1A Basketball: 1st Round Preview & Predictions
NMPreps preview of the 2022 New Mexico high school basketball 1A state tournament. #nmpreps
#1 Magdalena Steers (27-1) vs #16 Ramah Mustangs (13-7), 5PM
Preview: The Magdalena Steers enter the post-season with a goliath approach as the 1A power has poured in 2,174 points and only given up 835 points on the season. The Steers won 27-games and feature one of the top players in the classification in Joren Mirabal (2022) who is putting up impressive numbers. Mirabal averages 26 points, 6 rebounds, 5.5 assists, and 5.3 steals per game. The Mustangs will look to McKay Evans who averages 18 points and 8 rebounds per contest.
Prediction: Magdalena 91, Ramah 30. The first game was over after the first quarter (37-4) on it's way to a 85-12 win by the Mustangs. Mirabal could drop 30 by the half.
#2 Elida Tigers (20-5) vs #15 Cimarron Rams (13-13), 4PM
Preview: The Elida Tigers enter the post season after winning the 4-1A regular season district championship. They did fall in the tournament championship to a talented Dora team but the 2-seed Tigers should roll with ease in the opener. Look for 6-foot-2 senior Rylan Creighton in this opener to go for over 20 points and 10 rebounds. Cimarron finished third in district 5-1A and enter state on a 4-game win streak, winning the district tournament championship.
Prediction: Elida 64, Cimarron 52. In 1A basketball the powers and top-seeds typically run away in the first round but the Cimarron Rams will use the momentum from last week to make it interesting. The Elida Tigers have a little too much though and will pull away.
#3 Mesilla Valley SonBlazer (20-1) vs #14 Coronado Leopards (16-11), 3PM
Preview: The SonBlazers program is back after a few seasons sitting back. The one time power of small school basketball has reeled off 20-wins. Head coach Douglas Coyle had the SonBlazers in the Final Four during the 2019 season and an appearance in the state championship game in 2017. With this every other year be the run that wins it all? The Leopards finished third place in district 7-1A this season and hope to keep things interesting after the long bus ride to Las Cruces from northern New Mexico. They've struggled against ranked teams this season but have some steam after an upset win over Evangel Christian last week during the district tournament.
Prediction: Mesilla Valley 55, Coronado 41. The SonBlazers feature too many weapons for the Leopards add on the trip and this one could get away from them early.
#4 Roy/Mosquero Blue (22-5) vs #13 Cliff Cowboys (15-8), 1PM
Preview: Another team making a long bus ride during the first round of the state tournament puts the 4-seed Blue of Roy/Mosquero against the 13-seed Cliff Cowboys. Roy/Mosquero suffered an upset loss last week in the district tournament championship and hope to recover quick with top 1A player Lane Clavel (2022) leading the way. Clavel leads the Blue in scoring with 18 points per game along with 6.4 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game.
Prediction: Roy/Mosquero 58, Cliff 50. The bus ride should play into this game as well but don't count out the Cliff Cowboys, a program that once ruled the classification in basketball. They have a young roster, built for the future teams, but led by top New Mexico head coach Brian Shock should have them competitive.
#5 Clovis Christian Eagles (19-8) vs #12 Evangel/Oak Grove Eagles (21-6), 5PM
Preview: After a hot start at 12-2 the 5-seed Clovis Christian Eagles have since gone 7 and 6 eventually winning the 6-1A regular season district championship. Clovis Christian is led behind a pair of juniors - Carter Teune and Noah Gershon - who are averaging 18.1 and 17.2 points per game. Evangel Christian/Oak Grove Academy enters the post season after finishing as district 7-1A runner ups. They look to spot up shooter Andres Garcia (2022) to provide a shooters chance at pulling the upset.
Prediction: Clovis Christian 61, Evangel/Oak Grove 51. Clovis Christian has a ten point cushion early on Evangel Christian entering this contest. They (CC) have faced a tough schedule and it'll pay off during the post season run.
#6 Fort Sumner/House (17-4) vs #11 Reserve Mountaineers (17-9), 6PM
Preview: Fort Sumner entered the season as a top-three favorite to win the state tournament. After finishing as district 6-1A runner ups they'll look to make a run as an underdog. The duo of Seth Saiz (2024) and Clay Norman (2023) provide a serious scoring threat for Fort Sumner/House in the post season. Reserve finished 6-2 during district play placing second in 2-1A. The Mountaineers have 9 losses to the following teams - Mesilla Valley, Socorro, and Magdalena.
