(1) Robertson 51, (5) Crownpoint 37

The PIT - The first Final Four game of the 2022 New Mexico high school basketball state tournament had the top-seed Robertson Cardinals come out with a 51-37 victory. The Crownpoint Eagles kept things close behind the stellar play of wing Erin Etsitty who finished with 12 point and 5 rebounds on the day. After Crownpoint made things close early in the second quarter trailing by only five points, 29-24, the Robertson Cardinals came out in the second half using a full-court pressure to extend the lead. The Cardinals led by top 3A prospect Jayden Jenkins (23 points/14 rebounds) move into the state championship to play the winner between 2-seed Tohatchi and 3-seed Santa Fe Indian.

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GIRLS BASKETBALL​

5A BASKETBALL - QUARTERFINALS - MARCH 8TH
(1) Volcano Vista 66, (8) Centennial 53 - F
(2) Hobbs 45, (7) Carlsbad 34 - F
(3) La Cueva 61, (6) Organ Mountain 53 - F
(4) Farmington 53, (5) Las Cruces 43 - F
4A BASKETBALL - QUARTERFINALS - MARCH 8TH
(1) Kirtland Central 51, (8) Valencia 35 - F
(2) Gallup 76, (7) Moriarty 53 - F
(3) Bernalillo 69, (6) Taos 48 - F
(4) Portales 48, (5) Highland 43 - F
3A BASKETBALL - QUARTERFINALS - MARCH 8TH
(1) Robertson 71, (8) Thoreau 44 - F
(2) Tohatchi 56, (10) Hatch Valley 34 - F
(3) Santa Fe Indian 50, (6) Socorro 45 - F
(5) Crownpoint 39, (4) Navajo Prep 34 - F
2A BASKETBALL - QUARTERFINALS - MARCH 8TH
(1) Escalante 64, (8) Menaul 48 - F
(2) Clayton 51, (10) Mesa Vista 43 - F
(4) Penasco 52, (5) Rehoboth Christian 43 - F
(6) Laguna-Acoma 37, (3) Eunice 35 - F
1A BASKETBALL - QUARTERFINALS - MARCH 8TH
(2) Fort Sumner 48, (7) Maxwell 42 - F
(3) Logan 47, (6) Roy/Mosquero 37 - F
(4) Melrose 37, (5) Gateway Christian 31 - F
(8) To'hajiilee 46, (1) Animas 37 - F

5A BASKETBALL - FIRST ROUND - MARCH 4TH
#1 Volcano Vista 72, #16 Santa Fe 28 - F
#2 Hobbs 64, #15 Piedra Vista 52 - F
#3 La Cueva 41, #14 Sandia 32 - F
#4 Farmington 53, #13 Eldorado 35 - F
#5 Las Cruces 50, #12 Clovis 41 - F
#6 Organ Mountain 61, #11 Albuquerque 50 - F
#7 Carlsbad 36, #10 Cleveland 34 - F
#8 Centennial 39, #9 Mayfield 34 - F
4A BASKETBALL - FIRST ROUND - MARCH 4TH
#1 Kirtland Central 60, #16 Miyamura 29 - F
#2 Gallup 88, #15 Chaparral 15 - F
#3 Bernalillo 62, #14 Silver 24 - F
#4 Portales 42, #13 Los Alamos 26 - F
#5 Highland 48, #12 St. Pius X 45 - F
#6 Taos 68, #11 Espanola Valley 59 - F
#7 Moriarty 78, #10 Goddard 50 - F
#8 Valencia 59, #9 Hope Christian 43 - F
3A BASKETBALL - FIRST ROUND - MARCH 4TH
#1 Robertson 64, #16 Raton 19 - F
#2 Tohatchi 47, #15 Cuba 31 - F
#3 Santa Fe Indian 40, #14 Sandia Prep 24 - F
#4 Navajo Prep 57, #13 St. Michael's 47 - F
#5 Crownpoint 57, #12 Tucumcari 36 - F
#6 Socorro 42, #11 West Las Vegas 35 - F
#8 Thoreau 77, #9 Zuni 46 - F
#10 Hatch Valley 40, #7 Dexter 23 - F
2A BASKETBALL - FIRST ROUND - MARCH 4TH
#1 Escalante 77, #16 Questa 39 - F
#2 Clayton 54, #15 Dulce 50 - F
#3 Eunice 63, #14 Pecos 43 - F
#4 Penasco 39, #13 Capitan 34 - F
#5 Rehoboth Christian 48, #12 Mescalero Apache 42 - F
#6 Laguna-Acoma 48, #11 Lordsburg 43 - F/OT
#8 Menaul 52, #9 Tatum 47 - F
#10 Mesa Vista 64, #7 Santa Rosa 57 - F
1A BASKETBALL - FIRST ROUND - MARCH 4TH
#1 Animas 57, #16 Springer 42 - F
#2 Fort Sumner/House 61, #15 Jemez Valley 24 - F
#3 Logan 61, #14 Evangel Christian/Oak Grove 24 - F
#4 Melrose 52, #13 Dora 33 - F
#5 Gateway Christian 55, #12 Alamo Navajo 32 - F
#6 Roy/Mosquero 47, #11 Cliff 24 - F
#7 Maxwell 44, #10 Magdalena 31 - F
#8 To'hajiiilee 43, #9 Reserve 39 - F

