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Lady Rams turn back Lubbock Christian

For the Portales Lady Rams, it was a brief respite at home.

JOSHUA LUCERO: CMI correspondent

Portales freshman Sheraya Cox looks for a way around Lubbock Christian's Ashlee De La Cruz during Tuesday night's girls matchup at the Ram Athletic Center. The Lady Rams notched a 41-26 win.

Taking advantage of their only game at the Ram Activity Center until Jan. 11, PHS got 14 points and 10 rebounds from junior post Savannah Vincent and 13 points from freshman post Kambrey Blakey to beat Lubbock Christian 41-26 on Tuesday night.

Portales (6-2) placed third and second, respectively in tournaments each of the last two weekends. The Lady Rams have games at Las Vegas Robertson on Friday night and West Las Vegas on Saturday afternoon, then head to Roswell the following weekend for a tournament hosted by Goddard.

"We knew we were going to have to dig down a little bit," Lady Rams coach Clay Stout said. "I think after that tournament (at Moriarty) this weekend, we lost our legs a little bit."

JOSHUA LUCERO: CMI correspondent

PHS freshman Kambrey Blakey puts up two points during the third quarter of Tuesday night's girls matchup against Lubbock Christian at the Ram Athletic Center. Portales defeated the Lady Eagles 41-26.

PHS jumped out to a 13-0 lead over the Lady Eagles (9-6), a Class 1A school playing in the Texas Association of Private and Public Schools (TAPPS). Lubbock Christian was unable to get closer than eight the rest of the way.

"Our shots just weren't going in," Lubbock Christian coach Alesha Robertson said, "but that's a good team. They know how to run their offense."

Vincent had six points in Portales' early run. Blakey came on with nine of her points after halftime.

"My legs are a little sore," Vincent said. "I didn't know what to expect (from Lubbock Christian). I just knew they were going to play a zone."

Portales played deliberately much of the game, but the teams went up and down at times and it resulted in some turnovers — 19 for the Lady Rams, 21 for Lubbock Christian.

Senior guard Ashlee De La Cruz scored the Lady Eagles' first nine points and finished with 16, but Lubbock Christian had no one else with more than five.

"They did a really good job of shutting down our strengths," Stout said. "That little No. 55 (De La Cruz) was a horse. She rebounds, plays defense and she's as quick as a cat."