Area high school basketball teams in mid-district play

link Rattler Zedric Henderson-Green fights for the rebound against a Santa Rosa

Lions defender during Friday night’s district game in Santa Rosa. Tucumcari

defeated the Lions 49-47. The Rattlers next game will be Friday at Clayton.

By Thomas Garcia

QCS Senior Writer

Making free-throws, taking care of the ball and not letting the Clayton Yellowjackets’ Mark Craine move freely underneath the goal will be crucial factors for the Tucumcari Rattlers to win Friday in Clayton, said Rattlers head coach John Span.

Span said the Rattlers 19-3, 2-1, will have to do a better job of boxing out and keeping Craine from taking the ball where he wants it than they did in their last game against Clayton.

Craine scored 31points against the Rattlers as Clayton won 68-51 on Jan. 30 at the Snake Pit.

“Craine has size and speed and is very smooth moving with the basketball,” Span said.

In the past, free throws have been an issue for the Rattlers but in Saturday's 75-33 win over Dexter the team shot 75 percent from the foul line.

Offensive leaders against Dexter: D'Ontee Sandoval, 26 points; Michael Eldridge, 14 points; and Daniel Lopez, 12 points

“I have been stressing to the guys that we have to make those foul shots,” Span said. “Those points can make or break you in a close game.”

That was never more apparent than in the Rattlers’ 49-47 win Friday night in Santa Rosa.

The game was tied at 47 with 57 seconds left in the game. The Lions’ Chavez Javante had been fouled but missed both of his free-throws. The Lions were 6-19 from the foul line, and in the fourth period Santa Rosa made only 4 of 15 attempts, three of which were the front side of one-and-one foul shots.

Span said Javante’s missing those two free throws was huge. If he had made them, it would have changed the game ending completely, Span said.

The missed foul shots and a costly Lions pass out of bounds set up Sandoval, who minutes earlier had turned the ball over on a walk and missed a three-pointer, for a buzzer-beating layup to win the game.

“I knew I had to redeem myself for the mistakes I had made earlier,” Sandoval said. “There was a small lane that opened up and I drove the ball to the basket.”

Sandoval had eight points against the Lions, but John Paul Garcia led Tucumcari with 19 points.

Span said it was a a huge win against Santa Rosa, especially at the last second. It's always tougher to get a win on another team's court, he said.

“All we can do is play our game and hope we are ready to take care of business Friday in Clayton,” Span said.

Game time: 7 p.m., Friday at Clayton.

For the Lady Rattlers 8-14, 1-2, to compete Friday in Clayton, they will need to play as a team, transition from offense to defense and take their time shooing, said Gary Hittson, Lady Rattlers head coach.

Hittson said the Lady Rattlers could not buy a basket during Saturday night's 46-33 loss at Dexter. He said from the sidelines, the ball would appear to be straight on with the basket but would rim-out.

“They were making good shots they just wouldn't fall,” Hittson said.

Hittson said the Lady Rattlers continue to struggle with offensive assignments and transitioning to defense to maintain pressure on the opposing team. He said these are things the Lady Rattlers work on every day in practice but often escape the team during games.

Hittson said in Friday's 69-37 loss at Santa Rosa, the Lady Rattlers put up no defensive pressure, were out-rebounded and did not drive the ball to the basket. He said the Lady Lions did nothing that the Lady Rattlers were not expecting but kept beating the Lady Rattlers with the rebound and the second and third shots.

“Against Clayton we are going to have to box out and secure the rebound,” Hittson said. “We have to limit their second shot attempts.”

Hittson said another key factor playing against Clayton is remaining aware of where Drew Hildago is on the court. Hildago, scored 18 points on six 3-pointers in the 65-37 win against the Lady Rattlers Jan. 30 at the Snake Pit.

Game time: 6 p.m. Friday at Clayton.

The Logan Longhorns 15-4, 1-1, and Lady Longhorn 14-5, 1-1, continue district play Thursday in Fort Sumner and are preparing for the Foxes/Vixens while trying shake off a pair of losses to Melrose on Saturday.

The Longhorns got into early foul trouble which forced three starters to the bench by the end of the first half, said Randy Robertson Longhorns head coach.

As a result, Robinson said, the Longhorns could not defend against the Buffaloes as aggressively in the second half. He said the Longhorns will have to play smarter against Fort Sumner, a team they beat 83-46 Thursday in Logan.

“We may have beat them before, but if we continue to plague ourselves with foul trouble there is no certainty to any outcome,” Robertson said.

Robertson said in the last match-up with the Foxes, Hisel Garret and Hunter Sparks accounted for 32 of Fort Sumner's 46 points (Garret 19 points and Hunter 13 points). He said containing Fort Sumner's two inside threats will be one of the keys to a win on Thursday night.

Game time 6 p.m. Thursday at Fort Sumner.

It was a close game throughout the final period, but the Lady Buffaloes made some key shots and forced the Lady Longhorns to shoot some bad shots as they tried to catch up, said Clair Rachor Lady Longhorn's head coach.

Foul trouble in the late periods of Saturday's 64-56 loss in Fort Sumner took Lady Longhorns posts Emily Collins and Kippi Webb out the game and left younger players to fill in their positions.

Rachor said I have a lot of confidence in our young player's abilities, but against a strong opponent like Melrose they can only defend so well.

Rachor said the Lady Longhorns will have to push pass the tough loss at Melrose and take care of business Thursday night in Fort Sumner. Fort Sumner is a tough opponent and in district match-ups, he said, the teams know each other inside and out, and it always makes for a nice game.

“What is comes down to is the Lady Longhorns need to put pressure on the ball,” Rachor said.

Rachor said against Fort Sumner, the Lady Longhorns should be able to guard the inside game a lot stronger than they did against Melrose. The Vixens aren't as much of a threat from the perimeter as the Lady Buffaloes, Rachor said.

Game time: 5 p.m. Thursday at Fort Sumner

The San Jon Coyotes 14-4, 2-1 and Lady Coyotes 2-16, 0-4, are preparing to host the Grady/House Bronchos Thursday at San Jon.

The Coyotes and Lady Coyotes are coming off a pair of losses to the Springer Red Devils on Friday at San Jon. The teams had a district game at Floyd on Tuesday night (score not available before publication.)

Game time: 4:30 p.m. Thursday at San Jon.