Martinez Scores 16, Santa Fe takes down Clovis 50-45

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>CLOVIS, N.M.</em> — In a hard-fought Class 5A non-district showdown on Saturday, December 27, 2025, the visiting Santa Fe Demons extended their win streak to three, holding off the Clovis Wildcats 50-45 in a game packed with intensity and late drama.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Demons, coached by Nate Morris, came in averaging 45.6 points per game and riding momentum from back-to-back victories. Meanwhile, the Wildcats, under head coach Aimee Hilburn, were looking to snap a two-game slide despite a solid 42.8 points per game average.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Santa Fe controlled the tip, setting the tone for a back-and-forth battle that featured five lead changes and eight ties. The Demons' largest advantage was seven points (reached twice), as both teams showcased crisp ball movement, high energy, and disciplined execution of their game plans.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Defensively, Santa Fe mixed man-to-man with doses of zone to disrupt Clovis' rhythm, while the Wildcats stuck primarily to aggressive man-to-man coverage.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Demons carried a 14-12 edge into the second quarter after closing the first on a 4-0 spurt. The Demons maintained a slim 24-22 halftime lead before the teams headed to the fourth, knotted at 36-36.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The fourth quarter delivered the most excitement: Clovis grabbed a brief 39-36 advantage at the 6:38 mark on a three-point play from [player_tooltip player_id='1230881' first='Mariana' last='Villezcas'] (7 points) off a baseline out-of-bounds set. Santa Fe fired right back, with Isabella Valdez (7 points) converting a gritty three-point play on a tough putback at 5:09 to reclaim momentum.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Down the stretch, it remained a one-possession nail-biter. With 1:58 left, Clovis cut it to 46-43 after splitting free throws, but the Demons closed strong to secure the five-point victory.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Junior point guard Desi Martinez was the standout for Santa Fe, pouring in a game-high 16 points — the only Demon in double figures. The savvy floor general dazzled with pull-up jumpers off the dribble, thriving in pick-and-rolls and isolation sets. Senior combo guard Avah Baca provided an early spark, scoring all eight of her points in the first quarter.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>For Clovis, junior forward [player_tooltip player_id='1262065' first='McKenna' last='Weaver'] led the way with a team-high 13 points. She attacked relentlessly, slicing to the rim for runners and layups while drawing fouls and earning trips to the line.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>What's Next</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Santa Fe (7-3) hits the road to face Taos (1-6) on Tuesday, Dec. 30, at 3:00 p.m.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Clovis (5-8) travels to Pojoaque Valley (8-3) on Friday, Jan. 2, at 6:00 p.m.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->