2023 New Mexico Boys Basketball State Tournament Preview

The 2022-23 regular season in high school basketball has officially come to a wrap. This past weekend on Sunday February 26th, 2023, the State Tournament brackets and seedings were revealed for each of the five classifications. Each of the first round matchups have been set for this weekend along with the locations/times of each game. The sites throughout the tournament will start at the home sites of the higher seeds in the first round followed by the later rounds being played at UNM "The Pit", Bernalillo High School and Rio Rancho Events Center.   5A:   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/02/5A-crop-820x539-1677533073.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/02/5A-crop-820x539-1677533073.png?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-1821641" /></a></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='1176300' first='Kenyon' last='Aguino'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1176305' first='Hudson' last='Brown'] led the defending 5A State Champion Volcano Vista Hawks back to the #1 overall seed in 5A with a 25-1 record in the regular season. The road to win their second straight championship will be a challenging one as they have a number of challengers in the field. The #2 seeded Sandia Matadors were led by their incredible starting five; [player_tooltip player_id='1360191' first='Andrew' last='Hill'], [player_tooltip player_id='1076710' first='Dalen' last='Moyer'], [player_tooltip player_id='1076706' first='Ely' last='Lovato'], [player_tooltip player_id='1552945' first='Lamarion' last='Coleman'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1687823' first='Thomas' last='Adams'] who matchup the best with the Volcano Vista Hawks. Other teams that can pose a threat are the West Mesa Mustangs, the Los Lunas Tigers, the Cleveland Storm, Eldorado Eagles and the Atrisco Heritage Jaguars. The Mustangs are led by [player_tooltip player_id='1124238' first='Elijah' last='Brody']'s versatility and [player_tooltip player_id='1076703' first='Sonny' last='Ortiz']'s lights out shooting. The Tigers are led by arguably the best player in the state in [player_tooltip player_id='1176298' first='Jalin' last='Holland']. The Storm are led by their back-court duo of [player_tooltip player_id='1158654' first='Daniel' last='Steverson'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1326930' first='Remy' last='Albrecht']. Lastly, the Eldorado Eagles size with [player_tooltip player_id='1276346' first='Mike' last='Knaub'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1276348' first='Josh' last='Jackson'] fit perfectly with [player_tooltip player_id='1362491' first='Caileb' last='Parham']'s athletic slashing ability.   4A:   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/02/4A-Boys-crop-828x544-1677533878.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/02/4A-Boys-crop-828x544-1677533878.png?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-1821672" /></a></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='1208052' first='Kellan' last='Gehres'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1685484' first='Joe' last='Jack'] led Albuquerque Academy to the #1 seed heading into the 2023 State Tournament. They averaged 19 and 18 points per game as a duo. The defending 4A State Champion Highland Hornets; secured the #2 seed led by [player_tooltip player_id='1485758' first='Alexis' last='Dominguez'] who was rewarded the District-Player of the Year. Those are the two favorites for the 4A State Tournament. Other serious threats for the 4A State Championship is the St. Pius X Sartans, Hope Christian Huskies, Artesia Bulldogs and the Del Norte Knights. St. Pius is led by their dominant big man [player_tooltip player_id='1445839' first='Brian' last='Kalb'] who could be the most unstoppable interior force in this tournament. The Hope Christian Huskies will be led by their star [player_tooltip player_id='1293133' first='Jett' last='Wyckoff'], who is a near double-double machine. [player_tooltip player_id='1208047' first='Nick' last='Sanchez'] from Artesia has plenty of playoff experience looking to make one last run at a State Championship. The best player in the 4A Class and possibly the state is [player_tooltip player_id='1076702' first='Shane' last='Douma-Sanchez'] from Del Norte High School, and with one State Championship and two State Championship Game appearances under his belt, its never a good idea to bet against the senior superstar.   3A:   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/02/3A-crop-828x544-1677534807.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/02/3A-crop-828x544-1677534807.png?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-1821686" /></a></figure>   The St. Michael's Horsemen were this year's #1 seed in the 3A Boys State Tournament. They went 23-4 in the regular season this year after losing in the 3A State Championship game last year to Robertson. They have went on their revenger tour led by [player_tooltip player_id='1301617' first='Adam' last='Montoya'] who has averaged 22 PPG and 12 RPG. Robertson the defending 3A Champions, secured the #3 seed and are led by their stars [player_tooltip player_id='1552675' first='Bodie' last='Schlinger'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1695658' first='Jesse' last='Gonzales']. Its a good chance we can see a rematch of those two teams in the state championship game this year but Navajo Prep has a good chance of playing spoiler. They have three players averaging at least 13 PPG, [player_tooltip player_id='2368939' first='Jude' last='Thomas'], Orion King and [player_tooltip player_id='1687822' first='Xavier' last='Nez'].   2A:   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/02/2A-crop-828x544-1677536414.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/02/2A-crop-828x544-1677536414.png?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-1821724" /></a></figure>   Last season Pecos reached the 2A State Championship game and came up short vs Menaul. They returned nine seniors from their roster from last season and went 24-3 this year to lock up the #1 seed. They come into this tournament winning ten straight games as the hottest team in this tournament. Academy For Technology and the Classics received the #2 seed and went 23-6 in the regular season. It is very likely these two teams see each other in the 2A Boys State Championship Game next weekend.   1A:   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/02/1A-crop-828x544-1677537077.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/02/1A-crop-828x544-1677537077.png?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-1821731" /></a></figure>   The Magdalena Steers have won back to back state championships in 2021 and 2022 in the 1A Class. They went a perfect 28-0 in the regular season, 10-0 in district play and won their district tournament. They have won 74 of their previous 75 games over the past three seasons. D 'Shaun Vinyard averaged 18.6 PPG this season as the team's leading scorer. They are without a doubt the team to beat in this years state tournament as they try and make history going for a three-peat.

The 2022-23 regular season in high school basketball has officially come to a wrap. This past weekend on Sunday February 26th, 2023, the State Tournament brackets and seedings were revealed for each of the five classifications. Each of the first round matchups have been set for this weekend along with the locations/times of each game. The sites throughout the tournament will start at the home sites of the higher seeds in the first round followed by the later rounds being played at UNM "The Pit", Bernalillo High School and Rio Rancho Events Center.