Otero Uses Big First Half to Beat Lamar 72-65

Behind a career night from freshman forward Bertran Walthour Jr. and two game-saving defensive plays in the final 30 seconds, the Otero College Rattlers men’s basketball team held off a furious late charge from Lamar Community College for a 72-65 conference win Saturday night at the McDivitt Center Gym in La Junta.

Walthour Jr. powered the Rattlers with 33 points, seven rebounds and three assists on 13-of-19 shooting, including 3-of-4 from 3-point range, as Otero led comfortably most of the night before surviving a 20-6 Lamar run down the stretch. Freshman guard Jayson Lewis added 13 points, four assists, two steals and a block, including the clinching layup with 32 seconds remaining after a crucial late steal, and 2 big free throws to seal the game.

Fueled by a raucous student section, Otero opened the rivalry game with a 7-0 burst, sparked by five quick points from Walthour Jr. and a bucket from forward Nedum Chiadika. The Rattlers’ defense dictated the early tone, holding the Lopes to just seven points through the first 10 minutes and maintaining a 16-7 advantage with 9:36 left in the first half. Otero closed the half with another surge as Walthour Jr. scored seven straight points in the final 1:25, sending the Rattlers into the locker room with a commanding 38-23 lead.

The first half dominance was built on defensive pressure and efficiency on the break. Otero limited Lamar to 28.1% shooting from the field before halftime while converting stops into transition opportunities, winning the fast-break points battle 7-0 in the opening 20 minutes. Offensively, the Rattlers shot 53.6% from the floor in the first half, consistently generating quality looks while controlling tempo and the glass.

The pace quickened after halftime, but Otero maintained control through the first 10 minutes of the second half, leading 51-38 with 10:00 to play. The Rattlers managed Lamar’s full-court pressure well enough to build their largest lead of the night at 62-45 when sophomore guard Ray Gasaway buried a wing 3-pointer with 7:22 remaining. From there, however, Lamar’s press and transition attack shifted the momentum.

The Lopes answered with an 11-2 run to trim the deficit to 66-56 with 3:23 on the clock, then continued to apply pressure. After Lewis knocked down two free throws, Lamar mounted a second surge, stringing together a 9-0 run to pull within 3 at 68-65 with 1:29 left as Otero struggled to find clean looks against traps and pressure. Over a span from the 7:22 mark to the final minute, Lamar outscored Otero 20-6, sparked by aggressive pressing, trapping and 17 transition points.

Clinging to a three-point lead in the final minute, Otero missed a shot at the rim, giving Lamar possession with a chance to tie. The Rattlers’ defense responded. Freshman forward Jye Barlow came up with a critical steal with 32 seconds left, which led directly to a Lewis layup to push the lead to 70-65. On the ensuing possession, Sam Webb came up with another steal to stop Lamar’s last push, and Otero converted at the line to close out the 72-65 victory.

Chiadika gave Otero an interior presence with 14 points, six rebounds, two assists and a block. Barlow contributed across the board with five points, a team-high nine rebounds, four assists and three steals, while Gasaway added three points, eight rebounds and four assists in the backcourt. As a team, the Rattlers held Lamar to 36.2% shooting and owned a 36-30 edge on the boards, including an 8-5 advantage on the offensive glass that translated into a 9-2 margin in second-chance points.

The win, energized by the student section and defined by defensive toughness, rebounding and timely shot-making, gave the Rattlers a key conference victory and momentum heading deeper into league play.