Rattlers fall to Dexter

The Dexter boys basketball team Tucumcari defeated more than two months ago wasn't the same squad that defeated the Rattlers 68-58 during a district matchup Feb. 12 at the Snake Pit.

Jaxon Arguello led Tucumcari with 18 points, and Jesus Ramos added 16 as the Rattlers fell to 3-17 overall and 1-2 in 4-3A. The Rattlers committed 10 turnovers and endured shooting woes as the Demons staked a double-digit lead during the first half.

Tucumcari downed Dexter 60-51 on Dec. 6 during the West Las Vegas Shootout tournament. But the Demons squad played without most of its players during its first five games because of the football team's long march to a Class 3A state title. Dexter coach Arthur Cobos said that Tucumcari game was his team's first with the football players in the lineup. After that loss, the Demons were in a 1-5 hole.

"They weren't in basketball shape when we played them," Tucumcari coach John Span said. "They're in basketball shape now."

Since then, Dexter has logged an 11-6 record and surfaced above the .500 mark overall. The Demons improved to 2-1 in district play.

Sergio Ramirez led the Demons with 17 points, while Jaime Chavira added 16.

Dexter held a size advantage - especially with 6-foot-6 Bryan Cano in the lineup - over Tucumcari and used it. The Demons also drove hard into the inside lane for high-percentage shots and in transition. By the end of the first quarter, Dexter held a 23-11 advantage.

"Anytime we have someone one-on-one and the lane is open, we should be taking it every time," Cobos said.

Span said his team missed a bunch of layups, and he surmised it was because his players were concerned about blocked shots by the taller Demons.

"They weren't trying to find a spot on the glass," Span said. "They were worried about not getting their shot blocked.

"Dexter did a good job hitting their shots. They played really well, as good as I've seen them. We didn't hit shots, and we were turning the ball over."

What also frustrated Span was his team enjoyed a rare night without free-throw problems. The Rattlers made 18 of 21 shots from the line.

"If we had gotten to the line a little more by being more aggressive instead of jacking threes, it might have been a different game," he said.

Dexter maintained a 12-point advantage at halftime. Midway through the third quarter, the Demons swished three 3-pointers to fatten their advantage to 23 points. Dexter made six 3-pointers during the game, while Tucumcari had two.

"We let them go on runs at the beginning of the game and the third quarter," Span said. "You can't do that; you can't let a good team go on spurts."

Tucumcari battled back several times in the second half but never reduced the gap below 10.

NMMI 50, Tucumcari 32

Tucumcari's already so-so chances to win the district title suffered a blow Friday with a 50-32 loss to host New Mexico Military Institute.

The cold-shooting Rattlers (3-18, 1-3 in district) trailed 14-8 in the first quarter, 29-15 at halftime and 40-22 at the end of the third quarter.

Tucumcari shot just 18 percent from the field, including 1-for-11 from the 3-point line. Foul-shooting problems also resurfaced for the Rattlers again by converting just 17 of 31 shots (55 percent).

"We missed a lot of layups and free throws and had baskets called back," Span said, "and we had too many turnovers."

Matthew Lopez led Tucumcari with 10 points, while Ramos added nine.

Hector Reyna led the Colts with 20 points, who improved to 7-6 overall and 3-1 in the district. NMMI is tied with Dexter for first place in the district. They play each other Friday.