Loboes Drop Game to Owls
     By Staff Writers ~~ Monahans News, December 8, 2006

A bad start did in the Monahans Loboes on Tuesday night in Big Lake, as they dropped a 56-46 decision to the Reagan County Owls.  But the Loboes were hoping for better luck Thursday night in the opening round of the Monahans Sandhills Tournament, as they tried for their second win in a week over the Alpine Bucks.

The Loboes were to take on Alpine at 8:30 pm in the last of eight first round games.  A win would have them playing again at 8:30 pm on Friday against either Big Spring or Seminole, while a loss would send them into a 11:30 a.m. consolation quarterfinal game against the loser of the Seminole-Big Spring match-up.

"The first quarter killed us.  We just did not score in the first quarter," said Loboes' head coach Thomas Clay.  They led 19-4 after one, and we played better after that.  We played them even in the second quarter and outscored them in the last two quarters.

"We actually cut it to seven in the fourth quarter, but we turned it over and fouled them, and then we started sending them to the line, and they hit their free throws," he said.  "They went to the regional finals last year, and were one game away from the state tournament, so they're a good varsity program."

"In the third quarter, Cameron Bennett heated up a bit and that helped us," Clay said.  Bennett has four 3-pointers on the night as part of a team-high 14 points, while Arnold Rodriquez also was in double-figures for Monahans with 10.  Reagan County's Justin Davenport was his team's lead scorer with 12, and all eight of the Owls' players had at least three points on the night.

Monahans did down Reagan County in both the junior varsity and the freshman games on Tuesday.  No score was available for the ninth grade contest, but the JV won by a 37-36 score, with Tony Dipasquale leading the Loboes with 14 points.

"We had a good effort from the kids in the second, third and fourth quarters," Clay said.  "You don't want to build from losses too often, but then you play good teams, you can get some-thing out of losses."

The Loboes dropped to 2-3 on the season with Tuesday's loss, but come into the tournament having already beaten Alpine, as they downed the Bucks on their home court last Friday by a 63-61 score. Rodriguez had 19 points, Blake Hughes 13 and Bennet 12 in the win.

The other opening round games at the Sandhills Tournament started with El Paso High against Denver City at 8:30 a.m.  Amarillo Tascosa faced Fort Stockton, Odessa Permian took on the Lubbock Warriors and El Paso Bowie played Lubbock Estacado in the four games in the top half of the bracket.  The other two games in the bottom half matched Amarillo Caprock against Midland Christian and Lubbock High against Presidio.

The JV division of the tournament will be played in the high school gym, and starts on Friday with Big Spring against against Greenwood at 8:30 a.m.  The Loboes JV faces Fort Davis at 11:30 a.m. after Midland Christian takes on Presidio, and the other opening round game matches Fort Stockton and Denver City.

Monahans' freshman will play in the Grandfalls-Royalty Tournament this weekend.  The ninth graders won their division of the Denver City Tournament last weekend, while the JV was second to the host Mustangs in their division.

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