Capital (21-8) at Santa Fe (20-7). District 5-5A Championship. Gone to the game. The city of Santa Fe will pack the house - The Toby Roybal gymnasium tonight as the two 5A programs battle for the district tournament championship. Capital leans on the shoulders of scoring abilities of TJ Sanchez (19 points per game) who recently broke the single game scoring record of 39 points. Santa Fe has been one of the hottest teams as of late, early too, but can cap off a year with a DC. When you cast your ballot for coach of the year Zack Cole has to be a vote.
Season Series: Santa Fe 2-1.
Scoop: Capital has played back into the playoff picture as of late. Santa Fe arguing and likely get a home game in the opening round of State.
Prediction: Santa Fe but don't get comfortable because this one will get hot.
Cleveland (24-5) at Volcano Vista (20-4): District 1-5A Championship: In our bold, not really bold, statement from this week was taking the 4-seed Cleveland Storm to play in the championship game. Cleveland won three games this week over 5-Cibola, 3-Atrisco, and last night 83-74 over Rio Rancho. The Storm got 33-points last night from top prospect Aamer Muhammad as they took out crosstown rival Rio Rancho. Volcano Vista, a team in the conversation for the 1-seed in the post season has 20-wins on the season and looking to cap the year off with a district tournament championship at their home court.
Meaning: All four of the top teams in this district should earn a top-8 seed but this one could put Cleveland in the top-5, maybe they already are in the top-5 seeds.
Season Series: Volcano Vista 2-1 (70-71, 58-57, 73-71).
Prediction: Volcano Vista but very close and likely in OT.
Gateway Christian (18-7) at Tatum (21-6): District 4-1A Championship. Gateway and Tatum will square off as the top two teams from this classification and split the regular season series, Gateway took the last game (55-42). Tatum the regular season champion took is perfect at home this season at 9-0 and hope to earn the 10th. Both are floating around 55-52 points per game this season.
Scoop: Both are ranked around 8th in the classification and the winner could earn a first-round home game.
Prediction: Tatum 54, Gateway 53
Eldorado (20-6) at La Cueva (16-9): District 2-5A Championship. Hello ole friend. The northeast rivalry is back, for the 2019 season at least. The La Cueva Bears took the one game playoff on Monday of this week, 70-64, and although they won could be on the road in the opening round as the "District Champion" according to the seeding criteria. La Cueva features the shooting hand of Derek Aeilts (2020) who is putting up around 21 points per game. Eldorado looks to the senior backcourt duo of Cameron Carter and Tyler Quintana.
Scoop: Who gets a home game.
Season Series: La Cueva 2-1
Prediction: Eldorado.
Ruidoso (17-10) at Silver (12-4): The District 3-4A Championship. Ruidoso took a surprising loss to end the regular season to district cellar Santa Teresa but the Warriors are looking to earn their bid to State. Silver has 21-wins on the season, again, and looking to make their case for a top seed in the 4A bracket come Saturday. No matter the classification head coach Brandon Siqueiros churns out a tough squad - this one featuring one of the best players in the state guard Tristin Moore (2019).
What does it mean: Silver is IN, Ruidoso on the Bubble.
Season Series: Silver 2-0 (78-56; 78-60)
Prediction: Silver (-11)
What Else Is On the Menu
Des Moines (11-14) at Maxwell (19-4)
Escalente (19-9) at Mora (20-8)
Melrose (20-7) at Fort Sumner (20-7)
Menaul (17-11) at Magdalena (23-4)
Miyamura (15-12) at Gallup (22-5)
Monte Del Sol (17-10) at Maxwell (19-4)
NMMI (8-8) at Dexter (15-11)
Rehoboth (22-5) at Newcomb (25-2)
Santa Fe Indian (17-10) at St. Michael's (18-8)
Santa Rosa (18-7) at Pecos (22-3)
Thoreau (15-13) at Navajo Prep (19-7)
Valley (13-13) at Hope Christian (19-8)
Season Series: Santa Fe 2-1.
Scoop: Capital has played back into the playoff picture as of late. Santa Fe arguing and likely get a home game in the opening round of State.
Prediction: Santa Fe but don't get comfortable because this one will get hot.
Cleveland (24-5) at Volcano Vista (20-4): District 1-5A Championship: In our bold, not really bold, statement from this week was taking the 4-seed Cleveland Storm to play in the championship game. Cleveland won three games this week over 5-Cibola, 3-Atrisco, and last night 83-74 over Rio Rancho. The Storm got 33-points last night from top prospect Aamer Muhammad as they took out crosstown rival Rio Rancho. Volcano Vista, a team in the conversation for the 1-seed in the post season has 20-wins on the season and looking to cap the year off with a district tournament championship at their home court.
Meaning: All four of the top teams in this district should earn a top-8 seed but this one could put Cleveland in the top-5, maybe they already are in the top-5 seeds.
Season Series: Volcano Vista 2-1 (70-71, 58-57, 73-71).
Prediction: Volcano Vista but very close and likely in OT.
Gateway Christian (18-7) at Tatum (21-6): District 4-1A Championship. Gateway and Tatum will square off as the top two teams from this classification and split the regular season series, Gateway took the last game (55-42). Tatum the regular season champion took is perfect at home this season at 9-0 and hope to earn the 10th. Both are floating around 55-52 points per game this season.
Scoop: Both are ranked around 8th in the classification and the winner could earn a first-round home game.
Prediction: Tatum 54, Gateway 53
Eldorado (20-6) at La Cueva (16-9): District 2-5A Championship. Hello ole friend. The northeast rivalry is back, for the 2019 season at least. The La Cueva Bears took the one game playoff on Monday of this week, 70-64, and although they won could be on the road in the opening round as the "District Champion" according to the seeding criteria. La Cueva features the shooting hand of Derek Aeilts (2020) who is putting up around 21 points per game. Eldorado looks to the senior backcourt duo of Cameron Carter and Tyler Quintana.
Scoop: Who gets a home game.
Season Series: La Cueva 2-1
Prediction: Eldorado.
Ruidoso (17-10) at Silver (12-4): The District 3-4A Championship. Ruidoso took a surprising loss to end the regular season to district cellar Santa Teresa but the Warriors are looking to earn their bid to State. Silver has 21-wins on the season, again, and looking to make their case for a top seed in the 4A bracket come Saturday. No matter the classification head coach Brandon Siqueiros churns out a tough squad - this one featuring one of the best players in the state guard Tristin Moore (2019).
What does it mean: Silver is IN, Ruidoso on the Bubble.
Season Series: Silver 2-0 (78-56; 78-60)
Prediction: Silver (-11)
What Else Is On the Menu
Des Moines (11-14) at Maxwell (19-4)
Escalente (19-9) at Mora (20-8)
Melrose (20-7) at Fort Sumner (20-7)
Menaul (17-11) at Magdalena (23-4)
Miyamura (15-12) at Gallup (22-5)
Monte Del Sol (17-10) at Maxwell (19-4)
NMMI (8-8) at Dexter (15-11)
Rehoboth (22-5) at Newcomb (25-2)
Santa Fe Indian (17-10) at St. Michael's (18-8)
Santa Rosa (18-7) at Pecos (22-3)
Thoreau (15-13) at Navajo Prep (19-7)
Valley (13-13) at Hope Christian (19-8)
