Team construction ahead of schedule as Tigers pull off impressive win at home

Rebuilding a basketball team can be a tough thing to endure. It takes time, patience and faith.

Benchmarks during such an undertaking can be difficult to lay out and, often, exactly what to strive for is a big unknown when dealing with the unknown.

However, a great way to know where a team stands in its growth process is with a win.

Winning does wonders for individual athletes, coaches, teams and communities. A decisive win can set the stage for future growth as confidence roars, and advanced teaching and learning take place at practice and games as a coach’s trust expands.

The Tigers came away with that sort of win during their home opener at Otero Gymnasium – beating the Mora Rangers 69-65 Dec. 10. In many ways, the game was like watching a building rise up quickly to beat back the elements and prove to the world that it can stand strong, though rickety.

Slow start

Despite two quick baskets by Taos to start the game, the pace of the first quarter was slow and deliberate. Taos seemed content to set up and run its offense – a strategy that worked well for the larger Taos team, which was able to finish the quarter with the lead, 11-8. Defensively, the Tigers were able to limit Mora to just two field goals in the first stanza. The waning seconds of the first quarter quickened, though, and Mora looked poised to gather momentum and shift into a more preferable gear for Mora.

Runners ready, set, go!

Indeed, the speed of the game did change in the second quarter, and Mora quickly capitalized on a Tiger team that was slow to adjust. Led by their team captain, Santiago Laumbach, the Rangers tallied 18 points in the period off fast breaks and attacks in the paint. A couple of three-pointers by Mora put the Taos team on its heels and in danger of falling way back. The track meet was underway.

A key moment in the period – and perhaps the turning point in the game – came during a critical defensive stand in which Taos was needing a stop to stay within striking distance. On this particular play, one of Mora’s talented big men penetrated Taos’ front court and appeared to have a clear path to the basket for an easy layup. Out of nowhere, a high-flying Jude Suazo laid down a booming block, rejecting the over-confident Ranger power forward to steal back possession of the ball and the momentum. More importantly, Suazo recharged the hometown crowd, and a chain of positive events ensued for the Tigers. Though Taos would lose the lead, the team would finish the half down by only two, 26-24.

No need to ‘take it to the rack’

Coming out of the locker room, the Tigers quickly put points on the board, tying the game at 28 apiece with 7:10 left in the third quarter. A lead change would come 10 seconds later off a short jump shot by Taos’ Landen Archuleta. Taos would extend the lead off a barrage of 5- to 8-foot jump shots from Archuleta, Suazo, Quinn Moon and others. Mora’s defense – which is credited with wins against West Las Vegas, Springer and Santa Rosa so far this year and defends the team’s basket particularly well – had no answer for the “stop-and-pop” strategy the Tigers employed in the second half. Taos’ 28 points in the third period not only surpassed the team’s total first-half output, it also garnered a cushion for the Tigers’ offense, allowing Coach Daniel Trujillo to rotate players who were in foul trouble. By the end of the third period, Taos had built a 12-point lead.

Not in grandma’s house

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Though the Rangers had to come over the river and through the woods to get to Otero for the regular-season tilt, they couldn’t navigate their way to victory, as Taos would hang on in the fourth quarter for the 69-65 win. Mora would win the period 25-17, but Taos’ 13-of-18-made free throws in the period would ultimately carry the Tigers. The result was a well-rounded display of athleticism by a young batch of players who put on a great show for the hometown crowd. Archuleta led all scorers with 27 points on the night. Moon chipped in for 11. Suazo tossed in an additional 10.

Significant win

The win was significant in many ways for the Tigers. Not only was this current team on a three-game skid with a triad of road losses to start the 2016-17 season, the Tigers were actually in the midst of an 11-game losing streak dating back to Jan. 29. The Tigers now have a 1-3 record as they prepare for the Pueblo East Tournament in Pueblo, Colorado, Dec. 15-17. Taos will face Pueblo Centennial in the opening round Dec. 15. Tip-off is scheduled for 3 p.m.

As for the rebuilding aspect of this team, it’s not clear how much better the Tigers are after this win. But given how much individual players have improved since the opening game – with older players leading the charge and younger players just playing ball – an upward track is always a good sign.