Preview & Predictions: 1A Basketball First Round
NMPreps guide to the 2023 New Mexico high school basketball state tournament. #nmpreps
No. 1 Magdalena Steers (28-0 overall) vs No. 16 To'hajiilee Warriors (12-9 overall)
Preview: Just like a year ago, the Steers come into March as the prohibitive favorites to win the title. The defending 1A state champions open tournament play Saturday against To'hajiilee. The Steers are currently riding a 43-game win streak that dates back to January 19th, 2022. This will be the first meeting between the programs this season.
Player to Watch: D'Shaun Vinyard (Magdalena) currently leads the Steers in scoring with 18.6 points per game.
Prediction: Magdalena 68, To'hajiilee 29 (Mag, -33.5)
No. 2 Fort Sumner Foxes (25-2 overall) vs No. 15 Pine Hill Warriors (14-13 overall)
Preview: Last season Fort Sumner left the state tournament in the first round after being upset as a six seed (No. 11 Reserve 60, No. 6 Fort Sumner 58). The results this year favors the Foxes in a big way when the square off with Pine Hill, opening as 32-point favorites, so any sign of an upset is not a question The Foxes feature one of the better duos (trios) in the state with sharp shooter Joaquin Segura (2024) and 6-foot-7 post Cash Burney (2024) in the paint.
Player to Watch: Clay Norman (2023) is the senior that can score in a hurry and puts in around 17 points per game.
Prediction: Fort Sumner 72, Pine Hill 30 (Forte, -31.5)
No. 3 Melrose Buffaloes (21-6 overall) vs No. 14 Mesilla Valley Christian Son Blazers (14-10 overall)
Preview: The Buffaloes enter the state tournament as a 3-seed and favored big over 14-Mesilla Valley Christian. At 13-1 at home this season the Buffaloes have the odds to move along with ease playing at home on Saturday. Two stars that guide the Buffaloes this season are Dathan Yeary and Josiah Roybal providing them with enough fire power to make a Final Four or State Championship run.
Player to Watch: Michael Cardonita (Melrose) leads the way with 25 points per game this season for the Buffaloes.
Prediction: Melrose 65, Mesilla Valley 48 (Melrose, -20.2)
No. 4 Maxwell Bears (23-4 overall) vs No. 13 Clovis Christian Eagles (18-10 overall)
Preview: Clovis Christian will play tough, and they have do-everything guard Carter Tuene, and look to keep the scoring low. Maxwell will look to push the tempo and put points on the board in a hurry, in the final two weeks of the district season they put up scoring totals of 64, 66, 72, and 87 winning by 20-points or more. This is the first match-up between the schools this season.
Player to Watch: Orren Floyd and Marcelino Romero were both part of the 2020 state championship runner up team and look to cap their senior season with a splash.
Prediction: Maxwell 55, Clovis Christian 48 (Maxwell -6.5)
No. 5 Cliff Cowboys (20-6 overall) vs No. 12 Evangel Christian Academy (19-8 overall)
Preview: The Shock name is back at Cliff. The winning has returned to Cliff. Brian Shock returned as head coach this season and his father legendary head coach Pete Shock as his assistant. They look to guide a 20-win Cowboys team into the state tournament this Saturday against Albuquerque-Evangel Christian Academy. Two stars to that have played well this season for the Cowboys -- Brennan Shock (2026) and Coy Judd (senior).
Player to Watch: Tayson Yost (2025) is a flourish sophomore that will team-up with Shock for the next three years.
Prediction: Cliff 57, Evangel Christian 52 (Cliff, -5.5)
No. 6 Dora Coyotes (20-6 overall) vs No. 11 Alamo Navajo Cougars (23-4 overall)
Preview: The Dora Coyotes enter the post season as a favorite over a visiting Alamo Navajo team that won 23-games this season. Why do we like the Coyotes? It comes in the form of double-double machine Steven Masini who is putting impressive numbers of 26 points and 17 rebounds per game. This is another first time match-up this season.