BRACKET
#1 Highland vs #8 Artesia - 6PM
#2 Taos vs #7 Belen - 6PM
#3 Espanola Valley vs #11 Del Norte - 6PM
#4 St. Pius X vs #5 Albuquerque Academy - 6PM

PREDICTIONS
Highland 51, Artesia 44 - F
Taos 55, Belen 52 - F
Espanola Valley 63, Del Norte 60 - F/OT
Albuquerque Academy 66, St. Pius X 61 - F

LINES
Highland -8.5
Taos -2.5
Espanola Valley -1.5
Academy -3.5

PREVIEWS
#1 Highland Hornets (23-3) vs #8 Artesia Bulldogs (17-11): The Highland Hornets will have the duo of Alexis Dominguez (2022) and Jose Murillo (2022). Artesia features guard Nick Sanchez (2023) but don't forget the shooting of Jake Barrera (2022) and Cameron Thorp (2022). This will be a game won in the third quarter and who breaks free from a tight shooting game. Who gets hot and on a run heading into the fourth quarter could find themselves heading to the PIT on Friday.

#2 Taos Tigers (22-6) vs #7 Belen Eagles (17-11): The Taos Tigers play host to the Belen Eagles as they square off for the second time this season. Belen took the first meeting at a neutral site - Stu Clark Tournament held at New Mexico Highlands University. Who will jump out early and adjust throughout the contest could head to the Final Four. Both teams feature big men in 6-6 Daemon Ely (Taos/2023) against 6-5 Daniel Corrales (Belen/2022).

#3 Espanola Valley Sundevils (21-7) vs #11 Del Norte Knights (13-14): The two programs are very familiar with each other during the post season. Del Norte first upset the Sundevils in the first round (5-12 game) back in 2019 on their way to the Final Four. Then again the Knights beat them last season in the Final Four (58-51) on their way to the state championship. Del Norte features a talented squad of Harrison Frank (2023), Shane Douma-Sanchez (2023), and Judah Casaus (2023). Espanola will look to the solid outside shooting of Marin Rodriguez (2022) and Ricky Padilla (2022), both will need to be hot and not allow this game to become a possession for possession game.

#4 St. Pius X Sartans (18-8) vs #5 Albuquerque Academy Chargers (18-7): Nothing like an old rivalry to meet in the state tournament. I still feel that it's a shame that these two are not district opponents, it should be written in district alignment bylaws to play in the same district. Okay back to the game. St. Pius X is one of those teams that have found ways to win games. They won't make mistakes and they'll capitalize on the little things. Chris Coash (2023) and Tanner Davis (2022) will guide the Sartans in this contest. It doesn't get hotter than the Chargers right now as they went from bubble, to next four to a district championship and 5-seed. After 9-straight wins the Chargers are playing well right now and turn to the talents of Kellen Gehres (2023) and Joe Jack (2024) as they head into the quarterfinal game. Yes, this is our upset alert game.

Post here or text to 505-414-4313

5A Basketball: Quarterfinals Predictions & Lines

BRACKET
(1) Las Cruces vs (9) Sandia, 7p
(2) Volcano Vista vs (10) Carlsbad, 7p
(3) La Cueva vs (6) Los Lunas, 6p
(4) Hobbs vs (5) Atrisco Heritage, 6p

PREDICTIONS
Las Cruces 75, Sandia 61
Volcano Vista 66, Carlsbad 52
La Cueva 68, Los Lunas 55
Hobbs 69, Atrisco Heritage 59

LINE
Las Cruces -14.5
Volcano Vista -13.5
La Cueva -13.5
Hobbs -9.5

PREVIEW
(1) Las Cruces (29-0) vs (9) Sandia 18-9): This game features some of the top prospects ranked in the top-15 heading into the season. Las Cruces with the duo of William Benjamin and Isaiah Carr - two seniors that have the Bulldogs putting in 80-points per contest. Sandia now has Sean Johnson (2022), who was ranked very high this preseason, coming off a 16 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assist game.

(2) Volcano Vista (26-0) vs (10) Carlsbad (23-6): The Volcano Vista Hawks stay perfect as they head into the quarterfinals. Look for guard Ja'Kwon Hill (2022) to continue proving that he's one of the best in the state consistently putting up 17-18 points per game. Carlsbad making the long drive back to the metro area after upsetting Rio Rancho in the first round. Damian Perez, a 6-5 junior, had a nice showing in the opening round putting in 15-points.

(3) La Cueva (23-3) vs (6) Los Lunas (21-8): We have two teams that feature some solid young talent that will carry us into next season as well. Yes, we know the key names Exodus Ayers (2023) and Cedarius Yates (2023) for La Cueva and the young man Jalin Holland (2025) for Los Lunas. The x-factor will be two stud seniors Gabe Trujillo (2022/La Cueva) and Jamian Perez (2022/Los Lunas).

(4) Hobbs (26-2) vs (5) Atrisco Heritage (19-8): The Hobbs Eagles have somewhat flown under the radar despite a 26-win season and riding a 12-game win streak. The Eagles have a pair of seniors putting in nearly 20-points per game in Jalen Goar and Aaron Molina. The Atrisco Heritage Jaguars have a talented squad and should be a dangerous threat despite a rough couple weeks being 2-5 in the last seven games but it is the post season and will look to seniors Javier Mendoza and Colby Wade to carry them forward.

