Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Staff writer
Back in 2001, Cinco Boone helped lead the Portales Rams to their most recent state basketball championship. Boone is now the leader of a different Rams team.
He will lead Angelo State’s Rams into Greyhound Arena for a 4 p.m. Lone Star Conference men’s game today, his first trip back to Portales at a head coach.
Boone, who started his prep career at Elida before transferring to Portales as a sophomore, said he doesn’t have specific favorite memories as a Ram, but said the entire experience was something he enjoyed.
“I made a sacrifice where I left a place I was comfortable to go to a place where I could win a championship,” Boone said. “The payoff that March in The Pit (at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque) after winning the title was great.”
Fast forward to today, where he’s off to a great start with ASU (13-2, 1-2 LSC).
Last season, as the team’s associate head coach under Chris Beard, the Rams were 28-6 and reached the NCAA Division II Sweet 16 for the first time in program history. They opened this season 12-0 despite returning just player, Omari Gudul, who was also a starter last year.
“We went out and signed a bunch of talented players,” Boone said. “We’ve got a great coaching staff here. For being new, we’ve jelled together well.”
Boone has been coaching since graduating from ENMU. His first job was at PHS, working under his former coach and current athletic director Mark Gallegos.
“Mark Gallegos gave me the opportunity to coach under him when I was in college during the winter,” Boone said. “Afterwards, I was hired as a math teacher at Portales, but I always wanted to coach in a college.”
Boone is looking forward to today’s game, but doesn’t want to get caught up in nostalgia until the game is over.
“It’ll be exciting to see a lot of people who come to the game,” he said. “From a basketball standpoint, the Lone Star Conference is so good, we have great respect for all the teams. Greyhound Arena is a tough place to win.”
The Rams’ fast start was tempered by losses at Tarleton State and against Texas A&M-Commerce once LSC play began.
“I really wish we didn’t have the Christmas break, because we had 18 days off in between games,” Boone said. “When we came back to play Tarleton, it definitely looked like we hadn’t played in those 18 days.”
Boone said the Rams have to concentrate on three players for the Greyhounds today.
“Lawrence Domingo had a great game on Wednesday (scoring 25 points),” Boone said. “Chaunce Hill and (Ladarius) Stewart are both doing great as well. Coach (Stott) Carter did a great job of recruiting.”
ENMU CAPSULES
Angelo State at ENMU
Men
• When: 4 p.m. today at Greyhound Arena
• Records: Angelo State (13-2, 1-2 Lone Star Conference), ENMU (4-11, 0-3)
• Last season: The Rams won both games from ENMU, 112-81 at San Angelo, Texas, and 69-49 at Portales.
• Last time out: Both teams played on Wednesday. The Rams ended a two-game conference losing streak, beating West Texas A&M 85-75 at San Angelo, Texas, while the Greyhounds lost at Texas A&M-Kingsville 74-61.
• Of note: The teams have had a relatively even competition over the years. ASU’s wins last year gave the Rams a 36-35 lead in the all-time series. … ASU, ranked 15th in NCAA Division II, is led by 5-foot-10 senior G Tre Bennett (16.6 ppg, 36 3-pointers, 68 assists, 87 percent FTs), 6-5 senior F Stedman Allen (16.4 ppg, 55 percent FGs) and 6-6 junior G Shelton Boykin (14.4 ppg, 21 steals). Five other Rams average between 6.4 and 9.5 ppg. … The Rams reached the NCAA Division II Sweet 16 for the first time in program history last year. … ENMU got back the services of senior G John Gilliam (16.4 ppg), the team’s leading scorer, for 20 minutes on Wednesday at Kingsville. Gilliam had missed the previous seven games due to a knee injury, and would be tied for fourth in the league in scoring had he played enough games. Others averaging in double figures for the Hounds are senior F Lawrence Domingo (11.8 ppg) and sophomore guard Ladarius Stewart (11.2). … Angelo is No. 8 in Division II in scoring (92.2 ppg).
Women
• When: 2 p.m. today at Greyhound Arena
• Records: Angelo State (9-4 (2-1 Lone Star Conference), ENMU 6-8 (1-3)
• Last season: ENMU swept the season series, taking a 65-56 decision at San Angelo, Texas, and posting a 77-69 victory at Greyhound Arena.
• Last time out: ENMU got on the board in conference play with a 66-52 win at Texas A&M-Kingsville on Wednesday, while the Rambelles upended top-ranked and previously unbeaten West Texas A&M 69-64 at home.
• Of note: ASU leads the all-time series 38-25. … Kevin Baker became the 10th coach in Rambelles history after ASU went 9-18 in 2014-15. … The Rambelles lead the LSC in scoring (82.1 ppg). … ASU has won two in a row after losing three of its previous four outings. … Leading the Rambelles are 5-7 junior G Taylor Dorsey (17.2 ppg), 5-10 senior F Brea Mitchell (11.5) and 6-1 junior P Jasmine Prophet (10.6). Dorsey leads the LSC in scoring and also has 57 assists, while Mitchell has 40 points in her last two games. All three players average around 5 rpg. Meantime, three others are scoring between 7.2 and 9.5 ppg. … The Rambelles are 7-1 at home this season, but just 1-2 in true road games.
— Compiled by Dave Wagner
