5A Boys Basketball Offseason Team Power Rankings: May 2023
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With the 2022-23 High School Basketball season coming to a close and with many seniors getting ready to graduate, we look at the first team power rankings of the off-season taking into account players graduating and potential players returning as…
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Continue ReadingWith the 2022-23 High School Basketball season coming to a close and with many seniors getting ready to graduate, we look at the first team power rankings of the off-season taking into account players graduating and potential players returning as of Friday, May 12th, 2023.
#1 Volcano Vista | Won the 2022-23 5A State Title: The Volcano Vista Hawks are the reigning back-to-back 5A State Champions in New Mexico. Despite losing 6 seniors to graduation; including two starters, Sean Alter and Anthony Gonzales Anthony Gonzales 5'10" | CG Volcano Vista | 2023 State NM . The Hawks still retain several members of their core including three starters. One of those starters is Kenyon Aguino Kenyon Aguino 6'7" | PF Volcano Vista | 2025 State #257 Nation NM who is making a strong case as the best player in the state heading into next year with his dominant post-play. Starting Point Guard Hudson Brown Hudson Brown 5'9" | PG Volcano Vista | 2025 State NM will be returning as well, bringing back improved shooting, elite defense, solid playmaking and great leadership. Rian Gonzales Rian Gonzales 6'4" | SG Volcano Vista | 2025 State NM will be back for the Hawks next season with his lights out three-point shooting and David Guttierrez two-way abilities heading into his senior year. Until the back-to-back champs are knocked off their thrown, Coach Greg Brown and the Volcano Vista Hawks will be the team to beat until proven otherwise.
#2 Organ Mountain | Lost in the 2022-23 5A State Semifinals to Volcano Vista: The Organ Mountain Knights only lost four seniors to graduation and will be bringing back most of their core next season. It was a surprise trip to the 5A State Semifinals to most in 2022-23. They were led by Star Big man Brandon Kehres who averaged nearly a double-double on the season. Losing Aiden Pacini Aiden Pacini 6'2" | SG Organ Mountain | 2023 State NM to graduation will definitely hurt but bringing back the team’s best player; Lenny Washington Lenny Washington 6'4" | SG Organ Mountain | 2025 State NM who missed the entire season due to injury makes the Organ Mountain Knights a serious threat next season considering they had the Volcano Vista Hawks on the brink of elimination in the 5A State Semifinals.
#3 V.Sue Cleveland | Lost in the 2022-23 5A State Quarterfinals to Sandia: The biggest losses for the Cleveland Storm this off-season was losing longtime Head Coach Sean Jimenez and core seniors; Nic Trujillo Nic Trujillo 6'1" | SF Cleveland | 2023 State NM and Josia Ortiz Josia Ortiz 6'4" | SF Cleveland | 2023 State NM . Luckily, they’ll retain arguably the state’s best backcourt duo for another season; Daniel Steverson Daniel Steverson 6'2" | SG Cleveland | 2025 #315 Nation NM and Remy Albrecht Remy Albrecht 5'11" | PG Cleveland | 2026 State NM . They complement each other really well and will keep the Storm in the conversation as a contender for the 5A State Championship next season.
#4 Eldorado | Lost in the 2022-23 5A First Round to Cleveland: Despite losing in the first round of the 5A Boys State Tournament last season, the Eldorado Eagles have to be excited about bringing back most of their core next season. The biggest lost was losing their best player; Caileb Parham Caileb Parham 6'2" | SG Eldorado | 2023 State NM to graduation, a 22 points per game scorer last season. The Eagles will be returning three starters from last season: Mike Knaub, Josh Jackson Josh Jackson 6'5" | PF Eldorado | 2024 State NM and Josiah Mitchell Josiah Mitchell 6'0" | SF Eldorado | 2024 State NM . Eldorado posed a lot of matchup problems for many teams with their size and could pose a similar problem again next season. Eldorado High School has enough talent to make some noise again next year with Mike Knaub and Josh Jackson Josh Jackson 6'5" | PF Eldorado | 2024 State NM leading the way with their scoring, rebounding and size.
