Dexter eliminates Rattlers from contention

Dexter staked a double-digit lead in the first quarter and made it hold up almost the entire remainder of the game during a 47-40 district boys basketball victory Thursday over host Tucumcari in boys basketball.

The Rattlers' seventh straight loss eliminated them from contention for a regular-season district title.

The night also was marred by an on-floor scuffle early in the second quarter that resulted in the ejection of one player each from Tucumcari and Dexter. A Demons player allegedly uttered a racial slur to a Rattlers player, touching off the fracas and leading to a minutes-long conference between the coaches and referees.

Andrew Henderson-Clark scored 19 points to lead Tucumcari (5-16, 0-3), and teammate Curtis Gonzales added 10.

Josh Duran scored a team-high 15 points for Dexter (5-12, 2-1), which made five 3-pointers.

Tucumcari coach John Span said his team essentially lost the game in the opening period. The Rattlers failed to score a field goal during the quarter and trailed 15-3.

"Going down 12 at the beginning of the game, that won't help you. We put ourselves in a tough situation," he said.

Span said several players seemed more preoccupied with their new shoes than the task at hand.

"How do you not come out ready to play?" he said, especially noting his team's lackadaisical defense early. "We should have gotten up in their grill (defensively) and create something. Instead, we're worried about our shoes. Quit worrying about cleaning your shoes; they're fine. Get after it."

Dexter maintained at least a 10-point lead for much of the game. Tucumcari made three 3-pointers late to make the game appear closer than it was.

Early in the second quarter, Tucumcari senior Dominick Jasper and a Dexter player became embroiled in a scuffle near midcourt that sent the player sprawling across the floor near the scorer's table. Jasper and Dexter's Emmanuel Cardenas were ejected, and both will be required to sit out the next game, as well.

However, Span said – which was confirmed by NHFS Network video footage – it was Dexter's Edgar Lopez, not Cardenas, who started the altercation. Span said the officials would inform the New Mexico Activities Association the wrong Dexter player was ejected.

Jasper dressed back into street clothes and sat in the bleachers in the second half. Jasper, who is Black, after the game described the racial slur he said was uttered to him and clearly still was irritated about it. Span also could be heard describing the slur to Dexter coach Adam Herrera after the game.

In the NFHS footage, Jasper and Lopez could be seen contesting each other for a rebound. Jasper was whistled for a foul, and players began walking to the other side of the court. Lopez bumped his shoulder into Jasper's chest, then began walking more briskly away. Jasper followed, Lopez briefly turned back around, and Jasper shoved him, sending Lopez sprawling across the floor.

Span said he didn't see it. The officials apparently didn't see it, either, and conferred with each other for several minutes before issuing the ejections. No technical fouls were called.

Span, who also is Black, could sympathize with Jasper's anger but said that loss of composure hurt his team.

"I don't know if they're going to do anything to him or not," Span said, referring to Lopez. "But there's no call for that anytime, anywhere.

"I told Dom, 'You don't need to react like that. Just come tell me, and I'll talk to the officials about it. What did you prove? You got ejected out of the game, and now you can't play the next game.'

"You've got to keep your head," Span continued. "I know it's hard when somebody says something like that, but you have to try to be the bigger person. Hopefully, he'll learn from it."

Herrera described the scuffle and resulting player ejections as "unfortunate."

"I love basketball, and I hate when something like that happens in a game," he said.

Pecos 69, Tucumcari 41

Pecos turned a close game into an easy win by outscoring Tucumcari 24-11 in the second quarter during a non-district game at Pecos on Feb. 8.

The Rattlers trailed just 18-15 after one quarter. At the completion of the next quarter, they trailed 42-26.

"Pecos shot the ball well," Span said. "They play that run-and-gun, uptempo game. Their kids have a lot of basketball savvy. They play well with one another, and they space well."

Tucumcari continued to struggle from the free-throw line, going just 8-of-19.

Henderson-Clark led Tucumcari with 19 points, and Jasper added 11.

Aidan Holton scored 26 points to lead the Panthers (15-6), who drained seven 3-point shots. A total of 10 players scored for Pecos.