Knights Dubbed Winners by Loboes Tuesday Night
  by Jessica Ray, Staff Writer ~~ The Monahans News, January 26, 2007

The Lobo boys' varsity basketball team played the Midland Classical Knights Tuesday night after a weather-inspired cancellation from Andrews.

Lobo Blake Hughes was the first to score in the game, putting Monahans ahead 2-0.  This would be the only time the Green would have the lead.  The Knights scored seven points before Monahans would score again.  Blake Hughes answered the seven-point run with two more points the score 4-7.  Chris Bates led scoring for the Loboes in the first quarter with five points, followed by Blake Hughes with four.  Chris Roberson and Arnold Rodriguez had two each.  At the end of the first quarter, the Knights had a narrow four-point lead as the score was Monahans 13, Midland Classical 17.

Hope dwindled in the second quarter when the Knights raked up 19 points, compared to the Lobo 8, widening the gap to a 15 point lead.  Top scorer in the second quarter for Loboes was Sean Merrick with 4.

Coming back from halftime, it seemed the Loboes were geared up for a come-back, slimming the 15-point lead to 10.  Monahans collected 20 points in the third quarter, six from Justin Patterson, four each from Tanner Owens, Blake Hughes, and Rickey Rivera.  After a brief timeout, however, Midland came back strong, and left Monahans 18 point behind, 41-59.

The fourth quarter was good to Monahans in the way of three-point goals.  All three of the game's three-points for the Loboes came in the fourth quarter by way of Chris Roberson, Justin Patterson and Ricky Rivera with one each.

Sean Merrick was the top scorer against Midland Classical as the sole player in double figures with 11 points, followed by Justin Patterson and Arnold Rodriguez, each with nine.  Tanner Owens was right behind them with eight points.

Leading Monahans in rebounds was Sean Merrick with 6-3, and Arnold Rodriguez with 5-3.

The final score against the Midland Classical Knights 58-79.

"I thought we played well.  Where they beat us what was in shooting," said coach Thomas Clay, whose team shot 36 percent compared to an impressive 71 points opponent.

"We're playing a tough month to prepare us for district," said Coach Clay.  "We're ready for district."

District play had been a long time coming for the Loboes, whose district play began in December last season.  This year the fist district game is weeks later than last season.  The change is due to a UIL modification that puts Monahans, Fort Stockton, and Pecos in a different district with Presidio for basketball only.

The Loboes suit up against the Presidio Blue Devils tonight.

"Last year we beat Presidio pretty good over here, then they beat us pretty good over there," said Coach Clay.

Hopefully, home court advantage will not be a big factor this year, as varsity tip-off is set for Friday at 7:30 pm in Presidio.

Keyed by Alvin Porras, Senior '07