Rio Rancho’s 29-game winning streak came crashing to an end Tuesday evening, although not without a battle.

At first, it seemed the Rams boys would go meekly in their season opener, as visiting Sandia closed out the opening quarter on a 12-4 run and left the Rams in the dust on the strength of a 26-15 edge in the second period.

That left the defending 5A champs trailing by 20 points at intermission, 48-28. “Look back at the first half: We had shot opportunities,” coach Brian Smith said. “The thing I was disappointed in most was we couldn’t stop them on defense. They shot 3s, they shot the ball well.

“I give them all the credit in the world. They came in here, obviously like every team’s going to do, ready to shoot and they shot the ball well.”

The Rams turned up the defensive pressure in the second half, turning what could have been a rout into a brief Rams lead late in the game.

Led by the quick hands and feet of senior guard Marcus Williams, who, along with fellow senior Chris Newsome, had only ended their football seasons four days earlier, the Rams helped force 10 Sandia turnovers in the third period.

Opening the half on a 9-1 run, the deficit was sliced to 12.

Eric Kibi helped the Matadors, ending a four-game losing streak to the Rams, build the lead back to 20 on a driving layup, making the score 64-44.

Heading into the fourth quarter, the Matadors still seemed the have the game in hand, leading 66-49.

Williams seemed to be on a mission, scoring 18 of his game-high 33 points in the final eight minutes and helping force what turned out to be 11 turnovers in the period by Sandia.

After Kibi sank a pair of free throws with 2:50 to go, giving his team a 73-65 lead, a layup by Newsome made it 73-67. Moments later, Williams swatted away a Matadors pass, grabbed the ball and drove to the hoop, scoring the layup and getting fouled in the process. Williams, who missed four of his first five free-throw attempts of the season, made good on this one for 73-70.

The rally continued for the Rams, who pulled within a deuce (74-72) on an 18-foot shot by Isaac Aragon, and got even closer after a Matador’s free throw preceded a 16-footer from the baseline by Josh Walker.

Williams — who else? — then swiped the ball again, scored on a layup and was fouled; he made the free throw to give the Rams a 77-75 lead with 41.2 seconds showing on the scoreboard.

The Rams’ hadn’t led the in the game since a Newsome trey made it 3-2 in the opening moments. That precarious fourth-quarter lead, which turned out to be their last of the game, lasted 17.5 seconds, when Kibi scored on a putback and was fouled. His free throw made it a 78-77 Matadors lead.

Aragon had an opportunity to can the game-winner, but he missed from about 15 feet and Kibi was fouled on the rebound.

He made his first free throw with 11.5 seconds to play and missed the second, which was rebounded by Newsome.

The Rams brought the ball upcourt, but Williams’ bad pass from inside the lane and in the battle for the loose ball, Joseph Moquino was fouled.

He sank a pair of free throws with 3.4 seconds to play and the lead was four n and secure for the win.

It was the Rams’ first loss since their lone loss of last season, a 78-73 loss to Hope Christian on Nov. 30, 2006.

“Defensively, in the second half, I think we picked it up,” Smith said. “I’m still trying to understand teenagers: Why do you wait? Why do we wait to do that?

“In (Tuesday’s) practice, we were intense, they were after it, getting steals. I asked them to carry that over … We came out flat, kind of had to get ourselves a hole dug,” he said.

“I’m proud of them for not giving up, though.”

Newsome, with 15, and Walker, with 12, joined Williams in double figures. Rounding out the scoring for RRHS were Aragon with 7; Mike Apodaca with 3; Seth Baldwin, Kyle Stephenson and Elijah Wolfe with 2 apiece; and Josh Quintana added 1.

Kibi led Sandia with 29.

Ram dunks: The Rams’ next game is Thursday at 2:45, when they meet Hope in a first-round game of the annual Joe Armijo Classic at Albuquerque Academy. A victory puts Rio Rancho into the semis Friday at 7 p.m.; a loss drops them into the consolation bracket Friday at 1 p.m. Carlsbad-Eldorado is in the same half of the tournament bracket its the Rams, who won last year’s tournament.

… Williams’ 33 was a career-high and matched the top output of his older brother, Christopher, who poured in 33 at Gallup on Feb. 19, 2005.

… The Rams’ C team opened the evening’s action with a 53-27 thrashing of the Matadors. Fabian Rubio led the Rams with 10 points.

… Sandia’s JV withstood a furious second-half rally by Rio Rancho and held on for a 47-45 victory. Cameron Bopp led the Rams with 17 points, and Zach Sanchez and Kris Martinez added 11 apiece.

… Former Ram Matt Churchman, a walk-on this season at Eastern New Mexico University, started for the Greyhounds Wednesday even-ing and played 29 minutes, with a rebound, three fouls, two assists and three steals in his team’s 79-71 loss to visiting Panhandle (Okla.) State.