Player to Watch: Jacob Apache (Alamo Navajo) will lead the Cougars' upset hopes. He leads the team in scoring with 14 per game.
Prediction: Dora 54, Alamo Navajo 51 (Dora, -2.5)
No. 7 Cimarron Rams (18-7 overall) vs No. 10 Des Moines Demons (19-10 overall)
Preview: For the fifth time this season the Rams and Demons will square off. Cimarron, the 7-seed, took three of the four regular season games against the Des Moines Demons this season, only falling in the lone game at Des Moines (66-52) near the end of January. Both teams are averaging over 60 points per game this season and could provide with a score-first atmosphere on Saturday night.
Player to Watch: Des Moines player Caleb Sumpter is averaging 19 points and 9 rebounds per game this season.
Prediction: Des Moines 60, Cimarron 59 (Pick Em) *Upset Alert*
No. 8 Logan Longhorns (17-11 overall) vs No. 9 Legacy Academy Silverbacks (22-5 overall)
Preview: The game that a few has mention as an upset this post season has the Albuquerque-Legacy Academy Silverbacks beating the 8-seed Logan Longhorns. When looking at all-state level players Brock Burns is a name to know in 1A basketball this season -- the junior is averaging 14 points, 4 rebounds, 2 steals, and a block per game (each category leads the team). This is the first meeting between the schools this season.
Player to Watch: Kaden Stoner (2024) is the second part of the Logan duo and is putting in 11 points and 3 rebounds per game this season.
Prediction: Legacy Academy 63, Logan 59 (Legacy, -4.5) *Upset Alert*
Bracket Breakdown
Best Game: (9) Legacy Academy vs (8) Logan
Odds to Upset: (10) Des Moines vs (7) Cimarron
Final Four: (1) Magdalena, (2) Fort Sumner, (3) Melrose, (5) Cliff
State Champ: (2) Fort Sumner. This could be a classic -- Magdalena vs Fort Sumner -- and one of the most anticipated 1A state championship games in my 15 years at NMPreps. I'll take the upset in what could be an upset filled bracket.
NMPreps guide to the 2023 New Mexico high school basketball state tournament. #nmpreps
No. 1 Magdalena Steers (28-0 overall) vs No. 16 To'hajiilee Warriors (12-9 overall)
Preview: Just like a year ago, the Steers come into March as the prohibitive favorites to win the title. The defending 1A state champions open tournament play Saturday against To'hajiilee. The Steers are currently riding a 43-game win streak that dates back to January 19th, 2022. This will be the first meeting between the programs this season.
Player to Watch: D'Shaun Vinyard (Magdalena) currently leads the Steers in scoring with 18.6 points per game.
Prediction: Magdalena 68, To'hajiilee 29 (Mag, -33.5)
No. 2 Fort Sumner Foxes (25-2 overall) vs No. 15 Pine Hill Warriors (14-13 overall)
Preview: Last season Fort Sumner left the state tournament in the first round after being upset as a six seed (No. 11 Reserve 60, No. 6 Fort Sumner 58). The results this year favors the Foxes in a big way when the square off with Pine Hill, opening as 32-point favorites, so any sign of an upset is not a question The Foxes feature one of the better duos (trios) in the state with sharp shooter Joaquin Segura (2024) and 6-foot-7 post Cash Burney (2024) in the paint.
Player to Watch: Clay Norman (2023) is the senior that can score in a hurry and puts in around 17 points per game.
Prediction: Fort Sumner 72, Pine Hill 30 (Forte, -31.5)
No. 3 Melrose Buffaloes (21-6 overall) vs No. 14 Mesilla Valley Christian Son Blazers (14-10 overall)
Preview: The Buffaloes enter the state tournament as a 3-seed and favored big over 14-Mesilla Valley Christian. At 13-1 at home this season the Buffaloes have the odds to move along with ease playing at home on Saturday. Two stars that guide the Buffaloes this season are Dathan Yeary and Josiah Roybal providing them with enough fire power to make a Final Four or State Championship run.