#5 Atrisco Heritage | Lost in the 2022-23 5A State Quarterfinals to Volcano Vista: Very similar to the Cleveland Storm, Atrisco Heritage lost some senior leadership to graduation but will still have one of the state’s best duos between Latavious Morris Latavious Morris 5'8" | PG Atrisco Heritage | 2025 State NM and Marquise Renfro Marquise Renfro 6'0" | SG Atrisco Heritage | 2024 State NM . The biggest shoes they’ll need to fill is from longtime varsity player, Chris Parra Chris Parra 6'0" | PG Atrisco Heritage | 2023 State NM . Luckily, Latavious Morris Latavious Morris 5'8" | PG Atrisco Heritage | 2025 State NM had a breakout season averaging 18.0 points per game as a sophomore. Marquise Renfro Marquise Renfro 6'0" | SG Atrisco Heritage | 2024 State NM emerged as one of the state’s top two-way players. It will be interesting to see players such as Brandon Lopez Brandon Lopez 5'11" | SG Atrisco Heritage | 2024 State NM , Mathais Sanchez Mathais Sanchez 6'0" | CG Atrisco Heritage | 2024 State NM and Andrez Santillanes get increased roles with losses to three starters: Chris Parra Chris Parra 6'0" | PG Atrisco Heritage | 2023 State NM , Lorenzo Pacheco and Antonio Ortiz Antonio Ortiz 6'3" | PF Atrisco Heritage Academy | 2023 State NM .
#6 Farmington | Missed the playoffs in the 2022-23 season: Farmington High School is the only team inside this updated top ten offseason team rankings on the list that missed the playoffs. They happened to play in the toughest district in the state this season and just missed out on a playoff spot. They will be returning Cody Vassar-Steen Cody Vassar-Steen 6'2" | PG Farmington | 2024 State NM ; one of the state’s best players along with three other starters; Trel Griego Trel Griego 6'4" | PF Farmington | 2024 State NM , Michael Beck and Landon Begay Landon Begay 6'0" | SG Farmington | 2025 State NM . Each of their top four scorers will be back next season and the rest of their district has lost a number of seniors. Even after having a respectable 15-13 record last season, most would agree that Farmington was better than what their record suggested.
#7 Rio Rancho | Lost in the 2022-23 5A First Round to Atrisco Heritage: The Rio Rancho Rams lost two three key varsity players but should be just fine heading into 2023-24. The good news is their best player; Jayden Johnson Jayden Johnson 6'0" | SG Rio Rancho | 2024 State NM who averaged over 14 points per game will be back for one more year and he’s still surrounded by solid shooters like Jerry Archuleta Jerry Archuleta 6'0" | SG Rio Rancho | 2024 State NM and Josiah Marfil Josiah Marfil 5'9" | PG Rio Rancho | 2024 State NM . The biggest holes the Rams need to address is the size and defense they lost from those three senior varsity players; Maddox Presser Maddox Presser 6'6" | C Rio Rancho | 2023 State NM , Jamal Bynum Jamal Bynum 6'0" | PG Rio Rancho | 2023 State NM and Mikey Wood Mikey Wood 6'2" | SG Rio Rancho | 2023 State NM .
#8 La Cueva | Lost in the 2022-23 5A State Quarterfinals: The La Cueva Bears are in an interesting position. They are not fully in rebuild mode after losing six seniors and three varsity starters, but this team is looking to reload for next year with Cameron Dyer Cameron Dyer 6'3" | SG La Cueva | 2025 State NM and Daniel Lovato Daniel Lovato 6'5" | PF La Cueva | 2025 State NM leading the way. It will be hard to replace their best player Cedarius Yates Cedarius Yates 6'3" | SF La Cueva | 2023 State NM , arguably the best shooters in New Mexico in Isaiah Denetclaw Isaiah Denetclaw 6'3" | SG La Cueva | 2023 State NM and the great leadership in starting Point Guard Josiah Guliford Josiah Guliford 5'10" | PG La Cueva | 2023 State NM . Expect Cameron Dyer Cameron Dyer 6'3" | SG La Cueva | 2025 State NM , Daniel Lovato Daniel Lovato 6'5" | PF La Cueva | 2025 State NM and Brandon Bartlett Brandon Bartlett 6'3" | SF La Cueva | 2024 State NM to have increased roles and increased shot attempts next season.
#9 Los Lunas | Lost in the 2022-23 5A State Semifinals to Sandia: The bad news is the Los Lunas Tigers had seven seniors this past season that are graduating but the good news is they will still have the best player in the State in Jalin Holland Jalin Holland 6'5" | SG Los Lunas | 2025 State #85 Nation NM . They will still have one of the best coaches in the state in Travis Julian and will have six potential returning players for next season with increased roles.
#10 Santa Fe | Lost in the 2022-23 5A State First Round: The Santa Fe Demons lost five seniors in 2022-23 but will have Lukas Turner Lukas Turner 6'2" | SG Santa Fe | 2024 State NM return for one more season. He had a breakout season averaging about 22 points per game and will be an undisputed top ten player heading into next season. This Demons roster has several young players and up-and-coming talent on the horizon with eight players coming back to make another run next season.