Prediction: Fort Sumner/House 63, Reserve 55. This one will be close. However, Fort Sumner should have enough talent to pull away late in this one.
#7 Melrose Buffaloes (18-8) vs #10 Springer Red Devils (15-8), 5PM
Preview: Melrose fell in the state title game last season after a stellar three-peat from 2018-2020. The Buffaloes look to the inside presence of 6-foot-3 forward Logan Devaney who is leading the way with 12 points and 9 rebounds per game. Springer is a team that can put up points in a hurry but a team that will have issues with the height and style of play by Melrose.
Prediction: Melrose 66, Springer 55. Head coach Kevin Lackey of Melrose is one of the best out there, back to his days at Dora High School. He'll have the Buffaloes ready for a post season punch...again.
#8 Legacy Silverbacks (19-7) vs #9 Dora Coyotes (16-9), 6PM
Preview: For the first time in program history the Legacy Silverbacks will host a state tournament game. The Silverbacks (awesome nickname) enter the post season after finishing as district 7-1A champions and winners of 19-games. They are led by senior guard Raymond Tavarez who is putting in 10 points per game this season. With upset on their mind the 9-seed Dora Coyotes travel from eastern New Mexico as district 4-1A runner ups. Senior Cache Skelley leads the way of the Coyote four who also feature scoring options from Steve Masini (2023), Cole Kircher (2024), and Bryson Paxton (2023).
Prediction: Dora 54, Legacy Academy 48. Dora is hot entering the post season after beating 2-seed Elida 61-53 in the district tournament championship. They are on a 3-game win streak and feature impressive wins over Clovis Christian, Texico, and Elida.
Grine's Must-See 1st RD Game: Springer vs Melrose
Grine's Upset Pick: Dora
Grine's "Don't Sleep on this Upset Possibility": Reserve
Grine's Final Four: Magdalena, Melrose, Mesilla Valley, Clovis Christian
Grine's Champ: Magdalena
NMPreps preview of the 2022 New Mexico high school basketball 1A state tournament. #nmpreps
#1 Magdalena Steers (27-1) vs #16 Ramah Mustangs (13-7), 5PM
Preview: The Magdalena Steers enter the post-season with a goliath approach as the 1A power has poured in 2,174 points and only given up 835 points on the season. The Steers won 27-games and feature one of the top players in the classification in Joren Mirabal (2022) who is putting up impressive numbers. Mirabal averages 26 points, 6 rebounds, 5.5 assists, and 5.3 steals per game. The Mustangs will look to McKay Evans who averages 18 points and 8 rebounds per contest.
Prediction: Magdalena 91, Ramah 30. The first game was over after the first quarter (37-4) on it's way to a 85-12 win by the Mustangs. Mirabal could drop 30 by the half.
#2 Elida Tigers (20-5) vs #15 Cimarron Rams (13-13), 4PM
Preview: The Elida Tigers enter the post season after winning the 4-1A regular season district championship. They did fall in the tournament championship to a talented Dora team but the 2-seed Tigers should roll with ease in the opener. Look for 6-foot-2 senior Rylan Creighton in this opener to go for over 20 points and 10 rebounds. Cimarron finished third in district 5-1A and enter state on a 4-game win streak, winning the district tournament championship.
Prediction: Elida 64, Cimarron 52. In 1A basketball the powers and top-seeds typically run away in the first round but the Cimarron Rams will use the momentum from last week to make it interesting. The Elida Tigers have a little too much though and will pull away.
#3 Mesilla Valley SonBlazer (20-1) vs #14 Coronado Leopards (16-11), 3PM
Preview: The SonBlazers program is back after a few seasons sitting back. The one time power of small school basketball has reeled off 20-wins. Head coach Douglas Coyle had the SonBlazers in the Final Four during the 2019 season and an appearance in the state championship game in 2017. With this every other year be the run that wins it all? The Leopards finished third place in district 7-1A this season and hope to keep things interesting after the long bus ride to Las Cruces from northern New Mexico. They've struggled against ranked teams this season but have some steam after an upset win over Evangel Christian last week during the district tournament.
