THS girls edge Ruidoso for district title

The Tucumcari girls basketball team captured its second straight district title Friday night, but it wasn't easy.

Trailing for much of the game, the Lady Rattlers gathered themselves to put together a 14-1 scoring run in the fourth quarter to take the lead, then hung on for dear life during a 54-52 victory over fellow district contender Ruidoso.

Kyla Lopez scored 12 of her team-high 15 points during that key fourth quarter as the Lady Rattlers, ranked sixth in Class 3A by MaxPreps.com, improved to 21-3 overall and captured the regular-season district crown with a 6-0 mark.

July Lafferty added 12 points for Tucumcari. Caylee Benavidez scored 11 points, including a critical free throw with 6.4 seconds left.

Tucumcari nabbed the No. 1 seed and home court in this week's district tournament, with the championship set for 6 p.m. Friday. Tucumcari likely will face second-seeded Ruidoso (12-13, 4-2) again.

The Lady Rattlers, who defeated the Warriors by 12 points at Ruidoso less than two weeks before, seemed poised to cruise to an easy victory when they stormed to an 11-4 lead in the first quarter.

But Lopez and key defensive contributor Haisley Huffman each fell into foul trouble. Tucumcari added to its woes by missing shots in the paint, and Ruidoso scored several baskets in transition.

"We were just getting outhustled, and they showed that they wanted it more than us," THS coach Patrick Benavidez said.

Ruidoso led 24-20 at intermission and commanded a 32-26 lead midway through the third quarter.

Benavidez credited Alexis Ramirez, Aubri French and Kirksey Smith for helping keep his team afloat during its troubles. The Lady Rattlers probably should have trailed by double digits, but the Warriors never had more than a six-point lead.

"We talked at halftime, 'We got to keep it close, got to keep it manageable,'" Benavidez said. "These girls, man ... They don't they don't ever think they're out of a game."

Tucumcari still trailed 41-37 in the fourth quarter when they put together the big run, thanks largely to a press defense that forced turnovers.

"We were trying to force the ball into the press," Ruidoso coach Billy Page said. "Coach Benavidez did a good job of adjusting. We had some open looks, didn't make those passes and turned the ball over three out of four times. They converted them into layups, and that hurt."

Benavidez said Huffman played a key role in the press.

"She can jump out of the gym, and you got to have her there," he said. "She made some big steals. If we're going to press, we have to have her on the court to have that higher intensity. She's like a free safety in football, and she can cut on the ball and get there."

Benavidez said he voiced confidence with Lopez after she made just one field goal in the first three quarters.

"She was losing confidence in herself a little bit," he said. "I talked to her, and I knew I had to have her in the game because she's one of the top scorers. Whenever you're a good scorer like that, eventually it's going to fall for you and, and you got to just keep on shooting it."

Lopez repaid that confidence by scoring eight points during the Rattlers' 14-1 run, turning a four-point deficit into a 51-42 lead with about 2 1/2 minutes left.

The Warriors fought back with a 10-3 run to close the game. But Ruidoso missed three free throws in the final 35 seconds, including one that would have tied it with 10.5 seconds left.

Caylee Benavidez made one of two free throws with 6.4 seconds left to give her team a 54-52 lead.

Setting up a final play, the Warriors crisply passed the ball down the court to create an open 3-point attempt for Daana Lugo that would have won it. But her shot bounced off the rim as time expired.

"Ruidoso, hats off to them because they kept themselves in the game and hit shots. They had that good look at the end," coach Benavidez said.

"I just hope I can get back here next Friday and give them the same type of game," Page said.

Tucumcari 62, NMMI 16

The Lady Rattlers stormed to a 25-6 first-quarter lead en route to a 62-16 district victory over New Mexico Military Institute last Tuesday.

Tucumcari led 44-8 at intermission.

Coach Benavidez said he changed his team's defense to frustrate guard Kaytlyn Lackey and the Lady Colts' offense.

"We talked about going out there early and really establishing our dominance," he said.

Lafferty scored 20 points, and Lopez added 16. Caylee Benavidez added 14.

NMMI fell to 2-10, 1-4.