Rattlers in second place after win over NMMI

The Tucumcari boys basketball team turned up the intensity of their rebounding and defense late in the game, surging to a 64-53 district victory Friday over visiting New Mexico Military Institute.

The Rattlers totaled just nine rebounds in the first half as the Colts staked a 33-32 halftime lead. THS had mounted a small rally in the third quarter for a slim 46-43 advantage, but coach Gary Hittson wanted more.

"I told them, 'If we win this one, it's a three-way tie for second (in the district). It's time to turn it up, and let's go.' And they did," he said.

The Rattlers (7-11, 1-1 in district play) totaled 16 rebounds in the second half - many in the fourth quarter - as they took a double-digit lead.

Despite a few Tucumcari turnovers and shaky free-throw shooting, NMMI never got closer than six points during the final period.

Luis Archuleta led the Rattlers with 21 points. Kamren Apodaca and Daymion Urioste each added 14 points.

Tucumcari's victory set up a key matchup Tuesday at Ruidoso (11-10, 2-0) with district-title implications. A victory there would vault the Rattlers into a first-place tie in the standings. (The game was after the Quay County Sun's deadline.)

Also critical in the Rattlers' win on Friday was ball security. Turnovers had been a chronic problem for the THS squad, but the Rattlers lost only nine possessions Friday. Hittson said that was his team's best performance in that aspect this season.

"That's what I told them: 'Value the basketball,'" he said.

The Rattlers also shot well, making 60% of regular field goal tries and 78% of their attempts from behind the 3-point line. Hittson said that might have been a product of emphasizing that during recent workouts.

"We've shot the heck out of the basketball in practice," he said.

NMMI coach Connor Williamson noticed Tucumcari's better shooting.

"They were just more efficient than we were, shot better," he said.

The Colts fell to 10-10 and 0-2 in district play.

The Rattlers took a 22-16 lead at the end of the first period, helped by a buzzer-beating 3-pointer from Julian Griego.

Tucumcari's shooting went into the deep freeze in the second quarter, with the Rattlers making just one field goal during a six-minute stretch. NMMI, helped by several baskets after offensive rebounds, rallied to a four-point lead.

Archuleta cut NMMI's lead to one with a buzzer-beating 3-pointer just before halftime.

Tucumcari closed the third quarter with an 8-4 run to take a 46-43 lead. Apodaca scored eight points during the period.

Playing tougher defense and grabbing more rebounds after Hittson's pep talk, Tucumcari started the final period with a 9-4 run - punctuated by Urioste's 3-pointer - to take a 57-47 lead.

The Colts made two consecutive steals to make it a 57-51 game, conjuring up bad memories for Hittson from when the Rattlers blew a six-point lead in the final minute in a district loss at Dexter.

"We turned the ball over twice near the end, and I was thinking, 'Here we go again,'" he said.

But Tucumcari power forward Jordan Rincones made a key 3-pointer from the corner with two minutes left to give his team a 60-51 lead.

The Rattlers made 4-of-8 free throws and allowed just one field goal by the Colts in the final minute.