What's your call tonight?

MARCH 8TH

27 points - Taelene Fowler - Socorro
22 points - Kalese Torrez - Escalante
20 points - Eva Love - La Cueva
19 points - Hermanie Dominguez - Organ Mountain
16 points - Madisen Valdez - Santa Fe Indian
15 points - Mikayla Sierra - Menaul
14 points - Citriana Garcia - Escalante
13 points - Teona Savic - La Cueva
13 points - Rylie Ottmann - La Cueva
13 points - Ryeelyn Martinez - Escalante
13 points - Nina Romero - La Cueva
13 points - Elaina Ortiz - Menaul
11 points - Taryn Aguilar - Santa Fe Indian
11 points - Hailey Hernandez - Organ Mountain
10 points - Caitlin Turnbow - Organ Mountain

GIRLS BASKETBALL​

5A BASKETBALL - QUARTERFINALS - MARCH 8TH
(1) Volcano Vista 66, (8) Centennial 53 - F
(2) Hobbs 45, (7) Carlsbad 34 - F
(3) La Cueva 61, (6) Organ Mountain 53 - F
(4) Farmington 53, (5) Las Cruces 43 - F
4A BASKETBALL - QUARTERFINALS - MARCH 8TH
(1) Kirtland Central 51, (8) Valencia 35 - F
(2) Gallup 76, (7) Moriarty 53 - F
(3) Bernalillo 69, (6) Taos 48 - F
(4) Portales 48, (5) Highland 43 - F
3A BASKETBALL - QUARTERFINALS - MARCH 8TH
(1) Robertson 71, (8) Thoreau 44 - F
(2) Tohatchi 56, (10) Hatch Valley 34 - F
(3) Santa Fe Indian 50, (6) Socorro 45 - F
(5) Crownpoint 39, (4) Navajo Prep 34 - F
2A BASKETBALL - QUARTERFINALS - MARCH 8TH
(1) Escalante 64, (8) Menaul 48 - F
(2) Clayton 51, (10) Mesa Vista 43 - F
(4) Penasco 52, (5) Rehoboth Christian 43 - F
(6) Laguna-Acoma 37, (3) Eunice 35 - F
1A BASKETBALL - QUARTERFINALS - MARCH 8TH
(2) Fort Sumner 48, (7) Maxwell 42 - F
(3) Logan 47, (6) Roy/Mosquero 37 - F
(4) Melrose 37, (5) Gateway Christian 31 - F
(8) To'hajiilee 46, (1) Animas 37 - F

What games are you at tomorrow?

Teams that standout?
Who are looking like contenders?
Players having big years?

5A BASKETBALL

#1 Volcano Vista vs #8 Centennial, 6p
#2 Hobbs vs #7 Carlsbad, 6p
#3 La Cueva vs #6 Organ Mountain, 6p
#4 Farmington vs #5 Las Cruces, 7p

WHAT TO WATCH

Prospect Watch: A pair of future next level opponents Rylie Ottmann (2022/La Cueva) vs Hermanie Dominguez (2022/Organ Mountain) square off. Ottmann committed to Colorado State - Colorado Springs University and Dominguez will attend Adams State.

Road Trip Game: The Bulldawgs go from Las Cruces to Farmington, a 6 hour-409 mile bus ride. Farmington looking to make a statement as they have made their voice heard that they deserved a better seed.

Picks: Volcano Vista, Hobbs, Organ Mountain (upset watch), Farmington (but close).

4A BASKETBALL

#1 Kirtland Central vs #8 Valencia, 6p
#2 Gallup vs #7 Moriarty, 6p
#3 Bernalillo vs #6 Taos, 6p
#4 Portales vs #5 Highland, 6p

WHAT TO WATCH

Upset Watch: We have to pick. So the unfavorable pick here. Moriarty over Gallup. Moriarty has solid size and really good guard play. Gallup is still very good behind Hailey Long (2022) but Moriarty could make it interesting when you look at match ups. They have a forward in Hannak Beukelman to match up inside but the guard play of Aneesa Chavez, Evann Segura, and Payton Edwards could keep it close.

Must-See Game: Highland vs Portales will be a close battle. Can Highland win on the road? They will have to defend a 1-2 punch of Taris Rippee and Kylyie Paden who have been doing it for three years now and looking to cap off their senior year with a run at the title.

WEEK 1 - AUGUST 18TH-20TH
Albuquerque Academy at Rio Grande (Thur)
Albuquerque at Organ Mountain
Atrisco Heritage at Sandia (Thur)
Cibola at Eldorado
Deming at Del Norte
Highland at Portales
La Cueva at Rio Rancho (Sat)
Las Cruces at Volcano Vista
Los Lunas at Belen
Manzano at Mayfield
Santa Fe at West Mesa (Thur)
Valley at Bernalillo

What are some of the key workouts right now?

