Rams extend winning streak to four

PORTALES — Portales High boys coach Randy McBroom was hopeful his squad could put together a winning streak before the start of District 4-4A play, and the Rams have done it.

Playing for only the second time since Jan. 12, the Rams pulled away in the second half to beat Jal 55-46 on Tuesday night at the Ram Athletic Center.

It gave PHS (9-8) a four-game winning streak to take into Friday’s district opener at Roswell Goddard.

“We’re playing well, getting better every game,” McBroom said. “I really believe our district is going to be a dogfight. We all have some strengths and we all have some weaknesses.”

The Rams and Panthers (11-3) went back and forth in the first half before Portales outscored Jal 15-6 in the third stanza, fueled by two 3-pointers from senior guard Kaden Hightower and another from junior guard Eli Lopez.

“I feel our game plan worked well,” McBroom said. “They’re huge; they’re a good ballteam.

“Part of our plan was to push tempo. I’m not going to lie — I thought in the second half their kids were a little gassed.”

Junior Emmanuel Diahn posted a double-double with 13 points and 15 rebounds for PHS while Hightower, who had three of the team’s nine 3-point baskets, added 12 points.

Rogello Carreon, a 6-foot-5, 260-pound senior who has committed to Boise State in football next season, led the Panthers with 11 points while junior forward Alexavier Carreon and junior guard Jacob Lujan scored 10 apiece.

After Friday’s game, the next outing for the Rams is on Tuesday against district foe Artesia at the RAC.

Portales girls 57, Jal 13 — The Lady Rams, playing for the first time in more than two weeks, made short work of the overmatched Lady Panthers, bolting to a 24-2 lead at the quarter.

Senior post Kylyie Paden, the team’s scoring and rebounding leader, was away on a volleyball recruiting trip to Nebraska. But it hardly made a difference as Portales (12-4) dominated from the get-go.

Coach Wade Fraze missed the game awaiting a test for COVID-19, which eventually came back negative. In his absence, assistant coach Nathan Chavez coached the team.

“Honestly, it’s like we’re about to start a new season over,” Fraze said, referring to some postponements in this stretch. “It’s kind of a restart for us.”

Senior guards Riley Shillings and Taris Rippee finished with 13 and 12 points, respectively, despite essentially playing less than a quarter apiece. Shillings had three 3-pointers and 11 points in the first period while Rippee scored eight points.

Freshman Myleigh Banda added the other five points in the stanza en route to nine points.

The Lady Rams also opened District 4-4A play on Friday night at Goddard, and were then in Clovis for a Saturday makeup game. Their next outing is in district play on Tuesday against Artesia at the RAC.