Rams rally for win over Mustangs

PORTALES – On paper, it looked like a lock.

But as ESPN’s Chris Berman would say, that’s why they play the games.

Portales High’s boys came off two solid wins in the Portales Shootout at the Ram Athletic Center and didn’t figure to have much trouble with an Andrews squad which has been struggling a bit this season.

Of course, that wasn’t the case. The Rams won 55-48 on Saturday night only after erasing an eight-point deficit with a 16-0 run to start the final quarter.

Senior guard Davian Lucero converted 11-of-14 free throws and scored 21 points for the Rams (10-7), who shot 17-of-23 from the line in the final stanza and 24-of-35 overall.

“Our legs were tired,” said Lucero, who scored 12 points in the period, including 8-of-10 from the line. “Coach (Randy McBroom) was like, ‘If you want to win this game, you’ve got to have some toughness.’ In the fourth quarter, we really turned it around.”

Until the final eight minutes, it looked for all the world like the Mustangs (6-14), who had dropped their first two in the event, were going to spoil the party.

“They outplayed us for the first three quarters,” McBroom said. “We talked about it being a matter of toughness.”

Andrews jumped in front 5-0 and trailed only briefly twice, both by two points, until the final segment. Senior guard Ashton Galvan’s 3-pointer with four seconds left made it 41-33 after three stanzas.

“At the beginning of the season, I don’t think we would’ve won this game,” Lucero said. “But we’re playing good at the right time now, with district coming up.”

Sophomore forward Paxton Culpepper added 12 points and senior guard Xodus Gomez 10 for Portales, which returns to action next Tuesday at Texico. Senior forward Steven “Bubba” Hernandez tallied three 3-pointers and 15 points to pace Andrews.

Portales 55, Cathedral 44 (Friday) – Coming off a dominating win over Pojoaque on Thursday night, the Rams were solid in taking care of business against the Fighting Irish.

Culpepper scored five points and Gomez and Lucero four each as PHS broke the game open with a 13-4 burst in the third stanza to lead by 16. Lucero tallied 13 points in the contest while Culpepper added three 3s and 12 points.

“We’ve played a really good basketball team two nights in a row,” McBroom said after the win. “They’re (Rams) starting to reap some of the rewards of their hard work.

“They’re a tremendous group of boys. They play hard, they play for each other, and it’s amazing.”

Culpepper and junior Zane Mayberry each grabbed seven rebounds for the Rams, while Lucero and sophomore Jase Hightower added five steals. Gomez had four assists and four steals.

Senior forward Max Pina and senior forward-guard Diego Perez had 10 points apiece for Cathedral (10-12 after losing to Pojoaque on Saturday).

Carlsbad 43, Portales girls 33 (Friday) – In between games of the Shootout at the RAC, the visiting Cavegirls (13-2) rode 16 points from 6-foot senior forward-guard Allie Myers to victory.

Carlsbad limited the Lady Rams (7-8) to seven second-half tallies, all coming in the final canto, in erasing a three-point halftime deficit.

“She’s tall and she can jump,” PHS girls coach Wade Fraze said of Myers, who missed her entire junior season with an injury. “Our kids played a super first half, but the wheels fell off in the third quarter.”

Senior Mariana Sepulveda added 11 points for Carlsbad, ranked sixth in Class 5A. Sophomore guard Myleigh Banda scored 13 points and grabbed five rebounds while sophomore guard Angel Ornelas led the team with four assists and five steals.

The next outing for PHS is a home date against Tucumcari on Friday night.