Week Four’s Top Matchups of the Week
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Now that we’re four weeks into the High School Basketball season in New Mexico, there is several teams that are starting to hit their stride before the New Year. Week Three was full of great In-Season Tournaments from around the…
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Continue ReadingNow that we’re four weeks into the High School Basketball season in New Mexico, there is several teams that are starting to hit their stride before the New Year. Week Three was full of great In-Season Tournaments from around the State and this upcoming week has several more intriguing non-district matchups across New Mexico. This week’s matchups will take place from Monday December 12th to Saturday December 16th.
Tuesday December 13th, 2022:
Las Cruces (4-2) vs Los Lunas (5-1) at 7:00pm
Two of the Top 10 teams in the 5A Class. Las Cruces won last season’s previous meeting 75-44 in Los Lunas. This year’s meeting will be in Las Cruces. Los Lunas is coming off their first loss of the season last time out from the hands of Atrisco Heritage in overtime. Jalin Holland Jalin Holland 6'5" | SG Los Lunas | 2025 State #85 Nation NM is coming off a season high of 37 points. Las Cruces is off competing in the Belen Hub City Tournament going 2-1 this past weekend. Will Jalin Holland Jalin Holland 6'5" | SG Los Lunas | 2025 State #85 Nation NM and the Tigers bounce back or will David Cruz David Cruz 5'9" | CG Las Cruces | 2024 NM and Suge Valles Suge Valles 5'9" | CG Las Cruces | 2024 CO lead the Bulldawgs to another victory over Los Lunas.
Rio Grande (5-2) vs Eldorado (4-3) at 7:30pm
The Rio Grande Ravens will host the Eldorado Eagles Tuesday Night at 7:30pm. The Ravens are off to their best seven game start since the 2017-2018 season at 5-2. You have to credit to Head Coach Mario Armendariz and his Big Three; Jonathon Lukesh Jonathon Lukesh 5'10" | SG Albuquerque | 2024 State NM , Jonah Lopez Jonah Lopez 6'2" | SG Rio Grande | 2023 State NM and Santiago Gonzales who are one of the top scoring trios in New Mexico this season accounting for 49.3 points per game. They will be competing against another high-level trio of Caileb Parham Caileb Parham 6'2" | SG Eldorado | 2023 State NM , Mike Knaub and Josh Jackson Josh Jackson 6'5" | PF Eldorado | 2024 State NM . The Eagles Big Three are one of the most dynamic front-courts in New Mexico and are as athletic as they come. This could be one of the most competitive games of this week’s action.
Friday December 16th, 2022:
Volcano Vista (6-0) vs Del Norte (6-1) at 7:30pm
The Undefeated Volcano Vista Hawks will host the Del Norte Knight on Friday Night. Both schools are recent State Champions in their respective classes. Volcano Vista is the reigning 5A Boys Champions from last season and the Del Norte Knights won the 4A Boys Championship two seasons ago in 2021. The Knights are coming off their first loss of the season to Organ Mountain last weekend in the Belen Hub City Tournament. The spotlight will be on Del Norte’s Shane Douma-Sanchez Shane Douma-Sanchez 6'0" | PG Del Norte | 2023 State NM who leads the State in scoring averaging 31.6 points per game this season. He’s averaging a double-double with 11.6 rebounds per game which is more impressive as a guard and 6.1 assists per game. He will be going against two of the best defensive perimeter players in the State; Hudson Brown Hudson Brown 5'9" | PG Volcano Vista | 2025 State NM and David Gutierrez David Gutierrez 6'0" | SF Volcano Vista | 2024 State NM . They will make it difficult for Shane Douma-Sanchez Shane Douma-Sanchez 6'0" | PG Del Norte | 2023 State NM all night along with their interior presence of Sean Alter Sean Alter 6'9" | PF Volcano Vista | 2023 State NM and Kenyon Aguino Kenyon Aguino 6'7" | PF Volcano Vista | 2025 State #257 Nation NM .
La Cueva (3-1) vs Atrisco Heritage (7-1) at 7:30pm
This was a fueling rivalry last season between the La Cueva Bears and Atrisco Heritage Academy Jaguars. The two powerhouses faced off three times last season and the Bears won the season series 2-1 last year. They both reached the 5A Boys State Semifinals last season. Both teams look a bit different from last season but have returned several key players on both sides. This game will include lots of talent at the guard and wing positions. The Guards will be Josiah Guliford Josiah Guliford 5'10" | PG La Cueva | 2023 State NM and Cameron Dyer Cameron Dyer 6'3" | SG La Cueva | 2025 State NM from La Cueva vs Latavious Morris Latavious Morris 5'8" | PG Atrisco Heritage | 2025 State NM and Chris Parra Chris Parra 6'0" | PG Atrisco Heritage | 2023 State NM from Atrisco Heritage. Each of these four are tough as nails and our tough matchups for anyone. The wing positions will be Isaiah Denetclaw Isaiah Denetclaw 6'3" | SG La Cueva | 2023 State NM and Cedarius Yates Cedarius Yates 6'3" | SF La Cueva | 2023 State NM from La Cueva vs Lorenzo Pacheco and Marquise Renfro Marquise Renfro 6'0" | SG Atrisco Heritage | 2024 State NM from Atrisco Heritage. These four are just as important as the guards with their versatility on both sides of the floor.
