Calabaza’s 22-point night Powers Bernalillo to Victory

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>BERNALILLO, N.M.</em> — Three Bernalillo players scored in double figures, led by junior center [player_tooltip player_id='839428' first='Trinity' last='Calabaza']'s game-high 22 points, as the Spartans pulled away late to defeat Santa Fe Indian School 58-47 in a non-district clash on Tuesday, December 9. The win improved Bernalillo to 4-0, while the Lady Braves fell to 3-1.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Both teams entered undefeated at 3-0, bringing contrasting styles: Santa Fe Indian School (Class 3A) averaged 45.0 points per game while holding opponents to just 25.6, emphasizing stout defense. Bernalillo (Class 4A) countered with a higher-scoring attack, averaging 62.3 points and allowing 35.3.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The game lived up to its billing as a fast-paced, competitive battle. Both sides hustled relentlessly, flying around the court with high energy. Deflections were plentiful, and offensive rebounds created extra possessions for each team. The Lady Braves won the opening tip and occasionally pressed full-court before settling into man-to-man defense, while the Spartans stuck primarily to a 2-3 zone.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Bernalillo jumped out early on an 11-4 run to lead 13-7 after the first quarter. The Lady Braves responded forcefully in the second, answering with an 11-4 spurt of their own to briefly take an 18-17 advantage. The Spartans regrouped to carry a 29-22 edge into halftime.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The third quarter stayed tight, with Bernalillo ahead 41-38 heading into the fourth. With 6:18 remaining, Santa Fe Indian School trimmed the deficit to one point at 43-42. From there, the Spartans seized control, closing the game on a decisive 15-5 run to seal the victory.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Calabaza dominated the paint for Bernalillo, scoring 14 of her 22 points in the first half with patient post moves and excellent footwork. She also distributed several assists and blocked multiple shots at the rim. Freshman guard Jillian Lovato added 12 points, stretching the floor with timely shots, delivering key assists, and making several clutch plays. Junior forward/center [player_tooltip player_id='901174' first='Samaria' last='Brown'] contributed a steady 10 points with strong interior play and active hands.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>For Santa Fe Indian School, a senior trio led the charge. Izreonia Harrison scored 13 points, including eight in the third quarter on a personal run that featured two 3-pointers to energize the crowd, showcasing her savvy shooting and solid footwork. Tynayah Joe and [player_tooltip player_id='648199' first='Kaydence' last='Riley'] each added 12 points, excelling at floor spacing, relocating to open spots, and attacking the basket off the dribble.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>What's Next</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Santa Fe Indian School Braves (3-1) face West Mesa (1-4) on December 11 at 11:00 a.m. in tournament play.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Bernalillo Spartans (4-0) take on Roswell (4-1) on December 11 at 4:30 p.m. in tournament action.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->