Portales basketball coach Mark Gallegos sets up a drill during Tuesday’s session of the Ram Fundamentals camp at Portales Junior High School. The camp is in its 12th year.

After 12 years, it never gets easier.

Another June is upon the Portales High basketball program, and the days are packed for both the players and Rams coach Mark Gallegos.

Last Monday, Portales ran its junior high camp. When the camp concluded on Thursday, the varsity went up to play its Thursday night games in Clovis High’s summer league.

Friday marked the started of Eastern New Mexico University’s small-school camp, where Portales had a junior varsity and junior high team playing.

On Monday, the Rams started their 12th annual fundamentals camp, which helps improve the skills of the players in younger grades — and Gallegos said, some of the varsity players as well, since they have to be cognizant of the skills as camp instructors.

“It’s about teaching fundamentals,” Gallegos said, “and it’s important because this is the first time some of the varsity kids are teaching fundamentals.”

The Rams varsity will take part in another session of ENMU team camps later this week, with games against Hope Christian and Carlsbad. After that, Gallegos said the varsity will continue league play in Clovis and let the junior varsity fill out the rest of the camp schedule.

Gallegos is still working on a one-day tournament, June 25 at the high school. He hopes for 10 teams, and has confirmations from Estancia, Texico and Santa Rosa.

The schedule has to be this busy during June, Gallegos said, because Portales High shares athletes between programs and a lot of athletes are getting ready for football and soccer seasons.

“June’s a lot of work, but that’s how we get better,” he said.