Basketball Recap: Joy Hunt's Big Game Can't Quite Lead Centennial over Las Cruces

Centennial easily dispatched Organ Mountain last Monday, but unfortunately both the margin and the ultimate result were a different story in this one. The Centennial Hawks fell just short of the Las Cruces Bulldawgs by a score of 40-38 on Thursday. The Hawks haven't had much luck with the Bulldawgs recently, as the team has come up short the last four times they've met.

Joy Hunt

Rebounds

02/20/25 @ Las Cruces	14
02/17/25 vs Organ Mountain	13
01/27/25 vs Gadsden	10
12/31/24 vs Riverside	9
01/11/25 @ Carlsbad	8
+ 20 more games

Centennial's loss came despite a true team effort with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Joy Hunt, who dropped a double-double with ten points and 14 boards. Centennial is 2-1 when Hunt posts ten or more rebounds, but 9-13 otherwise. Kennedy Maestas was another key player, putting up nine points.

Even though they lost, Centennial smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 14 offensive boards. The team's really been improving in that area: they've now improved their offensive rebound total in three consecutive matches.

Las Cruces' success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Bethzy Quinones led the charge by scoring 11 points and seven steals. Quinones has been hot, having posted two or more steals the last eight times she's played. The team also got some help courtesy of Sofia Herrera, who posted four points along with ten boards, seven assists, and five steals.

Centennial's defeat dropped their record down to 11-14. As for Las Cruces, they are on a roll lately: they've won eight of their last nine contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 17-8 record this season.

Centennial will welcome Gadsden at 6:00 p.m. on Monday. Centennial is facing Gadsden at the right time seeing as Gadsden is stuck on a four-game losing streak. Las Cruces does not have any more games scheduled as of now.