Durango boys take step in right direction, top Shadow Ridge

As the boys basketball season winds down, several teams are scrambling for playoff spots.

In a crowded Northwest League, Durango is hoping to take one of the league’s four spots.

The Trailblazers are headed in the right direction after defeating host Shadow Ridge 80-63 Tuesday night. It was Durango’s second win against the Mustangs this season.

“This is huge,” Durango coach DeShawn Henry said. “We just take it one day at a time and one possession at a time. That’s all what we talk about in the huddle, at halftime, after the game (and) at practice. It was good tonight to come out here and be successful against a good team, so now we just go back to the drawing board and get ready for Friday.

“(We need to) bear down and stay focused. Try to place some defense, get out there and rebound the ball.”

Coming into Tuesday’s game, three teams were tied for second place in the Northwest. Durango and Palo Verde each won Tuesday, moving to 4-3. Arbor View leads the league at 7-0.

Drew Hammond’s 10 first-quarter points helped the hot-shooting Trailblazers storm out to a 25-13 lead.

Durango (7-9) shot 11-for-17 from the field in the first quarter, and finished 18-for-32 (56.3 percent) in the first half.

Darryl Gaynor led the Trailblazers with 29 points, seven assists and six rebounds before leaving midway through the fourth quarter after the team built a 76-54 lead and cleared its bench.

“That’s what we expect,” Henry said. “He’s a senior, and he provides some leadership for us. We look for him to do that and we also try to get him involved on the defensive end to rebound the ball.”

Hammond and Alex Arias each finished with 14 points for Durango. Victor Ross added nine points and seven rebounds.

Preston Echols had 25 points and eight rebounds for Shadow Ridge, which suffered its fourth consecutive league loss. The Mustangs started the third quarter on a 6-0 run to make it 44-36, but got no closer.

Jordin Williams had 12 points for the Mustangs (13-9, 2-5), and teammate Serph Decker scored 10. Brett Meci added seven rebounds and five assists for the Mustangs.

“Offensively, we ran our plays and scored,” Shadow Ridge coach Robert Nelson said. “We were in the 60s, which is where we want to be, but we have to hold people. If we don’t play defense, we’re not going to win.

“(Now) we hope some other teams get some losses, so that we can sneak in and try to make the playoffs.”