Monarchs slay another giant

No. 12 Manzano stuns Valley in OT

The double-digit seed in purple is at it again.

For the second year in a row, Manzano is taking the giant-killing road to the Pit. On Saturday night, the 12th-seeded Monarchs overcame an 11-point deficit with 4 1/2 minutes left in regulation to force overtime, and went on to stun No. 5 Valley 68-65 in the first round of the boys Class 5A state basketball tournament.

Last year, Manzano, as a 13 seed, upset No. 4 Cibola in the first round.

After Joe Anaya drilled a 3-pointer with 4:27 left, Valley led 57-46. But the Vikings didn’t score another field goal in regulation.

“Every day in practice,” Manzano junior post T.J. Holyfield said, “we practice being down 15, 20 points, and we have to try to build our way back up – for just such a moment.”

Warren Smith’s layup, off a terrific feed by Holyfield with 1:04 remaining in OT, gave Manzano (12-14) its final lead at 66-64.

Holyfield had attempted a 3-pointer, which back-rimmed and bounced directly to him. He collected the rebound and quickly dished underneath to Smith.

“That’s just second nature to us,” said Smith, who scored 10 points. “That’s how we play.”

The Vikings (20-6) played at a high level throughout. Valley shot 64.7 percent from the field (22-for-34) in regulation.

Holyfield, Smith and Jarrell Harper spearheaded the comeback.

Harper was especially crucial. He scored 22 of his team-high 26 points in the second half and overtime.

“We just believed and kept it together,” Harper said. “We didn’t come apart. (Even down 11), we still felt like we were gonna win this game. No doubt.”

There was some amazing late-game theatrics that left a huge crowd in the North Valley enthralled.

On a play in which all five Manzano players touched the ball, Harper scored on a layup with 10.8 seconds to go to give Manzano a 60-59 lead.

The Vikings called a timeout to set up a last play.

Adonis Saltes, Valley’s second-leading scorer, was fouled by Holyfield with 2.2 seconds to go, and he had a chance to put the Vikings ahead.

Saltes missed the first free throw, but made the second, and the teams went to overtime.

There were three lead changes in OT before Smith’s eventual game-winner.

Holyfield finished with 21 points. Anaya had 26 points and Saltes 20 for Valley.

“Manzano was tougher than us, and they made some plays at the end that we didn’t,” Valley coach Joe Coleman said.

MANZANO 68, VALLEY 65
— This article appeared on page D6 of the Albuquerque Journal