2025 Prospects Ready to Breakout their Senior Year

As I have stated in previous articles, the Borderland class of 2025 has a tremendous amount of depth compared to 2024. <a href="https://prephoops.com/2024/06/seven-rising-seniors-that-should-be-on-recruiters-radar/">Continuing with that theme</a>, this article will detail 2025 prospects who might not be at the top of recruiters' lists but will certainly have big senior years due to roster changes and new roles on their respective teams. Some of these prospects are already established as the best players on their team, while others are stepping into major roles for the first time in their high school careers.    [player_tooltip player_id='1518835' first='Damiran' last='Smith'] was the best player on a solid Alamogordo High School squad as a junior, and that won't change in 2024-25. The Tigers lost some valuable senior depth and leadership to graduation, so naturally, they will have to rely on Smith even more. I expect him to take a significant jump in PPG, and if he can expand his perimeter game with his jump shot, he will undoubtedly be one of the top scorers in his district. Additionally, he's a solid rebounder and can defend positions one through four pretty competently.     The 2023-24 Canutillo Eagles played some of the best team basketball in the Borderland in terms of scoring distribution. With three key seniors from 2024 gone, Mozer will be one of the key returning starters who will take on more scoring responsibility. He's a solid two-way guard who is dynamic in the open court while also showing he is comfortable playing off-ball in the halfcourt. If Canutillo equals or surpasses their 23-win total from last season, Mozer will play a huge role in that. He's been ever-present on the AAU circuit this Summer, playing with some of the elite prospects in the city, and now seems ready to announce himself to the rest of the Borderland.     [player_tooltip player_id='2412943' first='Marcus' last='Bennett'] is arguably one of the most pivotal 2025 El Paso prospects in 6A boys basketball. Although he might not be the best player at Eastwood, his secondary scoring, rebounding, and defense could determine if the Troopers take home the district title in 2024-25. The rising senior is coming off a solid junior year where he averaged 10.1 PPG while leading Eastwood in rebounds and blocks. If he can continue progressing as an on-ball scorer, the Troopers might have a solid run in the 6A playoff race.     Organ Mountain lost two stellar seniors to graduation from the 2023-24 season, so naturally, the depth they had behind those major figures matters even more now. [player_tooltip player_id='2684184' first='Ray' last='Venegas'] was a part of that depth and one could surmise that he can move into a staring role in 2024-25. Last season, he was third on the team in scoring at 9.1 PPG and averaged just a shade under four rebounds per game. He shows flashes of polished wing scoring from the midrange and will return as the Knights top rebounder and possibly their most important interior defender. Ultimately, Venegas will have more opportunities as a scorer and could have a breakout senior campaign because of that.     Playing on a team that only won 9 games last season might lead you to believe that Socorro doesn't have much going on. But I will say it here: Isaiah Carbajal and the Bulldogs are on the come-up. They might not be favorites to win the 6A district title, but they should be a much more competitive squad in 2024-25, and Carbajal has a lot to do with that. He's a slightly undersized point guard who can score with the best of them and is on the shortlist of elite perimeter shooters in the Borderland. When you put on the tape, you come to find a guard who has a knack for tough shot-making in addition to racking up steals, assists, and threes.     In 2023-24, Del Valle put together a solid 20-win team that just came up shy of the 2-5A district title in El Paso. Their returning squad, with virtually no major rotation losses, should be even better with Ryu Nunez at the helm. He's a dual sport athlete who commits his time to football but if he's committed and healthy for the basketball season, he is easily one of the better players in the district. He has a knack for getting to his reliable mid-range jumper, and he does it better than just about any prospect I scouted last season. Nunez certainly has the potential to have a breakout senior year if everything goes right.     Playing on a squad with incredible guard depth, Jazhiel Herrera is undoubtedly the top returning guard for Franklin High School. He had a stellar junior year, where he provided efficient scoring and excellent rebounding at the guard position. The Cougars graduated one of the best pure point guards in the Borderland; thus, we could see Herrera take on more on-ball responsibility. If he makes the prerequisite improvements as a ball handler, the Cougars will be boasting another elite Borderland point guard in 2024-25.

As I have stated in previous articles, the Borderland class of 2025 has a tremendous amount of depth compared to 2024. Continuing with that theme, this article will detail 2025 prospects who might not be at the top of recruiters' lists but will certainly have big senior years due to roster changes and new roles on their respective teams. Some of these prospects are already established as the best players on their team, while others are stepping into major roles for the first time in their high school careers.