Week 9: Thursday Night Hoops
Joshua J. Grine of NMPreps
A few tournaments kick off on Thursday night in a big night for class 4A basketball as the non-district slate of games come to an end. Who earned respect last night in the state?
Top-25 Recap
No. 4 Hope Christian 86, Hot Springs 37: In the opening game of their own tournament, Hope Christian improved to (13-2) on the season with a win over Hot Springs.
No. 6 Capital 55, Santa Fe 49 (OT): The place to big on Thursday night was Capital High School as the Jaguars escaped with a close win in overtime over crosstown rival Santa Fe High School. Capital junior Jeremy Anaya leads the Jaguars in scoring again Thursday with 16 points on the evening. Eric Coca with 14 points and Isaiah Brooks with 10 were the other two Jaguars in double figures. Santa Fe was paced by Santi Gonzales with 15 points on the night.
No. 8 Rio Grande 82, No. 13 Rio Rancho 68: The Ravens win another big home game over a Top-25 team on Thursday night. The Ravens improve to (10-3) on the season, one of the best starts under head coach Sean Jimemez. Rio Rancho falls to (11-6) on the season.
No. 10 Grants 78, Kirtland Central 55: The Grants Pirates improve to (13-3) on the season pulling away late against the Bronocs of Kirtland Central. Richie Lucero led the Pirates with 15 points on the night. Eric Gonzales, 12 points, Bradley Hatten, 11 points and Mike Chambers with 10 are the other Pirates in double figures. Brian Dowdy paced the way for the Broncos with 17 points.
No. 19 Atrisco Heritage Academy 92, Manzano 66: Proving that they are the real deal this season the Jaguars put the hammer down on Manzano with a 92-66 victory. The Jaguars improve to (9-5) on the season.
No. 22 Robertson 60, Portales 56: The Robertson Cardinals earned a huge 4A resume win over Portales on Thursday night. The Cardinals trade size for speed as they overcame the Rams who have one of the best big men in the state. The Cardinals move to (11-2) on the season with the win.
No. 23 St. Pius X 51, Sandia Prep 48: The Sartans move to 9-4 on the season with a close game against unranked Sandia Prep on Thursday night.
No. 24 West Las Vegas 73, Bloomfield 39: No question here as the Dons, one of three ranked 4A teams, ran away from the Bloomfield Bobcats in the opening round of the OPe Christian tournament. West Las Vegas improves to (12-1) on the season.
No. 25 Belen 61, Bernalillo 55: Placing themselves in a different tier the Belen Eagles went to Bernalillo and earned a win improving to (9-3) on the season. The Eagles are off to one of the best starts under head coach Patrick Mondragon.
Top Performers From Thursday
Martin Trujillo - Los Lunas - Scored 35 points vs Del Norte.
Estevan Esparza - Hatch Valley - Scored 22 points vs Mesa Vista.
Daniel Flores - Del Norte - Scored 18 points vs Los Lunas.
Michael Castillo - Hatch Valley - Scored 17 vs Mesa Vista.
Brian Dowdy - Kirtland Central - Scored 17 points vs Grants.
Hunter Wisneski - Los Lunas - Scored 17 points vs Del Norte.
Jeremy Anaya - Capital - Scored 16 points in win over Santa Fe.
Richie Lucero - Grants - Scored 15 points vs Kirtland Central.
Santi Gonzales - Santa Fe - Scored 15 points vs Capital.
Ranson Begay - Del Norte - Scored 14 points vs Los Lunas.
Eric Coca - Capital - Scored 14 points vs Santa Fe.
Eric Gonzales - Grants - Scored 12 points vs Kirtland Central.
Bradley Hatten - Grants - Scored 11 points vs Kirtland Central.
Isaiah Brooks - Capital - Scored 10 points vs Santa Fe.
Mike Chambers - Grants - Scored 10 points vs Kirtland Central.
What We Learned On Thursday
Resume Beater: Del Norte 70, Los Lunas 67. The Del Norte Knights are coming out of nowhere and improving their resume with a buzzer beating win on Thursday on the road.
Okay, I see you. Top 4?: The Rio Grande Ravens with a statement win that could have them looking more like a Top-4 seed come March. Impressed by the 82-68 win.
