5A & 4A First Round Previews & Picks
NMPreps.com's guide to the 2021 New Mexico high school basketball state tournament.
Top Seeds: No. 1 Cleveland (5A), No. 1 Del Norte (4A)
Cleveland: The Storm enters the postseason with an 11-1 overall record and ranked No. 3 in the NMPreps Power-20 Rankings. Who they have? Tre Watson (2021) is a top-5 prospect in New Mexico high school basketball although he has opted to play college football at D-1 Fresno State. Nathan Hasberry another ranked in the top-10 along with Evan Gonzales create a trio of talent. Win it all? Well, the Storm has been the bridesmaids one too many times and has yet to claim the title in basketball, this is another very good chance but the seven teams playing this week are also very good.
Del Norte: They have Shane Douma-Sanchez who along with Las Cruces Bulldawg star Duece Williams has owned the player of the week honors this season. The two are likely in the running for New Mexico Mr. Basketball because of that feat as well. The Knights (No. 13 NMPreps Top-20) is the 1-seed in the 4A bracket this season and ranked No. 1 in our 4A rankings. Who else? Fellow sophomore Judah Causus and Feathers Valencia (2021) create a trio of unstoppable force for the Knights. A very tough team that is going to be tested but overall they have what it takes to be successful in March (I mean May).
Bracket Busters: No. 3 Las Cruces (5A), No. 3 Gallup (4A)
Las Cruces: The defending state champs were the easy pick here being a team outside of the top-2 for our bracket buster. They currently feature the top prospect from the 2022 class Duece Benjamin along with Isaiah Carr who is sitting behind him in the top rankings. We should also add in that the Bulldawgs have the only head coach to win New Mexico Coach of the Year a pair of times in William Benjamin. They are also currently ranked No. 1 in our NMPreps Power-20 rankings.
Gallup: Oddly enough the two teams we have favored to win it all are the 3-seed in each bracket. The Bengals have Joaqin Ortega (2022) atop, the next-level type of guard that could carry the Bengals forward. Head coach Joshua Dunlap has kept the Bengals playing well, they reached the Final Four last season, and at 9-1 overall on the season they again are a force to be playing late.
Upset Special: No. 5 Kirtland Central (4A)
Kirtland Central: We are only picking one here because Covid upset the other team (Carlsbad) that we were going to pick here... if we had to pick, that is. Oh and we do. So out of the four games, the Broncos seem like the most likely choice in the group as the 10-1 Broncos held the top ranking spot for a few weeks. The Broncos are taking on a talented Espanola Valley team but this one comes down to more than talent. Who can execute their game plan late in the fourth quarter.
Game of the Night: No. 4 Atrisco Heritage vs No. 5 Sandia (5A)
Well, we know which game I'll be focused on tonight. Yes, the Adrian Ortega led Jaguars taking on the biggest dark horse of the season in the Sandia Matadors. We should add that Sandia hasn't sniffed the playoffs at this level in quite some time but Danny Brown has them on the surge of a breakout. Adrian Ortega, once the head man at Sandia, has built Atrisco Heritage into power and dare we say soon to be dynasty with a couple of rings in the last three years. Sandia can't get caught up in being at state again as the Jaguars might be the most comfortable team late in the season.
Sneaky Pick: No. 2 Artesia (4A), No. 6 Los Lunas (5A)
Artesia: In 4A the Bulldogs are going to be well-coached and well prepared. I've always admired Coach Mondragon's teams and this one is being overlooked as the 2-seed in the bracket. They'll roll over Silver and battle in the Final Four.
Los Lunas: Much like how Artesia will be running their sets and style of play, the Tigers will be just as prepared to take on the Bulldawgs. The Tigers have outplayed their hand winning a district championship their first in 5A and with a rising star and team building for the future this could just night that everything is clicking. Young Holland (2025) against Benjamin (2022) will be something to watch.
Grine's Picks
5A Champ: Cleveland over Las Cruces
5A Final Four: Cleveland over Atrisco; Las Cruces over Roswell
4A Champ: Gallup over Del Norte
4A Final Four: Del Norte over Kirtland Central; Gallup over Artesia
NMPreps.com's guide to the 2021 New Mexico high school basketball state tournament.
