NMPreps.com Pre-Season 3A Rankings
The 2016/2017 New Mexico High School basketball season is here and today we release our first look at the NMPreps.com pre-season rankings. The rankings could change closer to the first week of games but right now this is what we know heading into the season
More: Preseason Home | 2A Pre-Season Rankings | 1A Pre-Season Rankings
Overview
3A basketball will have a handful of teams that could make a run at the 2017 New Mexico State Championship. Like last season we seen a 4-seed make its way to the title game with this years favorite, a 2-seed, take the title in convincing fashion. The title could end up being a dark horse but we have several teams that you need to take a close look at.
Texico, the reigning champion, starts the 2016/2017 season ranked right where they left off as the number one team in 3A basketball. The Wolverines return one of the best post seen at the 3A basketball tournament with Nathan Phipps (Jr) returning in the frontcourt along with one of the best shooters Braden Fraze (Sr) in the backcourt creating a 1-2 punch to match up with just about any team in the classification.
After a 23-7 season and Final Four appearance the Ira Harge Jr. led Pecos Panthers check in at number two this preseason. The Panthers are well rounded, somewhat of the mystery favorite (maybe not) team that we could definitely see playing on the final day. Mario Archuleta (Jr), the leading scorer at 14.8 ppg and Carlos Cordova (Jr) return as two double digit scoring leaders on the team. The team will miss the floor general in Arturo Archuleta who graduated but team is deep.
Finishing the top five for the preseason will be Santa Rosa at number three. The Lions welcome back all but one player and could have one of the best point guards returning in Joseph Esquibel (Sr). He teams up with Javante Chavez to create their own inside-out duo. At four and five is sort of the next team up of mystery teams for the 2016/2017. They met in the State Tournament last season but here we have Tularosa at 4 and Laguna-Acoma behind at 5.
Two teams that follow are two young teams this season but have some of the top talent that you could see as favorites in 2017/2018 in Clayton (6) and Dexter (7).
NMPreps.com Pre-Season 3A Rankings
1. Texico
2. Pecos
3. Santa Rosa
4. Tularosa
5. Laguna-Acoma
6. Clayton
7. Dexter
8. Loving
9. Estancia
10. Dulce
Top-15 Players in 3A Basketball
Braden Fraze, Texico
Nathan Phipps, Texico
Jacob Esquibel, Santa Rosa
Javante Chavez, Santa Rosa
Mario Archuleta, Pecos
Carlos Cordova, Pecos
Cameron Sheppard, Tularosa
Michael Sheridan, Tularosa
Cain Tiller, Loving
Alex Gonzalez, Loving
Kobe Leal, Clayton
Kobie Montoya, Clayton
Tyrese Morgan, Dulce
Scott Chavez, Dulce
Anfernee Callado, Dulce
Matt Sanchez, Laguna-Acoma
The 2016/2017 New Mexico High School basketball season is here and today we release our first look at the NMPreps.com pre-season rankings. The rankings could change closer to the first week of games but right now this is what we know heading into the season
More: Preseason Home | 2A Pre-Season Rankings | 1A Pre-Season Rankings
Overview
3A basketball will have a handful of teams that could make a run at the 2017 New Mexico State Championship. Like last season we seen a 4-seed make its way to the title game with this years favorite, a 2-seed, take the title in convincing fashion. The title could end up being a dark horse but we have several teams that you need to take a close look at.
Texico, the reigning champion, starts the 2016/2017 season ranked right where they left off as the number one team in 3A basketball. The Wolverines return one of the best post seen at the 3A basketball tournament with Nathan Phipps (Jr) returning in the frontcourt along with one of the best shooters Braden Fraze (Sr) in the backcourt creating a 1-2 punch to match up with just about any team in the classification.
After a 23-7 season and Final Four appearance the Ira Harge Jr. led Pecos Panthers check in at number two this preseason. The Panthers are well rounded, somewhat of the mystery favorite (maybe not) team that we could definitely see playing on the final day. Mario Archuleta (Jr), the leading scorer at 14.8 ppg and Carlos Cordova (Jr) return as two double digit scoring leaders on the team. The team will miss the floor general in Arturo Archuleta who graduated but team is deep.
Finishing the top five for the preseason will be Santa Rosa at number three. The Lions welcome back all but one player and could have one of the best point guards returning in Joseph Esquibel (Sr). He teams up with Javante Chavez to create their own inside-out duo. At four and five is sort of the next team up of mystery teams for the 2016/2017. They met in the State Tournament last season but here we have Tularosa at 4 and Laguna-Acoma behind at 5.
Two teams that follow are two young teams this season but have some of the top talent that you could see as favorites in 2017/2018 in Clayton (6) and Dexter (7).
NMPreps.com Pre-Season 3A Rankings
1. Texico
2. Pecos
3. Santa Rosa
4. Tularosa
5. Laguna-Acoma
6. Clayton
7. Dexter
8. Loving
9. Estancia
10. Dulce
Top-15 Players in 3A Basketball
Braden Fraze, Texico
Nathan Phipps, Texico
Jacob Esquibel, Santa Rosa
Javante Chavez, Santa Rosa
Mario Archuleta, Pecos
Carlos Cordova, Pecos
Cameron Sheppard, Tularosa
Michael Sheridan, Tularosa
Cain Tiller, Loving
Alex Gonzalez, Loving
Kobe Leal, Clayton
Kobie Montoya, Clayton
Tyrese Morgan, Dulce
Scott Chavez, Dulce
Anfernee Callado, Dulce
Matt Sanchez, Laguna-Acoma
Last edited:
