Timberwolves Weather Senior Night Emotions to Top Cuba, Finish Regular Season 23-2

SANDIA PARK — It wasn’t the prettiest win of the season, but for the East Mountain Timberwolves, it might have been one of the most meaningful.

On a night dedicated to honoring the five seniors (Damion Reyes, Ben Schwebke, Quinlan Gwyther, Enrique Garcia and Aiden Erickson) who helped built the program from the ground up, the No. 5 Timberwolves (23-2) fended off a feisty Cuba Rams (6-20) squad for a 48-37 victory on Thursday night. The win marks the conclusion of a historic regular season for East Mountain, though the postseason path remains subject to results elsewhere in the district.

Early Surge and the “Vicente Factor”

The Timberwolves jumped out to a 15-6 lead in the first quarter, fueled by an immediate spark off the bench from junior Vicente Ortiz. Ortiz was “on fire” early, accounting for nearly half of the team’s early production and finishing the night with 13 points, including three shots from beyond the arc.

However, the “Senior Night” jitters and foul trouble eventually slowed the tempo. East Mountain led 25-16 at the half, but the rhythm sputtered as Ortiz and others dealt with whistles that kept them sidelined for stretches.

Cuba Hangs Tough

The Rams refused to go away quietly in the second half. Led by their standout No. 5, Cuba cut the deficit to just six points midway through the third quarter, trailing 30-24.

“Tip your hat to them, they played well,” East Mountain coach Brad Hofmann said. “Number five is a good player… and it wasn’t like we weren’t guarding. He hit some tough shots.”

Despite the pressure, the Timberwolves regained their footing to lead 37-30 heading into the final frame. Junior Liam Pierce helped steady the ship, matching Ortiz with a team-high 13 points (including two three-pointers), while Aiden Erickson added 7 to help pull away late.

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Box Score Highlights

Player	Points	Notable
Liam Pierce	13	Two 3-pointers
Vicente Ortiz	13	Three 3-pointers
Aiden Erickson	7
Ben Schwebke	5
Eric Hofmann	4

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Coach’s Corner: A Blessing of a Senior Class

For Coach Hofmann, the takeaway wasn’t the X’s and O’s of a 11-point win; it was the journey of the players walking off the court. This senior class has overseen a total transformation of the program—from a two-win season their freshman year to a 23-win powerhouse today.

“They started with this thing when we were not winning hardly any games… we won two, I think, their freshman year,” Hofmann reflected. “They were the ones that kept coming to open gyms and summer tournaments… they just stuck with it. It’s been a blessing to coach them.”

Hofmann acknowledged that the emotional weight of the night made for a “tricky” game. “It wasn’t a beautiful game… Senior Night can be a tough night. It’s emotional. But I’m really glad they get to walk out of here with the W.”

What’s Next?

The Timberwolves now enter “uncharted waters” as they look toward the district and state tournaments. Their immediate schedule depends on the outcome of the Bosque vs. Sandia Prep game:

• If Bosque wins: East Mountain will host Cuba again this Tuesday.
• If Bosque loses: East Mountain will play Bosque on Saturday at a neutral site to determine the district bye.

Regardless of the opponent, Hofmann says the preparation remains the same. “We’re training all the time for the end, so we don’t have to do anything too different. We’ll be ready to go.”