Battle for 4A. Red or Green?: Okay we have a divide and Robertson (win over Portales), West Las Vegas (thumping win over Bloomfield) and Silver (over St. Mikes, 40-36) have placed themselves in a different tier. Hope sits at the top of the pyramid, followed by West (who will get a shot at Hope this week) and their crosstown rival Robertson in the next row. Who gets the 2-seed comes down to who survives district play for the two Las Vegas, New Mexico teams.
Honey, we're going streaking!: Lordsburg stays perfect at 13-0 with an 86-48 win over Jemez Valley on Thursday night. The Mavericks are the final team to remain perfect. A 3A favorite this season the Mavericks could go into March with the 1-seed.
Bubble Pop? Los Alamos earns a 3-point win over Moriarty, who we had as the 16-seed in our bracket watch Thursday morning.
Wow, Dot On the Map Placed! Dulce with the biggest win in recent histroy (maybe ever who knows) but the win over Laguna-Acoma 59-56 is one of the biggest ye popping results. At 8-1 this season the Hawks of Dulce could be the real deal this season.
Thursday Scoreboard
Atrisco Heritage 92, Manzano 66
Belen 61, Bernalillo 55
Capital 55, Santa Fe 49 (OT)
Del Norte 70, Los Lunas 67, OT
Dulce 59, Laguna-Acoma 56
Escalante 71, Tohajilee 61
Estancia 58, Springer 49
Hatch Valley 63, Mesa Vista 49
Hope Christian 86, Hot Springs 37
Lordsburg 86, Jemez Valley 48
Los Alamos 43, Moriarty 40
Lovington 79, Texico 69
Magdalena 72, Evangel Christian 40
Maxwell 75, Tierra Encantada 53
Melrose 64, Gateway Christian 53
Mesilla Valley Christian 65, Jal 33
NMMI 47, Hagerman 44, OT
Pojoaque 47, Bosque School 41
Rehoboth 52, Academy for Technology and The Classics 33
Rio Grande 82, Rio Rancho 68
Robertson 60, Portales 56
Santa Fe Indian 74, Newcomb 39
Santa Rosa 79, Monte del Sol 38
Shiprock 66, Socorro 59
Silver 40, St. Michael's 36
St. Pius 51, Sandia Prep 48
Taos 74, Zuni 48
West Las Vegas 73, Bloomfield 39
Joshua J. Grine of NMPreps
A few tournaments kick off on Thursday night in a big night for class 4A basketball as the non-district slate of games come to an end. Who earned respect last night in the state?
Top-25 Recap
No. 4 Hope Christian 86, Hot Springs 37: In the opening game of their own tournament, Hope Christian improved to (13-2) on the season with a win over Hot Springs.
No. 6 Capital 55, Santa Fe 49 (OT): The place to big on Thursday night was Capital High School as the Jaguars escaped with a close win in overtime over crosstown rival Santa Fe High School. Capital junior Jeremy Anaya leads the Jaguars in scoring again Thursday with 16 points on the evening. Eric Coca with 14 points and Isaiah Brooks with 10 were the other two Jaguars in double figures. Santa Fe was paced by Santi Gonzales with 15 points on the night.
No. 8 Rio Grande 82, No. 13 Rio Rancho 68: The Ravens win another big home game over a Top-25 team on Thursday night. The Ravens improve to (10-3) on the season, one of the best starts under head coach Sean Jimemez. Rio Rancho falls to (11-6) on the season.
No. 10 Grants 78, Kirtland Central 55: The Grants Pirates improve to (13-3) on the season pulling away late against the Bronocs of Kirtland Central. Richie Lucero led the Pirates with 15 points on the night. Eric Gonzales, 12 points, Bradley Hatten, 11 points and Mike Chambers with 10 are the other Pirates in double figures. Brian Dowdy paced the way for the Broncos with 17 points.
No. 19 Atrisco Heritage Academy 92, Manzano 66: Proving that they are the real deal this season the Jaguars put the hammer down on Manzano with a 92-66 victory. The Jaguars improve to (9-5) on the season.
No. 22 Robertson 60, Portales 56: The Robertson Cardinals earned a huge 4A resume win over Portales on Thursday night. The Cardinals trade size for speed as they overcame the Rams who have one of the best big men in the state. The Cardinals move to (11-2) on the season with the win.
No. 23 St. Pius X 51, Sandia Prep 48: The Sartans move to 9-4 on the season with a close game against unranked Sandia Prep on Thursday night.