Saturday December 16th, 2022:
West Mesa (4-2) vs Del Norte (6-1) at 2:00pm
After starting the season slow at 1-2, the West Mesa Mustangs are winners of three straight after winning the Phil Griego Tournament this past weekend hosted at V.Sue Cleveland High School. They were led by Sonny Ortiz Sonny Ortiz 6'5" | SF West Mesa | 2023 State NM and Elijah Brody Elijah Brody 6'2" | SF West Mesa | 2024 State NM who were there best players throughout the tournament. They also got clutch shooting from Donovan Cruz Donovan Cruz 5'8" | PG West Mesa | 2023 State NM in key moments in that tournament. This is the West Mesa team that was advertised in the preseason. They will be given another test this Saturday going against Shane Douma-Sanchez Shane Douma-Sanchez 6'0" | PG Del Norte | 2023 State NM and the Del Norte Knights; the states leading scorer who is averaging about 31 points per game. Will the Mustangs be the first team this season to slow down Shane Douma-Sanchez Shane Douma-Sanchez 6'0" | PG Del Norte | 2023 State NM this season or will he continue his hot streak on the road this weekend?
Eldorado (4-3) vs Valley (5-2) at 2:00pm
This matchup is between two teams that are complete opposites from one another. The Eldorado Eagles are the bigger and more physical team and the Valley Vikings are the smaller and better three-point shooting team. Eldorado has a number of players like Caileb Parham Caileb Parham 6'2" | SG Eldorado | 2023 State NM , Mike Knaub and Josh Jackson Josh Jackson 6'5" | PF Eldorado | 2024 State NM who are all exceptional around the rim. They each are athletic around the basket and can finish possessions with second chance opportunities with their offensive rebounding. The Valley Vikings are the better three-point shooting team with players like Julian Chavez Julian Chavez 6'2" | SG Valley | 2024 State NM and Tyler Kozlowski Tyler Kozlowski 5'10" | CG Valley | 2024 State NM . When those two getting going on offense, expect the Valley Vikings to keep running plays for them throughout the game.
Volcano Vista (6-0) vs Carlsbad (4-5) at 2:00pm
The matchup between the Volcano Vista Hawks and the Carlsbad Cavemen this Saturday afternoon will be a rematch of last years second round playoff matchup that Volcano Vista won 69-29. Both teams have started this years campaign differently. The Hawks come in undefeated at (6-0) and the Cavemen at (4-5). The Hawks have looked dominant through six games after winning last years 5A Boys State Title whereas the Cavemen might be better than what their record suggests through nine games. The Cavemen have lost four of their five games this season by two points or less which includes two heartbreaking overtime losses to Las Cruces and West Mesa. This matchup will be all about Damian Perez Damian Perez 6'5" | SF Carlsbad | 2023 State NM and Kenyon Aguino Kenyon Aguino 6'7" | PF Volcano Vista | 2025 State #257 Nation NM ; arguably two of the top five players in New Mexico. Damian Perez Damian Perez 6'5" | SF Carlsbad | 2023 State NM is a big scoring guard that can create his own shot off the dribble and catch whereas Kenyon Aguino Kenyon Aguino 6'7" | PF Volcano Vista | 2025 State #257 Nation NM is the most fundamentally talented forward at his position with his elite footwork.
Albuquerque Academy (6-1) vs Sandia (4-1) at 2:00pm
This Saturday Afternoon showdown between Albuquerque Academy and Sandia will be a battle between two of the states best teams in 4A and 5A. It will be a battle of the Big Three’s for each team. For the Matadors it will be Andrew Hill Andrew Hill 6'2" | CG Sandia | 2023 State NM , Dalen Moyer Dalen Moyer 6'0" | CG Sandia | 2023 State NM and Ely Lovato Ely Lovato 6'2" | CG Sandia | 2023 State NM vs Kellan Gehres Kellan Gehres 6'0" | CG Albuquerque Academy | 2023 State NM , Joe Jack Joe Jack 6'3" | SF Albuquerque Academy | 2024 State NM and Justin Mask Justin Mask 5'11" | SG Albuquerque Academy | 2024 State NM for the Chargers. This game will have a nice pace for both teams where each can run up and down the floor. Their can also be a lot of outside shooting in this game that can make it a high scoring afternoon of basketball.