Pavia’s Buzzer 3 Lifts Bulldogs Past Tigers 45-42

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>LOS LUNAS, N.M.</em> — In a heart-pounding 5A District 5 clash on Saturday, February 14, the Albuquerque High Bulldogs pulled off a dramatic comeback, erasing a 13-point deficit to defeat the Los Lunas Tigers 45-42 on a buzzer-beating three-pointer from freshman sensation [player_tooltip player_id='1356317' first='Abrielle' last='Pavia'].</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The electric atmosphere inside Los Lunas High was fitting for this heavyweight rematch — the Bulldogs (now 20-3, 6-0 away) avenged nothing, as they had already topped the Tigers 52-39 on Jan. 27. But this one belonged to Pavia.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Los Lunas (21-4, 10-2 at home) controlled the opening minutes, winning the tip and racing to a quick 7-0 lead. Albuquerque High answered with a furious 10-0 run to close the first quarter, taking a 10-7 advantage. The Tigers regrouped and carried a 20-14 halftime edge, then stretched it to as many as 13 in the second half.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Pavia refused to let her team fold.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Bulldogs' point guard was unstoppable, carrying the offense almost single-handedly through long stretches. Facing constant box-and-1 attention, she shredded it with silky midrange pull-ups, ankle-breaking crossovers, and acrobatic runners in the lane. Pavia scored the Bulldogs' only points in the first half, remained the lone double-figure scorer until the final minute of the third quarter, and delivered lockdown defense on the other end. Her 39-point masterpiece included the biggest shot of the night: a deep three at the buzzer that sent the Bulldog bench into pandemonium and silenced the home crowd.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Los Lunas battled valiantly. Sophomore forward [player_tooltip player_id='1068499' first='Kayla' last='Finley'] led the Tigers with 15 points — 14 of them coming after halftime — as she attacked off the dribble and finished strong in the paint. [player_tooltip player_id='1233328' first='Jalexa' last='Ornelas'] added 10 points, spacing the floor with a pair of three-pointers and showing off a crafty handle that kept defenders honest.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In the end, though, it was Pavia's heroics that defined this instant classic. Coach Teri Morrison's Bulldogs showed championship grit, while Coach Manny Vigil's Tigers proved they'll be a handful come playoff time.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A rivalry renewed, a star born, and a finish no one in attendance will forget.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->