No. 24 West Las Vegas 73, Bloomfield 39: No question here as the Dons, one of three ranked 4A teams, ran away from the Bloomfield Bobcats in the opening round of the OPe Christian tournament. West Las Vegas improves to (12-1) on the season.
No. 25 Belen 61, Bernalillo 55: Placing themselves in a different tier the Belen Eagles went to Bernalillo and earned a win improving to (9-3) on the season. The Eagles are off to one of the best starts under head coach Patrick Mondragon.
Top Performers From Thursday
Martin Trujillo - Los Lunas - Scored 35 points vs Del Norte.
Estevan Esparza - Hatch Valley - Scored 22 points vs Mesa Vista.
Daniel Flores - Del Norte - Scored 18 points vs Los Lunas.
Michael Castillo - Hatch Valley - Scored 17 vs Mesa Vista.
Brian Dowdy - Kirtland Central - Scored 17 points vs Grants.
Hunter Wisneski - Los Lunas - Scored 17 points vs Del Norte.
Jeremy Anaya - Capital - Scored 16 points in win over Santa Fe.
Richie Lucero - Grants - Scored 15 points vs Kirtland Central.
Santi Gonzales - Santa Fe - Scored 15 points vs Capital.
Ranson Begay - Del Norte - Scored 14 points vs Los Lunas.
Eric Coca - Capital - Scored 14 points vs Santa Fe.
Eric Gonzales - Grants - Scored 12 points vs Kirtland Central.
Bradley Hatten - Grants - Scored 11 points vs Kirtland Central.
Isaiah Brooks - Capital - Scored 10 points vs Santa Fe.
Mike Chambers - Grants - Scored 10 points vs Kirtland Central.
What We Learned On Thursday
Resume Beater: Del Norte 70, Los Lunas 67. The Del Norte Knights are coming out of nowhere and improving their resume with a buzzer beating win on Thursday on the road.
Okay, I see you. Top 4?: The Rio Grande Ravens with a statement win that could have them looking more like a Top-4 seed come March. Impressed by the 82-68 win.
Battle for 4A. Red or Green?: Okay we have a divide and Robertson (win over Portales), West Las Vegas (thumping win over Bloomfield) and Silver (over St. Mikes, 40-36) have placed themselves in a different tier. Hope sits at the top of the pyramid, followed by West (who will get a shot at Hope this week) and their crosstown rival Robertson in the next row. Who gets the 2-seed comes down to who survives district play for the two Las Vegas, New Mexico teams.
Honey, we're going streaking!: Lordsburg stays perfect at 13-0 with an 86-48 win over Jemez Valley on Thursday night. The Mavericks are the final team to remain perfect. A 3A favorite this season the Mavericks could go into March with the 1-seed.
Bubble Pop? Los Alamos earns a 3-point win over Moriarty, who we had as the 16-seed in our bracket watch Thursday morning.
Wow, Dot On the Map Placed! Dulce with the biggest win in recent histroy (maybe ever who knows) but the win over Laguna-Acoma 59-56 is one of the biggest ye popping results. At 8-1 this season the Hawks of Dulce could be the real deal this season.
Thursday Scoreboard
Atrisco Heritage 92, Manzano 66
Belen 61, Bernalillo 55
Capital 55, Santa Fe 49 (OT)
Del Norte 70, Los Lunas 67, OT
Dulce 59, Laguna-Acoma 56
Escalante 71, Tohajilee 61
Estancia 58, Springer 49
Hatch Valley 63, Mesa Vista 49
Hope Christian 86, Hot Springs 37
Lordsburg 86, Jemez Valley 48
Los Alamos 43, Moriarty 40
Lovington 79, Texico 69
Magdalena 72, Evangel Christian 40
Maxwell 75, Tierra Encantada 53
Melrose 64, Gateway Christian 53
Mesilla Valley Christian 65, Jal 33
NMMI 47, Hagerman 44, OT
Pojoaque 47, Bosque School 41
Rehoboth 52, Academy for Technology and The Classics 33
Rio Grande 82, Rio Rancho 68
Robertson 60, Portales 56
Santa Fe Indian 74, Newcomb 39
Santa Rosa 79, Monte del Sol 38
Shiprock 66, Socorro 59
Silver 40, St. Michael's 36
St. Pius 51, Sandia Prep 48
Taos 74, Zuni 48
West Las Vegas 73, Bloomfield 39
