Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Portales High girls basketball coach Wade Fraze, beginning his 11th season as the team's coach, visits with his squad after a practice this week. The Lady Rams begin play on Thursday in the Farwell Invitational.
PHS junior Jase Hightower gets around sophomore Patrick Alvarado and drives to the basket during practice earlier this week. The Rams open the 2023-24 campaign on Tuesday at Eunice.
Portales High's basketball teams are ready to kick off the 2023-24 season this week. The boys travel to Eunice on Tuesday night, while both the Rams and Lady Rams will play in the Farwell Invitational from Thursday through Saturday.
Only one starter returns for the boys from last year's 17-12 squad, which finished second at 3-3 in District 4-4A behind Artesia (19-10, 6-0). Meantime, the Lady Rams (14-15, 2-4 district) will be a bit on the young side but have more veteran experience.
Boys – Junior guard Paxton Culpepper started for the Rams last season. The only other players with significant varsity time on a nine-man roster with no seniors are junior guard Jase Hightower and 6-foot-4 sophomore forward Carson Pfaffenberger.
Still, third-year coach Randy McBroom says the Rams can have a successful campaign.
"I think we're going to have a great opportunity to be in the mix for a district championship," he said. "Artesia is very good and Lovington is very good, but I think we're also going to be solid."
Depth is going to be an issue, at least early, McBroom acknowledged.
"That's something that's going to have to come along," he said.
McBroom expects to get help from juniors Xavier Tarpeh and Joel Lujan. "Xavier's not quite as tall as Carson, but he brings some length and can jump out of the gym."
The Rams beat Eunice soundly last year, but the Cardinals went on to post 19 wins and reached the Class 3A state quarterfinals.
"We're going to have to be in great shape," McBroom said. "And we're going to need to shoot the ball well, which I think we're capable of doing."
Girls – By Lady Rams standards, 2022-23 was a down year – 14-15 (2-4 district) and a first-round Class 4A state tournament loss to St. Pius.
In Wade Fraze's 10 years as coach, the Lady Rams have gone 202-72 (.737), reaching the 4A state semifinals eight times with two championships (2014 and 2018) and a runnerup finish (2015).
"We had to take our lumps while learning," Fraze said of the 2022-23 campaign. "But the good thing is they've grown and gained experience, and we have (virtually) everyone coming back."
This year's squad returns all five starters – senior forward Audrey Paden, senior guard Brenna Jewell, junior forward Evannie Fulfer and junior guards Angel Ornelas and Myleigh Banda. Banda led the team in scoring as a sophomore (8.7 ppg), while Paden averaged 7 points, 6 rebounds, nearly three steals and 1 ½ assists.
Fraze said his squad should be able to go at least eight deep. Behind the starters are junior guard Tya Rippee, junior post Erin Van Leuven and sophomore post Skyer Massey, while sophomores Lissette Gomez, Molly Ainsworth and Maria Lujan and freshmen Ainsley Horton and Addison Mayberry could also help.
"Hopefully, we'll have some depth," he said. "Just the experience alone will help us."
Fraze said everyone's chasing Artesia this season, but the district will be tough as usual.
"Artesia should be favored on paper," he said. "They've got almost everybody back. (Roswell) Goddard is usually sound, and I think Lovington will be better than anybody expects."
