Coyotes lose chances for win
Wendy Alexander/The Madera Tribune
Madera’s Mark Cardoza goes up for a bucket during Tuesday’s loss to the Clovis Cougars.
After playing one of its best games of the season, the Madera Coyote boys basketball team couldn’t take advantage of eight chances to tie or take the lead late during a non-conference loss to the Clovis Cougars in Joe Flores Gym.
The Cougars held on for a 48-46 non-conference victory Tuesday.
Arthur Flores led the Coyotes with 11 points, including three 3-pointers, but was the only one of eight scorers to reach double figures.
The Coyotes held a 30-26 edge midway through the third quarter, but the Cougars went on a 7-0 run and didn’t relinquish the lead for the rest of the game.
Flores scored Madera’s first points off a steal and Michael Green found Michael Hartley for a layup for an early 4-0 lead.
The Cougars rebounded with seven straight points for a 7-4 lead.
Mark Cardoza tied the game with a 3-point play, but the Cougars hit a 3-pointer and a jumper to get the lead to five.
K’Veon Jones pulled down a rebound and went coast-to-coast for a layup to cut the lead to 12-9 at the end of the first quarter.
Jones’ layup led an 11-0 run to give Madera its biggest lead of the game. Travon Ray made two free throws and Hartley gave the Coyotes the lead with a layup off an assist from Green.
Flores hit a 3-pointer and Cardoza made a hook shot for an 18-12 lead.
Clovis came back with four straight points before Flores hit a 16-foot jumper. Raeshaun Hill made a layup off an assist from Green. Clovis closed the first half with a jumper for a 22-18 Coyote halftime lead.
Clovis opened the second quarter with a driving layup, but Flores found Hartley for a layup for a four-point lead.
After Clovis hit a 3-pointer, Gabriel Villegas hit a jumper to get the lead back to three. However, Clovis tied the score with a free throw and an offensive rebound.
Cardoza came back for the Coyotes with a layup, off an assist from Green, and a driving bucket. However, the Cougars scored seven straight points to take a 33-30 lead before Hills’ two free throws cut the lead to one with 48 seconds left in the third quarter.
The Cougars closed the third quarter scoring with an offensive putback for a 35-32 lead. Clovis extended the lead to five after two free throws. Green made two free throws, but Clovis answered with a layup.
Hill came down with a rebound and went coast-to-coast for a layup, but the Cougars answered with two free throws. Ray followed with two free throws to get the lead down to three with six minutes left in the game.
After a trade in possessions, Green made two free throws to cut the lead to 40-41 with 5:03 left in the game. Villegas came up with a steal against Clovis, but the Coyotes were called for traveling. The Coyotes came up with another stop off a Cardoza rebound, but Madera missed two free throws.
Clovis made a layup, but Flores tied the score with a 3-pointer with about three minutes left. Clovis then made a layup to take a one-point lead.
Madera missed on a shot, but Flores got a steal. However, Madera threw the ball out of bounds, but Hartley came up with a steal. Madera missed a shot for a chance for the lead.
Clovis hit a 3-pointer, but was fouled to open the lead to 47-43. Hartley pulled down the missed free throw, but the Coyotes missed a 3-pointer.
Flores got a steal from Clovis and hit a step-back 3-pointer to cut the lead to one with 48 seconds left in the game.
Clovis threw out of bounds with 25 seconds left. However, Madera was hit with an offensive foul with 13 seconds left. Madera had to foul and Clovis made one-of-two for a 48-46 lead with 8.3 seconds left in the game.
Madera had one last chance, but Ray was heavily defended on a long 3-point attempt and his shot went off the front of the rim.
