Ol' Skool takes home fifth Hobbs Nite League title, beats ATA 76-63

Brad Cox/News-Sun

Ol' Skool's Ronald Ross goes up for a shot in 

Thursday's Hobbs Nite League title game.

  It was an eight-minute span in the second quarter that turned out to be the difference in the Hobbs Nite League final as No. 2 Ol' Skool outscored defending champ and top-seeded All the Above 26-6 to end the second quarter to turn a 29-17 deficit into a 43-35 halftime lead as ATA didn't get within four points the rest of the game during a 76-63 Ol' Skool win Thursday at Tasker Arena.
  The title is Ol' Skool's fifth since the league came back to an organized status in 2006 - but this was the first time it had made it to the final since 2009 after winning titles from 2006-09.
  ATA went cold offensively in the quarter and for much of the game - with Ol' Skool's tough defense having a lot to do with it. There were very few uncontested shots for ATA outside a few Juhreece Thompson dunks.

All the Above, Ol' Skool advance to Hobbs Nite League championship

Clayton Jones/News-Sun

All the Above's Billy Austin goes up for a dunk

during his team's win Wednesday at Tasker Arena.

  A great Hobbs Nite League championship game is set for 7 p.m. today (Thursday) as defending HNL champ and top seed All the Above take on 2007-09 champ and No. 2 Ol' Skool at Tasker Arena.
  Top-seeded ATA used a strong third quarter Wednesday to pull away from No. 4 Hobbs I for a 105-82 victory in the semifinals – led by Josh Sanders' 27 points and Tyler Turner's 25. Both along with Wayland Baptist University forward and Hobbs grad Juhreece Thompson and fellow Hobbs grad Billy Austin lead ATA into the final and will be tough to beat.

Breaking news: NMJC's Tifft hired as director of basketball ops at TCU

News-Sun File Photo

NMJC's Chris Tifft resigned Wednesday and
was hired as the director of men's basketball
operations at TCU.

  NMJC men's basketball coach Chris Tifft, who guided the Thunderbirds to their first regional appearance in over a decade last season, resigned Wednesday and has taken a job as the director of men's basketball operations at TCU.
  Tifft went 58-32 in his three seasons at NMJC, including a 23-9 mark last season. The T-Birds went 10-4 in Western Junior College Athletic Conference play last season (finishing tied for second) and qualified for the Region V Tournament for the first time in over a decade (winning its first round game before losing to eventual national champion South Plains in the semifinals).
  Tifft coached under first-year TCU coach Trent Johnson from 1999-2001 when Johnson was the head coach at Nevada.
  NMJC athletic director Don Worth said NMJC assistant coach James Miller has been recommended to take over for Tifft. The NMJC board will vote on the recommendation on Aug. 9.
  A full story with reaction from Tifft and Worth will be in Thursday's Hobbs News-Sun (hobbsnews.com).

Hobbs Nite League playoffs underway, quarterfinals Tuesday

Clayton Jones/News-Sun

Thunder's Brandon Marinovich goes up

for a layup Monday at Tasker Arena.

  The Hobbs Nite League postseason is underway with no upsets early on and a Hobbs I team (the returning varsity players) for the first time in years with a chance to make noise and make a run for the title.

  One quarterfinal was already determined Monday night when top-seeded All the Above (led by former Eagles Billy Austin and Juhreece Thompson) won via forfeit against Stroke Sumn (the team was a no show). ATA won the title last season and will be a tough out once again.

  The other semifinal on that side of the bracket will be 6:30 p.m. today at Tasker Arena (where all games take place) when No. 4 Hobbs I takes on No. 5 Who U Wit (led by former Eagles Benny Baeza and Chris French). This will be a tough matchup for full-court pressing Hobbs I as Who U Wit has very good guard play in Baeza and French.

Hobbs shows improvement in 7-on-7 against Artesia at Watson Stadium

Clayton Jones/News-Sun

Hobbs' Brayden Price throws a pass against

Artesia on Tuesday at Watson Stadium.

  In a rare July drizzle in Hobbs, the Eagle football team showed improvement in picking up first-year Hobbs coach Charles Gleghorn's spread offense during a 7-on-7 workout against Artesia on Tuesday at Watson Stadium.
  Returning starting quarterback Brayden Price went 22-for-34 with four touchdowns (including a great seam pass for a 35-yard score to Javon King) and a pair of interceptions. Price shared the wealth, hitting four different receivers with at least three passes apiece.
  Gleghorn told me after the scrimmage his team looked much better than it did during the New Mexico vs. Texas 7-on-7 event just over a week ago in Chaparral – including dropping less passes and being able to run routes without using wristbands for guidance.

Hobbs Nite League All-Star festivities don't disappoint, first attempt at video coverage

Brad Cox/News-Sun

HNL dunk contest winner Dekabriean Eldridge.

  The Hobbs Nite League All-Star festivities on the Fourth of July is one of my favorite events of the summer and again it didn't disappoint on Wednesday at Tasker Arena.
  Whether it was seeing the future of the Hobbs boys basketball program in the Junior High All-Star Game, the current Eagles in the High School All-Star Game, the 3-point contest (won by Daniel Salazar), the dunk contest (won by NMJC sophomore Dekabriean Eldridge - see photo) or the Hobbs Nite League All-Star Game itself – it's a day full of highlights and fun.
  I'm going to start trying to do a little more video coverage of sporting events and such, and since I don't have a video camera yet and am using my iPod for now, it may be a little shaky early on. Here is my first attempt at it with a video of Anthony Flemons competing in the dunk contest.

Tasker's family visits Hobbs

Clayton Jones/News-Sun

Ralph Tasker's daughters Diane Tasker, left, and Nancy Tasker Johnson

visited Tasker Arena on Friday for the first time in over a decade.

  Three generations of Ralph Tasker's descendants walked through the doors of Ralph Tasker Arena on Friday for the first time since he died in July of 1999.

  And I am so glad I was there.

  Tasker's daughters Diane Tasker and Nancy Tasker Johnson, Nancy's daughter Michelle Williams and Michelle's daughter Ali Williams all took an impromptu visit to Tasker Arena as they helped Nancy, who just retired, move from the Dallas area to Las Cruces (where Diane lives).

  For me, I've been in Hobbs for six years and have heard numerous stories about Coach Tasker and I enjoy each one because it gives you a glimpse of who the great man I never got to meet was.