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Who do you have for the 2019 season? Who will it be?

4A Basketball: Way Too Early PIT Stop

NMPreps.com's look at the potential match-ups for the 2019 New Mexico High School Basketball State Tournament.

DISTRICT PREDICTIONS

District 1-4A
Gallup (2-2)
Bloomfield (3-2)
Kirtland Central (1-3)
Miyamura (4-2)
Shiprock (2-4)

District 2-4A
Espanola Valley (5-5)
Taos (5-1)
Pojoaque Valley (3-6)
Moriarty (1-4)
Los Alamos (1-7)

District 3-4A
Silver (5-1)
Ruidoso (7-2)
Santa Teresa (2-6)
Chaparral (2-3)

District 4-4A
Artesia (4-2)
Goddard (5-3)
Portales (3-2)
Lovington (3-5)

District 5-4A
Los Lunas (5-0)
St. Pius X (3-4)
Belen (4-4)
Grants (4-4)
Valencia (5-4)

District 6-4A
Hope Christian (2-4)
Bernalillo (4-2)
Del Norte (5-1)
Valley (3-2)
Highland (3-1)
Albuquerque Academy (1-4)

STATE TOURNAMENT PREDICTIONS

HOST A FIRST ROUND GAME
1. Los Lunas - District Champ
2. Gallup - District Champ
3. Hope Christian - District Champ
4. Artesia - District Champ
5. Espanola Valley - District Champ
6. Bernalillo - DRUP
7. St. Pius X - DRUP
8. Silver - District Champ

NEXT FOUR
9. Del Norte - DRUP
10. Taos - DRUP
11. Belen - D3P
12. Goddard - DRUP

BUBBLE
13. Grants - D4P
14. Bloomfield - DRUP
15. Valley - D4P
16. Portales - D3P

FIRST FOUR
17. Highland
18. Kirtland Central
19. Ruidoso
20. Miyamura

5A Version: https://nmpreps.forums.rivals.com/threads/pit-stop-the-early-version-too-early.28885/

Who do you have winning it all this season?

Week 4: Naughty or Nice List (Hot)

NMPreps.com's hot list of teams heading into the holiday break across the state. New Mexico High School basketball.

NICE LIST (HOT) - 5A BASKETBALL

Las Cruces High School: Not only are the Bulldawgs off to an 8-0 start to the season they have earned quality resume wins over Atrisco Heritage, Belen and Grants. The Bulldawgs next take on Carlsbad on the road this Saturday to end the week. They also have a couple dates to start the new year with Los Lunas (Jan. 4) and Roswell (Jan. 5).

Volcano Vista High School: Although they've only played four games early this season the Hawks have looked convincing enough to consider the 2017 champs as serious contenders. They have wins over Hope Christian, Valley and La Cueva. The biggest indicator that this team should be taken serious is the 82 points per game in wins, last season they averaged 62 points per game. Could be there best offensive team yet.

Cleveland High School: We have to place the top ranked team on the nice list with a perfect 5-0 record along with important wins against Clovis and Roswell - one could win their district. The Storm highlight the Hobbs Holiday Tournament this season on December 27th with an opening game against Lawton, Oklahoma a normal resident at the Hobbs Holiday Tournament.

WE THREE KINGS - 4A BASKETBALL

Los Lunas High School: The Tigers have lived up to the expectation at this point. They are 5-0 and feature wins against Hobbs, Del Norte, Gallup and Rio Rancho all of which are resume boosting wins.

Del Norte High School: Yes, this is the way too early HOT team of December. Do I think this will be the hot pocket team that is still cold in the middle? I don't think so, under McIntosh (head coach Jeron) the Knights get better as the season goes along. This program is only a couple years removed from making the Final Four. Although we do need to see more as the season goes but hard to think they won't be at the PIT this March.

Taos High School: Surely the Tigers are the wait and see team. We did that in football and they made us look foolish. So Tigers here we go early in December we have you on the HOT list heading into the new year. However, tonight (Dec. 18th) we get to see how real the Tigers truly are as they take on a super talented Bernalillo team.

