Cavemen thrash Wildcats

DEMING, N.M. – The Carlsbad boys basketball team turned the intensity meter up a notch in the second half to hammer Deming, 85-57, on the road Saturday.

“It’s been a long time since the Cavemen have had a lopsided victory like that. To see them continue to just put the pedal to the metal and to continue to play hard all the way through the final buzzer, we just like the way our team’s playing right now,” coach Jamaal Brown said.

Brown said Carlsbad played man-to-man defense the whole game and also made more easy transitional baskets and shots in the low post during the second half.

“They’re trusting each other. Defense is about trust. When you know that your teammate has your back, it allows you to get up there and put pressure on people,” Brown said. “Having Brenden [Boatwright] or having Chris [Johnson] near the paint or near the rim as shot-blockers, it really give those guards confidence out on the perimeter.”

Brown said Carlsbad trailed, 42-41, at halftime before its big second-half run.

“(Deming) gave us their best shot in that first half. They couldn’t miss. They hit everything that they put up,” Brown said.

Boatwright and Johnson, both juniors, combined for 49 points.

Senior point guard Ralph Cueto scored 14 points. Senior shooting guard Micah Calderon had 11 points.

Carlsbad shot 36-of-66 from the floor and 10-of-14 from the foul line.

Deming forwards Andres Villa and Isaac Villegas scored a combined 33 points. The Wildcats dropped to 3-2.

The Cavemen (3-0) and nmpreps.rivals.com’s top-ranked 6A boys basketball team will participate in the Albuquerque Academy Tournament next Thursday through Saturday.

“We’ve got to start strong. Any time you’re in a tournament, you want to be on the winners’ side of the bracket. You don’t want to be on the consolation bracket,” Brown said. “We’re just hoping to take the momentum that we have from the weekend.”

For information on Friday's game at Gadsden, visit currentargus.com.

CARLSBAD 85, DEMING 57

Up next for Carlsbad: next Thursday through Saturday at Albuquerque Academy Tournament

Up next for Deming: 7 p.m. Tuesday at Santa Teresa