Nothing better in any season than watching a tournament. In this area basketball is King, of course, and the biggest tournament belongs to Wingate High School and their three-week, 32-team Holiday Classic.

This tournament starts off the week before Winter Break with a varsity girls’ bracket, then goes to varsity boys’ the next weekend. Following those two are two-day junior varsity tournaments, one for each gender.

This current edition started in 1998 as a JV tournament for girls and boys, but added varsity boys in 2002 and varsity girls in 2012. To my knowledge, it is the largest basketball tournament in the state if all divisions are counted.

And the facilities at the gym...

UNM Lobo’s played with heart, but in the end the Arizona Wildcats prevailed 45-37 during the New Mexico Bowl in Albuquerque Dec. 19. Photos courtesy of RAH Photography.

Both words in the headline are used a lot these days. The problem is that few can really define either.

I have heard the phrase, “I’m free to do what I want,” that it sometimes makes me physically nauseous. The same goes for, “I’ll defend myself, my family, and my country to the last bullet.”

The two words do not fit well together, indeed they seem on opposite ends of the spectrum; almost oxymoronic in nature, with the emphasis on the last seven letters.

Both are responsibilities, though, just in different ways.

It was explained to me years ago that my freedom ended where another’s nose began. If you are having problems with this concept, turn off the TV and the...

Friday, Dec. 11

GHS BBB 52 @ Rio Rancho 49 (Artesia Tournament)

GHS WRST @ Bloomfield – NO RESULTS

MHS GBB 44 @ Rio Grande 32 (Alice King Invite)

MHS WRST @ Bloomfield – Varsity Team (4th Place of 8 teams) “Highest point total ever, 198.5,” coach Ken Starkovich. 1st Place-A.J. Starkovich, Most Outstanding Wrestler of Meet (8-0), Sr. 152#; 2nd Place-Jeremiah Salaz, Sr. 145#; 3rd Place-Drake Guererro, 8th Grade, 106#; 3rd Place-Enrique Diaz, So. 120#; 3rd Place-Clayton Tom, Jr. 126#; 3rd Place-Max Aycock, Jr. 132#; 3rd Place-Josh Ashley, Jr. 285#; 4th Place-Chris Coffey, Jr. 182#; 4th Place-Jairod Gonzales, So. 220#.

Junior Varsity Team (Third Place in Division) 1st...