Coyotes bounce back for win
Wendy Alexander/The Madera Tribune Madera’s K’Veon Jones drives to the hoop during Friday’s loss to Sanger. He scored a game-high 24 points the next day in a win over Mission Oak.
FRESNO — Fresh off a 37-point loss to the Sanger Apaches the day before, the Madera Coyotes boys basketball team bounced back with a solid 62-58 victory over the Mission Oak-Tulare Hawks at the McLane Martin Luther King Showdown.
“The way they bounced back was impressive,” head coach David Lozano said after Saturday’s victory. “They battled through adversity. Mission Oak played tough and made runs, but we still found a way to dig it out. It was all of their effort.”
K’Veon Jones drove through the Mission Oak defense at will and scored a game-high 24 points to lead the Coyotes. He also added three steals in the victory and was 4-of-5 from the free throw line. “K’Veon had a tough game Friday, but the way he battled back today and put that game behind him and help his teammates, understanding how to read it, taking his time on his finishes, not rushing, being patient and trusting me, he did a great job,” Lozano said.
Christian Aguilar hit five 3-pointers and scored 17 points as the only other Coyote to score in double figures.
After the Hawks took an early lead, the Coyotes went on a 13-0 run to take a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.
Aguilar opened the run with a 3-pointer. Jones scored on a layup and then scored off an inbounds pass and made the free throw for a 3-point play. He added a layup and Art Flores hit a 3-pointer for a 15-4 lead.
However, Mission Oak came back with a 9-0 run to cut the lead down to two. Flores closed the first quarter scoring with a 3-poitner for an 18-13 lead.
After Mission Oak opened the second quarter with a bucket, the Coyotes went on a 7-0 run. Aguilar hit a 3-pointer, Komari Law made a free throw and then Jones went coast-to-coast with a rebound for a layup. He made the free throw to complete another 3-point play and give Madera a 25-15 lead.
Raelon Hill found Law for a layup, but the Hawks cut the lead down to six before a Hill free throw with 1:11 left in the first half. Jones scored on another drive for a 30-21 lead at the half.
Jones hit a 15-foot jumper to open the second half scoring for a 32-21 lead. Mission Oak hit back-to-back buckets to cut the lead down to seven.
Hill found Law for a layup and, after a Hawks layup, Aguilar hit a 3-pointer for a 10-point lead. After a Hill free throw, Jones stole a pass and then put down a one-handed dunk. After a Mission Oak bucket, Raeshaun Hill found Jones down low for a layup for a 42-31 lead to end the scoring flurry that saw 22 points in three minutes.
Mission Oak outscored Madera 7-2 to cut Madera’s lead to six. Jesus Arzola found Jones for a layup, but Mission Oak closed the third quarter scoring with a 3-point play and cut Madera’s lead to five.
A free throw cut Madera’s lead to 46-42. Aguilar hit a clutch 3-pointer to get the lead back to seven. After a Mission Oak bucket, Raelon Hill made a straightaway 3-pointer to get the lead to eight.
Mission Oak put back a miss to answer, but Aguilar hit another 3-pointer with five minutes left in the game to give the Coyotes a nine-point lead.
After a Mission Oak free throw, Jones made two free throws to get the lead to 10 with 3:09 left in the game. Jones answered a Mission Oak layup with one of his own. Law then hesitated and then drove to the hoop for a layup for a 61-49 lead with a minute left in the game.
The Hawks closed the game outscoring Madera 7-1 for the 62-58 final. Apaches run away with CMAC win
The Madera Coyotes boys basketball team couldn’t find an answer for the explosive Sanger Apaches offense in a 79-42 County/Metro Athletic Conference loss in Joe Flores Gym.
“Defensively, they made some good effort plays in spurts and they didn’t look at the scoreboard,” Madera head coach David Lozano said. “We preached coming off the court strong, having good body language and they competed till the end, so I was proud of that.”
Led by K’Veon Jones and Arthur Flores, who combined for 18 points, the Coyotes couldn’t pull out a victory.
Madera had their share of moments in the game. Flores knocked down a team-high three triples and Christian Aguilar chipped in with eight points of his own, however the Apaches were dominant from the start.
Cameron Stanley and Morice Norris poured in 25 points, combined, in an offensive outburst for the Apaches. They attacked early and often, pushing the lead to double digits early in the game.
Although Stanley and Norris highlighted the night’s performance, Jesse Piceno also hit four threes, along with a couple of free throws.
The Apaches scored more than 75 points for the eighth time since December.
