Rattlers fall to Robertson

With the myriad problems wracking the Tucumcari boys basketball team, it was a wonder it kept the game close at all during a 42-36 loss against Robertson on Dec. 18 at the Snake Pit.

The Rattlers found themselves hampered by poor free-throw shooting, dry spells on offense and the benching of one of their top scorers after a technical foul. In spite of those things, Tucumcari briefly took a lead midway through the fourth quarter before the Cardinals (3-4) rallied.

Jesus Ramos led the Rattlers with 13 points, while teammates Josh Chavez, Matthew Lopez and Casey Carter each scored six.

Matthew Gonzales and Julius Vaughn each scored 12 points to lead Robertson.

Tucumcari went just 8-of-18 from the free-throw line, which Robertson was 20-of-30. The Rattlers also committed 16 turnovers and missed shots from right under the basket.

Tucumcari coach John Span lamented his team's squandered chances.

"We got to make layups, we got to make free throws, and we've got to take care of the ball," he said. "We had some opportunities where we had a chance to score and didn't score. We're not good enough to come down and have empty possessions. We've got to come away with something."

Span said his team shoots many free throws during practice and has little problem converting them.

"We'll keep shooting them and hopefully start making them again," he said. "It's different when you're out on the floor. It's a different pressure."

An official whistled TJ Lampkin, one of Tucumcari's top scorers, with a technical foul with 3:01 left in the first quarter and the game tied 6-6 after he reacted to a personal-foul call. Span benched him for the rest of the game.

"When my kid reacts to an official and they official 'T's' him up, my kid is done," Span said. "When I see him in practice again, we're running. Hopefully, he'll learn from it, because that cost his team. I've talked to all my kids about controlling your actions on the floor."

Tucumcari went at least seven minutes without a field goal during the first and second quarters as Robertson ran up a 20-9 lead.

The Rattlers showed life right before intermission when Chavez scored, then Lopez converted a free throw to reduce the gap to 20-12.

Tucumcari found success in third quarter by driving to the hoop and getting putback buckets after offensive rebounds during a 14-5 rally. Lopez scored twice in the period's waning seconds to give his team a 26-25 lead.

Ramos scored after an offensive rebound to give his team a 33-31 lead with about three minutes left. But the Cardinals began making free throws as the Rattlers' offense again struggled.

Tucumcari scored on a 3-point shot with 36 seconds left to close the gap to 39-36. But Robertson ran 25 seconds off the clock on its next possession and made three of four foul shots to seal the game.

Mora 61, Tucumcari 36

Tucumcari finished sixth in the Citizens Bank Tournament in Texico with a 61-36 consolation-round loss Saturday to Mora.

The Rattlers fell to 2-7 overall, while Mora improved to 4-4.

The Rangers took control in the second quarter with a 20-6 run to take a 33-17 lead at intermission. The Rattlers never drew closer than 16 points after that.

"They took control because we were missing shots, and they kept scoring," Span said of the second period.

Lampkin led the Rattlers with 11 points, while Ramos scored 10.

Span said he was disappointed his team lost two of three games at Texico. He said he would have been pleased by winning two of three at the rugged tourney.

"We got some things to learn from so we'll get better," Span added.

Tucumcari 74, Clayton 65

The Rattlers played one of their best games of the season with a 74-65 victory over Clayton in the consolation round Friday of the Citizens Bank Tournament at Texico.

Ramos led Tucumcari's balanced attack with 23 points, including 18 in the second half when the Rattlers took control.

Chavez added 19 points, Lampkin 18 and Lopez 13 for the Rattlers. Tucumcari amd Clayton each converted nine 3-point shots.

"We played pretty good after the first three to four minutes," Span said. "I told them at halftime to keep shooting; they'll hit them."

Span said a key moment was when Lopez hit 3-pointer just before halftime to give his team a three-point lead. The Rattlers surged in the third quarter, leading by 16 at one point before the Yellowjackets rallied with rain of 3-pointers in the fourth.

Clayton fell to 6-5 overall.

Farwell 53, Tucumcari 24

Little seemed to go right for the Rattlers in a 53-24 loss to Farwell on Thursday in the first round of the Citizens Bank Tournament in Texico.

Farwell (14-1), ranked in the top 10 of Texas Class 2A, jumped out to a 15-3 lead in the first quarter and 28-10 by intermission.

"We couldn't get the shots to go down," Span said.

Ramos and Lampkin led Tucumcari with seven points apiece.