Clovis preview basketball capsules — jan. 27

Boys

Clovis (11-6) at Espanola Valley (7-11)

• When: 7 p.m.Friday

• Radio: KCLV-AM 1450, KTQM-FM 99.9

• Last time out: Clovis dropped a 61-59 decision on Saturday at Roswell Goddard, ranked second in Class 4A. The loss dropped Clovis one spot to seventh in the Class 5A poll. The Sundevils, unranked in Class 4A, are coming off a 37-33 win over Los Alamos.

“It’s not an easy place to play at all,” Clovis coach Matt King said. “I don’t think they’re down; I think they’ve played a very tough schedule.”

• Last meeting: January 2010, Espanola Valley won 71-67 at The Rock.

• Sundevils players to watch: The biggest concern is 6-foot-1 senior G Jeremy Romero, but King said everybody’s a threat to some degree.

“The key to Espanola Valley is that we’re going to have to guard the 3-point line because every one of their guys can shoot it,” he said.

•  Of note: King noted good health overall, and said junior G John Dawson still had stitches from catching an elbow in Saturday’s game. … Junior G D.J. Blackmon leads the Wildcats in scoring (14.3) and rebounds (7.1), while Dawson is averaging 4.5 assists. … The Wildcats are averaging 56.6 points per game on 41.3 percent shooting (28.9 percent from beyond the arc), but are struggling from the free throw line at 55.7 percent.

— Compiled by Kevin Wilson

Girls

Artesia (15-5) at Clovis (16-2)

• When: 7 p.m. Friday at The Rock

• Radio: KCLV-FM 99.1

• Last time out: The Lady Cats routed Lovington 59-12 on Saturday in the Milk Cow Classic at The Rock. The Lady Bulldogs posted a 35-29 victory on Tuesday at Santa Teresa.

CHS travels to struggling Roswell Goddard (4-17) for a 7 p.m. tipoff on Saturday. The Lady Rockets lost on Tuesday at Ruidoso 71-63.

• Last meeting: January 2011, the Lady Cats broke away from a halftime tie to win 52-41 at Artesia. They beat Goddard 78-26 the following night at home.

• Artesia players to watch: Jenna Elkins, 5-11, Sr., F; Amy Horner, 5-9, Jr., G.

• Of note: Senior P Marivel Garza and sophomore G Brandi Gomez, who have missed the Lady Cats’ previous three games after sustaining concussions, are expected to be back for tonight’s game. … Artesia has won four in a row since a 44-38 loss to Carlsbad on Jan. 17. … Elkins scored 12 points and Horner had nine last year against Clovis. … Goddard, which has been down for a number of years, has started to show some sign of improvement. In addition to their four wins, nine of the Lady Rockets’ losses this season have been by 10 points or less.

Quotable: “They’re decent. I look for them to be as good or better than they were last year. I think if we have a good night we’ll be in great shape, but you never know.” — Lady Cats coach Jeff Reed, on Artesia.

— Compiled by Dave Wagner