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ALBUQUERQUE — It doesn’t really have a name, but if it did, it would be the thing of nightmares for opposing teams.
Employing a defensive press that dismantles ball handlers who aren’t prepared for the speed and aggression it generates, the St. Michael’s boys basketball team again rode the wave of its full-court pressure in Friday morning’s Class 3A semifinals in The Pit.
The top-seeded Horsemen (24-6) forced nine turnovers in a chaotic first quarter and rolled to a 68-38 blowout of Bosque. It sends St. Michael’s into Saturday’s championship game against district rival Robertson.
It will be the third time in four years the Horsemen and Cardinals meet in the finals. For St. Michael’s, it will be a state record 23rd trip to the title game.
While Horsemen teams have come in all shapes and styles over the years, the thing that sets this one apart is the defense — and the fact there is no standout player.
“It’s St. Mike, you know, they’re long, they’re athletic, they are athletes all over the basketball court, so you have to perform almost perfectly every time,” said Bosque coach Clifton Davidson, lauding the Horsemen press that has shown the ability to turn opponents inside out in no time. “You can’t even cross half court at that point. You’re not giving yourselves opportunities when they’re getting steals.”
Horsemen guard Sabiani Rios-Guevara had six steals, most of which came in that frenetic first quarter when all five players created a vortex of activity the second Bosque tried to inbound the ball.
“For me, it’s the guys at the top of the press,” Rios-Guevara said. “When they’re doing their job, it’s easy for me to just come by and intercept it so we can create and finish.”
The Bobcats (22-9) led 5-3 two minutes into the game after Luca Kalishman hit a short jumper. Everything changed a few minutes later when Ryan Hunt converted the second of two free throws for the Horsemen, allowing the defense to go into attack mode on the inbound passes.
Bosque never stood a chance. The Horsemen went on a 20-0 run, getting buckets from Hunt, Rios-Guevara, Kamal Stith, Nick Angelley and Jaden Perea. In what felt like the blink of an eye, the game turned into a blowout.
St. Michael’s coach Dakota Montoya said he goes by feel when deciding to throw on the press. He bases it on his team’s energy, if they’re executing traps and reading passing lanes. If it all comes together, the press is thrown in.
He has yet to run it for an entire game, choosing to go all out occasionly.
“It’s kind of a gut feeling,” Montoya said. “We’ve got the depth to run it for an entire game, but then you’re talking about fouls and guys getting tired. We can do it, we just haven’t tried it yet.”
When it works, it its truly disruptive. It took Navajo Prep by surprise in the final six minutes of a quarterfinal win in Rio Rancho. On Friday it was the first quarter when Bosque was exposed.
It allowed the Horsemen to build a 17-point lead at halftime, and the only reason it was that close was Bosque was hitting its free throws and St. Michael’s wasn’t.
Not typically a solid outside shooting team, the Horsemen were able to extend the lead thanks, in part, to Angelley’s pair of 3-pointers. He was one of five players in double figures, each of whom had either 11 or 10 points.
The lead grew to 21 in the second quarter, giving Montoya a chance to go even deeper into his bench. At one point in the second half, he rotated five new players into the game at the same time.
Hunt and Dillan McCoy had 11 points apiece while Angelley, Stith and Perea each had 10. Jeremiah Rodriguez came off the bench to grab a team-high six rebounds.
Montoya said he knows his team had some doubters out after losing twice at home to Robertson before the playoffs. Now with a chance to run it back one more time, he said maybe the team’s play of late has won some of those people back.
“At the end of the day, it’s all about these guys right here,” Montoya said. “We can’t control all the other stuff.”
NOTES
Bosque shot just 1-for-13 from 3-point territory, and the one make came from Jordan Kruft 40 seconds into the game. ... The Bobcats had 20 turnovers, nearly half coming in the first quarter. ... St. Michael's and Albuquerque High each had 22 trips to the state finals before Friday's win made the Horsemen the first team in state history with 23 finals appearances. ... The Horsemen have won 12 state championships, seven of which have come since 1999.
