Daily Dimes: New Mexico HS Basketball Thursday Preview & Predictions
The final regular-season tournaments tip-off this weekend, marking the last opportunity for teams to fine-tune their rosters before the home stretch of district play in New Mexico high school basketball. Today, we dive into the first-round matchups of the Hope Christian Tournament and the Santa Rosa Tournament.
The Mighty Lions Classic in Santa Rosa features a competitive field, with standout programs such as the 3A Tularosa Wildcats, 1A Fort Sumner, and host 2A Santa Rosa emerging as the teams to watch and favorites to contend for the title. Eunice (9-2) could pose a significant challenge to Santa Rosa in their opening-round matchup.
A potential Friday showdown between Tularosa and Fort Sumner at 5 p.m. is shaping up to be a must-watch game. Both teams are expected to advance comfortably from their first-round matchups, with Tularosa taking on Tucumcari and Fort Sumner facing Gateway Christian.
In another intriguing game, Rehoboth Christian squares off against Mora in a 2A clash. Mora has been playing well this season and is eager to solidify its place as a top-ten team in the class.
Other Games to Watch
La Cueva (8-7) responded well with a dominant win over Clovis on Tuesday evening and now faces Cleveland (10-4) in a must-see 5A basketball matchup tonight at 7 p.m. in Rio Rancho. Will the Bears’ roller-coaster season continue on an upswing, or will the Storm bounce back after a tough loss to their rival in their previous game?
Cleveland will look to senior standout Remy Albrecht to lead the way, while rising three-point specialist Ajay Vigil (2027) and senior Titus Sutton continue to build their reputations. For La Cueva, Hunter Butler (2026) has been the consistent star, but teammate Tre Cowles (2025) is coming off a strong performance with 21 points on Tuesday. Additionally, sophomore Drew Bramlett is a name to watch for the Bears.
Prediction: Cleveland 71, La Cueva 68. Cleveland won the first meeting 69-50, but this matchup should be much closer.
Keep an eye on: Gallup (6-8) at Belen (7-9), Cibola (9-3) at Eldorado (7-8), and Mayfield (6-9) at Silver (12-3).
The final regular-season tournaments tip-off this weekend, marking the last opportunity for teams to fine-tune their rosters before the home stretch of district play in New Mexico high school basketball. Today, we dive into the first-round matchups of the Hope Christian Tournament and the Santa Rosa Tournament.
Hope Christian Tournament
- Bloomfield (6-7) vs. No. 5 (4A) St. Pius X (10-4)
Time: 10:30 AM | Location: St. Sebastian Gymnasium, St. Pius X
Prediction: St. Pius X should cruise past a struggling Bloomfield team, which recently lost to Zuni. Sartans dominate 77-55. - No. 6 (3A) West Las Vegas (9-4) vs. No. 3 (4A) Artesia (9-5)
Time: 1:30 PM | Location: St. Sebastian Gymnasium, St. Pius X
Prediction: Artesia faces a tough matchup against West Las Vegas, but the Bulldogs’ depth and well-oiled offense give them the edge. Artesia wins 70-58. - No. 11 (4A) Taos (8-5) vs. Shiprock (2-11)
Time: 4:30 PM | Location: Hope Christian
Prediction: Taos rolls over a struggling Shiprock squad, 69-44. The size and depth of the Tigers overwhelms a struggling Chieftains program. - No. 9 (3A) Hot Springs (10-4) vs. No. 1 (4A) Hope Christian (7-6)
Time: 7:30 PM | Location: Hope Christian
Prediction: Hot Springs is coming off a statement win over No. 3 (3A) Santa Fe Indian, but now they face a tough challenge against top-ranked 4A Hope Christian. The Huskies' depth and talent prove too much, as they overpower the Tigers, 65-49.
Players to Watch
- Hope Christian: Junior Brayden Giron, a 6-6 sharpshooter, presents a defensive nightmare for opponents with his range and size.
- Hot Springs: Tristan Polanco (2026) and Adrian Gomez (2025) provide depth; expect the Tigers to make noise this weekend, even if they fall short in the opener.
- Bloomfield: Xavier Abernathy is the team’s key player to watch.
- St. Pius X: A balanced effort led by Mason Montoya (2025) and Carson McConnell (2025) fuels the Sartans.
- Artesia: The "Junior Bulldogs" trio of Charlie Campbell (2026), Braylon Vega (2026), and Clay Kincaid (2026) leads the charge.
- West Las Vegas: The Kensey brothers, Deshaun and Devaughn, bring immediate impact talent to the Dons.
- Taos: Malakhai Ely is poised for a dominant game against Shiprock. The senior big man, averaging 15 points, 8 rebounds, and 2.7 blocks per game, is likely to post a double-double.
The Mighty Lions Classic in Santa Rosa features a competitive field, with standout programs such as the 3A Tularosa Wildcats, 1A Fort Sumner, and host 2A Santa Rosa emerging as the teams to watch and favorites to contend for the title. Eunice (9-2) could pose a significant challenge to Santa Rosa in their opening-round matchup.
A potential Friday showdown between Tularosa and Fort Sumner at 5 p.m. is shaping up to be a must-watch game. Both teams are expected to advance comfortably from their first-round matchups, with Tularosa taking on Tucumcari and Fort Sumner facing Gateway Christian.
In another intriguing game, Rehoboth Christian squares off against Mora in a 2A clash. Mora has been playing well this season and is eager to solidify its place as a top-ten team in the class.
Other Games to Watch
La Cueva (8-7) responded well with a dominant win over Clovis on Tuesday evening and now faces Cleveland (10-4) in a must-see 5A basketball matchup tonight at 7 p.m. in Rio Rancho. Will the Bears’ roller-coaster season continue on an upswing, or will the Storm bounce back after a tough loss to their rival in their previous game?
Cleveland will look to senior standout Remy Albrecht to lead the way, while rising three-point specialist Ajay Vigil (2027) and senior Titus Sutton continue to build their reputations. For La Cueva, Hunter Butler (2026) has been the consistent star, but teammate Tre Cowles (2025) is coming off a strong performance with 21 points on Tuesday. Additionally, sophomore Drew Bramlett is a name to watch for the Bears.
Prediction: Cleveland 71, La Cueva 68. Cleveland won the first meeting 69-50, but this matchup should be much closer.
Keep an eye on: Gallup (6-8) at Belen (7-9), Cibola (9-3) at Eldorado (7-8), and Mayfield (6-9) at Silver (12-3).
