It was a sight to see.

On back-to-back days, the city of Santa Fe showed up for ... high school basketball games.

Who would have thought?

Actually, if it was a different decade, the thought wouldn't have entered your mind.

The city had forged a reputation not too long ago of having a hearty craving for prep basketball. But reputations have a way of waning over time, and it seemed this one was going that route.

Everyone tells the stories of how Sweeney Gymnasium would be packed back in the day for battles between Santa Fe High and
St. Michael's.

Even Toby Roybal Memorial Gymnasium enjoyed throngs of thousands, many of whom lustily cheered their Demons. When Capital and Santa Fe High played in the same district in the late 1990s, those games were filled to rafters with interested spectators at both places.

St. Michael's has enjoyed some of those moments, with matchups against West Las Vegas from 2001-04, Pojoaque Valley over the last seven seasons and recently with Albuquerque darling Hope Christian (though, the stands were 70 to 90 percent Horsemen faithful. Hope fans unite!).

But you could also go to games and see gyms that were three-quarters full -- or worse -- and that goes for Capital, St. Michael's and Santa Fe High.

Still, it was refreshing to see the city embrace a game like it did at Wednesday's Demons-Jaguars matchup. Edward A. Ortiz Memorial Gymnasium was hot, what with everyone sitting or standing practically on top of each other. The place rocked and rolled at times.

Simply put, it was a fun, exciting setting -- the kind that the players on the court no doubt have heard stories about, but hadn't had the privilege of tasting themselves.

And that's where the shame is.

"There should always be a crowd like that here when these two teams play," said David Rodriguez, Santa Fe High head coach. "Because it's not a very big place, number one, and ... What to people in Santa Fe have to do that's any better than that?"

For one night, the city had no reply. Good.

There should be more nights like that, and like the one for the Horsemen-Huskies game the following night. There's no reason not to support these players and to show the state that the passion which has been so noted in the past still exists today.

We all should find ourselves in a packed, hot, stuffy gym rapt in anticipation.

That's how the tales of games past began.

The rest of the story depends on the players who wear the names on the front of their jerseys proudly.

And we'll talk about what a sight it was.

Contact James Barron at 986-3045 or jbarron@sfnewmexican.com.