Girls Basketball: 1st Round State Preview & Predictions
NMPreps 2023 New Mexico high school basketball state tournament preview. #nmpreps
5A BASKETBALL
Bracket Breakdown
Best Game: #8 Sandia (21-8) vs #9 Albuquerque (25-2). What a match-up at the 8-9. Both teams featuring next level talent -- Leilani Love (Albuquerque/2023) and Sydney Benally (Sandia/2023).
Best Possible Upset Pick: #5 La Cueva (21-7) vs #12 Mayfield (15-12). We are leaning more on the side of all top seeds rolling today but if there's one coach that could pull the upset its coach Maya at Mayfield.
Final Play: #6 Centennial (20-8) vs #11 Organ Mountain (17-10). Scary first round game for the 6-seed, having to play a district opponent. This will be the fourth game this season, third this month, between the teams.
9-16 Seed to Final Four: Difficult pick. If they can find a way to win in the first round. How can you not like having the best player in the state -- Bella Hines (Eldorado). I would be crazy to pick against Volcano Vista coach Lisa Villarael though. However, Hines is a special player, sort of wild that they are only a 14-seed.
MVP Frontrunner: Bhret Clay (Hobbs). The Eagles will likely have the state championship trophy and the MVP when March 11th hits next week. Clay is another special talent that will be on display for the next week.
Ten Players to Watch
Aspen Salazar - Centennial
Bella Hines - Eldorado
Bhret Clay - Hobbs
Caitlin Turnbow - Organ Mountain
Jordan Dyer - La Cueva
Leilani Love - Albuquerque
Lyric Corona - Mayfield
Mariana Sepulveda - Carlsbad
Sydney Benally - Sandia
Taejhuan Hill - Volcano Vista
Grine Picks
First Round: 1-Hobbs, 2-Farmington, 3-Volcano Vista, 4-Carlsbad, 5-La Cueva, 6-Centennial, 7-Las Cruces, 9-Albuquerque
Quarterfinals: 1-Hobbs, 2-Farmington, 3-Volcano Vista, 4-Carlsbad
Final Four: 1-Hobbs, 3-Volcano Vista
Champ: 1-Hobbs
4A BASKETBALL
Bracket Breakdown
Best Game: #3 St. Pius X (20-5) vs #14 Portales (14-14). Portales is a scary 14-seed for any team. The Rams are a few possessions short of being a 20-win team, dropping a few close games. St. Pius X is having there best season under head coach Brio Rhode.
Upset Pick: #10 Valencia (18-10) at #7 Silver (17-8). Head coach Micaela Medina continues to build Valencia into a solid program after years of sitting dormant. Guard Jadyn Montoya has played very well and could be the spark in the opener.
Final Play: #8 Bloomfield (17-10) vs #9 Highland (16-13). Another game that could have the higher seed win on the road is the Hornets. The teams are evenly matched. Aaliyah Nevarez (Highland) and Danielle Johnson (Bloomfield) will do some work.
Grine Picks
First Round: 1-Kirtland, 2-Gallup, 3-St. Pius X, 4-Hope Christian, 5-Artesia, 6-Los Alamos, 9-Highland, 10-Valencia
Quarterfinals: 1-Kirtland, 2-Gallup, 3-St. Pius X, 4-Hope Christian
Final Four: 1-Kirtland, 2-Gallup
State Champ: 2-Gallup
3A BASKETBALL
Bracket Breakdown
Best Game: #8 Thoreau vs #9 West Las Vegas. This is also the pick when looking for a 9-16 winning in the opening round. West Las Vegas plays in a difficult district and enters the game tested. Lillyanna Martinez leads the team in just about every category (14 ppg, 7 rpg, 3 aspg).
Upset Watch: #11 Crownpoint vs #6 Sandia Prep. Crownpoint took the first meeting between the two team in mid-January. It'll be tough to beat Prep again but this is a tough drawl for the Sundevils.
Final Play: #7 St. Michael's vs #10 Zuni. The Thunderbirds will be taking a three hour bus ride to Santa Fe for the contest and will be thinking upset. St. Michael's has enough talent and depth but the player that makes them go is freshman Mariella Ruiz.
Grine's Picks
First Round: 1-Robertson, 2-Navajo Prep, 3-SFIS, 4-Tohatchi, 5-Tucumcari, 6-Sandia Prep, 7-St. Mikes, 9-West Las Vegas
Quarterfinals: 1-Robertson, 2-Navajo Prep, 3-SFIS, 4-Tohatchi
Finals: 1-Robertson, 2-Navajo Prep
State Champ: 2-Navajo Prep
NMPreps 2023 New Mexico high school basketball state tournament preview. #nmpreps
5A BASKETBALL
Bracket Breakdown
Best Game: #8 Sandia (21-8) vs #9 Albuquerque (25-2). What a match-up at the 8-9. Both teams featuring next level talent -- Leilani Love (Albuquerque/2023) and Sydney Benally (Sandia/2023).