5A BASKETBALL - FIRST ROUND - MARCH 5

(1) Las Cruces 84, (16) Albuquerque 34 - F

(9) Sandia 49, (8) Santa Fe 46 - F

(5) Atrisco Heritage 62, (12) Eldorado 58 - F

(4) Hobbs 80, (13) Farmington 66 - F

(3) La Cueva 57, (14) West Mesa 34 - F

(6) Los Lunas 59, (11) Cleveland 53 - F

(10) Carlsbad 49, (7) Rio Rancho 47 - F

(2) Volcano Vista 74, (15) Organ Mountain 41 - F

4A BASKETBALL - FIRST ROUND - MARCH 5TH

(1) Highland 71, (16) Miyamura 47 - F

(8) Artesia 50, (9) Lovington 47 - F

(5) Albuquerque Academy 71, (12) Goddard 53 - F

(4) St. Pius X 37, (13) Valley 31 - F

(3) Espanola Valley 65, (14) Los Alamos 55 - F

(11) Del Norte 63, (6) Silver 51 - F

(7) Belen 41, (10) Gallup 36 - F

(2) Taos 63, (15) Hope Christian 53 - F

3A BASKETBALL - FIRST ROUND - MARCH 5TH

(1) Socorro 81, (16) Tucumcari 48 - F

(8) Crownpoint 42, (9) Santa Fe Prep 33 - F

(5) Navajo Prep 56, (12) West Las Vegas 46 - F

(4) St. Michael's 76, (14) Tohatchi 33 - F

(3) Sandia Prep 80, (14) Cottonwood Classical 33 - F

(7) Bosque 55, (10) Hot Springs 45 - F

(2) Robertson 73, (15) Dexter 37 - F

(11) Santa Fe Indian 46, Raton 40 - F

2A BASKETBALL - FIRST ROUND - MARCH 5TH

(1) Tularosa 61, (16) Mescalero Apache 41 - F

(8) Estancia 62, (9) Lordsburg 55 - F

(5) Menaul 78, (12) Dulce 49 - F

(4) Escalante 58, (13) Santa Rosa 51 - F

(3) Rehoboth Christian 60, (14) McCurdy 39 - F

(6) Jal 63, (11) Clayton 46 - F

(7) Hagerman 65, (10) Texico 52 - F

(2) Pecos 74, (15) Penasco 58 - F

1A BASKETBALL - FIRST ROUND - MARCH 5TH

(1) Magdalena 74, (16) Ramah 25 - F

(9) Dora 42, (8) Legacy Academy 39 - F

(5) Clovis Christian 75, (12) Evangel Christian 52 - F

(4) Roy/Mosquero 69, (13) Cliff 45 - F

(3) Mesilla Valley 58, (14) Coronado 37 - F

(11) Reserve 60, (6) Fort Sumner 58 - F

(7) Melrose 69, (10) Springer 30 - F

(2) Elida 76, (15) Cimarron 56 - F

3A Basketball: 1st Round Preview & Predictions

NMPreps preview and predictions for the 2022 New Mexico high school basketball state tournament. #nmpreps

#1 Socorro Warriors (20-5) vs #16 Tucumcari Rattlers (8-16), 5PM

Preview: When the Socorro Warriors opened their position they hoped to find the right fit for the program. That fit came in the form of former Warriors and University of New Mexico player JJ Griego. The Warriors won the district 3-3A championship and will look to guards Warren Chewiwi (2023) and Duda Jackson (2022). Jackson leads the team in scoring at 24.9 points per game. The Tucucmari Rattlers did what all good cinderella stories do and "win and advance". After finishing third in district, sitting on the outside of the state tournament, they won the district 4-3A tournament championship securing an automatic bid to state. They will look to senior forward Andrew Henderson-Clark and Curtis Gonzales (2023). Henderson-Clark is leading the way with 19.1 points per game.

Prediction: Socorro 64, Tucumcari 41.

#2 Robertson Cardinals (19-6) vs #15 Dexter (6-13), 5PM

Preview: The Robertson Cardinals enter the post season with 19-wins and district 2-3A champions. The Cardinals go on the shoulders of senior athlete Mathew Gonzales who is pouring in 26 points per game this season for the Cardinals. The punch to this 1-2 punch for the Cardinals comes with 6-2 junior Bodie Schlinger putting up double-double numbers at 12 points and 10 rebounds each night. The Dexter Demons enter the post season as district 4-3A regular season champions. They started the season 1-8 but finished 5-5 receiving the auto.

Prediction: Robertson 87, Dexter 44.

#3 Sandia Prep Sundevils (14-11) vs #14 Cottonwood Classical Prep Coyotes (9-14), 6PM

Preview: The 3-14 game will feature district 5-3A opponents, Sandia Prep enters as the district champion. This game features the likes of 3A player of the year candidate Mac Manzanares, a 6-5 senior wing, averaging over 15 points per game. The relatively new member in the New Mexico Athletic Association Cottonwood Classical Prep, located in Albuquerque, will play in their first state tournament. The Coyotes are led by sophomore Kaedon Petties, a 6-1 forward averaing 12 points per game.

Prediction: Sandia Prep 69, Cottonwood 42.

