Depleted Horsemen harbor hopes of competing
Dec. 10—The worst-case scenario is here for the St. Michael's Horsemen.
An offseason of optimism and raised expectations have given away to the stark reality that doesn't match them.
When the Horsemen trudged off the court at Albuquerque Sandia Prep in May after losing in heartbreaking fashion to the Sundevils in the Class 3A quarterfinals, head coach David Rodriguez foresaw a team that could challenge for a District 2-3A title and the 3A crown for the 2021-22 season.
When they started their journey to accomplish that goal Nov. 30 at Los Alamos, the picture changed drastically. None of the five expected Horsemen starters took to the court against the Hilltoppers that night, and only one played in the first four games.
A combination of injuries, players competing in a fall sport and an academic casualty stripped St. Michael's of the experience and talent it anticipated. Rodriguez said the adversity the team has faced early is merely an opportunity to overcome it.
"Everybody knows things change for basketball," Rodriguez said. "You gotta take it on, and if that doesn't motivate you to work harder, then not many things will."
Change has been the one constant this year for the Horsemen, especially with the starting lineup. On the bench in street clothes against Los Alamos were 6-foot-3 senior post Lucas Coriz, who tore his right knee during the football season, and 6-1 senior wing Derek Martinez, who had only recently decided to play despite dealing with an undisclosed medical issue.
Meanwhile, fellow seniors Devin Flores and Diego Armendariz were not ready to play after having finished the football season the previous weekend and preparing for a postseason all-star game that week. Missing completely was junior guard Adam Montoya, who is academically ineligible and will not return to the team until Jan. 6.
Martinez took the court for the Capital City Tournament, while Flores and Armandariz made their season debuts Tuesday against Pojoaque Valley. Yet, even their presence has not had the desired effect for the Horsemen, who are 0-6 after a 67-43 loss Thursday night to host Rio Rancho Cleveland at the Phil Griego Invitational.
The first few weeks to the season seem surreal to Flores.
"All the stuff that's happened this year; you really didn't even think this was possible," Flores said. "It was like, the worst."
The lack of consistency regarding the rotation caused the offense to atrophy. St. Michael's went 10-plus minutes without scoring against the Hilltoppers in a 58-40 loss, scored nine points in a 16-minute stretch in a 59-34 loss to Española Valley on Dec. 2 and had a seven-point third quarter that resulted in a 44-35 loss to Santa Fe Indian School on Dec. 3.
In Tuesday's 57-51 loss to Pojoaque Valley in the team's home opener, the Horsemen scored just nine points in a 9:54 stretch that helped the Elks turn a 23-11 deficit into a 38-31 lead. While Flores scored 24 points in his return, he got little help from the rest of the team.
That was especially true at the free-throw line, as Flores made 10-of-16 tries while the rest of the team was 7-for-17.
Even worse, the Horsemen committed 24 turnovers against the Elks' full- and half-court press that Rodriguez found unacceptable.
"There wasn't much pressure there — it's a token press," Rodriguez said. "Unforced turnovers and 17-for-33 from the line, part of that you can fix."
Flores will be the focal point of the offense, but losing Coriz cost the Horsemen their best post player. Montoya was a slashing wing who could get to the basket, and his absence significantly curtailed the Horsemen attack. Rodriguez said his return in January will give St. Michael's a boost.
The rest of the team is filled with inexperienced, but promising players who need time to develop. A couple of cases in point are sophomore guards Marcos Gonzales, a sophomore who has a good shooting touch, and Lucas Gurule, a quick, lanky ballhandler who can attack defenses. Gonzales had a pair of 10-point performances during the Capital City Tournament, while Gurule managed nine points Thursday night against the Storm, the reigning 5A champions.
Those glimpses of promise have some Horsemen hopeful there is light at the end of the tunnel. However, a three-week stretch in which they play just one game becomes crucial, as it gives them time to work on things they haven't with a full load of games over the first two weeks of the season.
"We gotta build that chemistry," said St. Michael's senior post Diego Armendariz said. "Devin, he's gonna be the biggest part, but once we get that chemistry set, the sky's the limit for this team."
For all the optimism, the harsh reality of the first part of the season hasn't ceased. A day after the season-opening loss to Los Alamos, freshman wing Nick Angelley, who worked his way onto the varsity in the preseason, injured his right ankle stepping off the gym's bleachers during school. The hope was that it was just a sprain, but Monday brought news that he broke it.
"Gerard [Garcia, a Horsemen assistant coach] told me Monday as we were walking out of [the school's] little store, 'Have a good day,' " Rodriguez said. "I walked out of there and thought, 'We'll see.' Five minutes later, here comes Nick and the broken ankle.
"It seems like every day it's something else."
