The Manzano Monarchs won the last time they faced the Belen Eagles, and things went their way on Saturday too. Manzano put the hurt on Belen with a sharp 61-38 victory. That 61-38 margin sets a new team best for Manzano this season.
Leading Manzano to victory were Joaquin Ramos and Donavan Rhodes. Ramos scored 14 points along with seven rebounds and three blocks, while Rhodes scored 26 points along with five rebounds. Those five rebounds set a new season-high mark for him. The team also got some help courtesy of Shane Erni, who scored eight points along with ten rebounds.
Manzano now has a winning record of 4-3. As for Belen, their defeat dropped their record down to 3-5.
Both squads are looking forward to the support of their home crowds in their upcoming games. Manzano will be home for the holidays to greet Atrisco Heritage Academy at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. Atrisco Heritage Academy knows how to get points on the board -- the squad has finished with flashy point totals in its past five contests -- so hopefully Manzano likes a good challenge. Belen will get a bit of extra time to process the loss as their next game is a ways off. They'll take on St. Michael's at 1:00 p.m. on December 27th. The matchup should be an exciting one, as these teams are ranked near one another in New Mexico (St. Michael's is ranked 83rd, while Belen is ranked 96th).
