Week 9: The Week That Was
Joshua J Grine
The season of uncertainty due to the parity continues to be the identity of 2015-2016. Manzano's 57-54 (OT) win over a Top-10 ranked Rio Grande confirms that this season anything could happen.
The Big Five For Week 9
Top Performance by a NMPreps.com Mr. Basketball Candidate: Daniel Amador scored 38 points against Centennial on Tuesday night. He then followed that performance up with 35 points against Deming on Thursday night. Roswell is winning, winning big, and right now he gets the nod for the week.
P-E-R-F-E-C-T and the one and only: Lets enjoy the Lordsburg Mavericks who are right now 15-0 on the season and winning in convincing fashion. They won big last week against Hatch Valley (75-49), Cuba (92-53), Jemez Valley (86-46) and Hot Springs (81-58). If this team is not a favorite for the 3A title, I don't know who is, the resume is great. Week 10 we have our eye as they take on Cliff and Silver.
Parity in the classification or after the top-2 a mixture of teams?: Cleveland and Onate are playing like title contenders, my statement. The rest of the state might be a mixture of quality teams that are playing for the last two spots in the Final Four against either Cleveland and Onate before they play for the title. Manzano beating Rio Grande, Gadsden beating Valley and even for argument sake Gadsden almost beating Cibola.
Like it's 2010 in 2015, will anyone compete with Roswell. No: Let's take a tour to the past as the Roswell Coyotes won second title. They went into the state tournament as the 1 seed and played a great team like Espanola Valley in the title, it was close, but the Coyotes still won. This year we could have quality teams at 2, 3, and 4 - Grants, Centennial and Gallup but at the end of the day you're still putting money on Roswell. The upset loss in the Elite Eight still has a bad taste in their mouth and they might run away with it this year.
Okay, so maybe we do have some contenders. Yes, I am bringing it back up: Hope Christian won their tournament but it wasn't without a battle. The West Las Vegas Dons lost the battle 73-67 in the crackerbox of a gym the Huskies play in were if you sit in the wrong spot you have a post in front of you. West is ranked third, Robertson the quick team could open things up and challenge the Huskies on a big open court like the PIT or Santa Ana Star Center unless they hold the ball. All I am saying is for those who crowned Hope champs on November 3rd, we might have more excitement actually so stay until the credits roll.
NMPreps.com Week 9 Awards
Player of the Week: Daniel Amador, Roswell High School
For the second time this season Daniel Amador takes home the NMPreps.com Player of the Week Award after posting 38, 35 and 16 point performances in a 3-0 week for the Roswell Coyotes. Amador, also took home the award during week 6 and is a leading candidate for the New Mexico Mr. Basketball Award.
Coach of the Week: DJ Saucedo, Lordsburg High School
At, 15-0 the Mavericks are the last perfect team in boy's basketball this season. The Mavericks traveled to Cuba, New Mexico to win the Cuba Tournament. They walked past quality teams like Hatch Valley and Cuba. This is the first time this season coach Saucedo has won the award.
Team of the Week: Hope Christian Huskies
The Huskies might have challengers but they are elite in every fashion of a basketball program. The Huskies went 4-0 last week with wins over Top-25 teams West Las Vegas and Volcano Vista. The Huskies have one of the top players in the state in Jordan Leake but the supporting cast is only getting better and more confident.
Timeout: Questions after Week 9
Tournament Worthy?: Santa Fe Demons (7-9). Okay, they are under .500 right now but for some reason this team seems like they could upset teams in district and make a case for the tournament. (Finally, agreeing with you NMShock even though I've been reluctant too do so.) I like what I seen on film from the Demons and they could sneak into the tournament with a 2/3 win district season.
2 Bid League Now?: District 2-6A. Okay, no team is ranked in the Top-25 for week 10. However, the district did have a good week during week 9 for the most part. Eldorado over Hobbs. Manzano over Rio Grande. I did proclaim only one should be in the tournament for weeks but maybe now I can agree with 2.
Bubble OUT?: La Cueva (4-10). It was strange to see a 4-10 win team in the Top-25 and they have finally fallen off the rankings. The Bears are one of the strangest 4-10 teams I've ever seen. When looking at the entire field they could make a case for Bubble IN but the recent loss to Las Cruces might put them on the outside looking in. Where it gets strange is the Head-to-Head wins over Volcano Vista and Valley.
Leftovers: Unofficial Awards
Hall Pass: Daniel Flores, Del Norte. Flores led the Knights with 18-points as the Knights are looking more like a bubble IN team with each win. They beat Los Lunas in week 9 to help the case.
Free Lunch Ticket: Markus Collins, Las Cruces. A 23 point performance against La Cueva and then followed it up with a 29 point performance against Sandia. The sophomore is quickly rising and will be one to watch for the next two years but he is making the case now for a tournament team.
Student of the Week: John Paul Garcia, Tucumcari. It has been a few weeks since we have heard from Garcia but he had a great week of 30 points, 9 rebounds against Loving along with 30 points and 9 rebounds against Estancia.
Homework Pass: Clay Patterson, Rio Rancho. Patterson is holding is own for the Rams, with a 25 point and 33 point performance this week.
