Volume II, Issue IV Feb. 20 - March 6, 2019

Priscilla Padilla shoots. Bear players, fans come out on top over Alamo In a Feb. 9 home game, the Estancia Bear team beat the Ala- mo Navajo Cougars 91-72. Not only did things go well on the court, but the well-publicized hometown crowd was out in full force and well-behaved. “We have responded beautifully (to an NMAA letter regarding Estancia fan behavior),” said Bear athletic director Stewart Burnett adding that the crowds have not dwindled in numbers. “We have had outstanding officials the last two games.” Senior Cruz Moreno led Estancia with 22 points while both Drayton Oberg and junior Garrett Noblitt had 20. But the story didn’t end there as Moreno (5 3-pointers) and Noblitt (6 treys) were having a friendly shooting contest. It seems Moreno was on the bench when Noblitt hit his last three in the fourth quarter. That gave Noblitt 20 points to Moreno’s 19—the senior asked to reenter the game. “Cruz went back in and hit that last 3,” Noblitt said as Moreno came past, smiled and pumped fists with the junior. See BEARS inside Lady Bears beat Alamo Navajo 42-32 Stories and photos by Jim Goodman Drayton Oberg (in white). In a home basketball game Saturday Feb. 9, the Estancia Lady Bears beat the Alamo Navajo Lady Cougars 42-32. Lainey Fastnacht led the Bears with 12 points while both Mariah Aday and Jaimey Fastnacht add- ed 7. But first-sub Priscilla Padilla provided a big spark with her 5, making an impact on defense as well. As a sixth-man or seventh or eighth, this reporter understands how coming off the bench can be. The Cougars actually scored first but never had the lead again as it was 7-4 at the end of the first quarter. Lainey got 6 early in the second quarter but the home team was falling a little flat when Padilla came off the bench. On Padilla’s first defensive possession, she got a and then a Jaimey which she took coast-to-coast for a . An Aday trey soon after gave her 5 points in the second and put the Bears up 22-12 going into the Fastnacht locker room. “Priscilla will do things like that to change the momentum,” Estancia coach Mike Trujillo said. “Coming in off the bench—I love the adrenalin,” Padilla said. “I try to do what I can.” Padilla gave another small spark in the third as she got another steal and a layup to end that quarter with the Bears up 30-23. Lainey and Jai- mey Fastnacht both had 4 in the final stanza and Padilla got the last shot from the charity strike. “Jaimey is always going hard, always moving to do the right thing,” Trujil- lo added. Earlier in the week, Estancia was down two starters when they beat Mountainair 47-30 Feb. 5. Jaimey had a dozen points while Padilla and Uriah Astorga both had 10. “They put the pressure on us and we played a little flatter than against Mag (on Feb. 7),” the coach said. Estrellita Griego had 12 and Hannah Torres 11 for the Mountainair Lady Mustangs who were held to single digits by Estancia at the BVC Tourna- ment. Lainey led the way in the 47-26 win over Magdalena with 12 points while her sister Jaimey, Kaitlyn Calhoon and Aday all had 7. While Padilla said she enjoys coming in off of the bench, “next year with Above, Brian Walker goes for all the seniors leaving it will be a big change and they’ll ask me to spend a shot as his dad (under the ball) looks on.