2016 State Tournament: Ranking the Most Likely First-Round Upsets
Joshua J Grine
We could all look at the bracket and play it smart, go with the favorite. However, what makes each March is the "Madness" that could take place when an underdog defeats that favorite and is called the Cinderella of the year.
Well, today on NMPreps.com we rank our most likely upsets.
#1. No. 10 Gadsden at No. 7 Rio Grande, 6A Bracket
The Panthers have been one of the most resilient teams, going through the controversy of losing a pair of head coaches. Rio Grande has also been on their own roller coaster of a season with the ups and downs of injuries and a season.
Senior wing Tomas Cano is their go-to guy at 15 points per game and a few 20 point games. The most points being 29 points in a district contest against Deming.
#2. No. 10 Kirtland Central at No. 7 Portales, 4A Bracket
This Broncos will make the long trip to Portales on the other side of the state for the first-round match up with the Rams of Portales. The Rams looked shaky, escaping with two point win over Ruidoso on Saturday. Kirtland Central is one of the teams that you like from the 1-4A district headlined by a handful of underrated players.
#3. No. 10 Hagerman at No. 7 Menual, 2A Bracket
Hagerman is known in the state of New Mexico as a basketball power or even an overall power winning state in several sports in recent history. Menual does feature one of the tallest players in the classification but the Bobcats of Hagerman love to run, press and control every aspect of tempo.
#4. No. 14 McCurdy at No. 3 Magdalena, 2A Bracket
Likely one of the upsets that no one is talking about or even considering but the Bobcats do have some wins that rank them in the upset realm. A win over 6th ranked Mesa Vista. Will they be able to contact the shooting of Jorrell Mirabal is the question. However, McCurdy has a duo that can put up points and one of the better rebounding duos in Jordan Sanchez (12.8 ppg/6.3 rpg) and Alejandro Croff (12.1 ppg/8,1 rbg).
#5. No. 11 Goddard at No. 6 Los Lunas, 5A Bracket
We, I, really like Los Lunas this season and next season. Kayden Walker is one of my favorite guards. However, Noah Waide and LeAnthony Harrison make up one of the better scoring duos in 5A. They both could go off for 20 plus points on any given night and if they get hot, they will be hard to beat.
The Rest of the Upsets
#6. No. 11 Logan at No. 6 Mesa Vista
#6. No. 13 Bernalillo at No. 4 Farmington
#7. No. 11 Rio Rancho at No. 6 Albuquerque High.
#8. No. 13 Volcano Vista at No. 4 Carlsbad
#9. No. 12 Atrisco Heritage Academy at No. 5 Valley (at Sandia).
#10. No. 11 Tularosa at No. 6 Laguna-Acoma.
Grine: The upset that I am banking on is the Logan Longhorns over Mesa Vista.
Joshua J Grine
We could all look at the bracket and play it smart, go with the favorite. However, what makes each March is the "Madness" that could take place when an underdog defeats that favorite and is called the Cinderella of the year.
Well, today on NMPreps.com we rank our most likely upsets.
#1. No. 10 Gadsden at No. 7 Rio Grande, 6A Bracket
The Panthers have been one of the most resilient teams, going through the controversy of losing a pair of head coaches. Rio Grande has also been on their own roller coaster of a season with the ups and downs of injuries and a season.
Senior wing Tomas Cano is their go-to guy at 15 points per game and a few 20 point games. The most points being 29 points in a district contest against Deming.
#2. No. 10 Kirtland Central at No. 7 Portales, 4A Bracket
This Broncos will make the long trip to Portales on the other side of the state for the first-round match up with the Rams of Portales. The Rams looked shaky, escaping with two point win over Ruidoso on Saturday. Kirtland Central is one of the teams that you like from the 1-4A district headlined by a handful of underrated players.
#3. No. 10 Hagerman at No. 7 Menual, 2A Bracket
Hagerman is known in the state of New Mexico as a basketball power or even an overall power winning state in several sports in recent history. Menual does feature one of the tallest players in the classification but the Bobcats of Hagerman love to run, press and control every aspect of tempo.
#4. No. 14 McCurdy at No. 3 Magdalena, 2A Bracket
Likely one of the upsets that no one is talking about or even considering but the Bobcats do have some wins that rank them in the upset realm. A win over 6th ranked Mesa Vista. Will they be able to contact the shooting of Jorrell Mirabal is the question. However, McCurdy has a duo that can put up points and one of the better rebounding duos in Jordan Sanchez (12.8 ppg/6.3 rpg) and Alejandro Croff (12.1 ppg/8,1 rbg).
#5. No. 11 Goddard at No. 6 Los Lunas, 5A Bracket
We, I, really like Los Lunas this season and next season. Kayden Walker is one of my favorite guards. However, Noah Waide and LeAnthony Harrison make up one of the better scoring duos in 5A. They both could go off for 20 plus points on any given night and if they get hot, they will be hard to beat.
The Rest of the Upsets
#6. No. 11 Logan at No. 6 Mesa Vista
#6. No. 13 Bernalillo at No. 4 Farmington
#7. No. 11 Rio Rancho at No. 6 Albuquerque High.
#8. No. 13 Volcano Vista at No. 4 Carlsbad
#9. No. 12 Atrisco Heritage Academy at No. 5 Valley (at Sandia).
#10. No. 11 Tularosa at No. 6 Laguna-Acoma.
Grine: The upset that I am banking on is the Logan Longhorns over Mesa Vista.
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