Castillo, Tinajero lead Silver to 41-27 victory over Gadsden

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>SILVER CITY, N.M.</em> — Seniors [player_tooltip player_id='648198' first='Taylianna' last='Castillo'] and Nyssa Tinajero each scored 12 points to propel the Silver Fighting Colts to a 41-27 non-conference win over the visiting Gadsden Panthers on Tuesday night.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Colts improved to 3-2 overall and remained perfect at home (3-0), while the Panthers fell to 3-5. The non-district matchup pitted Class 5A Gadsden against Class 4A Silver. The Panthers entered averaging 38.0 points per game after a 38-32 win over Manzano in their previous outing. Silver, averaging 41.3 points per contest, snapped a two-game losing streak.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Gadsden jumped out to an early lead, outscoring Silver 13-8 in the first quarter behind balanced scoring, trips to the free-throw line, fast-break buckets, and open threes. Four different Panthers contributed points in the opening frame.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Momentum shifted in the second quarter after Silver switched to a zone defense in the half-court, mixing in man-to-man looks while maintaining their full-court 2-2-1 press. The Colts' active hands disrupted passing lanes, forcing turnovers that fueled transition opportunities. Silver outscored Gadsden 14-2 in the period to take a 22-15 halftime lead.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Colts extended their advantage to 31-23 after three quarters and pulled away in the fourth for the 14-point victory.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Both teams featured balanced attacks, with six scorers apiece, and emphasized ball movement to involve their teammates.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Castillo and Tinajero proved lethal in catch-and-shoot situations for Silver and frequently earned trips to the charity stripe. Castillo was patient, taking what the defense gave her, while Tinajero added shots in the lane, including floaters off the dribble.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Junior [player_tooltip player_id='839464' first='Justinne' last='Altamirano'] provided a spark off the bench with 8 points, knocking down two triples and using her instincts to deliver bounce passes for assists.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>For Gadsden, junior [player_tooltip player_id='1058909' first='Mia' last='Rose'] led the way with a team-high 8 points, battling effectively in the interior for putbacks and drives to the basket. Senior [player_tooltip player_id='1056569' first='Selena' last='Castro'] added 6 points and delivered strong two-way play.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>After their hot start, the Panthers struggled to convert open looks the rest of the game, and were unable to generate enough made baskets to counter Silver's runs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>What's Next</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Silver (3-2) takes on Fabens (TX) on December 18 at 8:00 a.m. in tournament action.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Gadsden (3-5) hosts Artesia (3-5) on December 20 at 2:00 p.m.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->