NMPreps Holiday Takeaways & Favorites New Mexico Style
When you think of the top three holiday traditions in New Mexico the three food groups are considered the "best'' three food traditions.
5A BASKETBALL
Tamales: Cleveland
Scale: 5/5
Right Now: Final Four Plus One
Scoop: On our scale of top New Mexico holiday traditions, tamales reign king, and so do the Storm after six weeks of basketball. Yes, we've heard that the Storm have had talent and haven't done "it". I love what Jimenez does with Cleveland and this team has talent. Coming off a Holiday Tournament championship in Hobbs will fuel them into the 2020 portion of the season. Yes, they will have some bumps but they'll be there late.
Biscochitos: Volcano Vista, Onate, Las Cruces
Scale: 4/5
Right Now: Final Four Favorites
Scoop: We had to place three teams in the mix and Volcano Vista is playing in this "who are you?" and "how good are you?" section. They played well early and have some prospects but a wait and see some more of them. Next, we have the southern schools in Onate and Las Cruces in the mix. Las Cruces will likely have over 22-wins again and be right there when it matters. Onate features one of the best players in New Mexico and surely a Final Four favorite. Which of the three makes it to the Final Four? That is still up for debate. How how do you have the sugar delight of a biscochito? Could that also be where you have these three teams?
Posole: Atrisco Heritage, Clovis, Rio Rancho, Capital, Santa Fe
Scale: 2.5/5
Right Now: Elite Eight/Final Four Dark Horse
Scoop: The biggest group of the bunch. Also, because posole is made so many different ways. Also, I like it but don't love it (don't take my NM card away, if that is a bad thing to say). I mean I didn't mind a bowl this holiday season but generally I can do with or without it. I will say this year I really liked it with a few sopapillas on the side.
Capital is damn good. They could be the bowl that I had this season and I've continued the praise of Ben Gomez for many years, back to one of my first state tournaments covering for myself in a school journal blog, with Mikey Dominguez and bunch taking over beating Deming. Man that game will always stick out to me. Santa Fe was the darling from last season and JB is the top ranked prospect but can they create magic again? They sure can shoot it. Imagine both Capital and Santa Fe in the Final Four? The army of fans that Adrienne (SF head coach wife and Capital head coach daughter) would bring would shutdown the Capital of New Mexico. Is the posole good, great or a pass this year? One or two bowls (both in the Final Four?).
Atrisco Heritage is the defending champ and shouldn't be forgotten. Head coach Adrian Ortega is our top ranked head coach in New Mexico entering the season. Is this the season we pass on the posole? The unlikely or sleeper of all is the Clovis Wildcats. When do we take them serious or are they one of those years when we fill up on tamales and go straight to biscochitos? Rio Rancho is in the mix but we don't know where. I love egg nog. Egg nog my sleeper. Can they upset the others on the list though? Some years egg nog is my favorite part but like posole, some years, I didn't realize that I didn't have any. I love it but can I take it over tamales and biscochitos?
December 30th Picks
State Championship: Cleveland vs Capital
Final Four: Cleveland, Las Cruces, Onate, Capital
Elite Eight: Cleveland, Las Cruces, Onate, Capital, Santa Fe, Clovis, Atrisco Heritage, Volcano Vista
When you think of the top three holiday traditions in New Mexico the three food groups are considered the "best'' three food traditions.
5A BASKETBALL
Tamales: Cleveland
Scale: 5/5
Right Now: Final Four Plus One
Scoop: On our scale of top New Mexico holiday traditions, tamales reign king, and so do the Storm after six weeks of basketball. Yes, we've heard that the Storm have had talent and haven't done "it". I love what Jimenez does with Cleveland and this team has talent. Coming off a Holiday Tournament championship in Hobbs will fuel them into the 2020 portion of the season. Yes, they will have some bumps but they'll be there late.
Biscochitos: Volcano Vista, Onate, Las Cruces
Scale: 4/5
Right Now: Final Four Favorites
Scoop: We had to place three teams in the mix and Volcano Vista is playing in this "who are you?" and "how good are you?" section. They played well early and have some prospects but a wait and see some more of them. Next, we have the southern schools in Onate and Las Cruces in the mix. Las Cruces will likely have over 22-wins again and be right there when it matters. Onate features one of the best players in New Mexico and surely a Final Four favorite. Which of the three makes it to the Final Four? That is still up for debate. How how do you have the sugar delight of a biscochito? Could that also be where you have these three teams?
Posole: Atrisco Heritage, Clovis, Rio Rancho, Capital, Santa Fe
Scale: 2.5/5
Right Now: Elite Eight/Final Four Dark Horse
Scoop: The biggest group of the bunch. Also, because posole is made so many different ways. Also, I like it but don't love it (don't take my NM card away, if that is a bad thing to say). I mean I didn't mind a bowl this holiday season but generally I can do with or without it. I will say this year I really liked it with a few sopapillas on the side.
Capital is damn good. They could be the bowl that I had this season and I've continued the praise of Ben Gomez for many years, back to one of my first state tournaments covering for myself in a school journal blog, with Mikey Dominguez and bunch taking over beating Deming. Man that game will always stick out to me. Santa Fe was the darling from last season and JB is the top ranked prospect but can they create magic again? They sure can shoot it. Imagine both Capital and Santa Fe in the Final Four? The army of fans that Adrienne (SF head coach wife and Capital head coach daughter) would bring would shutdown the Capital of New Mexico. Is the posole good, great or a pass this year? One or two bowls (both in the Final Four?).
Atrisco Heritage is the defending champ and shouldn't be forgotten. Head coach Adrian Ortega is our top ranked head coach in New Mexico entering the season. Is this the season we pass on the posole? The unlikely or sleeper of all is the Clovis Wildcats. When do we take them serious or are they one of those years when we fill up on tamales and go straight to biscochitos? Rio Rancho is in the mix but we don't know where. I love egg nog. Egg nog my sleeper. Can they upset the others on the list though? Some years egg nog is my favorite part but like posole, some years, I didn't realize that I didn't have any. I love it but can I take it over tamales and biscochitos?
December 30th Picks
State Championship: Cleveland vs Capital
Final Four: Cleveland, Las Cruces, Onate, Capital
Elite Eight: Cleveland, Las Cruces, Onate, Capital, Santa Fe, Clovis, Atrisco Heritage, Volcano Vista
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