Seminole gaining momentum just in time for District 4-3A play

Clayton Jones/News-Sun

Seminole's Jarod Adams, right, steals the ball during the Indians' win over

Kermit on Tuesday. Adams finished with 13 points, 10 steals and eight assists.

  I know Hobbs fans were probably perplexed when Seminole defeated their Eagles (ranked eighth in Class 5A New Mexico) 70-69 Jan. 5 in Seminole.
  Sure, Hobbs didn't play well (and despite it, led most of the game) and had two of its double-digit scorers (including Aaron Ibarra's 23.8 points per game) foul out with over five minutes left in the game.
  But there is another reason why Hobbs lost that game.
  Seminole is good. Really good.
  The Indians – back-to-back district champions – were ranked in the top 15 in Texas Class 3A to enter the season before injuries and other factors led to a 9-7 start.
  But I've seen Seminole in two of its last three games, including Tuesday's 62-25 smashing of Kermit, and the Indians are starting to find their groove.
  The return of 6-foot-6 junior Hunter Weishuhn against Hobbs gave Seminole another big body to go inside with 6-foot-6, 240-pound senior Rance Layton. Both have a soft touch around the basket and defensively get their hands on a lot of shots and alter even more. Combine that junior Jacob Burtch (Seminole's quarterback that led the Indians to a regional championship and the state quarterfinals) and that is a good trio of bigs for Seminole coach Paul Page to rotate.
  But Seminole is paced by electric point guard Jarod Adams. The 5-foot-9 senior (who I've seen dunk during warmups) is ultra-quick with great vision (sometimes too good as sometimes he catches teammates off guard with his passes) who can put up points in a hurry whether he's driving around someone or shooting over them. Having seen all of Hobbs' games this season, he's probably the best and most athletic guard Hobbs has faced this season.
  Adams' strengths aren't only on the offensive end as he's a menace for opposing guards, proved by racking up 10 steals against Kermit on Tuesday to go along with 13 points and eight assists – just two assists shy of a triple double.
  Combine Adams with his freshman brother Sabraun Adams (or reserve guard Isaac Rangel) at the top of Seminole's 2-3 zone to go along with a combination of Layton, Weishuhn, Ryan Johnson (a solid perimeter shooter) and Burtch at the bottom of the zone and the Indians' defense is very solid.
  With its pieces now in place, Seminole is going to be a dangerous. How dangerous, who knows? Only time will tell.