texas Legacy in the second round.

Cavegirls need extra frame in win

The Carlsbad Cavegirls came from behind to defeat Artesia’s Lady Bulldogs, 58-49, Dec. 20 in the opening game of the Eddy County Basketball War in Artesia.

After trailing Artesia most of the way, Carlsbad closed to within two points, 45-43, in the closing seconds of the fourth quarter and senior point guard Abbey Dugan scored as the buzzer sounded to send the game into overtime.

The Cavegirls outscored Artesia 13-4 in the extra period and Dugan finished with 20 points.

Dugan had some help from her teammates, including 5-foot-10 senior center/power forward Jasmynn Gonzales and senior reserve guard Maci Garcia, who sank some key 3-pointers and free throws as Carlsbad picked up its eighth win of the season against two losses.

“Our goals have been working hard on 3s and they started going down,” Carlsbad head coach Matt Enloe said after the game. “We kind of got the momentum after a couple of 3s by Macie Garcia. She stepped up big time as a senior, that’s kind of her role on the team. From what we saw today, we’re just proud of Macie, “he said.

Garcia said the first part of the game was tough as the Cavegirls worked out the kinks before making their closing push.

Dugan’s buzzer beater and the overtime period “gave us more time to come back and win,” she said.

Artesia head coach Candace Pollard said the Lady Bulldogs were “tapped out” due to long practice sessions and final exams before the start of Christmas break.

“They came out against a real good Carlsbad team, and they fought hard for four quarters …. we went into overtime with a really good team,” she said.

Pollard said lack of consistency has been a problem for Artesia this season.

“We’ve struggled with trying to find some cohesiveness playing as a team,” she said.

Pollard praised freshman post player Gracen Kuykendall’s contributions as some upper classmen fought illness.

“Gracen had to step up a little bit in the minutes,” the coach said. “We led most of the game and Gracen was able to contribute. I think she has been kind of searching to kind of find her place and I think with the help of Kailee (Padilla) and Ashton (Craft) she found it tonight.”

Saturday, the Lady Bulldogs avenged the loss to Carlsbad with a 56-39 victory over the Gadsden Panthers at the Bulldog Pit.

Jenna Whitmire was Artesia’s leading scorer with 17 points in the victory and junior guard Ashton Craft had 15 points for the Lady Bulldogs.

Artesia’s next game is Jan. 4 at Taos. The second round of the Eddy County Basketball War is Jan. 7 at Carlsbad.

More photos from the game can be found on B2.

Mike Smith can be reached at 575-308-8734 or email at msmith@currentargus.com.