ALAMOSA – The Alamosa High School boys basketball team got off to a rough start when it hosted Pagosa Springs Friday at the AHS gym.

The Mean Moose were able to cut into the lead a couple times in the second half. However, the Pirates pulled away in the fourth quarter for a 56-44 win.

“We just started so slow and that really hurt us,” said Alamosa coach Caleb Cotton. “We got down 10. We have to start better.”

Pagosa scored the first 10 points of the game. Ty Rochey opened the game with a layup and Jeremiah Jones scored two straight baskets. Creede Dozier made a layup and two free throws for the 10-0 lead.

Kingston Wilcox but the Mean Moose on the board with a couple of free throws, but Bode Hubbard scored in the paint. Matthew Solis hit a jumper, but Jayton Ross made a 3-point basket for a 15-6 Pagosa lead at the end of the first quarter.

Dozier scored the first points of the second quarter, but Victor Zepeda made a layup and later a three to cut the deficit to 17-11.

Richey made two free throws, and Jones and Hubbard both scored to again give the Pirates a double-digit lead at 23-11.

Zepeda made a jumper, but Hubbard made two free throws. Solis knocked down a jumper, and Zepeda made another trey to bring the Mean Moose within 25-18 with 56 seconds left in the first half.

But Richey made two free throws, and Ross one of two for a 28-18 Pagosa lead at halftime.

Jaidyn Burciaga opened the second-half scoring with a layup, but Dozier scored on the other end. Josh Gonzalez, Wilcox and Burciaga all scored, and Zepeda made two free throws to cut the deficit to 30-28.

Jones ended the Mean Moose run with a layup, but Burciaga made a jumper and added a free throw to bring Alamosa within 32-31.

But Jones scored four points and Dozier two to push the lead to 38-31. Gabe Mora made a three to cut the lead to 38-34, but Jones and Duke Ketchum both made layups, and Dozier split at the line to give Pagosa a 43-34 lead at the end of the third quarter.

Dozier scored two baskets to begin the fourth quarter, but Wilcox and Zepeda both scored. Dozier scored again, but Mora made another 3-pointer, Nelson Arambula and Solis split at the line to reduce the lead to 49-44.

However, the Pirates would score the final seven points of the game. Ross scored three of them, and Richey and Dozier two apiece.

Zepeda led the Mean Moose in scoring with 14 points. Wilcox was next with eight and Burciaga scored seven.

Dozier led all scorers with 17 points, followed by Richey with 10.

Alamosa (5-8, 0-3) hosted Centauri on Tuesday. It will play Ignacio at home on Friday and travel to Lamar on Saturday.

“We just have to figure some things out,” Cotton said. “We have to play basketball like these guys have the potential to do.”

Pagosa Springs 56, Alamosa 44

Pagosa Springs – Dozier 5 7-8 17, Ketchum 1 0-3 2, Richey 3 4-4 10, Ross 2 2-4 7, Jones 6 2-3 14, Dean 0 0-2 0, Pitcher 0 0-0 0, Hubbard 2 2-2 6. Total 19 17-26 56.

3-point goals – Ross 1. Total 1.

Alamosa – Zepeda 5 2-4 14, Burciaga 3 1-1 7, Solis 2 1-2 5, Arambula 1 0-2 2, Gonzalez 1 0-0 2, Wilcox 3 2-3 8, Mora 2 0-0 6, Gutierrez 0 0-0 0, Aragon 0 0-0 0. Total 18 6-10 44.

3-point goals – Mora 2, Zepeda 2. Total 4.

Pagosa Springs 15 13 15 13 – 56

Alamosa 6 12 16 10 – 44

Fouls – Pagosa Springs 16, Alamoza 29. Fouled out – Gonzalez, Mora, Wilcox. Technical foul – Richey.