Odessa High’s Isaac Hernandez and Miguel Fonseca heated up quickly from 3-point range Friday as the Bronchos defeated Midland Lee 62-44 in the District 2-6A boys basketball opener for both teams at the OHS Fieldhouse.
Hernandez scored a game-high 23 points, hitting two 3-pointers to start the game, while Fonseca made six shots from beyond the arc in scoring 20 points as the Bronchos (17-5 overall, 1-0 District 2-6A) led wire to wire.
“Miguel shot the ball really well and Isaac did a good job of attacking and creating for other people and finishing at the rim,” Odessa High coach Jance Morris said. “He scored the ball well, as well.”
Midland Lee (7-16) was led by Zhuric Phelps and Jaythan Jones, each with nine points. The Rebels have now lost six in a row.
The Bronchos opened up a 19-7 lead in the first quarter on Fonseca’s third 3-pointer of the period before Midland Lee responded with an 11-3 run to cut Odessa High’s lead to 22-18 early in the second quarter. The Rebels closed to within four points three more times before the Bronchos took a 31-27 halftime lead.
Midland Lee’s rally was helped, in part, by Odessa High post Memo Anaya picking up two early fouls and sitting out the entire second quarter.
“Offensively, we were knocking down 3s, but it hurt us defensively,” Morris said of Anaya being forced to the bench. “He’s 6-7 and he gets rebounds and talks on defense. He’s usually at the back and kind of anchors it.
“When he had to sit, our defense took a hit. They beat us in the second quarter. It’s tough with him out.”
Hernandez said Anaya’s absence put more of the load on the Bronchos’ perimeter game.
“When (Midland Lee) went to a zone, we were looking to attack more,” said Hernandez, who was 7-of-9 on free throws. When Memo went out, that kind of hurt us. After that, we started getting into the flow with the 3. When I hit those two 3s — that got us going in the game.”
Odessa High took control by outscoring Midland Lee 19-3 in the third quarter, holding the Rebels without a field goal until Loic Fouonji, who finished with seven points, scored with 30 seconds remaining in the period. The Bronchos scored the first 13 points of the second half before Jordan Lopez hit a free throw at the 2:10 mark.
Fonseca hit a pair of 3-pointers late in the third to give Odessa High its largest lead at 50-28. The Bronchos matched the 22-point margin twice early in the fourth quarter and Midland Lee got no closer than 16 the rest of the way.
Cole Bordner scored six points off the bench for the Bronchos after Anaya’s early foul trouble, while Josh Cabello finished with five points. Pat Okimi and Ben Oyelola each had six points for Midland Lee.
MIDLAND LEE (7-16 overall, 0-1 District 2-6A)
Zhuric Phelps 4 0-0 9, Cevonte Eaden 1 0-0 2, Pat Okimi 3 0-0 6, Loic Fouonji 3 1-2 7, Kyler Pettus 0 0-0 0, Jalen Harris 2 0-0 4, Mykia Pertile 0 0-0 0, Jordan Lopez 0 1-2 1, Jaythan Jones 3 0-0 9, Ben Oyelola 2 0-0 6. Totals 16 2-4 44.
ODESSA HIGH (16-5, 1-0)
Isaac Gonzalez 6 7-9 23, Josh Cabello 2 0-0 5, Kaleb Murry 2 0-0 4, Miguel Fonseca 7 0-0 20, Memo Anaya 0 0-0 0, Keionshay Jones 1 0-0 2, Nate Rodriguez 1 0-0 2, Edward Salgado 0 0-0 0, Kameron Gonzales 0 0-1 0, Cole Bordner 3 0-0 6. Totals 22 7-10 62.
Midland Lee………… 14.. 13 3 14 — 44
Odessa High……….. 22…. 9 19 12 — 62
3-Point goals — Lee 6 (Phelps 1, J.Jones 3, Oyelola 2), Odessa High 9 (Hernandez 2, Cabello 1, Fonseca 6). Total fouls — Lee 10, Odessa High 10. Fouled out — none. Technical fouls — none.