Continue reading...
Employing a defensive press that dismantles ball handlers who aren’t prepared for the speed and aggression it generates, the St. Michael’s boys basketball team again rode the wave of its full-court pressure in Friday morning’s Class 3A semifinals in The Pit.
The top-seeded Horsemen (24-6) forced nine turnovers in a chaotic first quarter and rolled to a 68-38 blowout of Bosque. It sends St. Michael’s into Saturday’s championship game against district rival Robertson.
It will be the third time in four years the Horsemen and Cardinals meet in the finals. For St. Michael’s, it will be a state record 23rd trip to the title game.
While Horsemen teams have come in all shapes and styles over the years, the thing that sets this one apart is the defense — and the fact there is no standout player.
“It’s St. Mike, you know, they’re long, they’re athletic, they are athletes all over the basketball court, so you have to perform almost perfectly every time,” said Bosque coach Clifton Davidson, lauding the Horsemen press that has shown the ability to turn opponents inside out in no time. “You can’t even cross half court at that point. You’re not giving yourselves opportunities when they’re getting steals.”
Horsemen guard Sabiani Rios-Guevara had six steals, most of which came in that frenetic first quarter when all five players created a vortex of activity the second Bosque tried to inbound the ball.
“For me, it’s the guys at the top of the press,” Rios-Guevara said. “When they’re doing their job, it’s easy for me to just come by and intercept it so we can create and finish.”
The Bobcats (22-9) led 5-3 two minutes into the game after Luca Kalishman hit a short jumper. Everything changed a few minutes later when Ryan Hunt converted the second of two free throws for the Horsemen, allowing the defense to go into attack mode on the inbound passes.
Bosque never stood a chance. The Horsemen went on a 20-0 run, getting buckets from Hunt, Rios-Guevara, Kamal Stith, Nick Angelley and Jaden Perea. In what felt like the blink of an eye, the game turned into a blowout.
St. Michael’s coach Dakota Montoya said he goes by feel when deciding to throw on the press. He bases it on his team’s energy, if they’re executing traps and reading passing lanes. If it all comes together, the press is thrown in.
He has yet to run it for an entire game, choosing to go all out occasionly.
“It’s kind of a gut feeling,” Montoya said. “We’ve got the depth to run it for an entire game, but then you’re talking about fouls and guys getting tired. We can do it, we just haven’t tried it yet.”
When it works, it its truly disruptive. It took Navajo Prep by surprise in the final six minutes of a quarterfinal win in Rio Rancho. On Friday it was the first quarter when Bosque was exposed.
It allowed the Horsemen to build a 17-point lead at halftime, and the only reason it was that close was Bosque was hitting its free throws and St. Michael’s wasn’t.
Not typically a solid outside shooting team, the Horsemen were able to extend the lead thanks, in part, to Angelley’s pair of 3-pointers. He was one of five players in double figures, each of whom had either 11 or 10 points.
The lead grew to 21 in the second quarter, giving Montoya a chance to go even deeper into his bench. At one point in the second half, he rotated five new players into the game at the same time.
Hunt and Dillan McCoy had 11 points apiece while Angelley, Stith and Perea each had 10. Jeremiah Rodriguez came off the bench to grab a team-high six rebounds.
Montoya said he knows his team had some doubters out after losing twice at home to Robertson before the playoffs. Now with a chance to run it back one more time, he said maybe the team’s play of late has won some of those people back.
“At the end of the day, it’s all about these guys right here,” Montoya said. “We can’t control all the other stuff.”
NOTES
Bosque shot just 1-for-13 from 3-point territory, and the one make came from Jordan Kruft 40 seconds into the game. ... The Bobcats had 20 turnovers, nearly half coming in the first quarter. ... St. Michael's and Albuquerque High each had 22 trips to the state finals before Friday's win made the Horsemen the first team in state history with 23 finals appearances. ... The Horsemen have won 12 state championships, seven of which have come since 1999.
Continue reading...