Prediction: Mesilla Valley 55, Coronado 41. The SonBlazers feature too many weapons for the Leopards add on the trip and this one could get away from them early.
#4 Roy/Mosquero Blue (22-5) vs #13 Cliff Cowboys (15-8), 1PM
Preview: Another team making a long bus ride during the first round of the state tournament puts the 4-seed Blue of Roy/Mosquero against the 13-seed Cliff Cowboys. Roy/Mosquero suffered an upset loss last week in the district tournament championship and hope to recover quick with top 1A player Lane Clavel (2022) leading the way. Clavel leads the Blue in scoring with 18 points per game along with 6.4 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game.
Prediction: Roy/Mosquero 58, Cliff 50. The bus ride should play into this game as well but don't count out the Cliff Cowboys, a program that once ruled the classification in basketball. They have a young roster, built for the future teams, but led by top New Mexico head coach Brian Shock should have them competitive.
#5 Clovis Christian Eagles (19-8) vs #12 Evangel/Oak Grove Eagles (21-6), 5PM
Preview: After a hot start at 12-2 the 5-seed Clovis Christian Eagles have since gone 7 and 6 eventually winning the 6-1A regular season district championship. Clovis Christian is led behind a pair of juniors - Carter Teune and Noah Gershon - who are averaging 18.1 and 17.2 points per game. Evangel Christian/Oak Grove Academy enters the post season after finishing as district 7-1A runner ups. They look to spot up shooter Andres Garcia (2022) to provide a shooters chance at pulling the upset.
Prediction: Clovis Christian 61, Evangel/Oak Grove 51. Clovis Christian has a ten point cushion early on Evangel Christian entering this contest. They (CC) have faced a tough schedule and it'll pay off during the post season run.
#6 Fort Sumner/House (17-4) vs #11 Reserve Mountaineers (17-9), 6PM
Preview: Fort Sumner entered the season as a top-three favorite to win the state tournament. After finishing as district 6-1A runner ups they'll look to make a run as an underdog. The duo of Seth Saiz (2024) and Clay Norman (2023) provide a serious scoring threat for Fort Sumner/House in the post season. Reserve finished 6-2 during district play placing second in 2-1A. The Mountaineers have 9 losses to the following teams - Mesilla Valley, Socorro, and Magdalena.
Prediction: Fort Sumner/House 63, Reserve 55. This one will be close. However, Fort Sumner should have enough talent to pull away late in this one.
#7 Melrose Buffaloes (18-8) vs #10 Springer Red Devils (15-8), 5PM
Preview: Melrose fell in the state title game last season after a stellar three-peat from 2018-2020. The Buffaloes look to the inside presence of 6-foot-3 forward Logan Devaney who is leading the way with 12 points and 9 rebounds per game. Springer is a team that can put up points in a hurry but a team that will have issues with the height and style of play by Melrose.
Prediction: Melrose 66, Springer 55. Head coach Kevin Lackey of Melrose is one of the best out there, back to his days at Dora High School. He'll have the Buffaloes ready for a post season punch...again.
#8 Legacy Silverbacks (19-7) vs #9 Dora Coyotes (16-9), 6PM
Preview: For the first time in program history the Legacy Silverbacks will host a state tournament game. The Silverbacks (awesome nickname) enter the post season after finishing as district 7-1A champions and winners of 19-games. They are led by senior guard Raymond Tavarez who is putting in 10 points per game this season. With upset on their mind the 9-seed Dora Coyotes travel from eastern New Mexico as district 4-1A runner ups. Senior Cache Skelley leads the way of the Coyote four who also feature scoring options from Steve Masini (2023), Cole Kircher (2024), and Bryson Paxton (2023).
Prediction: Dora 54, Legacy Academy 48. Dora is hot entering the post season after beating 2-seed Elida 61-53 in the district tournament championship. They are on a 3-game win streak and feature impressive wins over Clovis Christian, Texico, and Elida.
Grine's Must-See 1st RD Game: Springer vs Melrose
Grine's Upset Pick: Dora
Grine's "Don't Sleep on this Upset Possibility": Reserve
Grine's Final Four: Magdalena, Melrose, Mesilla Valley, Clovis Christian
Grine's Champ: Magdalena
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