STOCKING STUFFERS - 3A BASKETBALL

St. Michael's School: Shrug of the shoulders happens when discuss 3A basketball this season. St. Michael's seems to be the consensus today and likely by the end of the year. Today, they are 6-1 on the year with the lone loss to 5A Roswell on December 6th. They've won comfortably over other opponents.

Wingate High School: The Al Martinez legacy at Wingate is alive and well just outside of Gallup. Yeego Shash Yeego (Go Bears Go). Wingate is 5-2 on the season and do have resume wins in terms of earning a top-8 seed against Hot Springs and possibly Hatch Valley. Lone New Mexico loss is to Goddard (48-46) on November 29th.

Bosque School: Well, in a classification searching for some contenders the Bosque Bobcats are currently - HOT. They are riding a five game winning streak, 5-3 overall on the season, and feature some rising 3A players in Elijah Davidson (2020) and Dante Boeglin (2019).

106
Final Medina-Robertson defeated Pena-Hereford 8-7
3rd Ortiz-Pecos defeated Sandoval-Los Lunas Fall 0:43

113
Final Clarkson-Taos defeated Fredrickson-Los Lunas 7-0
3rd Balderaz-Hereford defeated Carrete-Valencia 6-2

120
Final Martinez-Valencia defeated Sanchez-Los Lunas Fall 1:32
3rd Gopnzales-Hereford deefeated Flores-Canyon 10-3

126
Final Valencia-Taos defeated Atiliano-Pecos Fall 1:59
3rd Gurule-Los Lunas defeated Hammack-Valencia Fall 0:10

132
Final Ruiz-Los Lunas defeated Montoya-Pecos 1:59
3rd Sanchez-Los Lunas defeated Wood-Hereford Fall 1:07

138
Final Trujillo-Robertson defeated Valencia-Taos 3-1
3rd Andraade-Los Lunas defeated Gutierrez-Foothill 5-4

145
Final Dunlap-Tucumcari defeated Sanchez-Espanola 7-2
3rd Gurule-Los Lunas defeated Brown-Canyon 10-5

152
Final Martinez-Tucumcari defeated Lopez-Wests LV 10-1
3rd Ramos-Foothill defeated Martinez-Espanola Fall 1:59

160
Final Gutierrez-Hereford defeated Zapien-Liberal 10-9
3rd Gallegos-Valencia defeated Vigil-Pecos Fall 0:32

170
Final Smith-Canyon defeated Lowe-Los Lunas 9-3
3rd Abeyta-West LV defeated Ortiz-Liberal 6-2

182
Final Brown-Canyon defeated Ortiz-Pecos 6-0
3rd Altamirano-Espanola defeated Salias-Liberal Fall 3:15

195
Final Jaramillo-Valencia defeated Aguilerra-Liberal Fall 0:14
3rd Robison-Hereford defeated Trejo-Liberal 4-0

220
Final Mares-Robertson defeated Hayes-Tucumcari 6-3
3rd Ayala-Taos defeated Velaasco-Hereford Fall 0:37

285
Final Lopez-Taos defeated Lucero-Goddard Fall 1:53
3rd Urioste-West LV defeated Vega-Los Lunas Fall 3:56

CLICK HERE TO SEE CANDIDATES

We had a huge list. Each award is a difficult task to pick ten names each season. Please understand we did our best to get a look at all. Thank you to the coaches that provided stats, information and nominated their players. I know many will have disagreements with our list, some will agree, at the end of the day all ten played outstanding this season leading to state titles, top stat numbers, and made an impact this season. Also, excited to see that we could have our first defensive player win the award or possibly, for the first time, an OL made the final list.

Take care,
Grine

List the names and stat line here

Heading into January, we'll rank teams in their respective district by expected finish. Detailed district previews will be posted in January.

Share your own rankings here.

