2024-25 Team Preview: Farmington Scorpions

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2024-25 TEAM PREVIEW: FARMINGTON SCORPIONS</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>OVERVIEW</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sixth-year Farmington head coach Larry Don Chitty will look to a new crop of players after the Scorpions finished 22-8 overall in 2023-24 and lost to Atrisco Heritage in the first round of the Class 5A playoffs. Leading scorer Cody Vassar-Steen (signed with Northern New Mexico) – along with six other seniors - has graduated after averaging 24.0 point and 6.7 rebounds per game. As a result, Chitty will be counting on a new wave of players in his 13th year with the Scorpions program.      </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“Last season's senior class played together on the varsity for three or more years,” Chitty told Prep Hoops New Mexico. “We rode them for nearly four years. Cody was spectacular. We really relied on him. This year will be a completely different team. We have only two guys who have played any significant amount of varsity basketball. We won't have the one-on-one scoring capability that Cody had. So, we have to execute.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Chitty's offseason message to all of the new Scorpion players has been blunt: your time has arrived.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“I've told them that it's on them now,” Chitty said. “It's your turn. They have to be ready. The summer was very important. I'm pleased with how we did. We competed well. We went to four team camps. We're playing in the fall league in Albuquerque. We're trying to get them acclimated to the speed and strength of varsity 5A basketball.” &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>PLAYERS TO WATCH</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1914028' first='Landon' last='Begay'] (G, Sr., 6-1)</strong>: Begay should be Farmington's best player and team leader in 2024-25. Averaged 10.2 points and connected on 51 3-pointers in 2023-24, so he has excellent shooting range.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Zander Griego (F, Jr., 6-2)</strong>: He divided his time between the varsity and JV in 2023-24. Scored over 100 points for the varsity on 40 percent shooting. “He has turned into a solid guard,” Chitty said. “He is hard-nosed, strong player. He can get to the rim and finish. His jump shot is coming along.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2684205' first='Sam' last='Goats'] (F, Sr., 6-7)</strong>: Gives the Scorpions some good size along the front line. He played mainly JV last season with limited action for the varsity. Because of that, he could be Farmington's ‘X' factor. “I don't think anybody knows about him and I believe he's going to be outstanding,” Chitty said. “He has a chance to be an All-District player. He has really clicked and matured in the past year. It seems like every day he is getting better. Some colleges are already talking to him and he has hardly played varsity basketball.” &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>NAMES TO KNOW</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1913769' first='Mikey' last='Beck'] (F, Sr., 6-3)</strong>: Beck has told Chitty that he doesn't plan to play basketball this winter in order to focus on his football recruiting. Beck is one of the most talented wide receivers in the state and has attracted major recruiting interest from schools at the next level. Averaged 9.4 points and 5.7 rebounds in 2023-24. Chitty said he expects the “super athletic” Beck will eventually play hoops. If Beck decides to play, he'll form a talented duo with Begay.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1717217' first='Sataurus' last='Griego'] (F, Jr. 6-2)</strong>: Twin brother of Zander Griego. Averaged about 2 points per game in 19 appearances for the varsity in 2023-24.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Alex Serrano (G, Sr., 6-0)</strong>: Another guy who must decide if he wants to play basketball following football season. Chitty said Serrano has told him that he will play hoops in 2024-25. Defensive specialist. “He might be the best defender in the state,” Chitty said. “He is very athletic and quick. We usually put him on the opponent's top scorer. He was nails on defense.” &nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Dylon Tso (G, Sr., 6-0)</strong>: Farmington's version of the swiss army knife. Effective in a lot of areas. Plays bigger than his height. Strong and physical. He'll likely come off the bench for the Scorpions in 2024-25. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>KEY NEWCOMERS</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Isaac Dinning (G, Jr., 6-2): </strong>Played JV last season. Slasher with a nice mid-range jumper. “He's made a huge jump from last year to this year,” Chitty said.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Donathan ‘Juke' Tracy (G)</strong>: Good ball handler and accurate shooter. &nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>FINAL THOUGHTS</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Is Farmington ready to spring a surprise on Class 5A with a bunch of players who lost one game in two seasons with the Scorpions JV team?</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“These are a bunch of guys that nobody knows about,” Chitty said. “There are so many of them that nobody really shined. We rotated them because they could all play. I'm hoping that what I've seen this summer and fall carries over into the season, that they're ready to step up and carry the mantle.” &nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Farmington is the defending champion of the prestigious Hobbs Tournament and the Scorpions plan to return there this season. They'll also participate in a tournament at Santa Fe High.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Scorpions compete in District 5A-1 with Cibola, Cleveland, Piedra Vista, Rio Rancho and Volcano Vista.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://twitter.com/fhsscorpionsbbb/status/1763421526530163146","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/fhsscorpionsbbb/status/1763421526530163146 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://twitter.com/GriegoZander85/status/1770631482983186753","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/GriegoZander85/status/1770631482983186753 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p> &nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->