Goddard falters in third against Wildcats

“We missed some opportunities at the basket,” Rocket boys varsity basketball head coach Wade Scott said. “We took some questionable quick shots and we didn’t guard very well. We had a guy that went 25. Clovis executed better down the stretch.”

Clovis junior forward Champ Gooden scored 25 for the night. Goddard matched Clovis’ scoring output in the fourth quarter but only scoring eight points in the third hurt the Rockets.

“We didn’t rebound the ball well and we went on a stretch where we just threw the ball away,” Scott said. “We had too many empty possessions. We need to have better discipline with the ball, make better decisions, and box some people out, and maybe the outcome would’ve been different.”

The Rockets are 8-10 on the season with this loss against Clovis. Goddard will start their road trip in Santa Teresa on Saturday, return to Roswell to face New Mexico Military Institute on Jan. 24, and to Portales on Jan. 27 to begin district play.

“I know we are capable of playing better, we just didn’t do it last night,” Scott said. “The district is going to be tough. Artesia just beat Roswell High last night, Lovington and is winning games. You cannot have a night off, I know that much. I know we are going to have to bring out A-game.”

Sports reporter Blynn Juliano Beltran can be reached at 575-622-7710, ext. 304, or sports@rdrnews.com.