So far, so good for the Yuma High School boys’ basketball.
The Indians are 2-0 after opening the 2021-22 season with wins over Dundy County-Stratton and Wray, last weekend. They are now ranked No. 2 in Class 2A, behind only Limon (CHSAANow.com polls).
Yuma is home again Friday against Class 3A Platte Valley, before hitting the road Monday for another non-league game at 3A Brush. (The Brush game had been scheduled for Tuesday, but was moved up one day earlier this week.)
Platte Valley is 4-0 after beating Weld Central this past Tuesday before coming to Yuma. Brush is 2-1 after beating Akron this past Tuesday. It is the Beetdiggers’ only game until the Indians visit.
Yuma opened the season last Friday in Benkelman, Nebraska, claiming a 65-48 win over the Tigers. It was the first meeting between the relatively-close communities in decades, if ever.
The Indians ran out to a 9-1 lead and never were threatened. They led 17-7 at the end of the first quarter, and extended the margin to 15, 35-18, by halftime.
Dundy County played it even in third quarter, and got as close as 11, 51-40, early in the fourth.
However, the Tribe never let it get closer than that, pushing the lead to 60-42 later in the quarter.
Yuma shot 43 percent from the floor, including making eight of 18 behind the arc, along with making seven of 11 at the charity stripe. They pulled down 29 free throws, dished out 14 assists, but did commit 19 turnovers.
Clay Robinson had 17 points, seven rebounds, seven steals and five assists, Javier Gamboa 13 points, , three assists and three steals, Jesus Ross 12 points and four rebounds, Javier Duran 10 points and four steals, Forest Rutledge nine points, four rebounds and two steals, Beau Tate two points and four rebounds, and Jonathan Carrillo two points.
The Indians had their home opener the next afternoon against rival Wray. It was the Eagles who knocked out Yuma last season in the semifinals on their way to the program’s first-ever state championship.
Yuma gained a bit of revenge last Saturday with a 68-58 win before a large crowd in The Pit.
The Indians kept building leads, but Wray kept battling back. A quick 6-0 spurt gave Yuma a 23-12 lead late in the first quarter, and an 8-0 run late in the second made it 33-18.
However, Wray got back to within 12, 37-25, by halftime. The Eagles then outscored Yuma 18-10 in the third quarter to pull within 47-43. The Eagles cut it to two early in the fourth, but the Indians were able to keep it from getting any closer.
The took a 59-51 lead, then fan off five points later in the quarter for a 64-55 with about 1 minute left, holding on from there for the 10-point win.
Yuma won despite shooting only 38.6 percent, including making just four of 23 from behind the arc. The Indians also made just 10 of 18 free throws. They were more reliable from closer range, making 23 of 47 2-pointers (49 percent). They had 33 turnovers but again were a bit high on turnovers with 18, while dishing out just four assists.
Robinson led the way again with a double-double of 21 points and 10 rebounds, along with four steals. Duran had 14 points, Ross 10 points and two steals, Tate nine points, eight rebounds and two steals, Gamboa two nine points, seven steals and three rebounds, Carrillo three points, and Rutledge two points, six rebounds and three steals.
