Mules vs. Denver City & Farwell Tourny (12-6&8-10-2016)

Mules vs. Denver City & Farwell Tourny (12-6&8-10-2016)

The Mules week may have started in Denver City with an easy, 55-39, win. The Mules also got an easy win, 62-37 against the Morton Indians to start the Farwell Invitational Tournament. But life became tougher in games two and three at Farwell. 

The Mules never led the Texico Wolverines in game two until Dagen Dunham tipped a Texico pass to Jason Florez. Florez drove the floor and made the layup to give the Mules a 65-64 lead with just 10 seconds left in the game. 

A turnover by Texico gave the Mules the ball back, and Kevin Gonzales was fouled bringing the ball down the floor. He made one free throw to seal the 66-64 win to send the Mules to the Championship finals against the host Farwell Steers.

The Mules fell behind the Steers by ten points in the third quarter before mounting a charge. The Mules had trimmed the Farwell lead to 49-44 by the end of the third period. 

The Steers started the final eight minutes with a stall. Donovan Gutierrez ripped his first of two treys to ignite the Mules with just 30 seconds gone in the final frame. The Mule defense stymied the Farwell offense. 

Mario “Boo” Flores was fouled making a defensive rebound and made his first free throw and then added the bonus for a 59-58 lead that put the Mules ahead to stay. There was just 2:02 left in the game. Jesse Leal took a charging foul with a minute left. 

Leal immediately went to the other end and laid the ball up gently on the glass to give the Mules a 61-58 cushion with 40 seconds left in the game. Beto Diaz made a free throw for the final point of the contest. 

Florez led the Mules with 18 points against Farwell. Dunham dropped in 17 points that included three treys. Gutierrez finished with eight points that included the two treys in the final quarter. Diaz added seven points; Leal made all four of his points during the last quarter, and Flores also made four points. Javy Perez and Tre Villa chipped in two points each. 

Dunham led the Mules against Texico with 23 points. He also had five rebounds, four assists, four steals and two pass deflections. Florez finished the night with 22 points, four rebounds, two assists, and six steals. Diaz dropped in eight points; Kevin Gonzales made seven points, and Gutierrez had six points. 

Dunham paced the Mules against Morton with 21 points, five rebounds, seven assists, five steals, and blocked four shots. Diaz scored 17 points, made two steals, two rebounds and blocked one shot. Gonzales pumped in 10 points and made three rebounds. 

Leal finished with seven points, three assists, and five steals. Florez also made seven points, four rebounds, two assists, and five steals. Flores dropped in six points and pulled down seven rebounds. Perez, Gutierrez, and Eric Herrera chipped in two points each. 

Dunham started the week in Denver City against the Mustangs with 15 points and eight rebounds. Gonzales pumped in 12 points, Perez and Florez added eight points each. Flores finished with six points; Villa made four points, and Diaz chipped in two points. 

The Mules hosted the Levelland Lobos Tuesday night and will travel to Portales December 16 before starting district December 20 when the Mules host the Dimmitt Bobcats.