Rams thump defending 3A champs

LAS VEGAS, N.M. — Junior guard Chris Adkins scored 11 points Wednesday to help the Portales High Rams claim fifth place in the 51st Stu Clark Tournament at New Mexico Highlands University with a 52-37 win over defending Class 3A state champion Bernalillo.

PHS (6-5) took early control of the game, bolting to an 11-1 lead, before the Spartans closed to within three points late in the half. But Bernalillo managed only 16 points in the final two periods.

The Spartans, who beat Portales for third place in last year’s Stu Clark Tournament, graduated scoring leaders Kenny Chavez and A.J. Sanchez from their state championship team.

“We jumped on them right away,” PHS boys coach Mark Gallegos said. “Then we got lackadaisical in the second quarter and started turning it over.

“We came out and played pretty well in the second half. Our press was good to us tonight; it gave us a lot of easy baskets.”

Adkins had two of the Rams’ 3-pointers. Senior post Bo Gabriel notched team highs of six rebounds and three assists.

“Chris Adkins had a big game on the offensive end,” Gallegos said. “Chris and Trevor Ferguson (7 points) and Daniel Aranda (7 points) stepped up for us, and Tyler (Johnson, 8 points) picked up the slack for us inside.”

Portales 52, Bernalillo 37

Portales (6-5) — Daniel Aranda 3 0-2 7, Chris Kirchner 1 0-1 2, Bo Gabriel 3 0-0 6, Trevor Ferguson 2 3-4 7, Chris Adkins 4 1-3 11, Chris Carter 2 1-4 5, Tyler Johnson 3 2-4 8, Jack Hale 3 0-2 6. Totals 21 7-20 52.

Bernalillo — Bobby Trujillo 4 1-2 10, Pierre Williams 3 2-7 8, Eric Tafoya 2 0-2 5, Keith Benally 1 2-5 4, Paul Wiggins 1 1-2 3, Anthony Jaramillo 0 1-4 1, Noe Favela 3 0-0 6. Totals 14 7-22 37.

Portales 20 5 15 12 — 52

Bernalillo 10 11 11 5 — 37

3-pointers — Portales (3): Adkins 2, Aranda. Bernalillo (2): Tafoya, Trujillo.

Stu Clark Tournament

At Las Vegas, N.M.

Tuesday’s semifinals

Consolation bracket

Portales 48, Taos 30

Bernalillo 86, West Las Vegas 62

Championship bracket

Capital 70, Espanola 29

Santa Fe 79, Las Vegas Robertson 44

Wednesday’s finals

West Las Vegas 63, Taos 55 (7th)

Portales 52, Bernalillo 37 (5th)

Robertson 67, Espanola 60 (3rd)

Santa Fe vs. Capital (championship), late