2018 New Mexico High School State Championships.
Related: 3A - Texico wins the title | 1A - Elida wins their 8th title
#1 Portales wins their 8th state championship
#1 Portales 50, #3 Moriarty 39
It’s been four years since their last title run, and this was no easier. Yes, it was against a district rival, #3 Moriarty who they had beaten three times in the regular season by double-digits each time. But as Coach Wade Fraze put it, “It’s hard to beat a great team four times.”
It took almost three minutes of game time for Portales to get on the board after Fort Lewis-commit Alyssa Adams knocked down the opening basket from three-point range. It was their reliable senior point guard, Zamorye Cox who got to the line to put the Lady Rams on the board, then after some back and forth with Moriarty, the senior hit a big three to put Portales up 7-5.
Moriarty struggled to keep Portales off the boards, as Taylor Rippee kept attacking and drawing contract on putback attempts. The junior post would finish with a game high 23 points and 10 rebounds as she put pressure on the Moriarty front. Moriarty though wouldn’t go quietly as they kept pace with Portales through three quarters. Adams, an outstanding pull-up shooter, found her shooting stroke momentarily, but found it more difficult to find clean looks with Cox keeping her cool. Instead the guard made dribble penetration plays to draw attention and double-teams and would create scoring opportunities for her teammates.
By halftime both teams were aware that neither would give any room to the other as Moriarty led 24-22. At the start of the third, an Adam’s putback and later a three-point off a steal would put the Lady Pintos up 31-24, the largest lead for Moriarty. The lead was short-lived though as Rippee would answer and make it a five-point game again off the inside basket.
Still trailing, Coach Fraze called a play that had Rippee come off a pin-down for an open three-point shot, a shot that Moriarty’s Coach Bailey admits they didn’t expect. Rippee knocked down the three and although Moriarty answered, the momentum swing was there. Rippee would score 11 of Portales’ 13 points that quarter to help retake the lead heading into the fourth, 35-33.
Coach Fraze would call for a similar play but this time for Kelly Fraze, who on back-to-back plays would knock down six points and put Portales up eight within the first minute of the fourth. It would be over five minutes before Moriarty would score again before they found themselves down 10 points with a 1:37 left to play. But the deficit was too great and Moriarty’s attempts either rattled off or they turned the ball over. Portales would outscore Moriarty 15-6 in the fourth to win their 8th state championship.
PLAYER STATS
Portales: Taylor Rippee – 23 points and 10 rebounds. Zamorye Cox – 11 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 steals. Kelly Fraze – 6 points on 2 for 4 from 3pt line. Lindsay Blakey – 6 points on 6 for 8 shooting from the FT line (0 for 3 from the field)
Moriarty: Alyssa Adams – 21 points on 7 for 18 shooting, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists. Stephanie Ordonez – 7 points and 8 rebounds. Lydia Schmutz – 4 points. Meredith Wilson – 4 points
TEAM STATS
Portales
FG% - 11/42 – 26%
3PT% - 5/15 – 33%
FT% - 23/26 – 88%
Moriarty
FG% - 13/39 – 33%
3PT% - 3/12 – 25%
FT% - 10/11 – 91%
Portales outrebound Moriarty 38 to 23.
