Daily Dimes: What to Watch in Week 9
Wednesday, January 19th
Magdalena (16-0) at Tularosa (12-2): The game of the night belongs to the Tularosa Wildcats and Magdalena Steers. The Wildcats have won seven straight games behind the stellar play of Travis Henderson who is averaging 17 points per game. On the other side the perfect 16-0 Steers are led by the number one player in 1A basketball Joren Mirabel (2022) who is averaging 27 point per game this season. Pick: Magdalena 70-59
Del Norte (6-9) at Bernalillo (8-8): Two teams in need of every win from here on out. The Knights are getting back to full strength are led by top-20 player Judah Casaus (2023), the junior is averaging 19 points per game. Bernalillo is looking to bounce back after back to back losses. The Pick: Del Norte 52-47.
Santa Fe Prep (8-5) at St. Michael's (2-10): Wednesday nights are typically a quiet one across the state but tonight we have the Santa Fe Blue Griffins and St. Michael's Horsemen looking to earn any resume that they can. The Horsemen have played arguably one of the toughest schedules in their classification and started the season 0-10 but have a roster back to full strength and looking to make their way to the top. The Pick: St. Mikes 49-42
Tuesday, January 18th - Starting Five
Robertson (8-5) at Santa Fe Indian (7-5): The Cardinals and Braves are looking to make their claim as a state champion contender in a wide open class. The Cardinals feature one of our Top-50 standouts in Matthew Gonzales. Pick: Robertson 70-62.
Centennial (8-9) at Organ Mountain (6-10): This could be a bubble game when looking at the state tournament. Both teams are around the 13-18 range of teams fighting for a bid. Jeven Beltran (2022) is having a solid season averaging 17.1 ppg for Centennial. Pick: Organ Mountain 52-49.
Hope Christian (10-7) at Albuquerque Academy (7-4): The two teams are looking for the seat at the state tournament. Both could be top-8 seeds are one falls outside the top-8 and on the road in the opening round. This district will be a royal rumble again. Jett Wycoff (2023/Hope Christian) and Kellan Gehres (2023/Albuquerque Academy) provides us with a must-see match-up. Pick: Academy 66-56.
Fort Sumner (7-2) at Melrose (8-3): 1A basketball showdown with two teams ranked in the top-four of the NMPreps New Mexico week 9 team rankings. Melrose being lead by its duo of 6-3 senior Logan Devaney and 6-3 sophomore Michael Cardonita. Pick: Melrose 58-52.
Sandia (8-6) at Farmington (15-1): Deal or no deal as a top ten team in New Mexico high school basketball. Sandia enters the week ranked 7th and the 15-1 Scorpions at 10th. 6-6 senior guard Sean Johnson, preseason ranked No. 2 in the Top-20 players, has returned and coming off a 24-point, 9 rebound, 4 assist night vs Cleveland last week. He's averaging 22.6 ppg and 7.6 rpg. Pick: Sandia 66-51.
Sixth Man: Round three of the Cleveland Storm (10-8) vs the Volcano Vista Hawks (16-0). The second ranked Hawks have won comfortable in the first two games (81-70, 76-56) but let's not count out the defending champs led by Top-20 player Daniel Steverson (2024). However, the Hawks have the duo of top-10 ranked players Ja'Kwon Hill (2022) and Sean Atler (2022). Pick: Volcano Vista 71-68.
Monday, January 17th
Raton (9-2) at Clayton (8-4): Raton is ranked number one this week in the state but Clayton is a team that has some decent wins. Could we see an early week upset.
Wednesday, January 19th
Magdalena (16-0) at Tularosa (12-2): The game of the night belongs to the Tularosa Wildcats and Magdalena Steers. The Wildcats have won seven straight games behind the stellar play of Travis Henderson who is averaging 17 points per game. On the other side the perfect 16-0 Steers are led by the number one player in 1A basketball Joren Mirabel (2022) who is averaging 27 point per game this season. Pick: Magdalena 70-59
Del Norte (6-9) at Bernalillo (8-8): Two teams in need of every win from here on out. The Knights are getting back to full strength are led by top-20 player Judah Casaus (2023), the junior is averaging 19 points per game. Bernalillo is looking to bounce back after back to back losses. The Pick: Del Norte 52-47.
Santa Fe Prep (8-5) at St. Michael's (2-10): Wednesday nights are typically a quiet one across the state but tonight we have the Santa Fe Blue Griffins and St. Michael's Horsemen looking to earn any resume that they can. The Horsemen have played arguably one of the toughest schedules in their classification and started the season 0-10 but have a roster back to full strength and looking to make their way to the top. The Pick: St. Mikes 49-42
Tuesday, January 18th - Starting Five
Robertson (8-5) at Santa Fe Indian (7-5): The Cardinals and Braves are looking to make their claim as a state champion contender in a wide open class. The Cardinals feature one of our Top-50 standouts in Matthew Gonzales. Pick: Robertson 70-62.
Centennial (8-9) at Organ Mountain (6-10): This could be a bubble game when looking at the state tournament. Both teams are around the 13-18 range of teams fighting for a bid. Jeven Beltran (2022) is having a solid season averaging 17.1 ppg for Centennial. Pick: Organ Mountain 52-49.
Hope Christian (10-7) at Albuquerque Academy (7-4): The two teams are looking for the seat at the state tournament. Both could be top-8 seeds are one falls outside the top-8 and on the road in the opening round. This district will be a royal rumble again. Jett Wycoff (2023/Hope Christian) and Kellan Gehres (2023/Albuquerque Academy) provides us with a must-see match-up. Pick: Academy 66-56.
Fort Sumner (7-2) at Melrose (8-3): 1A basketball showdown with two teams ranked in the top-four of the NMPreps New Mexico week 9 team rankings. Melrose being lead by its duo of 6-3 senior Logan Devaney and 6-3 sophomore Michael Cardonita. Pick: Melrose 58-52.
Sandia (8-6) at Farmington (15-1): Deal or no deal as a top ten team in New Mexico high school basketball. Sandia enters the week ranked 7th and the 15-1 Scorpions at 10th. 6-6 senior guard Sean Johnson, preseason ranked No. 2 in the Top-20 players, has returned and coming off a 24-point, 9 rebound, 4 assist night vs Cleveland last week. He's averaging 22.6 ppg and 7.6 rpg. Pick: Sandia 66-51.
Sixth Man: Round three of the Cleveland Storm (10-8) vs the Volcano Vista Hawks (16-0). The second ranked Hawks have won comfortable in the first two games (81-70, 76-56) but let's not count out the defending champs led by Top-20 player Daniel Steverson (2024). However, the Hawks have the duo of top-10 ranked players Ja'Kwon Hill (2022) and Sean Atler (2022). Pick: Volcano Vista 71-68.
Monday, January 17th
Raton (9-2) at Clayton (8-4): Raton is ranked number one this week in the state but Clayton is a team that has some decent wins. Could we see an early week upset.
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