#4 St. Michael's Horsemen (13-14) vs #13 Tohatchi Cougars (13-15), 5PM

Preview: The Horsemen enter the post season with a full good story and run as they started the season 0-10 but have since gone 13-5 to finish the season. They were counted out early and even a month ago but finished as district 2-3A runner ups and now turn to making a run at the state title. The Horsemen feature a roster of players that could go off any night and will look to its core of Diego Armendariz (2022), Adam Montoya (2023), and Devin Flores (2022) along with sound play from freshman Sabiani Rios-Guevara. The Tohathci Cougars come from District 1-3A finishing third place and winners of three of the last four games.

Prediction: St. Michael's 55, Tohatchi 42.

#5 Navajo Prep Eagles (17-8) vs #12 West Las Vegas Dons (10-16), 4PM

Preview: The Navajo Prep Eagles are picked as an upset watch game as they enter the 4pm game time in Farmington. The Eagles are the District 1-3A champions finishing 11-1 in district play and have a year of significant wins over Gallup and Escalante. Dontrelle Denetso (2022) leads the way with 16 points per game along with getting 12 points from sophomore guard Jude Thomas. The Dons will look to its trio of Damian Gallegos (2022), PJ Montano (2024), and Josh Gonzales (2022). All three are averaging double figures - 15, 13.3 and 10 points per game.

Prediction: Navajo Prep 55, West Las Vegas 54.

#6 Raton Tigers (16-8) vs #11 Santa Fe Indian Braves (9-15), 6PM

Preview: This first round game will also feature district opponents as Raton will play host to Santa Fe Indian. The Tigers finished tied for second place in District 2-3A and will be lead by the Quartieri duo of Matthew and Dylan. The seniors are each averaging 12 points per game along with around 5 rebounds per game. Santa Fe Indian has struggled since the turn of the calendar year going 4-10.

Prediction: Raton 54, Santa Fe Indian 40.

#7 Bosque Bobcats (17-8) vs #10 Hot Springs Tigers (16-13), 4PM

Preview: The battle of the latest 3A basketball state champions. Hot Springs led by head coach Derek Bean have taken home the 2019 state championship along with winning it all last season. Clifton Davidson led the Bobcats to their first state championship during the 2020 season defeating the Sandia Prep Sundevils, 65-57. The 7-seed Bobcats are led by Anthony Sanchez (2022) and Cooper Hautau (2024). Hot Springs High School hits the road and will have senior forward Randin Gossett providing the post season experience for the Tigers.

Prediction: Bosque 53, Hot Springs 51

#8 Crownpoint Eagles (21-7) vs #9 Santa Fe Prep Blue Griffins (14-11), 5PM

Preview: We called the Crownpoint Eagles as a team to watch in our early predictions and they are now home to the first round of the state tournament game between the 8-9 seed game. The Eagles have patiently built their program from three year lettermen Taye Harvey (2023), Tyrell Archie (2023) and senior Kordell McMillan. Archie leading the way averaging 17 points per game with Harvey (13) and McMillan (11) close behind. Now they turn to overcoming a tough Santa Fe Prep Blue Griffins team entering the game behind next level prospect Finn Coles (2022) and a team that battled for a DC in the tough 2-3A district.

Prediction: Santa Fe Prep 58, Crownpoint 54.

Grine's Must-See 1st RD Game: Crownpoint vs Santa Fe Prep
Grine's Upset Pick: Hot Springs
Grine's "Don't Sleep on this Upset Possibility": West Las Vegas
Grine's Final Four: Sandia Prep, Socorro, St. Mikes, Robertson
Grine's Champ: Sandia Prep. After two failed attempts in 2021 and 2020 finishing as state runner ups. Also, a history of finishing as the bridesmaid and top title contender, they should get their first.

Post scores here.

Grine's Starting Five: Top Players to Watch at State

NMPreps Joshua Grine's starting five players to watch during the first round of the 2022 New Mexico high school basketball state tournament. #nmpreps

5A BASKETBALL


1st Unit Scoop: We couldn't start the list for 5A basketball without the dynamic duo of William Benjamin and Isaiah Carr of top-ranked Las Cruces High School. Benjamin, a 6-foot-2 guard, is averaging 26.1 points per game along with 6 rebounds and 7 assists. 6-foot-11 and Grand Canyon University commit Isaiah Carr has averages of 18.6 points and 10.6 rebounds per game. Hobbs guard Jalen Goar has the Eagles ranked third and leading the way with 19.8 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per contest. Ja'Kwon Hill (2022/Volcano Vista) and freshman stud Jalin Holland (2025/Los Lunas) both lead their team into the post-season after being named District Player of the Year for their respected districts (no stats available). Junior star Exodus Ayers leads a talented 2023 class for the La Cueva Bears (2-seed) with 16.4 points, 6.4 rebounds and 4.6 assists per contest.


===

Who do you have? Can be the entire state or break it down by classification.

4A Basketball: 1st Round Preview & Predictions

NMPreps preview and predictions for the 2022 New Mexico high school basketball state tournament. #nmpreps

#1 Highland Hornets (22-3) vs #16 Miyamura Patriots (14-14), 7PM

Preview: The Highland Hornets enter the post season riding a 16-game win streak along with winning the District 5-4A championship. The Hornets are guided by the inside presence of Jose Murillo (2022), a top-5 prospect in New Mexico High School basketball. Murillo is averaging 22 points and 11 rebounds per game this season; Alexis Dominguez also in double figures with 13 points and 5 assists per game. The Miyamura Patriots earned their second bid to the state tournament and first since the 2018 season. The Patriots finished runner up in district 1-4A this season.

