The Lobos put the first points on the scoreboard Saturday, jumping ahead with two productive fast breaks in the first minute of play.

Bush was quick to answer, and the two teams went at it hard, but by halftime Lopez was leading 28-26, and then the Lobos pulled ahead with an aggressive defense and an offense that was firing on all cylinders to win 62-47.

Alex Buffum and Mica Arps led in scoring for the Lobos, with William Carson and Tak Peralta hot on their heels. Both Bush and Lopez took turns making heat-of-the-moment fouls and Colton Jardine, forward for Lopez, was the first Lopez player to foul out.

“I had a great time. I get excited, and I made a few mistakes,” Jardine said. “But I’m healthy and we all have been practicing really hard. We know each other’s moves on the court and this helps on the different plays we do.”

And the Lopez team was impressive, making their breakaways and passing plays down the court look effortless. During the fourth quarter while pressuring Bush, William Carson put himself in between the passer and the intended, plucked the ball from the air, and tossed it to Tucker Hoffman, who sped down the court and tossed it to Peralta who put it away, virtually uncontested, for an easy two points.

“We’re having better success getting the ball through the hoop,” Coach MR Buffum said. “Last year we would have games where the guys would get very frustrated by their inability to score. This year they’re doing better with that.”

The Lobos’ biggest weapon this year is their defense. They were very aggressive in and around the key. Jardine’s defensive tactic of jumping three feet into the air to block a Bush player’s shot was at the very least distracting to opponents. The Lobos pulled ahead of Bush 36-28 early in the third quarter with players Peralta scooping up several balls in mid-air and making point-scoring fast breaks. Carson had several three pointers, as did Arps.

Bush and Lopez were neck and neck in the first two quarters, but Bush began to lag when they became rattled by Lopez’s insistent defense and the Bush players began having trouble getting it in the hoop.

With four minutes left in the 4th quarter, Lopez led 54-40. Fouling picked up on both sides, but Bush had lost their momentum, and with a quick pass from Keldon Jardine to Carson on the fast break, two more went up on the board for the Lobos. The final score was 62-47, Lobos.