The Questa Wildcat boys basketball team began their 2024-25 season with an offensive output that is a drastic improvement from last season’s team. The Wildcats have averaged 57.0 points per game in their first four games this season, which is a 23 point improvement from last season’s 34.3 team average.
Despite the team’s 1-3 record to begin the season, there is a noticeable improvement in this year’s team.
In the season opener at home against the Raton Tigers on November 30, the Wildcats led 57-51 at the end of the third quarter, before a big 32 point, fourth quarter from Raton that sealed the win for the Tigers, 83-65. Questa’s next two games came against two teams that had reached the 2A State Playoffs last season. Questa then lost, 69-40, on the road in Clayton on December 2 versus the Yellowjackets. The Wildcats hung tight with the Dulce Hawks on December 10 through the first half, down just eight points, before Dulce pulled away in the second half to win, 64-50.
The Wildcats’ next opponent was the Coronado Leopards, on December 16. The Wildcats had won the last three meetings between the two teams coming into this game. Questa led after the first quarter, 16-13. Coronado’s Zach Aragon had a big first half for the Leopards, hitting four 3-point shots to give the Leopards a 2-point lead going into the half, 34-32.
In the third quarter, the Leopards led by eight points, 48-40, nearing the two-minute mark, before the Wildcats went on a run which was kicked off by an offensive rebound putback by sophomore Juan Cisneros. Another sophomore for Questa, Isaac Segura, then hit a three, followed by a tough basket with a foul and subsequent free throw by freshman Larry Roybal to give the Wildcats their first lead of the second half, 51-49. Questa extended their lead to five points to end the third quarter 55-50.
The Wildcats played well early in the fourth quarter, leading by 11 points, 61-50, after a bucket with a foul from junior Dominic Vallejos, inside the 6-minute mark. Coronado went on a run of their own, tying the game at 65-65 near the three-minute mark. The Wildcats sealed the game with several sets of free throws down the stretch, from their sophomore captain, Covo Cardenas, who finished the game going 15 of 23 from the foul line and scored 20 points on the night. Those free throws from Cardenas ended up being the difference in this game. It was an outstanding finish by the Wildcats in a tight game here, winning 73-69. With the win, Questa has now won four straight games over the Coronado Leopards, dating back to the 2022-23 season.
This is a good young core of players for the Wildcats, moving into the early part of the season. In his second season as head coach, Mike Rael has this team trending in the right direction. “We’re excited for the future. (We have) young talent that needs experience. (We’re) undersized, so we need to play fast,” Rael said.
The Questa boys team has their work cut out for them with their next opponent: the Santa Rosa Lions, on the road as part of the Dual Cities Holiday Tournament, on December 26. Santa Rosa reached the quarterfinals of last season’s 2A State Playoffs and look just as tough this season.
