Fast Start Propels Moriarty Pintos to Dominant 50-14 Win Over Santa Fe Prep

December 10, 2025

***Lady Pinto starters celebrate as younger players take the court and score against Santa Fe.***

MORIARTY — The Moriarty High School girls’ basketball team wasted no time asserting their dominance Tuesday night, riding an explosive first half to a 50-14 victory over Santa Fe Prep.

The Pintos came out firing, establishing an 18-4 lead in the first quarter. They turned up the defensive intensity in the second, holding Santa Fe Prep to just two points while pouring in 23 of their own. By the time the halftime buzzer sounded, Moriarty held a commanding 41-6 advantage.

Despite the lopsided scoreboard, Moriarty head coach Jana Baguskis is still looking for more consistency from her squad, particularly regarding ball security. When asked to grade the team’s effort in protecting the basketball, she gave them a “B-plus.”

“I think we did things well, but there’s still a lot of room that we can be so much cleaner,” Baguskis said. “Sometimes we look like we’re playing ping pong rather than playing basketball. I just want us to catch and be aware, but definitely better than we’ve played. So I’ll take it.”

With the victory all but secured at the break, the pace slowed significantly in the second half. The third quarter ended in a 4-4 stalemate, and Moriarty took the fourth 5-4.

Baguskis noted that while the team could have easily pushed the lead to 35 points—triggering a running clock—she chose to use the opportunity to develop her bench. Having been on the receiving end of a blowout loss just last week, Baguskis emphasized sportsmanship and player development over running up the score.

“A lot of those girls who played in the first half are going to play huge amounts of varsity minutes all the time, and so if there’s a time to get other kids experience, then it’s their time to shine,” Baguskis explained. “I’m never going to be the person to run it up… but those kids aren’t going to grow if they don’t get the opportunity.”

The Pintos featured a balanced scoring attack led by Angelita Tapia and Laura Stewart, who both finished in double figures with 10 points each. Abbie Beukelman contributed 7 points, while Mikayla Ipiotis added 6.

Moriarty now turns its attention to an 8 a.m. Thursday matchup against Jemez Valley as Moriarty takes an early game in the Alice King Basketball Tournament that is being hosted by the Lady Pintos. Baguskis views the Jemez Valley game as a critical test against a specific defensive scheme that has troubled the Pintos in the past.

“We lost by one to them last year,” Baguskis said. “They’re a zone team, [and] that’s our nemesis—getting the ball to move on zone. But we’re prepared tomorrow for them, and you know, then we’ll prepare day by day.”