By Marty Mayfield
KRTN Multi-Media
The #2 seed-Maxwell Bears met the #1seed-Melrose Buffaloes for the third time this season, with the Buffaloes in the hunt for their third straight state championship. Maxwell just missed a game tying three pointer at the buzzer to give Melrose the narrow 59-56 win. The game was played in an empty Dreamstyle Arena (The Pit) on the University of New Mexico campus because of the Covid-19 threat, with only the teams and essential personnel allowed access to the live event.
Melrose also won the two previous outings, but Maxwell led in both previous games until the third quarter Melrose went into the championship game having not lost to a NM team with only one loss and that to a 4A Lubbock Christian team in a tourney in Lubbock, TX
Maxwell came to play and the two heavyweights traded blows and baskets for the entire game, providing the closest championship game of the entire tournament. Maxwell started out strong in the first quarter to begin the game taking a six point lead early, only to find themselves down by one at the end of the first. Maxwell’s Riggs brothers, Kolton and Kaden, kept Melrose out of the lane early on but the returning state champs found a way to put the points on the board. At halftime it was a tie game as the boys headed to the locker room at 31 apiece.
The second half saw Melrose take the lead and hold on through out the third quarter and ended up with a four point lead going into the final 8 minutes. Melrose took control in the fourth and put Maxwell down by as much as 10. The Bears battled back to within five as Melrose went into a stall late in the game. Maxwell fouled and after misses at the line got the ball back to bring the score to 56-59. With 10 seconds on the clock Maxwell’s Caden Floyd drove the lane and lost the ball out of bounds. Maxwell inbounded the ball with 2.2 seconds getting it to Tristen Pierce who put a high rainbow 3-pointer from the corner, in what seemed like an eternity the ball finally hit the back of the rim and bounced out as the buzzer sounded ending the game and giving Melrose their third state title.
Asst Coach Joe Mitchell, Head Coach Eloy Brazil, Levi Roper, Javier Gallegos, Tristen Pierce, Kolten Riggs, Ben Goebel, Wesley Jeffery, Kaden Riggs Caden Floyd, Orren Floyd, Marcelino Romero, Asst Coach Mike Glassman
