Santa Fe claims Holiday Hoops title with OT victory over Hope Christian

Santa Fe’s Lukas Turner (2) celebrates after making a basket against Hope Christian during the championship game of the Jalene Berger Allstate Holiday Hoops Classic on Friday at Rio Rancho High School.

Hope Christian’s Brayden Giron (22) attempts to gain possession of the ball during Friday’s championship game of the Jalene Berger Allstate Holiday Hoops Classic against Santa Fe.

James Yodice James Yodice James Yodice Journal Staff Writer

Published December 29, 2023 - 9:12 p.m. Modified December 30, 2023 - 9:28 a.m.

RIO RANCHO —Santa Fe hit 9 of 10 free throws in overtime, and the Demons outlasted Hope Christian 65-55 in the championship game of the Jalene Berger Allstate Holiday Hoops Classic at Rio Rancho High on Friday night.

Tournament MVP Lukas Turner had 19 points to lead Santa Fe (8-1), whose only loss this season was at the hands of Cleveland. The Demons and Storm will play again in the first round of the metro tournament on Jan. 9.

Santa Fe had an 11-point lead on the Huskies (4-4), 49-38, with five minutes to go Friday, but the Huskies roared back to take a 52-50 lead with 1:23 on two free throws from Noah Perry. Santa Fe tied the game with 1:01 remaining, and Hope Christian held the ball for a final shot to win in regulation, which didn’t pan out.

“When it became close, we just had to stay together as a team,” Turner said. “We know how to handle pressure now.”

Nine of the Demons’ 13 points in the overtime came at the free-throw line. Joe Gonzales was 5-of-6 at the line in the OT and finished with 14 points. Christian Herrera added four points in extra time and scored 13 points for Santa Fe. Those two and Turner scored all their team’s points in the four-minute extra session.

Perry finished with 18 points, Nathan Saavedra 14, Ian Koenigsberg 13 for the Huskies.

Navajo Prep nailed a dozen 3s in a 72-52 victory over the host Rams in the third-place game.