Player to Watch: Michael Cardonita (Melrose) leads the way with 25 points per game this season for the Buffaloes.
Prediction: Melrose 65, Mesilla Valley 48 (Melrose, -20.2)
No. 4 Maxwell Bears (23-4 overall) vs No. 13 Clovis Christian Eagles (18-10 overall)
Preview: Clovis Christian will play tough, and they have do-everything guard Carter Tuene, and look to keep the scoring low. Maxwell will look to push the tempo and put points on the board in a hurry, in the final two weeks of the district season they put up scoring totals of 64, 66, 72, and 87 winning by 20-points or more. This is the first match-up between the schools this season.
Player to Watch: Orren Floyd and Marcelino Romero were both part of the 2020 state championship runner up team and look to cap their senior season with a splash.
Prediction: Maxwell 55, Clovis Christian 48 (Maxwell -6.5)
No. 5 Cliff Cowboys (20-6 overall) vs No. 12 Evangel Christian Academy (19-8 overall)
Preview: The Shock name is back at Cliff. The winning has returned to Cliff. Brian Shock returned as head coach this season and his father legendary head coach Pete Shock as his assistant. They look to guide a 20-win Cowboys team into the state tournament this Saturday against Albuquerque-Evangel Christian Academy. Two stars to that have played well this season for the Cowboys -- Brennan Shock (2026) and Coy Judd (senior).
Player to Watch: Tayson Yost (2025) is a flourish sophomore that will team-up with Shock for the next three years.
Prediction: Cliff 57, Evangel Christian 52 (Cliff, -5.5)
No. 6 Dora Coyotes (20-6 overall) vs No. 11 Alamo Navajo Cougars (23-4 overall)
Preview: The Dora Coyotes enter the post season as a favorite over a visiting Alamo Navajo team that won 23-games this season. Why do we like the Coyotes? It comes in the form of double-double machine Steven Masini who is putting impressive numbers of 26 points and 17 rebounds per game. This is another first time match-up this season.
Player to Watch: Jacob Apache (Alamo Navajo) will lead the Cougars' upset hopes. He leads the team in scoring with 14 per game.
Prediction: Dora 54, Alamo Navajo 51 (Dora, -2.5)
No. 7 Cimarron Rams (18-7 overall) vs No. 10 Des Moines Demons (19-10 overall)
Preview: For the fifth time this season the Rams and Demons will square off. Cimarron, the 7-seed, took three of the four regular season games against the Des Moines Demons this season, only falling in the lone game at Des Moines (66-52) near the end of January. Both teams are averaging over 60 points per game this season and could provide with a score-first atmosphere on Saturday night.
Player to Watch: Des Moines player Caleb Sumpter is averaging 19 points and 9 rebounds per game this season.
Prediction: Des Moines 60, Cimarron 59 (Pick Em) *Upset Alert*
No. 8 Logan Longhorns (17-11 overall) vs No. 9 Legacy Academy Silverbacks (22-5 overall)
Preview: The game that a few has mention as an upset this post season has the Albuquerque-Legacy Academy Silverbacks beating the 8-seed Logan Longhorns. When looking at all-state level players Brock Burns is a name to know in 1A basketball this season -- the junior is averaging 14 points, 4 rebounds, 2 steals, and a block per game (each category leads the team). This is the first meeting between the schools this season.
Player to Watch: Kaden Stoner (2024) is the second part of the Logan duo and is putting in 11 points and 3 rebounds per game this season.
Prediction: Legacy Academy 63, Logan 59 (Legacy, -4.5) *Upset Alert*
Bracket Breakdown
Best Game: (9) Legacy Academy vs (8) Logan
Odds to Upset: (10) Des Moines vs (7) Cimarron
Final Four: (1) Magdalena, (2) Fort Sumner, (3) Melrose, (5) Cliff
State Champ: (2) Fort Sumner. This could be a classic -- Magdalena vs Fort Sumner -- and one of the most anticipated 1A state championship games in my 15 years at NMPreps. I'll take the upset in what could be an upset filled bracket.
