The Lady Bulldog basketball didn’t exactly put its best foot forward offensively Friday in Roswell. But while the team’s final tally against District 4-AAAA rival Goddard was a low-scoring one, the only numbers that really mattered were these: 2-1.
The Artesia girls (16-6) came out of Round One of D4 play with a winning mark Friday, fending off a fourth-quarter charge by the host team to hang onto a 38-35 decision that places them in a three-way tie for first heading into Round Two. Lovington — whom the Lady ‘Dogs bested Feb. 2 at Bulldog Pit — and Portales — to whom Artesia fell Feb. 6 on the road — also stand at 2-1, while Goddard dropped Friday to 0-3.
Scoring came at a premium for both teams through much of the contest at Ground Zero, as the girls in orange struggled to avoid playing down to their competition.
Turnovers and a lack of defensive rebounding didn’t help Artesia’s efforts, particularly in the first half. The Lady Bulldogs bounded out to a 6-0 lead on a pair from the free-throw line by Lorin Wagner, a Jenna Whitmire drive to the rim, and a breakaway layup off the steal by Kymber Beltran. But despite adding a bucket in the paint from Wagner and a long trey by Beltran, the Lady ‘Dogs led by just five going into the second, 11-6, after the Lady Rockets logged four of their six points via a steal and an offensive putback.
Both squads would commit eight turnovers in the second period, as the Lady Bulldogs held Goddard to a pair of baskets but would counter with just three of their own: a Wagner shot in the paint, a Whitmire jumper, and a three from Kailee Padilla.
Up 18-10 at the break, the Lady Bulldogs weren’t able to add much to that margin in the third. Whitmire drained a three and Wagner would battle inside for three more baskets to make it 28-18 going into the fourth. But that 10-point edge would prove vital in the end.
All of Artesia’s offensive opportunities in the first four minutes of the final quarter would come from the stripe. They went 4-8, and Goddard answered each trip with a field goal, slashing the Lady ‘Dogs’ lead to three, 31-28.
The Lady Bulldogs were able to put together a 6-2 run as the contest hit the 2:30 mark, however, to give themselves back a seven-point cushion. Lady Rocket Addycen Luck cat that to four with 1:20 remaining with a three-pointer, and following a jump ball call that returned the ball to Goddard, Alessandra Porras secured an and-one that made it 37-35.
She’d miss the bonus, however, and though the Lady Rockets would get a steal and two field goal attempts, they missed both before Padilla finally came down with a board for Artesia. Wagner then went 1-2 from the line in the final seconds to round out the final, 38-35.
Wagner held it down for the Lady ‘Dogs on the night, leading all scorers with 20 points, followed by Whitmire with eight and Beltran with seven. Porras finished with 10 for the Lady Rockets.
Fatigue likely played a roll in Artesia’s struggles Friday, and the Lady Bulldogs will now have a needed week off before resuming their district slate at 5:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 16, against Lovington in Wildcat Country. The Lady ‘Cats (15-8, 2-1) bested Portales Friday at home, 57-46.
