Buckaroos beat Dove Creek in opener, lose to Nucla in Bulldog Classic championship game

by David Boyle
News Director
The Monticello High School boys basketball team went 1-1 at the Bulldog Classic in Dove Creek, CO this past Friday and Saturday, December 19-20.
The Buckaroos opened with a win over host Dove Creek on Friday. Monticello got out to a 9-5 lead after one quarter, then extended their lead to 22-7 heading into halftime.
The Bulldogs came back in the third quarter, cutting into the lead to 27-21. Monticello was able to pull away in the fourth quarter to earn the victory with the final score favoring the Bucks 47-30.
Kord Young led the team in scoring, putting in 21 points. Cache Young scored 12 while Jackson Keyes had nine. Brandt Mack, Triston Felix, and Seth Taylor all had two points in the game as well.
Many of Young’s baskets came from assists, which he said were a part of an emphasis during the shootaround before the game.
“We were all just playing around shooting and Cache and all our teammates were just passing around and just getting those assists locked down,” he stated.
While a complete half gave Monticello a sizable lead, the Bulldogs cut into that lead in the third quarter. Buckaroo Head Coach Josh Keyes said that came from going away from their gameplan.
“We talked all week about pressuring the ball, pressuring the ball, and we became real lethargic on defense in the third quarter.
“We quit attacking the basket. We weren’t getting good looks. I was pretty frustrated with [Dove Creek] number four, Aragon. At one point I just called a timeout. He had 18 of their 21 [points].
“I’m like, ‘guys we need to make an adjustment to this.’ I think we finally did get some toughness. We started pressuring the ball. We turned them over a little bit. We got out and ran.
“Kord played a really good first half offensively. Cache picked it up offensively. Got some stuff inside even though it wasn’t falling in, and then we had the three bangers by Jack. He finally woke up and those were crucial buckets at that time because that kind of spread us out a bit.”
Coach Keyes said he knew both teams would be giving their all in the game. “This is a rivalry game and it doesn’t matter if it’s in December or if it’s in March.
“Both teams are going to play their guts out because you got grandmas and grandpas and aunts and uncles and everybody’s related.
“Walking up here, I had at least two grandpas that have ties to both Monticello and Dove Creek and they just thought it was the greatest thing ever. It’s so emotional when you get communities like this so close playing.”
Defense was key in the emotional battle, with Kord Young highlighting efforts from his teammates, Keyes and Cache Young.
“You gotta love Jackson [Keyes],” he stated. “The biggest kid, he’s all strong. And then we have Cache [Young] and even though he’s a shorter guy he’s still the strongest player right now.”
The Buckaroos also played the game without senior point guard Kooper Nielson who was feeling sick, which Keyes noted meant other players had to step up.
“They miss Kooper because he sets the tone and they play off him. So, we got out of rotation a bit. Logan Bowles came in and had some great minutes.
“I thought that pass to Seth [Taylor] at the end of the first half was just a one of those season plays that you just remember, you know, for the next ten years because Logan is a kid that comes every day and works his guts out and I’m glad to have have him have that moment.
“Brandt [Mack], is so athletic and he’s the future of this team, no doubt. He still makes freshman mistakes on occasion but those mistakes are going 150 miles per hour, which I’ll take.
“I’ll take mistakes like that because you can fix those. I love what he did and he made a sacrifice to be here. He’s a wonderful kid and [Tristan] Felix is just a very solid defender and he’s just become a really good basketball player.”
In the Bulldog Classic championship game Monticello fell to 8-0 Nucla by a score of 59-47. The Buckaroos took a first-quarter lead 11-8.
The Mustangs took the lead at halftime 18-16 and pushed the lead further after three quarters 36-29 with the final score favoring Nucla 59-47.
In the game Monticello was led by Keyes who finished with 19 points, while Cache Young scored 12 and Kord Young had ten. Mack added four and Kooper Nielson had two. Kord Young and Cache Young were both named to the All-Tournament Team.
The Monticello boys are 2-7 on the year and are off for Christmas break. They will open the new year in Dolores, CO on January 6.