Late Ram rally secures win over Goddard

PORTALES — Even though Portales High’s boys led wire-to-wire on Friday night, the game wasn’t decided until late.

Junior post Kenevan Bailey came up with back-to-back putbacks after Roswell Goddard had closed a double-figure deficit to three points, and the Rams went on a late 9-0 run for a 69-59 District 4-4A win at the Ram Athletic Center.

Bailey finished with a double-double — 15 points, 11 rebounds — as the Rams broke through with their first district triumph. Portales (9-14, 1-2 district) hoped to build on the win when it hosted rival Lovington in a district makeup game on Saturday night.

“We probably played as complete a game as we’ve played all year, offensively and defensively,” Rams coach Rickie McBroom said. “(Saturday) is now the most important game of the year. We have a chance to really help ourselves.”

Senior guard Kellan Hightower led four players in double figures for the Rams with 16 points, and he also collected five assists. Junior forward Josiah Tellez helped Portales get out quickly with the team’s first eight points and finished with 14, while senior guard Rico Diaz added 10 points and four assists.

Bailey actually had a relatively quiet first half, but picked up the pace down the stretch.

“I just crash the boards hard every time,” he said. “More often than not it’s going to pay off.”

Sophomore guard Noah Reese scored 21 points for the Rockets (10-14, 2-2), including nine in the final stanza, and senior guard Brandon Montanez added 14.

“Turnovers got us tonight,” Rockets coach Anthony Mestas, whose team edged PHS 67-64 in overtime at Roswell last week. “They had a good game plan tonight, switching up defenses.

“Portales is tough. Going into this year, I had picked them for first (place) in the district.”

Three-point baskets from sophomore Hagen Rains and Bailey keyed an 8-0 second-quarter run that had PHS up by 11 midway through the frame. The margin reached 12 on a couple of occasions in the third period before the Rockets mounted a late charge.

“When they made their runs, we were able to answer it,” McBroom said. “The big thing is we got some stops at key times.”

Bailey said he hoped the Rams could build on the momentum of the win against Lovington.

“Hopefully, it lights a fire under us and we can carry it over,” he said. “I think we’re playing our best basketball of the year right now.”

The taller Rockets posted a 27-23 edge on the boards over Portales, but they shot just 6-of-25 from long range compared with 4-of-10 for the Rams.