Rams hold off Rattlers late

Slowly but surely, the Portales Rams are putting something together.

The Rams moved within a game of the .500 mark Tuesday night, holding off Tucumcari 46-43 at the Ram Activity Center for their fourth win in a row.

No one reached double figures for PHS (8-9), but the Rams had just enough to hold off a Travis Garcia-led rally by the Rattlers (8-7).

Garcia, who struggled mightily in the first half, had three 3-pointers and 17 of the Rattlers’ 18 points in the third period as Tucumcari pulled to within 38-37. The senior forward finished with 25 points.

Portales held the Rattlers scoreless for 4 1/2 minutes of the fourth quarter, though. Tucumcari managed just two 3-pointers in the period, including a 30-footer by Garcia as time ran out.

“I knew Travis was going to get going,” Rams coach Mark Gallegos said. “They (Rattlers) just do a lot of good stuff.”

Senior guard David Rodriguez led the Rams with nine points, while three others finished with at least seven. It was the Rams’ eighth game this season decided by seven or fewer points.

“We knew they were going to come out aggressive and we didn’t match their intensity (early),” Rattlers coach John Span said.

Junior forward Luke Smith, the Rattlers’ No. 2 scoring option, got into early foul trouble and eventually fouled out with six points.

“Hopefully, Luke will learn from that,” Span said. “He’s too valuable to the team. When you take one of (the scorers) away, it really slows us down.”

Portales came into the season with little returning experience from last year’s Class 3A state tournament squad.

“We’ve played a lot of close games this year,” senior guard Ben Blue said. “I think we’re mature enough to handle it.”

Portales led by 10 points late in the half, but Garcia wasted little time. He opened the third stanza with a three-point play, then hit back-to-back 3s to make it 32-29 with just over two minutes left.

Rams sophomore Jarrett Faust answered with a 3-pointer, but Garcia converted another three-point play and jumper and a buzzer-beating 3 to end the period.

Rodriguez guarded Garcia in the final quarter and held him scoreless until the late trifecta.

“(Garcia’s) a good player, but David did a good job on him,” Blue said.

Portales hosts unbeaten Class 4A top-ranked Roswell High on Friday. Tucumcari returns to action on Thursday at Springer.