Here's the games we're watching closely tonight.

GAME OF THE NIGHT

No. 11 Piedra Vista at No. 7 Miyamura
Two teams who nearly got to their respective championship games this weekend square off in Gallup. 5A Piedra Vista (6-2) looks to get back on track after defeating Belen on Saturday. 4A Miyamura (6-2) also looks to make it two in a row after their win against Moriarty. Miyamura will hopefully get Odessa Begay going offensively, while Piedra Vista looks to avoid another defensive letdown in the trip to Gallup.


TEXAS TWO STEP

Frenship (TX) at Portales
The No. 6 ranked 3A Portales Lady Rams will definitely get a serious test as they'll host the 16-1 Lady Tigers from Wolfforth. Portales (3-4) will once again have to bear through much of their schedule without their star forward Taylee Rippee (discolated shoulder). Rippee is expected to be out until at least early January. Senior guard Codi Flores and Kinzie Davis will look to lead the Lady Rams.

Las Cruces at Americas (TX)
Considering the need for a big win against a great opponent, this will have to be one opportunity the Lady Bulldawgs must seize. Onate was able to steal one in a one point win over Americas earlier this season. Unranked Las Cruces (5-3) showed they are more than capable of hanging with tough teams. Stealing a win against one though has yet to be done. They’ll have to rely on the talents of junior wing Christina Aguayo.


NORTHERN TOURS

Belen at Pojoaque Valley
Belen (3-2) is just off a quality performance at Rio Rancho's tournament where they went 1-2 but a good stand against Piedra Vista for the early part of the game. Now, they'll take on a preseason 4A favorite in Pojoaque (6-0), a team just off winning the Alice King tournament in Moriarty. The Elkettes will be led by a strong core of players from last year's semifinal run including senior guard Taylor Roybal and junior forward Ashten Martinez. Belen will look to junior guard Janae Ornelas and senior wing Eryn Jaramillo.

Valencia at Espanola Valley
The 1-7 Jaguars head north to play an up-and-down Espanola Valley team. The Lady Sundevils (4-5) sit just outside the top 12 this week, but look to get a win before going on break and returning to the St. Michael’s Holiday tournament next week. Valencia has had a mixed bag of results on northern road games (0-3 vs. Santa Fe teams) but did manage to get a dominant win against Los Alamos.

Estancia at Pecos
Former Moriarty boys hoops head coach Mike Trujillo definitely has his team playing better than last year's 0-6 start. Sitting now sitting at 4-1, the No. 6 Lady Bears will host a tough 2A opponent in No. 8 Pecos (4-2), who is led by senior Cassaundra Muller and Brittney Martinez. Estancia will look to Lainey Fastnacht to pace the team.


TUESDAY TRAP GAME WATCH
Games that might be closer than expected.

Gallup at Grants
No. 2 ranked Gallup (4-2) is without a few key players including senior Ashley Antone. The Lady Bengals lost both of their games last week and dropped from the number one spot in 4A. Grants (4-7) is off a loss, but a solid performance at Moriarty’s tournament. The Port could play host to a another upset as Grants knows by now that Gallup is reeling from a tough week.

Lordsburg at Silver
4A No. 12 Silver (5-3) gets back on the court after a week off since defeating a good 1A Animas team. Lordsburg (4-2) makes the road trip after moving up to get in the top ten of 2A. The Lady Mavericks will look to Anissa Plowman to lead them against the Katelyn Limardo led Fightin’ Lady Colts.

Tohatchi at Shiprock
After coming off 1-1 on their road trip to Las Vegas, unranked Shiprock (3-4) is looking to get back on a track with a win against a wild-card Tohatchi team. Unranked Tohatchi (3-4) hasn’t played like the contender of seasons past, but they’ve managed to find themselves making games competitive regardless of the opponent. The Lansing sisters will lead the Lady Chieftains against Cameron Tsosie and the Lady Cougars.

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Which teams do you see taking a step back next season?

What did we learn this week?

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