Rough week for Rattlers

It's hard to win a basketball game if you can't make shots at point-blank range.

The Tucumcari boys basketball team found that out during a 62-51 loss Thursday to Clayton during the Rattlers' annual Homecoming game.

It was a rough week for the Rattlers, with them losing three games.

Calling up his iPad used to compile statistics after the Clayton game, THS coach Gary Hittson showed on the screen a flurry of red X's near his team's basket.

Those X's signified missed shots 5 feet or less from the hoop. According to its data, the Rattlers missed 21 of them in the paint.

"We couldn't make a layup. They just out-physicaled us, and we couldn't make an inside shot. They did the same thing Santa Rosa did," Hittson said, referring to the Rattlers' 75-50 loss at the Lions' den two days before.

Hittson said even his top scorer, sophomore Luis Archuleta, was missing close shots.

"That's not like him," he said. "Everything that could go wrong went wrong."

Archuleta still led the Rattlers with 13 points, but it was well off his average of more than 21 per game.

Kamren Apodaca added 12 points for THS, and Daymion Urioste scored 11.

Hittson felt it was a game his Rattlers (6-9) should have won, considering Clayton's 8-11 record.

Tucumcari also was hampered by 18 turnovers and going just 9-for-17 from the free-throw line - both persistent problems this season.

Clayton wasn't much better from the foul line (18-for-31) but made up for it with volume.

Hittson said he was dismayed after his team's strong closing performance at the previous weekend's Mighty Lion Basketball Classic tournament.

He noted the Rattlers don't have much time to turn it around, with their district schedule beginning on Feb. 2 at Dexter.

Tucumcari started the contest hot, surging to a 13-7 lead early in the second period.

The Yellowjackets responded with 10 unanswered points, then closed the quarter with a 10-4 run to take a 29-19 lead at halftime.

The Rattlers didn't know it at the time, but that second-quarter lead would be their last. They came no closer than four the rest of the game, with the Yellowjackets usually keeping a double-digit advantage.

"We played hard, and they played hard, too, but we had a lot more at the end," Clayton coach Clyde Sanchez said. "In the second and third quarter, we pushed the ball a little more, especially on the defensive side."

Taylor Crist led Clayton with 18 points, and Daniel Maquro added 14.

Thursday night was when the Rattlers players and coaches debuted warmup T-shirts dedicated to Jayden Gloms, a THS freshman who died in a vehicle accident almost a year ago to the day.

The front of the shirts sported in image of Gloms wearing his No. 22 basketball jersey and the hashtag #LLJ, which stands for "Long Live Jayden."

The back of the shirts had Gloms' name and No. 3, his number in football.

Bosque 90, Tucumcari 40

Two days after the Clayton loss, Tucumcari's troubles continued during a 90-40 non-district loss Saturday at Bosque.

The Bobcats (12-5) torched the Rattlers for a 27-9 lead in the first quarter and held a 50-16 advantage at intermission.

Bosque is known for 3-point shooting, and it sank nine of them. The Bobcats also scored by aggressively driving into the paint.

"They just dominated us," Hittson said. "They did everything right."

Apodaca led the Rattlers with 17 points.

Bosque's Cooper Hautau was everywhere, totaling 15 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists and six steals. Kyle Morris led the Bobcats with 23 points.

Tucumcari ended the week with a 6-10 record.

Santa Rosa 75, Tucumcari 50

Santa Rosa, one of the top-ranked teams in Class 2A, knocked off visiting Tucumcari 75-50 on Jan. 23 in a non-district matchup.

Tucumcari trailed 30-15 at intermission, and the Lions effectively put the game away with a 28-12 surge in the third quarter.

Archuleta led the Rattlers with 25 points and four assists. Jordan Rincones added 11 points and 10 rebounds. Apodaca also grabbed 10 rebounds and blocked four shots.

The Lions, ranked third in 2A by MaxPreps.com, improved to 13-4.

Clayton and Santa Rosa next season will be part of Tucumcari's district, as THS will drop from Class 3A to Class 2A as part of the New Mexico Activities Association's two-year realignment plan.