Best Possible Upset Pick: #5 La Cueva (21-7) vs #12 Mayfield (15-12). We are leaning more on the side of all top seeds rolling today but if there's one coach that could pull the upset its coach Maya at Mayfield.
Final Play: #6 Centennial (20-8) vs #11 Organ Mountain (17-10). Scary first round game for the 6-seed, having to play a district opponent. This will be the fourth game this season, third this month, between the teams.
9-16 Seed to Final Four: Difficult pick. If they can find a way to win in the first round. How can you not like having the best player in the state -- Bella Hines (Eldorado). I would be crazy to pick against Volcano Vista coach Lisa Villarael though. However, Hines is a special player, sort of wild that they are only a 14-seed.
MVP Frontrunner: Bhret Clay (Hobbs). The Eagles will likely have the state championship trophy and the MVP when March 11th hits next week. Clay is another special talent that will be on display for the next week.
Ten Players to Watch
Aspen Salazar - Centennial
Bella Hines - Eldorado
Bhret Clay - Hobbs
Caitlin Turnbow - Organ Mountain
Jordan Dyer - La Cueva
Leilani Love - Albuquerque
Lyric Corona - Mayfield
Mariana Sepulveda - Carlsbad
Sydney Benally - Sandia
Taejhuan Hill - Volcano Vista
Grine Picks
First Round: 1-Hobbs, 2-Farmington, 3-Volcano Vista, 4-Carlsbad, 5-La Cueva, 6-Centennial, 7-Las Cruces, 9-Albuquerque
Quarterfinals: 1-Hobbs, 2-Farmington, 3-Volcano Vista, 4-Carlsbad
Final Four: 1-Hobbs, 3-Volcano Vista
Champ: 1-Hobbs
4A BASKETBALL
Bracket Breakdown
Best Game: #3 St. Pius X (20-5) vs #14 Portales (14-14). Portales is a scary 14-seed for any team. The Rams are a few possessions short of being a 20-win team, dropping a few close games. St. Pius X is having there best season under head coach Brio Rhode.
Upset Pick: #10 Valencia (18-10) at #7 Silver (17-8). Head coach Micaela Medina continues to build Valencia into a solid program after years of sitting dormant. Guard Jadyn Montoya has played very well and could be the spark in the opener.
Final Play: #8 Bloomfield (17-10) vs #9 Highland (16-13). Another game that could have the higher seed win on the road is the Hornets. The teams are evenly matched. Aaliyah Nevarez (Highland) and Danielle Johnson (Bloomfield) will do some work.
Grine Picks
First Round: 1-Kirtland, 2-Gallup, 3-St. Pius X, 4-Hope Christian, 5-Artesia, 6-Los Alamos, 9-Highland, 10-Valencia
Quarterfinals: 1-Kirtland, 2-Gallup, 3-St. Pius X, 4-Hope Christian
Final Four: 1-Kirtland, 2-Gallup
State Champ: 2-Gallup
3A BASKETBALL
Bracket Breakdown
Best Game: #8 Thoreau vs #9 West Las Vegas. This is also the pick when looking for a 9-16 winning in the opening round. West Las Vegas plays in a difficult district and enters the game tested. Lillyanna Martinez leads the team in just about every category (14 ppg, 7 rpg, 3 aspg).
Upset Watch: #11 Crownpoint vs #6 Sandia Prep. Crownpoint took the first meeting between the two team in mid-January. It'll be tough to beat Prep again but this is a tough drawl for the Sundevils.
Final Play: #7 St. Michael's vs #10 Zuni. The Thunderbirds will be taking a three hour bus ride to Santa Fe for the contest and will be thinking upset. St. Michael's has enough talent and depth but the player that makes them go is freshman Mariella Ruiz.
Grine's Picks
First Round: 1-Robertson, 2-Navajo Prep, 3-SFIS, 4-Tohatchi, 5-Tucumcari, 6-Sandia Prep, 7-St. Mikes, 9-West Las Vegas
Quarterfinals: 1-Robertson, 2-Navajo Prep, 3-SFIS, 4-Tohatchi
Finals: 1-Robertson, 2-Navajo Prep
State Champ: 2-Navajo Prep
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