Lady Rattlers three-peat in district

The Lady Rattlers were in foul trouble during their district tournament championship basketball game against Ruidoso.

They solved it by getting the Lady Warriors into even more foul trouble.

The result Friday was a 57-41 victory at Rattler Gymnasium for top-seeded Tucumcari, capturing its third straight district tournament title.

Caylee Benavidez scored 26 points for the Lady Rattlers, including 11 from the free-throw line. July Lafferty added 16 points.

Tucumcari earned a No. 5 seed in the announcement Sunday for the Class 3A playoffs. The Lady Rattlers will face 12th-seeded Ruidoso for a fourth time in an opening-round 6 p.m. Friday game at Rattler Gymnasium. (See other story in this edition.)

The Lady Rattlers (22-3) ran the table on their district schedule and won their 10th in a row.

Meanwhile, Ruidoso (13-14), seeded second in the district tourney, saw two of its starters foul out midway through the third quarter.

Tucumcari also saw two starters foul out, but that didn't happen until the fourth quarter, when the outcome of the game was no longer in doubt.

Referees whistled a total of 46 personal fouls during the contest. Tucumcari was a bit shaky at the free-throw line, going 18-for-35. Ruidoso was worse, going 10-for-24.

The Lady Rattlers saw starters Kyla Lopez and Haisley Huffman each pick up two fouls in the opening minutes. Ruidoso scored on a mix of 3-pointers and transition buckets to take an 18-9 lead late in the period. The game appeared destined to be a repeat of Tucumcari's tense, one-point win just a week before.

Tucumcari crept back into the game by attacking the basket and drawing fouls. The Lady Rattlers whittled down the Warriors' lead and tied it 23-23 just before intermission.

Alexis Ramirez, Kirksey Smith and Aubri French each scored valuable points during the first half for Tucumcari.

"They stepped in there, gave some good minutes, and we went in tied at halftime," coach Patrick Benavidez said. "And that was a that was just a big accomplishment after being down in the first quarter like that.

"These girls, they play hard, and they play like they can win no matter what. And that's the mentality we have to go into at this part of the season."

Tucumcari's defense also was making its presence known, as Ruidoso scored just one field goal in the third quarter. After halftime, Tucumcari made a defensive adjustment where they moved Lopez to the top of the press and Caylee Benavidez and Huffman to the rear.

That resulted in a slew of turnovers and a 19-4 run to give Tucumcari a 42-27 lead late in the third period and sending the pro-Tucumcari crowd into a frenzy. Benavidez scored 15 points during the quarter.

Tucumcari's coach gave his players credit for seeing Ruidoso's tendencies and suggesting the defensive change.

"We had more speed back there because they were they were passing the ball over the top of us," Benavidez said. "The girls, they're the ones that noticed it and wanted to do that. And they're the ones that play the game, so I let them make that choice. They came out and just took care of business."

Ruidoso also was hurt when starters Alexx Chavez and Bayler Pritchett each fouled out during the third quarter.

"We got in foul trouble and started playing like it," Warriors coach Billy Page said. "We became a little bit more safe, and it cost us, instead of being aggressive.

"There in the third quarter, I probably should have pulled both those girls that fouled out early. But they wanted to go, and I thought I needed to have them in there. And it probably was a mistake on my part."

Tucumcari surged to as much as a 20-point lead in the fourth quarter.

After the game, the team celebrated the presentation of its district-champion trophy and performed a ceremonial cutting down of one of the nets.

"We now expect big things," coach Benavidez said. "I don't think these girls are done. We've got a big one next week. We'll prepare for whoever."