Basketball Recap: Zuni Falls Despite Big Games from Ty'shawn Nieto and Deron Lastyano

Zuni was the 65-55 winner over Wingate when they last played one another back in January, but their luck changed this time around. The Zuni Thunderbirds came up short against the Wingate Bears on Friday, falling 71-47. The Thunderbirds have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.

Deron Lastyano

Points

02/07/25 @ Wingate	16
01/31/25 vs Tohatchi	0
01/29/25 vs Newcomb	12
01/22/25 @ Crownpoint	6
01/18/25 @ Navajo Prep	11
+ 11 more games

Deron Lastyano and Ty'Shawn Nieto certainly did their best on Friday to avoid the loss. Lastyano almost dropped a double-double with 16 points and nine boards, while Nieto dropped a double-double with 12 points and 22 rebounds. That's the most points Lastyano has posted since back in December of 2024. Another player making a difference was Mason Bobelu, who had six points and six boards.

Even though they lost, Zuni smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 25 offensive rebounds. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least nine offensive boards in 12 consecutive games.

Zuni's defeat dropped their record down to 11-10. As for Wingate, they are on a roll lately: they've won three of their last four matches, which provided a nice bump to their 10-12 record this season.

Zuni wasted no time getting back out on the court and has already played their next contest, a 77-42 loss against Navajo Prep on the 12th. As for Wingate, they also didn't take long to hit the court again: they've already played their next game, a 56-50 victory against Newcomb on the 12th.