Buckaroos drop heart-breaker to Pirates

by Bill Boyle
San Juan Record Editor
The Monticello Buckaroo basketball team lost a lead in the last minute and fell to the Green River Pirates 55-52 in the opening game of Region 19 play on January 4.
The game was tight from beginning to end but turned in the last minute to the favor of the Pirates. Green River led throughout the first half and took a 25-23 lead into the locker room at halftime.
The Buckaroos turned the tide in the third quarter, outscoring Green River 16-9 and taking a five point lead into the fourth quarter.
The Buckaroos kept the Pirates away from the rim for much of the second half, with Green River making no field goals in the third quarter.
However, the Pirates made a blistering 15 of 17 free throws in the second half and none were bigger than two free throws by Luis Hernandez with less than 40 seconds remaining to tie the game at 50.
The free throws came after a technical foul was called on the Buckaroo bench. After the free throws, Pirate Rolando Anguiano made a three-point shot from the corner.
In a matter of seconds, the Pirates had erased a two-point deficit and led by three.
For the Pirates, Raul Mendoza led all scorers with 19, while Hernandez added 12 and Anguiano ten.
The Buckaroos were led by Curtis Bunker, who scored 14. Jackson Keyes added nine points on three three-pointers, while Caden Pehrson scored seven, and Traken Lee and Mason Atwood each added six. Kooper Nielson scored four, Cache Young scored three, and JD McDonald scored two.
The Buckaroos continue Region 19 play on Tuesday, when they travel to Montezuma Creek to take on the Whitehorse Raiders. Tipoff is at 7 p.m.