Preseason Rankings: No. 36 Gallup Bengals
The 2015-2016 season has officially started and today we start our countdown of the top 50 programs in New Mexico Big School Division (6A-4A).
More: Preseason Rankings Home | Rankings 72-51 | Preseason Preview Page
The Gallup Bengals have been one of the top programs in the state of New Mexico and finished 29-2, 8-0 last season falling in the state championship game.
Overview: A new era is here for the Gallup Bengals and a team that you might argue is a Top-25 team might take a small step back after replacing one of the most successful head coaches in program history. The Bengals return 8-players and top player Colton Lowley a 6-foot-2 guard who had one of the best state tournament showings. The Bengals will have players to replace, a head coach and could be a year that they have to take a back seat to a rising district.
Last Season
Record: 29-2, 8-0
Home Record: 11-0
Away Record: 12-1
Post Season: State Championship game, lost to Centennial (52-38)
Points per game: 67.9 (2107)
Points against: 54.2 (1682)
Realistic Prediction: I know several outlets have the Bengals as a top-5 team in their classification but replacing the coach who built the program is always a difficult task. The Bengals will likely rise into the Top-25 early but could run into trouble with Farmington improving and Piedra Vista also becoming one of the better 5A teams this season. Our prediction is a 15-19 win season, playoff birth but a first round exit might seem realistic this season.
District Champ: 80%
Playoff Team: 90%
Elite Eight: 70%
Final Four: 22%
Title Game: 5%
Returning Players: The Bengals graduate six players from their state runner up team and like the last time around it took a couple years before they return what those graduates had. Lowley has great size and will be a Top 100 player again and is the best part to start this season. They certainly return a lot from last season in eight players. The Bengals have some solid size in two 6'3 players in Joe Yazzie and Troy Etsitty.
Roster
Shawn Eskeets (2016)
Colton Lowley (2016)
Mathew Begay (2016)
Ronald Lee (2016)
Joe Yazzie (2016)
Troy Etsitty (2017)
Nathaniel John (2017)
Asa Holyon (2018)
The 2015-2016 season has officially started and today we start our countdown of the top 50 programs in New Mexico Big School Division (6A-4A).
More: Preseason Rankings Home | Rankings 72-51 | Preseason Preview Page
The Gallup Bengals have been one of the top programs in the state of New Mexico and finished 29-2, 8-0 last season falling in the state championship game.
Overview: A new era is here for the Gallup Bengals and a team that you might argue is a Top-25 team might take a small step back after replacing one of the most successful head coaches in program history. The Bengals return 8-players and top player Colton Lowley a 6-foot-2 guard who had one of the best state tournament showings. The Bengals will have players to replace, a head coach and could be a year that they have to take a back seat to a rising district.
Last Season
Record: 29-2, 8-0
Home Record: 11-0
Away Record: 12-1
Post Season: State Championship game, lost to Centennial (52-38)
Points per game: 67.9 (2107)
Points against: 54.2 (1682)
Realistic Prediction: I know several outlets have the Bengals as a top-5 team in their classification but replacing the coach who built the program is always a difficult task. The Bengals will likely rise into the Top-25 early but could run into trouble with Farmington improving and Piedra Vista also becoming one of the better 5A teams this season. Our prediction is a 15-19 win season, playoff birth but a first round exit might seem realistic this season.
District Champ: 80%
Playoff Team: 90%
Elite Eight: 70%
Final Four: 22%
Title Game: 5%
Returning Players: The Bengals graduate six players from their state runner up team and like the last time around it took a couple years before they return what those graduates had. Lowley has great size and will be a Top 100 player again and is the best part to start this season. They certainly return a lot from last season in eight players. The Bengals have some solid size in two 6'3 players in Joe Yazzie and Troy Etsitty.
Roster
Shawn Eskeets (2016)
Colton Lowley (2016)
Mathew Begay (2016)
Ronald Lee (2016)
Joe Yazzie (2016)
Troy Etsitty (2017)
Nathaniel John (2017)
Asa Holyon (2018)
