Pojoaque Outguns Penasco in Ben Lujan Tournament

In the absence of an inside game, the Pojoaque Valley Elks turned Ben Lujan Gymnasium into a shooting gallery Thursday night in their 64-34 first round victory over Penasco in the first round of the Ben Lujan Tournament.

The Elks canned eight 3-pointers. Penasco (2-3) didn’t make a three.

Pojoaque started the game with virtually all substitutes in the starting lineup.  It didn’t really matter, despite the fact that the Elks went scoreless for the first 4:45 of the first quarter. Penasco went up 4-0 before the Elks found their rhythm to and finish the first quarter with a Brandon Bustos 3-ball and a 14-8 lead.

Bustos had a game high 15 points while Chris Martinez scored 10 and Anthony Rodriguez 9.

Senior Edwin Fierro ended the first half with a 3 to end a 7-0 Penasco run and give the Elks a 28-19 advantage at the half.

The Panthers were led by Darren Rodriguez with 13 post and their 6 foot post Joshua Gurule scored 12.

Penasco couldn’t compete with the Elks heavy rotation of new legs and scored just six points in the third quarter, while Pojoaque put up 18.

Pojoaque (5-2) plays Socorro, a 64-41 victor over Mesa Vista, tonight at 7 p.m. in the tournament’s second round.