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It probably wasn’t in terms of aesthetics for both Rio Rancho and Atlixco Heritage.<\/p>\n
But at the end of a long, ugly, physical, bruising, foul-plagued, turnover-plagued boys’ basketball game, a buzzing six-foot bank shot created a stunningly beautiful finale. was Jamal Bynum of the Rams, who came to visit Rio Rancho in a 53-51 victory over the No. 3 Jaguars on Thursday night.<\/p>\n
A District 1-5A opener for the unranked Rams (13-5) and outside of Sandia this season, they beat Atlisco Heritage (16-3, 1-1; the Jags beat Cibola in a game on Wednesday). They became the first team to beat them. -5A opener).<\/p>\n
Bynum, Rio Rancho’s senior point guard who scored all 13 points in the second half, said:<\/p>\n
AHA’s Brandon Lopez hit a free throw from the bench and injured Matias Sanchez hit his head on the floor while driving to the basket and hit two foul shots. Lopez missed his first, but he tied at 51 with 1:00 remaining.<\/p>\n
Sanchez came right back and had a chance to put the Jaguars forward, but missed two free throws with 30 seconds remaining. But Atlixco got the ball back on his second mistake, but he turned it over with 17.9 seconds of travel left.<\/p>\n
Rio Rancho called a late timeout to set up a play that would win or send the team into overtime.<\/p>\n
Bynum took the inbounds pass, entered the lane, lost his balance and shot through the glass for the game winner.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was Jamal kicking him off the staggering screen \u2026 He had the choice of taking the shot or kicking Maddox,\u201d Rams coach Wally Salata said. I was.<\/p>\n
Bynum says:<\/p>\n
The fourth quarter was, well, weird. Rio Rancho missed about six shots within three feet of him from the basket. The Atrisco Heritage came ice cold off the line.<\/p>\n
wit:<\/p>\n
The Jaguars were 15-10 from the line in the first three quarters before going down a dismal 13-3 in the final eight minutes. This is a team that shoots 74 percent from the line, coach Steve Heredia said following a show of 13-28 overall.<\/p>\n
“I’m not obsessed with anything other than being an outcoach tonight,” Heredia said.<\/p>\n
Additionally, the Atrisco Heritage failed to reach its full potential. Guard Marquis Renfro was in poor health and was not wearing a suit. At least three of his Jaguars were injured during the game. One of them, Antonio Ortiz, returned after a while. Another Sanchez.<\/p>\n
The third was potentially the most damaging. Senior guard Chris Parra, perhaps Atlixco’s best player, went down hard with an apparent ankle injury with 1:42 remaining. shot free throws. He didn’t return, and Heredia didn’t expect Parra to play on Saturday when the Jaguars were out of the district to play 4A Valley.<\/p>\n
Parra had 20 points when he left.<\/p>\n
Bynum was Rio Rancho’s leading scorer in a game in which the Rams were flipped 20 times. Rio Rancho was also poor from the line, making only half of his 18 attempts.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe hallmark of our district is the grind,\u201d Sarata says. Districts 1-5A have produced his six of the past seven state champions. \u201cTo win on the road\u2026 today was an important step for us.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rio Rancho 53, Atlixco Heritage 51<\/p>\n
Rio Rancho (13-5, 1-0 in 1-5A): Mikey Wood 7, Esteban Morales 1, Jerry Archuleta 8, Josiah Murphyll 7, Jamal Bynum 13, Sean Parisian 1, Jaden Johnson 10, Maddox Presser 6. Total 20 9-18 53.<\/p>\n
Atlisco Heritage (16-3, 1-1): Tony Pacheco 6, Brandon Lopez 1, Chris Parra 20, Manny Cedillo 2, Kadarius Sims 2, Antonio Ortiz 11, Latavius \u200b\u200bMorris 9. Total 17 13-28 51.<\/p>\n
Rio Rancho 18 8 16 11 \u2014 53<\/p>\n
ATRISCO HERITAGE 13 15 16 7 \u2014 51<\/p>\n
3-point goals: RR 4 (Archuleta 2, Marfil, Bynum); AHA 4 (Pala 3, Pacheco). Total fouls: RR 25; AHA 20. Fouls out: RR, Wood. Haha, Pacheco.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n