Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
DEREK MAJOR: Staff photo Portales Ramssenior point guard Brooke Lopez tries to run past a defender during the Rams practice Tuesday. The Rams will start their season Thursday against Magdalena at the Moriarty tournament.
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Portales Ramssenior point guard Brooke Lopez tries to run past a defender during the Rams practice Tuesday. The Rams will start their season Thursday against Magdalena at the Moriarty tournament.
Staff writer
Portales is off to a late start to its title defense.
The Lady Rams play their first game Thursday against Magdalena in the Moriarty tournament.
“Our coach has told us that a lot of the teams we play early are going to be in their fourth or fifth game,” said senior point guard Brooke Lopez. “But last week we had a few intense, hard practices and I think it’ll really help us get ready for this tournament.”
Last year, Wade Fraze took over the coaching duties from Clay Stout and led the Lady Rams to their first state title since 2007 and their seventh overall. Portales finished second to Lovington in District 4-3A, but got hot at the right time.
The state title run included wins over Lovington in the semifinals and previously unbeaten Shiprock in the title game. Fraze knows the Lady Rams will be the hunted instead of the hunters this season.
“We’re definitely going to have to face some challenges this season,” Fraze said after the Lady Rams practice on Tuesday. “I think any team that has had success is going to face challenges. We’ll have a target on our backs this season and complacency could also be an issue. I hope it doesn’t happen to us, but it’s been known to happen to teams.”
Lopez said the team is not about to rest on its laurels.
“We’re always going to be happy we were state champs last year,” Lopez said. “But Coach Fraze makes a big point to let us know it’s a different year and a different team. If we stay stuck on last year we’ll get beat out so we’re not thinking about that.”
The Lady Rams return 10 players from last year’s team. “We’ve learned a lot from Coach Fraze during this time, and we’re heading into the season confident and strong,
” junior post and last year’s leading scorer Kambrey Blakely said. “We’re going to play hard all season and not give up.”
The Lady Rams plan to push the ball on offense and press.
“I like to move the ball and be up tempo, but the kids determine our style of play,” Fraze said. “If we don’t have the personnel on the court for it we cant press or run out but that’s what I like to, especially on defense.” “Offensively, I like all my players to be a threat. I don’t want two or three go-to threats. I want everyone to be able to score.”
Fraze said he won’t grade this season’s success on whether the Lady Rams repeat as champions.
“I expect character integrity and a strong work ethic,” Fraze said. “I want my players to be better than the average student athlete. I want them to succeed on and off the court those are my expectations for them and those are the same things they expect of themselves.”
