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Portales girls cruise past Ruidoso

PORTALES - Less than a month ago, Portales girls basketball needed a strong second half to pull away from Ruidoso.

On Friday night, the Rams put away the Warriors right from the get-go, 69-22. With the win, Portales wins the 4A-District 4 regular season title, and will get to host the district tournament championship game.

"I think our overall play and ball movement was better tonight (compared to our last game against Ruidoso)," Rams coach Wade Fraze said. "(But) it was not a stellar shooting performance for us by any means. From the floor, from the line, especially in the first half.

"We were getting the shots, we were getting the free throws, it was just a lid on the rim. But, I'm not worried about that, because that'll come. Overall play and movement was better."

Portales (22-2, 5-0) quickly stormed ahead, 15-2, after baskets from Taylee Rippee, Lindsay Blakey and Kelly Fraze. Rippee would go on to lead the Rams with 19 points, including six in the first quarter.

A 3-pointer from Ruidoso's Andee Roach briefly cut the deficit to 12 points in the early stages of the second quarter. However, Portales would soon go on an 8-0 run, thanks to six successful free throws in a row, to put the Warriors (6-18, 0-5) away.

Blakey would soon add a putback to increase the Ram lead to 19, before Rippee added a pair of jumpers to end the half, giving Portales a 44-16 lead. Fraze and Blakey joined Rippee in double-figures, adding 14 and 13 points, respectively.

"Portales was ready, we weren't," Warriors coach Jason Kampsky said. "Frankly, that's what it all boils down to. Portales is always difficult to beat at home, and they're always big and physical and athletic. My girls fought and so I'll give them credit for that, but Portales came out and they're acting like they want to be the frontrunners in the state. It's like they came out with something to prove - they played well."

The win gives Portales its third district title in four years, but it is the first for the Rams in their current district, in which they joined a season ago. Portales will look to finish perfect in league play when they travel to last year's district winner, Hope Christian, on Tuesday night.

According to Fraze, while winning a district title is great, it does come with its disadvantages.

"Well, it means we'll have a longer rest," Fraze explained. "We'll have a bye to the district championship, which sometimes is good, and sometimes the layoff makes you rusty. We'll see when it gets here."