The hits keep on coming for the Mesa Vista girls basketball team.

First, it lost shooting guard Larissa Pena, who quit the team for undisclosed reasons. Then eighth-grade point guard Celina Valdez, who has started the last two games since Pena's departure, was thrown to the wolves against Jemez Valley's suffocating pressure in a District 7AA matchup on Saturday night.

The result? Mesa Vista dropped a 88-80 decision.

"It's been tough," Montoya said. "[Valdez] is coming along, but it's still gonna take some work."

Work is what Jemez Valley's Cassie Sando put in Saturday night. She hit a 3-pointer that bookended a third quarter in which the Lady Warriors outscored 20-13. In a tight game, that's as much separation as Jemez Valley needed.

Almost everything pointed to a Mesa Vista win.

The Lady Trojans (13-10 overall, 1-4 7AA) hit more free throws (26) than the Warriors (21). Senior post Julia Martinez did all she could, with a game-high 43 points and corralling 17 rebounds for her 23rd double-double of the season. But the Trojans couldn't overcome 27 turnovers, nor Jemez Valley's scalding shooting.

"It seemed like everything they put up went in," Montoya said. "It didn't matter if it was a little hook or any kind of shot they put up. It all seemed to fall in."

Sando led a quartet of Jemez Valley scorers in double figures with 25 points, followed by Aubre Chosa with 17, Trisha Reid with 14 and Julie Pecos who finished with 10.

CORONADO 46, ESCALANTE 42

Terry Olguin did something coaches often do to inspire emotionally checked-out teams.

He got a technical foul.

The Lady Lobos missed the accompanying free throws and came up with an empty possession in the District 4A game. Coronado, on the other hand, emptied its gut-it-out gunny sack, as Olguin looked on in approval.

"It just fired us up," Olguin said. "We exchanged a couple of baskets, and then we went on that run. Them missing those free throws and that shot gave us the opportunity to shake that technical off."

Shake, rattle and roll is what the Lady Leopards did.

The game was tied at 16-all at the break, and the teams jockeyed for the lead in the third quarter. Escalante hit a triple to push it ahead 26-23 heading into the final period. The Lady Leopards buckled down in the fourth, closing on a 10-0 run over the final five minutes that gave them the lead for good.

Coronado hit five free throws down the stretch.

Desiree Gonzles finished with a double-double (12 points, 11 rebounds). She fouled out with about a minute left, but by that juncture, the issue was decided.

Honoria Andrews led the Lady Lobos with 12 points.

ALB. HOPE CHRISTIAN 69, POJOAQUE 66 (OT)

Talk about a different team.

Two nights after getting hammered by St. Michael's, the Elkettes took some of their pent-up resentment out on the District 5AAA co-leaders Lady Huskies (21-3, 5-1). Yet it still wasn't enough to overcome a 21-8 first-quarter hole, as Hope prevailed in overtime in Ben Lujan Gymnasium.

Elkettes head coach Juan "Pep" Alvarado credited an energetic home crowd with helping his team dig itself out of that hole. Pojoaque (10-14, 1-6) put together a 21-8 third-quarter effort of its own to get back in the contest.

"You should have seen our gym, it was packed," Alvarado said. "Maybe the support from the community made a difference."

The Elkettes finished with four players in double figures, led by Shannon Cordova's 14 points. Rachel Nakamura had 18 points for the Huskies.

ESPANOLA VALLEY 59, LOS ALAMOS 44

The Lady Sundevils (22-3, 6-1) got 23 steals and 23 points from junior Lauren Quintana on Senior Night to overcome the Lady Hilltoppers in a District 2AAAA affair in Edward Medina Gymnasium.

"The focus wasn't really there," said Ron Drake, Lady Sundevils head coach. "It was just a sloppy game. But I'll take the W. Gotta take the W now. Gotta get all you can now."