Prediction: Highland 61, Miyamura 48. The Hornets will have too much inside presence for the Patriots in this contest. Miyamura plays well in their zone but will need to find offense against a strong defensive unit at Highland.

#2 Taos Tigers (21-6) vs #15 Hope Christian Huskies (15-14), 6PM

Preview: The Taos Tigers earned one the 2-seed after a 21-win season and district 2-4A regular season championship. The Tigers feature a trio of talent and create an inside-outside threat. Look for 6-foot-7 junior Daemon Ely, 6-foot-3 Anthony Padilla (2022), and shooting guard Isiah Jeantete (2022) to provide the scoring for the Tigers. The Hope Christian Huskies are like any other 15-seed that we've seen in the 4A tournament and a testament to the parity in the classification. Junior Jett Wycoff, a 6-foot-3 wing, can knock it down and provides that "take over" approach that could bring the alerts for an upset.

Prediction: Taos 63, Hope Christian 62. It is hard to make the upset call in a 2-15 match-up. I will say there would not be a surprised fan in New Mexico that wouldn't see the Huskies winning this game. (PS it would be a shame if the Huskies didn't make the state tournament, yet there are actually folks voting for the return to DC,DRUP only making state.)

#3 Espanola Valley Sundevils (20-7) vs #14 Los Alamos (15-12), 6PM

Preview: District 2-4A opponents meet again. The 3-seed Espanola Valley Sundevils enter the post-season after finishing as district runner up and district tournament champions. The Sundevils feature a strong senior unit led by 6-6 Melaki Jones (2022), Jayden Martinez (2022), Ricky Padilla (2022), and Joshua Coriz (2022). The Los Alamos Hilltoppers have been up and down throughout the season and one of those highs came during a 47-40 win over Espanola Valley on February 11th. They finished third in district 2-4A and will look to the scoring of sophomore guard Niko Garcia. Garcia had an impressive showing from a 31-point performance on December 28th through an upset win over Belen (1/29) when he scored 18 points on back to back nights (18 vs Taos on 1/28).

Prediction: Espanola Valley 55, Los Alamos 42. The Hilltoppers have upsets this season but they'll have to shoot great, something they do at spurts this season but the Sundevils are riding on some momentum after beat Taos in the district tournament championship.

#4 St. Pius X Sartans (17-8) vs #13 Valley Vikings (12-13), 6PM

Preview: The same story for most of the first round in 4A basketball will be on upset. This one is another that people immediately considered calling upset. St. Pius X into the post-season after finish as District 5-4A runner up. They are guided by the play of Tanner Davis (2022) and Chris Coash (2023). Both guards compliment each other well but watch for Davis being a name we all know by the end of the tournament. Valley started the season 5-0 and battled through a tough schedule and district. They finished third place in district 6-4A behind favorites Del Norte and Albuquerque Academy. The Viking have the trio of Kevin Griner (2022), Isaac Tapia (2022), and Mateo Hernandez (2022).

Prediction: St. Pius X 43, Valley 41. This one will have a similar style of play to it. I look forward to seeing the knock down shooters of Tapia (Valley) and Davis (SPX) squaring off. Like the Hope Christian (6-4A), the Valley Vikings are another team from that district that has a high seed but a Final Four contender too.

#5 Albuquerque Academy Chargers (17-7) vs #12 Goddard Rockets (15-13), 5PM

Preview: The Chargers enter the post season after making a run and winning the district 6-4A championship. The Chargers were not favored to win the district but now riding an 8-game win streak head into the post-season as a Final Four pick. I really like the make-up of this team that includes a talented duo of Kellan Gehres (2023) and sophomore Joe Jack. The Goddard Rockets finished 4-2 and tied for first in district 4-4A with Artesia and Lovington. They feature 6-2 senior Noah Reese who is averaging 16 points and 9 rebounds per contest.

Prediction: Albuquerque Academy 63, Goddard 51. I'm torn on this game. Reese (Goddard) is solid but Academy could provide too many options on both ends of the floor. The kicker is Goddard is on a 4-game skid while Academy continues to get better on their win streak.

#6 Silver Colts (25-2) vs #11 Del Norte Knights (12-14), 4PM

Preview: The 6-seed Silver Colts into the plays with a classification best 25-wins and district 3-4A championship. The Colts feature a roster led by forward Regan Carbajal (2022) who plays tough defense and likes to run in transition. Also, look for shooter Julian Richard (2024) and the play of seniors Aaron Granado and Anthony Rico. The defending state champion Del Norte Knights make the long trip from Albuquerque to the deep southwest corner of New Mexico. They feature a tough foursome of Shane Douma-Sanchez (2023), Judah Casaus (2023), Harrison Frank (2023) and Josh Tellez (2022).

Prediction: Del Norte 65, Silver 57. The Del Norte Knights are Mister March. They've done their best work as a road team and although they are the 11-seed they have state championship talent to make another run at a title.

