Gateway’s Sierra Fresquez gets a block on a shot attempt by NMMI’s Mia Walker. Photo by Laura Brown
Karen Boehler
NMMI Sports Press
After an NMMI turnover, a Gateway fast break gives Megyn Balok a chance at a lay-up. Demitra Ulibarri follows on defense for the Lady Colts. Photo by Laura Brown
Coming down to the wire is starting to be a trend for the Lady Colt basketball team.
For the third game in a row, NMMI played right down to the final seconds, losing Thursday’s game by a single point, 43-42 to Gateway Christian, after getting two-point decisions in their first two games.
The Colts trailed by 10 points twice in Thursday’s match — their first contest since the Thanksgiving break — and fought back both times; so despite the loss, coach Marisha Olesinski was happy with what she saw.
“My girls competed, and when you don’t have the ball for 10 days, you lose the touch and you have shaky hands,” she said. “And I think that showed tonight. But you know, we fought. We competed. We did our best and that’s all I can ask from them. It was a good game. It was a tough, exciting game.”
NMMI’s Grace Tompkins with the ball underneath the hoop but well guarded by Gateway’s Cheyenne Burns. Photo by Laura Brown
After getting the first two points from Demitra Ulibarri, NMMI never led again until early in the third quarter.
There were three ties in the first quarter, but the Warriors were up 15-8 after one. Neither side got much of anything in the basket in the second quarter, with the Colts going 5-for 12 from the charity stripe with only two field goals in the stanza.
Gateway led 25-17 heading into the locker room, but NMMI was on fire to open the second half. They scored nine points in the first minute and a half of the third quarter — a 3-pointer by Miranda Garcia, two 2s by Ulibarri and another two-point bucket by Elyssa Chino.
Miranda Garcia jump-stops after being stopped from pentrating into the paint by thre Gateway defense. Photo by Laura Brown
Ulibarri’s second basket gave the Colts their first lead since the first basket of the game, but after a break during which neither side could get the ball in, the Warriors came back with six straight points to lead 31-28 after three.
Gateway then opened the third with six unanswered points to go up by nine, and after another trey by Garcia, the Warriors added four more points to lead 41-31.
But NMMI again battled back, with Sierra Walker getting her first field goals of the game, scoring six points from the floor and adding a pair of free throws. Gateway got its final points on two by Megan Balok, who tied with Ulibarri for game-high scorer with 12, with 34 seconds remaining.
Coach Marisha Olesinski talks to her starting five during a timeout by Gateway early in the third quarter. NMMI started the period with a 9-0 run. Photo by Laura Brown
Ulibarri got the Colts to within two with :27 seconds left, then, after back and forth on the floor but no scoring, Walker was fouled with three seconds left.
She missed the first shot — meaning the only way to tie was to hit the rim, get the rebound and put the ball back in — but she inadvertently made the shot and on the inbound play, Gateway threw the ball well down the court leaving NMMI no time to get a final basket.
The Colts were 3-for-6 from the line in the final quarter, and 12-for-22 overall. Just one less missed shot, “and one, two turnovers less and we are right there,” Olesinski said. “But I’m proud of my girls. I really am. Because I know how much they want to win, and I know they did everything they could to win that game. We just came short one point.”
NMMI also had a tough time from the field, barely hitting 25 percent from close in.
“The ball it was not falling,” the coach said. “We missed some easy shots. Some layups. We just missed them. That’s kind of hard.”
Walker was the only other Colt in double figures with 11 — all but three in the fourth quarter — while Sierra Fresquez picked up the same number for the Warriors.
Gateway will be right back in action Friday vs. Mescalero, while NMMI goes back on the road Monday and Tuesday vs. Lake Arthur and Hondo.
“Tomorrow we’re going to work on things we have to work on, mostly shooting,” Olesinski said. “Because they can run. It’s just shooting and turnovers. We have to try to eliminate a few things and get ready for Monday.”
