Eighth-ranked Grants (14-3) threw in an incredible 15 long-range bombs to overwhelm Moriarty 94-63 in a Class 4A boys nondistrict high school basketball game at John B. Salvo Gymnasium on Saturday afternoon.

The contest was to have been played Jan. 28 but was postponed due to inclement weather.

The Pintos tried to adjust. They began to more frequently step out to get a hand in the faces of the Pirates' sharpshooters, but the boys from the Cibola County seat, in response, just took two or three steps back, sometimes way back into NBA range, and continued to hit 3-pointers from downtown.

Grants' Brandon Rael poured in eight treys, and he tied his teammate, Chris Lopez, for game-high honors with 24 points apiece. Their fellow Pirate, Isiah Whitmore, sank five 3s and had 20 points.

"They were good shooters, and we didn't adjust to their shooting," said Moriarty senior Corey Bond, who led his team with 15 points. "Now, we've got to stay positive (as the Pintos enter District 5-4A play), play defense and be patient on offense."

The Pintos' other double-digit scorers included Brad Isaacs with 14 points, and Eron Hyatt with 11.

Bond, who generally competes from the shooting guard position, was Moriarty's starting point guard in the absence of senior Carlos Batts. The latter missed both Saturday's game and the game at Albuquerque Academy on Tuesday.

Batts not being on hand, coupled with an injury to an always hustling Mario Rodriguez at Belen on Jan. 26, certainly didn't help the Pintos' cause. Moriarty coach J.C. Batts, Carlos' father, refused to provide the reason for his son not being present Saturday.

"He's not here; that's all I'm going to say," the elder Batts said after the Grants game.

The coach said in a telephone interview Wednesday morning that Carlos Batts should be back in action for the district game at Valencia on Friday. He also said he hopes to have Rodriguez back in the lineup by sometime next week.

"I think we match up against Valencia," said J.C. Batts, whose team beat the Jaguars 62-61 in the Capital City Invitational at Santa Fe High on Dec. 12.

Moriarty (4-14) lost 66-46 to Academy in the Pintos' district home opener on Tuesday. Bond had 21 points against the third-ranked Chargers, and Marcos Villanueva added 10.

"As long as we play as a team and trust each other, we still should be able to come out and play to our potential," said Pintos senior Casey Barton, who comes off the bench as a 5-foot-11 forward/post.

Academy defeated the Moriarty girls 56-41 in the Pintos' district opener on the Chargers' court Tuesday. Jasmine Quintana had 12 points for Moriarty, and Sara Mestas contributed eight.

The Pintos (5-13) also were supposed to have played St. Pius in a nondistrict game in Moriarty on Friday. That contest was postponed due to the weather and has been rescheduled for Feb. 13.

East Mountain

The East Mountain boys (12-8) beat host Jemez Valley 81-54 in the Timberwolves' first District 8-2A game of the season on Tuesday. The EMHS scoring leaders were Steven Wimberly (16 points), Ryan Berryman (15) and John Martin (12).

Jemez Valley defeated the Timberwolves girls 54-25 in East Mountain's district opener at the Warriors' campus on Tuesday. Kat Pryde scored 15 points and grabbed 17 rebounds for the T'Wolves.

"We lost it in the first half, and then we played them even-Steven in the second," EMHS coach Roger Abeyta said. "Kat Pryde had a good game. We just need for a few other girls to have a good game, too."

East Mountain also fell 38-27 at Santa Fe Prep in a nondistrict affair on Jan. 27.

The T'Wolves (4-13) were to have played a district game at Bosque on Friday, but that game was postponed because of bad weather. It was reset for today, Abeyta said.

Mountainair

The Mountainair boys improved their District 7-1A record to 2-0 with a 56-48 win at Hondo Valley on Saturday. Joshua Ballejos scored 23 points, and Cody McCurdy had 15.

"Hondo tried to stop (Ballejos), but he spun him around, and the Hondo kid actually fell down," Mustangs coach Kenneth Branch said. "I'm not talking bad about the Hondo kid. I'm talking about how good Josh is."

Mountainair's initial district showdown with defending 7-1A champion Carrizozo will take place Saturday in Lincoln County at about 5 p.m.

"The Carrizozo coach was there scouting us (at the Hondo game)," Branch said. "He's watched us a couple times. The kids were saying, 'Ohhh, they're scouting us,' but I said, 'Seeing what we do and being able to stop it are two different things.'"

Magdalena, in a nondistrict game, defeated the 'Stangs 54-16 at the Steers' gym on Tuesday. In Branch's absence, Eric Anaya was the Mustangs' acting head coach.

"Hopefully, that will be the last game I have to miss (a game because of his job requirements)," Branch said.

Mountainair (8-8) was to have played Santa Fe Desert Academy in a nondistrict matchup at home on Jan. 28, but the game was postponed because of the weather and probably will not be rescheduled, Branch said.

Hondo beat the Mountainair girls 46-33 in a district game at Hondo on Saturday.

The 'Stangs (7-8, 1-1 in district) also were to have played Desert Academy at home on Jan. 28. But like for their male counterparts, that game was postponed and is not likely to be rescheduled.