Otero College women outlast Lamar 92-85 in overtime behind Fernandez’s 31-point double-double
| 1Q | 2Q | 3Q | 4Q | OT | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OTE | 19 | 25 | 12 | 24 | 12 | 92 |
| LAM | 15 | 24 | 22 | 19 | 5 | 85 |
LA JUNTA, Colo. — Otero College used a dominant overtime and a late 3-pointer from Kaelani Albert-Neha to pull away from Lamar for a 92-85 victory in women’s basketball Saturday at the McDivitt Center.
With the game tied 80-80 after regulation, the Rattlers took control in the extra session behind timely shooting and key defensive stops. The decisive moment came when Albert-Neha buried a 3-pointer late in overtime to stretch the Otero lead to six points, effectively putting the game out of Lamar’s reach and sealing the seven-point win.
Otero set the tone early, racing out to a 12-2 lead in the first quarter, highlighted by two big 3-pointers from Itxasne Fernandez. The Rattlers’ fast start translated into a 19-15 advantage after the first quarter. The second quarter turned into a back-and-forth battle, but Otero maintained its edge, taking a 44-39 lead into halftime behind balanced scoring and consistent half-court offense.
Lamar responded after the break with its best stretch of the night. Coming out hot in the third quarter, Lamar erased the deficit and swung momentum, outscoring Otero enough to grab a 58-56 lead heading into the fourth quarter. The Rattlers regrouped in the final quarter of regulation, matching Lamar nearly basket for basket and outscoring the visitors by two in the period to send the game into overtime deadlocked at 80-80.
In overtime, Otero’s defense tightened, limiting Lamar’s clean looks while turning rebounds into transition opportunities. The Rattlers outscored Lamar 12-5 in the extra five minutes, punctuated by Albert-Neha’s late 3-pointer that pushed the margin to six and forced Lamar to play from behind in the closing seconds.
Fernandez led Otero with a standout performance, pouring in 31 points to go with 13 rebounds for a dominant double-double. Her early 3-pointers helped spark the opening 12-2 run and set the offensive tone. Candela Roy added 23 points and narrowly missed a double-double of her own, finishing with nine assists as she orchestrated the Rattlers’ attack and consistently created quality shots for teammates.
Albert-Neha turned in one of the most complete efforts of the night, finishing with 16 points, 10 rebounds, nine assists and four steals, coming just one assist shy of her second triple-double of the season. Her activity on both ends, capped by the dagger 3-pointer in overtime, was central to Otero’s ability to close out the game. The win, built on strong individual performances and late-game composure, showcased the Rattlers’ resilience in a tightly contested matchup that required all 45 minutes to decide.
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