SUNSET REGION: Bengals get breaks, top Trailblazers

Sometimes a team needs a break to close out a close game.

Bonanza’s boys basketball team got several on Tuesday night and took advantage, holding off visiting Durango 78-74 to win a Sunset Region quarterfinal. The Bengals were making their first playoff appearance since 2008.

“We deserve a break in my opinion,” Bonanza coach Erik Markuson said. “Sometimes the breaks just go your way and it did. But our kids have had them go the other way, too. They worked really hard for it and earned every bit of it that they got.”

The Trailblazers (7-16) had cut Bonanza’s lead to 75-73 on a pair of Apollo Corley free throws with 1:19 to play. Durango’s Michael Diggins then blocked a Jamal Logan shot on the other end. Zyare Ruffin rebounded for the Trailblazers but traveled with 58.8 seconds left.

A steal set up an opportunity to tie for Durango, but Corley and Ruffin both missed short shots with about 50 seconds left.

Diggins then came up with a steal, but missed a potential tying layup with 35 seconds to go.

With Bonanza leading 77-73 with 22 seconds left, D.J. Fletcher missed the front end of a one-and-one, but Diggins was unable to handle the rebound and the ball went out of bounds to the Bengals.

“The boys have not quit all year,” Markuson said. “We’ve been down quite a few times this year, and boy, they’ve just got heart and fire in them and they just don’t quit.”

Logan led the charge for Bonanza (19-7), scoring 15 of his game-high 32 points in the third quarter. He scored seven consecutive points, capped by three free throws with 4:44 to go in the third that gave the Bengals their biggest lead at 47-35.

“I told him at halftime, I said, ‘I need you. You’ve got to do your job,’” Markuson said. “And his job is to score and he knows it. And he understood it and he decided to take it over and play. And he has that ability. He can do it.”

Durango came storming back behind leading scorer Corley, who had just two points at the half. Corley hit four second-half 3-pointers and scored 14 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter. His fast-break basket with 2:50 to play gave Durango a 71-69 lead, but the Trailblazers wouldn’t lead again.

Fletcher answered with a basket off of a give-and-go with John Holden to tie the game, and Price had a steal and bucket to give the Bengals the lead for good.

Fletcher scored nine of his 14 points in the fourth quarter for Bonanza.

“D.J.’s a great kid,” Markuson said. “The last few games he’s come on really strong for us, and we needed that from him. He’s lightning in a bottle, he’s so fast out there with the ball or without the ball. He’s a spark for us.”

Price had 12 points and eight rebounds for Bonanza, which plays Bishop Gorman (23-6) in the semifinals at 8 p.m. Thursday at Arbor View.

“At the beginning of the year all we wanted was to make the playoffs,” Markuson said. “That was our goal. The boys were ready. They don’t shy away from a a challenge. It was exciting and they answered the call.”

Victor Ross added 19 points and eight rebounds for Durango. Demetrius Valdez scored 11, and Ruffin had 10 points and eight rebounds off the bench for the Trailblazers.

Bishop Gorman 76, Cimarron-Memorial 47 — At Gorman, Chase Jeter had 17 points and eight rebounds as the Gaels routed the Spartans.

Stephen Zimmerman had 10 points and eight rebounds, and Richie Thornton dished out 10 assists for Gorman, which led 50-10 at the half.

Jaron Ponder led Cimarron (9-19) with 10 points.

Palo Verde 72, Desert Oasis 64 — At Palo Verde, Ja Morgan had 30 points, six rebounds and four assists as the Panthers overcame an early 20-14 deficit to top the Diamondbacks.

Grant Dressler added 17 points, 10 rebound and five assists for the Panthers (18-8), who will meet Centennial (21-5) in a region semifinal at 4:40 p.m. Thursday at Arbor View.

Aamondae Coleman had 20 points, and Taiga Miyano and Drevin Cannon each scored 13 for Desert Oasis (15-13).

Centennial 81, Shadow Ridge 55 — At Centennial, Troy Brown scored 29 points, and the Bulldogs used a 32-13 third-quarter run to beat the Mustangs.

Darrian Traylor had 22 points, and Garett Scheer added 12 points for Centennial, which led 34-28 at halftime.

Jerell Springer and Marshall Mayfield each scored 12 points, and Kevin Branch added 10 points for Shadow Ridge (11-15).