Top Seeds: No. 1 Cleveland (5A), No. 1 Del Norte (4A)
Cleveland: The Storm enters the postseason with an 11-1 overall record and ranked No. 3 in the NMPreps Power-20 Rankings. Who they have? Tre Watson (2021) is a top-5 prospect in New Mexico high school basketball although he has opted to play college football at D-1 Fresno State. Nathan Hasberry another ranked in the top-10 along with Evan Gonzales create a trio of talent. Win it all? Well, the Storm has been the bridesmaids one too many times and has yet to claim the title in basketball, this is another very good chance but the seven teams playing this week are also very good.
Del Norte: They have Shane Douma-Sanchez who along with Las Cruces Bulldawg star Duece Williams has owned the player of the week honors this season. The two are likely in the running for New Mexico Mr. Basketball because of that feat as well. The Knights (No. 13 NMPreps Top-20) is the 1-seed in the 4A bracket this season and ranked No. 1 in our 4A rankings. Who else? Fellow sophomore Judah Causus and Feathers Valencia (2021) create a trio of unstoppable force for the Knights. A very tough team that is going to be tested but overall they have what it takes to be successful in March (I mean May).
Bracket Busters: No. 3 Las Cruces (5A), No. 3 Gallup (4A)
Las Cruces: The defending state champs were the easy pick here being a team outside of the top-2 for our bracket buster. They currently feature the top prospect from the 2022 class Duece Benjamin along with Isaiah Carr who is sitting behind him in the top rankings. We should also add in that the Bulldawgs have the only head coach to win New Mexico Coach of the Year a pair of times in William Benjamin. They are also currently ranked No. 1 in our NMPreps Power-20 rankings.
Gallup: Oddly enough the two teams we have favored to win it all are the 3-seed in each bracket. The Bengals have Joaqin Ortega (2022) atop, the next-level type of guard that could carry the Bengals forward. Head coach Joshua Dunlap has kept the Bengals playing well, they reached the Final Four last season, and at 9-1 overall on the season they again are a force to be playing late.
Upset Special: No. 5 Kirtland Central (4A)
Kirtland Central: We are only picking one here because Covid upset the other team (Carlsbad) that we were going to pick here... if we had to pick, that is. Oh and we do. So out of the four games, the Broncos seem like the most likely choice in the group as the 10-1 Broncos held the top ranking spot for a few weeks. The Broncos are taking on a talented Espanola Valley team but this one comes down to more than talent. Who can execute their game plan late in the fourth quarter.
Game of the Night: No. 4 Atrisco Heritage vs No. 5 Sandia (5A)
Well, we know which game I'll be focused on tonight. Yes, the Adrian Ortega led Jaguars taking on the biggest dark horse of the season in the Sandia Matadors. We should add that Sandia hasn't sniffed the playoffs at this level in quite some time but Danny Brown has them on the surge of a breakout. Adrian Ortega, once the head man at Sandia, has built Atrisco Heritage into power and dare we say soon to be dynasty with a couple of rings in the last three years. Sandia can't get caught up in being at state again as the Jaguars might be the most comfortable team late in the season.
Sneaky Pick: No. 2 Artesia (4A), No. 6 Los Lunas (5A)
Artesia: In 4A the Bulldogs are going to be well-coached and well prepared. I've always admired Coach Mondragon's teams and this one is being overlooked as the 2-seed in the bracket. They'll roll over Silver and battle in the Final Four.
Los Lunas: Much like how Artesia will be running their sets and style of play, the Tigers will be just as prepared to take on the Bulldawgs. The Tigers have outplayed their hand winning a district championship their first in 5A and with a rising star and team building for the future this could just night that everything is clicking. Young Holland (2025) against Benjamin (2022) will be something to watch.
Grine's Picks
5A Champ: Cleveland over Las Cruces
5A Final Four: Cleveland over Atrisco; Las Cruces over Roswell
4A Champ: Gallup over Del Norte
4A Final Four: Del Norte over Kirtland Central; Gallup over Artesia
