Forget about the fact that the Madera Coyotes have not won a Tri-River Athletic Conference game in the past 25 contests.

Forget about the fact that they were taking on the Clovis East Timberwolves, the 2006 and 2007 Valley champions who are also the top-ranked Division I team in the section.

Tuesday night at Joe Flores Gym was a reckoning of sorts for the much-maligned Coyotes (5-15, 0-5) who clawed and scratched themselves to within a whisper of knocking off the No. 1 ranked Timberwolves (19-5. 5-0) before succumbing 78-68.

The high-flying, death-defying, dunk-mystifying Timberwolves had their hands full all night against a gutsy Coyotes squad that refused to let championships and lofty credentials dampen their upset-minded, aggressive play.

Note: The above article has been shortened from its published form in The Madera Tribune newspaper. For information about an online subscription, view http://maderatribuneredline.com/online-subscriptions/

Paul Stanford Paul Stanford is the sports editor for the Madera Tribune. You can contact Paul at 674.8134 ext. 225 or e-mail at pstanford (at) maderatribune.net The Madera Tribune online subscription To subscribe or log on, CLICK HERE. For more information first, CLICK HERE.