#7 Belen Eagles (16-11) vs #10 Gallup Bengals (16-12), 5PM

Preview: The Belen Eagles finished above .500 for the first time since the 2018 season and a sound turnaround from 1-win last season to 16-wins. They finished third place in district 5-4A behind 1-seed Highland and 4-seed St. Pius X. Look for one of the top seniors in New Mexico this season in senior Daniel Corrales. Gallup started the season 5-10 and battled through plenty of roster changes this season. Now that they have a healthy roster they are hoping to continue their run after winning the district 1-4A championship. Khohanon Atazhoon (2022) and Joaquin Ortega (2022) are two of the top seniors in 4A basketball to watch.

Prediction: Belen 65, Gallup 64. The question will be what upsets to pick in 4A basketball. We can't tell much from the December 7th game, a Gallup 73-63 win in Gallup. This will be a game of runs. Who has the ball late and can capitalize on second chance points or turnovers.

#8 Artesia Bulldogs (16-11) vs #9 Lovington Wildcats (20-8), 6PM

Preview: Are you ready for the fourth round of Dogs and Cats? The Artesia Bulldogs are hitting post season form and coming off a district tournament championship over first round opponent Lovington, 63-38. They split their district regular season games, both winning at home, before Artesia's championship win. Artesia has the scoring of junior guard Nick Sanchez while Lovington talented play of Tayten Hilliard (2022).

Prediction: Artesia 54, Lovington 52. This one should be closer than the game last Saturday afternoon. I'd say flip a coin but I'll go on the side of Artesia head coach Mike Mondragon who continues to have his team ready in March.

Grine's Must-See 1st RD Game: Belen vs Gallup
Grine's Upset Pick: Del Norte
Grine's "Don't Sleep on this Upset Possibility": Valley
Grine's Final Four: Highland, Albuquerque Academy, Del Norte, Taos
Grine's Champ: Highland

5A BASKETBALL - FIRST ROUND - MARCH 4TH

#1 Volcano Vista 72, #16 Santa Fe 28 - F

#2 Hobbs 64, #15 Piedra Vista 52 - F

#3 La Cueva 41, #14 Sandia 32 - F

#4 Farmington 53, #13 Eldorado 35 - F

#5 Las Cruces 50, #12 Clovis 41 - F

#6 Organ Mountain 61, #11 Albuquerque 50 - F

#7 Carlsbad 36, #10 Cleveland 34 - F

#8 Centennial 39, #9 Mayfield 34 - F

4A BASKETBALL - FIRST ROUND - MARCH 4TH

#1 Kirtland Central 60, #16 Miyamura 29 - F

#2 Gallup 88, #15 Chaparral 15 - F

#3 Bernalillo 62, #14 Silver 24 - F

#4 Portales 42, #13 Los Alamos 26 - F

#5 Highland vs #12 St. Pius X, 7pm

#6 Taos 68, #11 Espanola Valley 59 - F

#7 Moriarty 78, #10 Goddard 50 - F

#8 Valencia 59, #9 Hope Christian 43 - F

3A BASKETBALL - FIRST ROUND - MARCH 4TH

#1 Robertson 64, #16 Raton 19 - F

#2 Tohatchi 47, #15 Cuba 31 - F

#3 Santa Fe Indian 40, #14 Sandia Prep 24 - F

#4 Navajo Prep 57, #13 St. Michael's 47 - F

#5 Crownpoint 57, #12 Tucumcari 36 - F

#6 Socorro 42, #11 West Las Vegas 35 - F

#8 Thoreau 77, #9 Zuni 46 - F

#10 Hatch Valley 40, #7 Dexter 23 - F

2A BASKETBALL - FIRST ROUND - MARCH 4TH

#1 Escalante 77, #16 Questa 39 - F

#2 Clayton 54, #15 Dulce 50 - F

#3 Eunice 63, #14 Pecos 43 - F

#4 Penasco 39, #13 Capitan 34 - F

#5 Rehoboth Christian 48, #12 Mescalero Apache 42 - F

#6 Laguna-Acoma 48, #11 Lordsburg 43 - F

#8 Menaul 52, #9 Tatum 47 - F

#10 Mesa Vista 64, #7 Santa Rosa 57 - F

1A BASKETBALL - FIRST ROUND - MARCH 4TH

#1 Animas 57, #16 Springer 42 - F

#2 Fort Sumner/House 61, #15 Jemez Valley 24 - F

#3 Logan 61, #14 Evangel Christian/Oak Grove 24 - F

#4 Melrose 52, #13 Dora 33 - F

#5 Gateway Christian 55, #12 Alamo Navajo 32 - F

#6 Roy/Mosquero 47, #11 Cliff 24 - F

#7 Maxwell 44, #10 Magdalena 31 - F

#8 To'hajiiilee 43, #9 Reserve 39 - F

Who do you have?

Who do you have?

What game are you at tonight?

GIRLS BASKETBALL: 2022 STATE TOURNAMENT​

5A BASKETBALL - FIRST ROUND - MARCH 4TH
#1 Volcano Vista vs #16 Santa Fe, 7pm
#2 Hobbs vs #15 Piedra Vista, 6pm
#3 La Cueva vs #14 Sandia, 6pm
#4 Farmington vs #13 Eldorado, 6pm
#5 Las Cruces vs #12 Clovis, 6pm
#6 Organ Mountain vs #11 Albuquerque, 6pm
#7 Carlsbad vs #10 Cleveland, 6pm
#8 Centennial vs #9 Mayfield, 7pm

Grine's Must-See Game: Albuquerque at Organ Mountain. Down south should feature a close-call radar game with two 20-win teams squaring off. This game also features two players in our ten must see players in the first round - Leilani Love (AHS) and Harmanie Dominguez (OMHS).

