Durango looking to beat the odds

Spencer Patterson

Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2002 | 9:56 a.m.

What had already been an emotional year for Durango's boys basketball team took on stunning proportions in last Friday's regular season finale.

Needing a win to secure a spot in the playoffs, the Trailblazers took a late one-point lead on rival Bishop Gorman, only to see the Gaels triumph 66-64 on Joe Anderson's 28-foot heave in the closing seconds.

Moments after Durango's postseason hopes were seemingly dashed, however, they were revitalized with the news that Western had defeated Bonanza, giving the Blazers a playoff berth on a tiebreaker with the Bengals.

Tonight, Durango will try to make the most of that opportunity, when it faces No. 4 Cheyenne in Round 1 of the 4A Sunset Region Tournament at Palo Verde High School at 8:15 p.m.

"We backed in, but we'll take it," Blazers coach Al LaRocque said. "If you're there, you've always got a shot. We'd have to play a perfect game (to beat Cheyenne), but the New England Patriots said it best: That's why you play the game."

Playing most of the season without star players Martrel Johnson (kidney failure) and Frank Brown (broken hand), Durango managed to overcome a 1-4 league start to finish 4-6 in the Southwest Division (8-18 overall). The Blazers will dress only one senior tonight, with four freshmen and three sophomores on the roster.

"Our two best players -- two of the best players in the state -- went out, and Coach LaRocque told the younger players he was putting the team in our hands," sophomore guard Tywain McTyer said. "We're young, but we don't want to take our time and develop next year. We want to do something this year when everybody expects us not to."

Durango will have its hands full against the Desert Shields (25-4), who lost only one game over the season's final six weeks. Led by Johnny Wheeler and brothers Keith and Kevin Richardson, Cheyenne features one of the area's most explosive offenses and dangerous pressure-oriented defenses.

With Johnson back in the hospital with complications stemming from his kidney ailment, the Blazers will dedicate tonight's game to him, as they have the entire season.

"We really want to win for Martrel," senior forward Neil Bahen said. "We wear his number on our shoes to let him know we're playing for him. (Cheyenne) is fast, they're athletic and they're bigger than we are, but we feel confident that we'll play together and play our hardest."

Offered LaRocque, "I'm as proud of this team as any we've had. They laid it all on the line for a fallen comrade."

In other first-round Sunset action at Palo Verde, Cimarron-Memorial (12-11) will battle defending state champion Western (9-14) at 3 p.m., with the winner advancing to face the winner of the 6:30 p.m. game between No. 3 Bishop Gorman (23-5) and Mojave (14-14).

Clark (11-12) and Centennial (19-9) will square off at 4:45 p.m. for the right to play either Cheyenne or Durango in Friday's semifinal round.

In 4A Sunrise Region competition at Valley High School, No. 1 Green Valley (25-4) has a 6:30 p.m. matchup with Rancho (9-13). The victor moves on to play the winner of today's 3 p.m. game between No. 5 Desert Pines (18-4) and Silverado (9-17).

On the other half of the Sunrise draw, Basic (15-9) will play Valley (16-11) at 4:45 p.m., followed by No. 2 Las Vegas High (25-3) vs. Foothill (11-15) at 8:15 p.m.

Donations can be made in Johnson's name in Wells Fargo account No. 3201329491.0