Joshua J Grine
The season of uncertainty due to the parity continues to be the identity of 2015-2016. Manzano's 57-54 (OT) win over a Top-10 ranked Rio Grande confirms that this season anything could happen.
The Big Five For Week 9
Top Performance by a NMPreps.com Mr. Basketball Candidate: Daniel Amador scored 38 points against Centennial on Tuesday night. He then followed that performance up with 35 points against Deming on Thursday night. Roswell is winning, winning big, and right now he gets the nod for the week.
P-E-R-F-E-C-T and the one and only: Lets enjoy the Lordsburg Mavericks who are right now 15-0 on the season and winning in convincing fashion. They won big last week against Hatch Valley (75-49), Cuba (92-53), Jemez Valley (86-46) and Hot Springs (81-58). If this team is not a favorite for the 3A title, I don't know who is, the resume is great. Week 10 we have our eye as they take on Cliff and Silver.
Parity in the classification or after the top-2 a mixture of teams?: Cleveland and Onate are playing like title contenders, my statement. The rest of the state might be a mixture of quality teams that are playing for the last two spots in the Final Four against either Cleveland and Onate before they play for the title. Manzano beating Rio Grande, Gadsden beating Valley and even for argument sake Gadsden almost beating Cibola.
Like it's 2010 in 2015, will anyone compete with Roswell. No: Let's take a tour to the past as the Roswell Coyotes won second title. They went into the state tournament as the 1 seed and played a great team like Espanola Valley in the title, it was close, but the Coyotes still won. This year we could have quality teams at 2, 3, and 4 - Grants, Centennial and Gallup but at the end of the day you're still putting money on Roswell. The upset loss in the Elite Eight still has a bad taste in their mouth and they might run away with it this year.
Okay, so maybe we do have some contenders. Yes, I am bringing it back up: Hope Christian won their tournament but it wasn't without a battle. The West Las Vegas Dons lost the battle 73-67 in the crackerbox of a gym the Huskies play in were if you sit in the wrong spot you have a post in front of you. West is ranked third, Robertson the quick team could open things up and challenge the Huskies on a big open court like the PIT or Santa Ana Star Center unless they hold the ball. All I am saying is for those who crowned Hope champs on November 3rd, we might have more excitement actually so stay until the credits roll.
NMPreps.com Week 9 Awards
Player of the Week: Daniel Amador, Roswell High School
For the second time this season Daniel Amador takes home the NMPreps.com Player of the Week Award after posting 38, 35 and 16 point performances in a 3-0 week for the Roswell Coyotes. Amador, also took home the award during week 6 and is a leading candidate for the New Mexico Mr. Basketball Award.
Coach of the Week: DJ Saucedo, Lordsburg High School
At, 15-0 the Mavericks are the last perfect team in boy's basketball this season. The Mavericks traveled to Cuba, New Mexico to win the Cuba Tournament. They walked past quality teams like Hatch Valley and Cuba. This is the first time this season coach Saucedo has won the award.
Team of the Week: Hope Christian Huskies
The Huskies might have challengers but they are elite in every fashion of a basketball program. The Huskies went 4-0 last week with wins over Top-25 teams West Las Vegas and Volcano Vista. The Huskies have one of the top players in the state in Jordan Leake but the supporting cast is only getting better and more confident.
Timeout: Questions after Week 9
Tournament Worthy?: Santa Fe Demons (7-9). Okay, they are under .500 right now but for some reason this team seems like they could upset teams in district and make a case for the tournament. (Finally, agreeing with you NMShock even though I've been reluctant too do so.) I like what I seen on film from the Demons and they could sneak into the tournament with a 2/3 win district season.
2 Bid League Now?: District 2-6A. Okay, no team is ranked in the Top-25 for week 10. However, the district did have a good week during week 9 for the most part. Eldorado over Hobbs. Manzano over Rio Grande. I did proclaim only one should be in the tournament for weeks but maybe now I can agree with 2.
Bubble OUT?: La Cueva (4-10). It was strange to see a 4-10 win team in the Top-25 and they have finally fallen off the rankings. The Bears are one of the strangest 4-10 teams I've ever seen. When looking at the entire field they could make a case for Bubble IN but the recent loss to Las Cruces might put them on the outside looking in. Where it gets strange is the Head-to-Head wins over Volcano Vista and Valley.
Leftovers: Unofficial Awards
Hall Pass: Daniel Flores, Del Norte. Flores led the Knights with 18-points as the Knights are looking more like a bubble IN team with each win. They beat Los Lunas in week 9 to help the case.
Free Lunch Ticket: Markus Collins, Las Cruces. A 23 point performance against La Cueva and then followed it up with a 29 point performance against Sandia. The sophomore is quickly rising and will be one to watch for the next two years but he is making the case now for a tournament team.
Student of the Week: John Paul Garcia, Tucumcari. It has been a few weeks since we have heard from Garcia but he had a great week of 30 points, 9 rebounds against Loving along with 30 points and 9 rebounds against Estancia.
Homework Pass: Clay Patterson, Rio Rancho. Patterson is holding is own for the Rams, with a 25 point and 33 point performance this week.