Grine's Upset Pick: Mayfield over Centennial. Each team won the home game during district play and now the third round between the two will decide who moves into the quarterfinals. PS I do hate picking the 8-9 game in upset games so I'll add to watch Sandia, Eldorado and Albuquerque.

5-12 Seed That Could Play in the Final Four: Organ Mountain. Hmmm, does this work if I had Albuquerque as a possible upset in the section above. I feel if Organ Mountain could get passed Albuquerque they could pull an upset over La Cueva.

Grine's Starting Five in the 1st Round: Natalia Chavez (2022/Volcano Vista), Kiiyani Anitielu (2022/Farmington), Hermanie Dominguez (2022/Organ Mountain), Bhret Clay (2025/Hobbs), Rylie Ottmann (2022/La Cueva). Yes, we have several other names that we could list. We put five that could have prime time performances tonight.

Senior Salute; Lanae Billy (2022/Piedra Vista), Larissa Laborin (2022/Centennial), Yvonne Fuerte (2022/Clovis). The trio are seniors that could be on their final game of their high school career. We highlight their name as we enter the post-season.

4A BASKETBALL - FIRST ROUND - MARCH 4TH
#1 Kirtland Central vs #16 Miyamura, 6pm
#2 Gallup vs #15 Chaparral, 6pm
#3 Bernalillo vs #14 Silver, 6pm
#4 Portales vs #13 Los Alamos, 6pm
#5 Highland vs #12 St. Pius X, 7pm
#6 Taos vs #11 Espanola Valley, 6pm
#7 Moriarty vs #10 Goddard, 6pm
#8 Valencia vs #9 Hope Christian, 6pm

3A BASKETBALL - FIRST ROUND - MARCH 4TH
#1 Robertson vs #16 Raton, 6pm
#2 Tohatchi vs #15 Cuba, 6pm
#3 Santa Fe Indian vs #14 Sandia Prep, 7pm
#4 Navajo Prep vs #13 St. Michael's, 6pm
#5 Crownpoint vs #12 Tucumcari, 6pm
#6 Socorro vs #11 West Las Vegas, 6pm
#7 Dexter vs #10 Hatch Valley, 6pm
#8 Thoreau vs #9 Zuni, 5:30pm

2A BASKETBALL - FIRST ROUND - MARCH 4TH
#1 Escalante vs #16 Questa, 6pm
#2 Clayton vs #15 Dulce, 5pm
#3 Eunice vs #14 Pecos, 6pm
#4 Penasco vs #13 Capitan, 5:30pm
#5 Rehoboth Christian vs #12 Mescalero Apache, 5:30pm
#6 Laguna-Acoma vs #11 Lordsburg, 6pm
#7 Santa Rosa vs #10 Mesa Vista, 6pm
#8 Menaul vs #9 Tatum, 4:30pm

1A BASKETBALL - FIRST ROUND - MARCH 4TH
#1 Animas vs #16 Springer, 4pm
#2 Fort Sumner/House vs #15 Jemez Valley, 6pm
#3 Logan vs #14 Evangel Christian/Oak Grove, 5pm
#4 Melrose vs #13 Dora, 6pm
#5 Gateway Christian vs #12 Alamo Navajo, 5pm
#6 Roy/Mosquero vs #11 Cliff, 6pm
#7 Maxwell vs #10 Magdalena, 5pm
#8 To'hajiiilee vs #9 Reserve, 4pm

What game are you attending?

6A Football Preseason Rankings: Carlsbad Cavemen

NMPreps New Mexico high school football preseason team rankings for the 2022 season. #nmpreps

NO. 14 CARLSBAD CAVEMEN

City: Carlsbad, NM
2021 Record: 3-7 overall, 1-3 district
2021 Playoffs: Missed
Head Coach: Oliver Soukup
NMPreps 6A Preseason Rank: #14 (of 21)
NMPreps Top-40 Preseason Rank: Coming Soon

Preview: Intrigue surrounds the Carlsbad Cavemen football program after an off-season hire of former New Mexico State University assistant coach Oliver Soukup. Soukup was hired to replace former head coach Gary Bradley who resigned after the 2021 season. The Cavemen are coming off a 3-7 season and hopes of returning to their 2019 form when they went 6-5 and reached state. The Cavemen will replace several key departures from the 2021 season but will look to key players Saul Ruiz (2023/LB), Dane Naylor (2023/QB), and offensive linemen Jonathon Mendez (2023) and John Garza (2023). TE/DE Tyen Gonzalez (2023) will also be a name to know as the 6-foo-7 two way player could play a huge impact.

Way-too-Early Prediction: 4-6 overall, 2-3 district. Soukup is a solid hire. They have some talent returning. Why the low ranking and 4-win prediction? This will be Soukup's first time in a high school setting and the loss of a top ranked lineman and do-everything running back from last season could take time to get his staple on the program.

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6A Football 2022 Preseason Team Rankings