Capital spoils Bernalillo's 2025 finale, Spartans fall 73-45

BERNALILLO — Holiday break presented a special 1  p.m. start for the Spartans boys team on Tuesday afternoon, along with a chance to get back in the win column one last time in 2025.

But with Capital High coming to town, the Jaguars had other plans for their final game of the year.

Capital defeated Bernalillo 73-45 as the Spartans now sit at 2-10 on the season. The Jaguars opened the game on a 16-0 run, a cushion that they were able to ride all the way to the finish.

Turnovers and carelessness with the basketball plagued Bernalillo throughout the matchup, leaving them struggling out of the gates and unable to mount a comeback.

On paper, the size advantage for the Jags looked to be the difference maker, with multiple players listed at 6 feet or taller. But it would actually be Capital’s fastbreak offense that prevailed as the X-factor, with the tempo on full display in a dominating third quarter.

Down 16-0, things looked bleak for the Spartans, but they didn’t go down without a fight. Kenneth Saiz and Elias Rodriguez got the scoring going when Bernalillo needed it most.

Toward the end of the first half, Elias Valencia caught fire. The sophomore point guard put together a double-figure scoring day, and before they knew it, the Spartans headed to the locker room down 35-25 in a much-improved second quarter display.

Bryan Gonzales and his team would need this momentum to carry over into the second half, as the Spartans came out of halftime and cut the deficit down to single digits in the opening minutes.

But soon, Capital would have enough.

Increased defensive pressure from the Jaguars would halt the Bernalillo momentum and flip the game upside down. Capital’s defense would lead to easy offense, outscoring the Spartans 38-20 in the second half.

The buzzer sounded for the game and for both squads' year, not hitting the court again until 2026. 

For Capital, they sit at 5-6. They will have an opportunity to get back to .500 in grand fashion, set to face a talented Rio Rancho Rams team on Jan. 2.

For Bernalillo, questions remained unanswered. The scoring ability and talent have been shown; it is just a matter of consistency and cleaning up the small things.

The Spartans will not only get a clean slate once the ball drops, but also a plethora of opportunities to get back on track, heading back into tournament play this weekend.

Bernalillo will face Monte Del Sol Charter in the opening round of their weekend tourney, with tipoff set for 6 p.m.