Jauregui helps lead Gorman to win

Spencer Patterson

Tuesday, Feb. 10, 1998 | 8:57 a.m.

When Julio Jauregui enrolled at Bishop Gorman High School last fall after coming to the United States from Cuba, he pictured himself with the ball in his hands as the Gaels repeated as 4A state champions.

Before Monday night, things hadn't worked out exactly as the junior had planned. His play had been inconsistent and Gorman was in a dogfight just to make the zone playoffs.

But with his team struggling to put away archrival Durango, the moment Jauregui had dreamed about finally arrived. With his home fans chanting "Julio, Julio," the point guard keyed a decisive 7-0 third quarter run, helping Gorman to a 64-54 victory Monday.

"In the other games, I didn't play so good, but tonight I was just playing with my feelings" said Jauregui, who finished with 13 points.

The victory clinches a berth in next week's 4A Southern Zone Tournament for Gorman (17-7, 7-4 Sunset Division), which also snapped a three-game losing skid.

Durango (16-8, 6-5) will miss out on the postseason just two years after winning back-to-back state championships. The Trailblazers have lost four games in a row.

With the hosts ahead 36-34, Jauregui found teammate Ethan Williams underneath for an easy layup to start the Gaels' spurt.

Then, after rebounding an errant Trailblazer shot, Jauregui took the ball the length of the court, spinning past one defender at the top of the key and finishing the play with a floating shot in traffic.

Jauregui's coup de grace came moments later, when he picked Durango's Rudy Charles clean near halfcourt, took a couple of dribbles and threw up a long 3-pointer that found the mark to give Gorman a 43-34 advantage.

"We were wondering who he was," Durango coach Al LaRocque said. "He sure stepped up when they needed it."

Jauregui's inspired play gave the Gaels their nine-point lead, but a couple of his teammates helped them stay in command.

Forward Moe Terry (16 points, 10 rebounds) and guard Jason Van Meetren played heady basketball on the offensive end, running time off the clock and converting their shots from the line.

The Trailblazers stayed with their foes in the first half thanks to the outside shooting of Jason Burns (five 3-pointers, 22 points) and the aggressive drives of Steve Simister (17 points).

But the visitors went ice cold down the stretch, shooting just 4-for-12 in the third quarter and missing five of seven 3-point attempts in the final quarter.

"The kids expected to go to the playoffs, and we had enough chances to go there," LaRocque said. "We needed to take care of business and we didn't."

* ELSEWHERE: Demetrius Hunter scored 24 points to lead playoff-bound Cheyenne over host Clark 85-76. Kevin Gaines netted a game-high 31 points for the Chargers in the losing effort.

In girls action, Basic inched closer to a postseason berth with a 68-17 romp over visiting Vo-Tech. Every Wolves' player scored, led by Jennifer Kline, who had 27 points.