PHS girls return four starters

PORTALES - If recent history is any indicator, things could be lining up favorably this season for the Portales High girls basketball team.

Under coach Wade Fraze, beginning his ninth season at the helm, PHS captured Class 4A state championships in 2014 and 2018. Both times, the Lady Rams had six seniors on the roster.

This year? You guessed it - six seniors, most of whom have considerable experience.

Four were starters during last spring's COVID-shortened 10-2 campaign, which ended with a loss to eventual champion Gallup in the 4A state semifinals. They include 6-foot post Kylyie Paden and guards Taris Rippee, Teagan Faust and Riley Shillings.

"I know we'll be competitive, but I don't count my chickens before they hatch," Fraze said. "I just want us to be better every day than we were the day before, and let the rest take care of itself."

Meantime, seniors Adrianna Garcia and Emma Gonzales should also contribute. Garcia, a 5-11 post, is likely to move into the starting slot vacated by the graduated Kinzie Davis, Fraze said.

"We've got a good balance of guards who can handle the ball and posts who can handle it adequately," he said. "I think our players complement each other, and they've been playing together for a long time."

Paden, who shared the team scoring lead with Rippee (each at 13 ppg) and led the squad in rebounding (8.1), said the Lady Rams are well-positioned for another strong run.

"I'm excited," she said. "I think we have a strong team, and we have some younger ones who will get experience this year.

"We have a lot of trust in each other. We've been playing together for so long."

Portales opens the season at 4 p.m. (MST) on Thursday in an 11-team, three-day tournament hosted by Denver City. The Lady Rams have a first-round bye and their opening opponent will be either Seagraves or Kermit, who meet earlier in the day.

Portales has another Texas tournament on tap next week at Stanton. Fraze noted that his squad isn't slated to face a New Mexico opponent until it welcomes Class 5A Roswell High to the RAC on Jan. 4.

District 4-4A play begins on Jan. 28 at Roswell Goddard.

"We have a tough pre-district schedule," he said.

Many of the Texas schools have already played a half-dozen games or more. Playing quality foes in Texas and New Mexico prior to the start of district play should pay off later in the season, Paden said.

"It's going to be good for us," she said. "They'll show us the weaknesses that we need to fix.

"I think our defense is going to be key. We have to work on our defense to try to beat these teams."

Fraze hopes the pre-district slate helps prepare his team for tough games in district, particularly with Goddard and defending 4A runnerup Artesia.

"Goddard has given us fits for years, and they didn't lose anyone," he said. "Artesia just won state in volleyball, and a lot of their kids were on that team."

"I think we have one of the strongest strength-of-schedules in the state."