The Rio Rancho High School girls basketball team set a record Saturday evening in Gallup in its 29-19 loss to the Lady Bengals.

It wasn't the type of record head coach Bob McIntyre wanted, unless it was attached to a "W."

"You got that right," McIntyre said, after his team was held to a record 19 points, breaking the previous mark for fewest points in a game, 22, established last season in a loss to Clovis. Strangely, McIntyre said he thought his team played better Saturday in the loss to Gallup, in which the rams didn't get to the foul line, than in their 34-26 victory over the visiting Bengals on Jan. 24.

"We just didn't finish," he said, pointing to a 9 of 43 outing from the field, which included only two field goals by sophomore guard Megan Muniz.

The game was close throughout the first half, with Gallup leading 8-6 at the end of the first period and 13-10 at intermission.

The Bengals effectively put the game away after an 8-0 run in the third quarter, which led to a 12-5 Gallup advantage in that period. The Rams and Bengals played evenly, 4-4, in the final quarter, with the Bengals holding the ball to "shorten" the game whenever possible.

The Rams were again without senior guard Stephanie Lopez, whom McIntyre said an MRI revealed either a torn ACL or a torn MCL - probably ending her basketball season - and guard Amanda Solwick, who told McIntyre before the team got on the bus that her swollen big toe was actually a broken toe. He said he doubted if she would be healed in time to play again this season.

Courtney Solwick was assigned to cover the Bengals' main scoring threat, Telisha Joe, McIntyre said; Joe managed only 4 points, although Sage Natonabah came off the bench to post a game-high 10.

Melissa Hillenbrand led the Rams at Gallup with 6 points, while Muniz had 5, with the Rams' only 3-pointer of the game. Tarrah Sweet and Geraldine Neru added 4 apiece.

The victory left Gallup (14-5, 3-1) alone atop the District 1-5A standings and left the Rams (13-7, 3-2) basically in control of their own destiny: If they run the table, they'll be regular-season district champs and play host for the district championship game in a couple of weeks.

"I can't see a team having three losses and winning the regular-season (title)," McIntyre said, knowing another 1-5A loss will be his team's third.

The Rams have four remaining district games, beginning this evening with a visit to Cibola (14-5, 3-1). The fourth-ranked Cougars beat the Rams 44-28 in their first meeting on Jan. 26 at Rio Rancho.

The Rams then visit last-place West Mesa (7-13, 0-5) Friday.

Sandwiched between this week's games and the final two district contests is a game at No. 5 La Cueva (17-3) on Monday. It's the makeup from a game originally scheduled for Dec. 21 but postponed by snow.

The Bears are coming off a 54-45 victory over No. 2 Sandia, their main rival for District 2-5A supremacy, and are now 6-0 and atop that district's standings.

Ram dunks: The Rams dropped another notch in the latest coaches poll, slipping from No. 7 to No. 8. The Rams were sixth two weeks ago, then dropped to 7 even after beating defending state champ Gallup, to give you an idea of how knowledgeable the participating coaches are.

... Former Rio Rancho Mid-High and one-time Rio Rancho Reaction guard Ashley Darrow eclipsed the 1,000-point mark for her four-year varsity career at Albuquerque High on Jan. 27, although her Bulldogs, now coached by former Cibola coach Doug Dorame, lost to West Mesa, 48-33.

... The Rams will be poised, with wins this week, to play in front of their home crowd in pursuit of a regular-season title: Gallup visits next Thursday and former Rams assistant Lori Stephenson brings her Cougars into the RAC two nights later. The 1-5A championship game will be played Feb. 24.

... Former Rams standout Nicole Tatum (Class of 2005) is ninth in rebounding (6.7 rpg) in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. Her Adams State College Grizzlies are 7-14 overall and 5-8 and in fifth place, of the West Division.

... Another former Rams great, Brio Rode (Class of 2004), is wearing the number she wore at RRHS, 10, while starting 17 of San Francisco State University's 18 games to date. The Gators are 5-13 overall and 5-8 in their California Collegiate Athletic Association games. Rode leads the team in minutes played (29.4 per game) and 3s (40), and is second in scoring (10.9 ppg).