AMHERST BULLDOGS FALL TO TEXLINE IN BI-DISTRICT, 91-54

The Amherst Bulldogs’ varsity basketball team fell to the Texline Tornadoes, 91-54, at Vega High School on Thursday afternoon, as their season came to an end in the Class 1A Bi-district round of the play-offs.

The Bulldogs finished the season with a mark of 11-6 overall, 8-4 in district play.

Stratton Potter burried a three from the right elbow, off of the assist from William Luthor to open the game for Texline and William Luthor followed it up with a three from the right elbow off of the assist fromAngel Herrera, making the score, 6-0. Potter drained another three from the right wing off of the assist from William Luthor to make it a, 9-0, scoring run to open the contest for the Tornadoes.

Colton Luthor passed the ball into Potter, who gave it right back to him on the give-and-go, as Colton Luthor dropped in the lay-up to finish off the play, pushing their lead out to, 11-0, with 6:50 remaining in the opening quarter. Noel Lozano scored a lay-up off of a steal, as Amherst took a time out with 6:30 left to play in the first quarter.

Out of the break, William Luthor picked up a steal and finished off the break with a two-hand slam, as Texline made it a 15-0, scoring run. With 5:19 remaining in the first quarter, sophomore, Gabriel Garcia, knocked down a jumper from the left elbow off of the assist from senior, Sergio Gonzalez, to end the drought for the Bulldogs.

William Luthor answered with a three from the right elbow and Angel Herrera followed it up with a lay-up off of a steal to make the score, 20-2, with just under five minutes to play in the quarter. Lozano was fouled on an attempt by Gabriel Garcia and sank both free throws, but junior guard, Jaime Garcia burried a three from the top of the key off of the assist from Gabriel Garcia, trimming the lead to, 22-5.

With just over two minutes remaining in the quarter, Potter dropped in a lay-up, off of an assist from Angel Herrera in transition,but Jaime Garcia answerd with a three from the right elbow off of the assist from Hector Perez and with time winding down in the quarter, Gabriel Garcia picked up a steal and sprinted down the floor dropping in a lay-up at the buzzer to cut the lead to, 24-10, as the first quarter came to a close.

Potter took a charge on sophomore, Isaac Herrera to open the second quarter, and Hayden Drumm dropped in a lay-up off of the assist from William Luthor on the fast break, making the score, 26-10, with 5:52 remaining in the first half. Texline scored another transition bucket, but Gabriel Garcia answered with a three from the left elbow off of the assist from Perez, making the score, 28-13, as Texline called a time out to talk things over.

Out of the break, Jaime Garcia dropped in a lay-up in transition, off of the steal and assist from Gabriel Garcia to trim the lead to, 28-15. William Luthor answered with a lay-up and followed it up with a put-back off of the miss by Colton Luthor to push their lead back out to, 32-15. Drumm scored back-to-back lay-ups in transition, but Gabriel Garcia answered with a three from the left elbow off of the assist from Isaac Herrera to trim the lead to, 18-36.

With 2:11 remaining in the half, William Luthor buried a long three from the top of the key to make the score, 39-18, but Isaac Herrera drained a three from the right elbow off of the assist from Jaime Garcia and on their next possession, Jaime Garcia drove the lane and kicked the ball out to Gabriel Garcia, who knocked down the three from the left wing, cutting the lead to, 39-24.

With just over one minute remaining in the half, Jaime Garcia scored a lay-up in transition, as Texline took another time out to talk things over. Out of the break, William Luthor scored a secondchance lay-up, but on the other end Jaime Garcia responded with a lay-up of his own to make the score, 28-41.

With 12.5 seconds remaining in the half, Potter knocked down a three from the right elbow, but Gabriel Garcia responded with a buzzer beating three from the left elbow to slice the lead to, 44-31, going into the locker room at halftime.

Potter went coast-to-coast for a lay-up to open the second half for Texline and William Luthor on the next play, backed down the Amherst defense for a lay-up on the baseline, pushing their lead back out to, 48-31. Angel Herrera scored a lay-up off of a steal and William Luthor dropped in a fastbreak lay-up off of a steal, as Amherst took a time out with 5:58 remaining in the third quarter.

Out of the break, Angel Herrera drove the lane and dumped the ball off to Lozano for a lay-up, making the score, 54-31. Lozano followed it up with a lay-up off of a steal and Colton Luthor drove the lane for a lay-up, drawing an and-one foul on Isaac Herrera. He made the free throw to extend their lead to, 59-31.

With 3:37 remaining in the third quarter, Jaime Garcia dropped in a lay-up off of an assist from Perez, but Lozano answered with a lay-up and on the next play, he was fouled on an attempt by the Bulldogs. He converted both free throws, making the score, 63-33.

Lozano heaved an outlet pass out in front to William Luthor, who pulled up and drained a three from the left elbow to stretch the lead to, 33-66. Amherst took a time out with 2:11 remaining in the quarter, and out of the break, Gabriel Garcia drained a three from the left wing, off of the assist from Jaime Garcia and on their next possession, Brayan Tones passed the ball into Gonzalez, who gave it right back to Tones on the give-and-go, as he cut to the basket for a lay-up, making the score, 66-38.

Drumm and William Luthor dropped in back-to-back lay-ups to extend their lead to, 70-38, and Potter drained a three from the right elbow off of the assist from Colton Luthor, making the score, 73-38. With time winding down in the quarter, William Luthor drained a three from the top of the key to make the score, 76-38, heading into the final quarter of play.

Gabriel Garcia drained a three from the top of the key to open the fourth quarter, but Lozano answered with a lay-up, off of the assist from William Luthor, making the score, 78-41.

Jaime Garcia dropped in a lay-up, but William Luthor buried a three from the left wing and followed it up with a triple from the top of the key, making the score, 84-43. With 5:38 to play in the game, Potter was fouled on a three-point attempt by Jaime Garcia. He sank one-of-three shots at the line to make the score, 85-43.

Senior, Omar Reyes Jr., dropped in a lay-up off of a steal to trim the lead to, 85-45. Lozano dropped in a lay-up up, drawing an and-one foul on Amherst. He converted the free throw, making the score, 88-45.

With 3:37 remaining in the contest, Jaime Garcia knocked down a three from the top of the key off of the assist from Gabriel Garcia and Gabriel Garcia followed it up with a deep three from the left elbow, making the score, 88-51. Colton Luthor answered with a lay-up, but Gabriel Garcia responded with a three from the left elbow, off of the assist from Reyes, trimming the lead to, 90-54.

Luke Spielman split a pair of free throws to close out the game for Texline, as they claimed the Bi-district trophy over Amherst, 91-54.

Gabriel Garcia led the Bulldogs in scoring with 28 points, while Jaime Garcia joined him in doublefigures scoring with 19 points. Herrera tallied three points, while Reyes and A2 each finished with two points in the contest.