The Tucumcari boys basketball team used a fourth quarter run to put away the Logan Longhorns 64-54 on Friday at the Snake Pit.

With the score tied at 44 a minute into the fourth quarter, the Rattlers (6-10) went on a 13-1 run keyed by 3-pointers by Dalton Wood and Travis Garcia. The Longhorns (8-8) were never able to get any closer than nine through the rest of the game.

“We started hitting shots,” Tucumcari coach John Span said. “We missed open looks earlier but in the fourth we started knocking them down.”

Jakus Martinez led the Rattlers, who were playing their homecoming game, with 18 points. Janzten Darnell with 16 points and Alex Hutchins with 13 were the other two Rattlers in double figures.

Tucumcari led by 13 at halftime but watched the Longhorns storm back and tie it at the end of the third. The run was keyed by Brandon Rafool, who had 11 of his 14 points in the quarter.

“We switched up our defense,” Logan coach Billy Burns said. “We were able to take the lead but then they hit some big shots.”

“Every game we go through a dead spot,” Span said. “We get good looks but we just don’t knock them down.”

Truitt Frost was the leading scorer for the Longhorns with 17 with nine of them coming during Logan’s third quarter run. Rylan Calbert had 12 points in the back and forth affair.

“It is always good matchup when these two teams play,” Span said.

Tucumcari heads to Estancia on Saturday. Logan doesn’t play again until Thursday when they face other with district foe Grady.

Both games are at 7 p.m.

Girls

The Lady Rattlers held on to a two-point lead for a 36-34 homecoming win Friday night at the Snake Pit.

“It was a lot closer then we wanted,” said Lady Rattlers head coach Gary Hittson.

As the final minute of the game ticked down, the Lady Rattlers were keeping the ball away from the visiting Logan Lady Longhorns.

Coach Hittson kept yelling for the ball to be passed and kept away from the defenders.

Lady Longhorns head coach Clair Rachor pleaded for his players to foul before time expired.

“The crowd was just too loud,” Rachor said. “I kept calling for the foul but they girls did not notice until it was too late.”

The Lady Longhorns had fought back to tie the game and exchange the lead several times in the final quarter.

Nicole Collins led the Lady Longhorns’ charge with 13 points, but fouled out with two minutes to go in the game. Jessica Aguilera was second with 10 points.

“We have lost a few close games,” Hittson said. “This win gives the girls a great boost and lets them know they can win the close game.”

The Lady Rattlers offense was led by Laura Fought 12 points and Michelle Fazekas.

It was Fazekas’ 80 percent shooting that kept the lead for the Lady Rattlers.

“I just focused on the shot and kept thinking follow through,” Fazekas said. “It gets nerve racking because you know there is a lot riding on it.”

Fazekas said the team has been working on free throws because many of their games were determined by the foul shot.

In the first half the Lady Rattlers defense kept the Lady Longhorns offense out of sync.

“I don’t think we ran complete offense during the first half,” Rachor said.

Rachor said the team missed easy shots early one and missed opportunities to score.

“I’ll give it to the Rattlers they played great defense,” Rachor said. “They limited our second and third shot opportunities which really hurt us down the line.”

The Lady Rattlers will play at 6 p.m. today against the Estancia Lady Bears at the Snake Pit.

The Longhorns play at 4 p.m. Thursday against Grady at Logan.