2024-25 Team Preview: La Cueva Bears

2024-25 TEAM PREVIEW: LA CUEVA BEARS   OVERVIEW   Only those folks with the cruelest of hearts would lack empathy for La Cueva head coach Eric Orell. Several months ago, La Cueva (22-10 last season) seemed positioned for a Class 5A championship-contending year with multiple Division 1 caliber prospects returning for the 2024-25 season after reaching the semifinals of the state playoffs in March.   But senior [player_tooltip player_id='1176302' first='Cameron' last='Dyer'] (QB on the La Cueva football team) plans to graduate early and enroll at Arizona State to get a jump start on his college football career. Six-foot-6 forward [player_tooltip player_id='1176299' first='Daniel' last='Lovato'] transferred to ABC Prep in Albuquerque, while 6-foot-10 forward Eric Jacobsen is now attending Brewster Academy, a prep school in northern New England.   Together, those three players averaged 33.2 points and 21.9 rebounds per game last season. When you factor in graduated senior Dylan Chavez's 15.0 ppg, nearly 50 points per game have vanished.   All five starters from 2023-24 are gone. Chavez is now a walk-on at New Mexico. As a result of the mass exodus, the Bears will have a very young and inexperienced roster in 2024-25.   “We've had a very good offseason on the court and in the weight room, but we're going to be very young,” Orell told Prep Hoops New Mexico. “Young and talented, but inexperienced.”       PLAYERS TO WATCH   [player_tooltip player_id='2684208' first='Tre' last='Cowles'] (G, Sr., 6-1): The only returning player with significant varsity experience. He was usually the first or second player off the bench last season when he averaged 5.5 points and 2.7 rebounds per game. Those numbers should jump significantly in 2024-25. “He will counted on to take on a much bigger role this year,” Orell said.   [player_tooltip player_id='2694526' first='Hunter' last='Butler'] (F, Jr., 6-4): Despite his lack of varsity experience, Orell expects the 6-foot-4 Butler will eventually emerge as La Cueva's best player. Enjoyed a superb summer. Also plays football. Very athletic. Can score in a variety of ways. Runs the floor well.      [player_tooltip player_id='2694512' first='Tony' last='Trujillo'] (G, Jr., 6-0): Orell described him as a ‘crafty scorer.' He averaged just over a point per game for the varsity in 2023-24. Another player whose numbers should increase significantly this season. “He'll have the ball in his hands quite a bit,” Orell said. “We're teaching him how to be a point guard.”   NAMES TO KNOW   [player_tooltip player_id='2085694' first='Drew' last='Bramlett'] (G, So.): A promising young player that will be ‘thrown into the fire' this season after limited action with the varsity in 2023-24. He started on the JV and dressed the for the varsity, appearing in 6 games.     Chase Roberts (Jr.): Promising player that has done well at the freshmen and JV levels.   Tyler Colburn (Jr.): Listed at 6-foot-3, Colburn will bring some size the Bears roster.   JoJo Sanchez (F, Jr., 6-5): Role player for the varsity in 2023-24. Averaged 3.9 points and 2.5 rebounds in limited action. Orell described him a ‘work in progress.'   KEY NEWCOMERS   [player_tooltip player_id='2085701' first='Maddox' last='Taylor'] (G, So, 6-1): Played extensively for the La Cueva JV in 2023-24 and dressed occasionally for the varsity. Could become a major contributor to the varsity as a sophomore this season.   FINAL THOUGHTS   Because of their inexperience, the Bears won't be a deep team in 2024-25. Most likely, they will utilize seven or eight players per game. Orell is trying to figure out who will fill out the 12-to-13 player varsity roster.   “ I wouldn't say this is a rebuilding year because I don't think that's correct,” Orell said. “It's more of a new year. We're only going to have one senior (Cowles). We'll figure out who we are in November and December. By January, we hope to make a run at the district championship.”        La Cueva also won't enjoy the height advantage they had over many opponents in 2023-24. The Bears were one of the tallest teams in the state last season. That certainly won't be the case in 2024-25. In fact, Orell expects they will be one of the shorter teams in the state.   Due to the lack of height, La Cueva will likely play at a faster pace in 2024-25.   “We're going to try and speed things up,” Orell said. “We're going to play a little faster than we did last year. Defensively, it's going to be a mix of things. We're going to get after people a little more than a year ago when we packed it in. Right now, we're still trying to figure out what's best and establishing the expectations with this new group. I'm happy with the work the kids have put in. I'm enjoying coaching them.”   La Cueva will compete in District 5A-2 with Capital, Eldorado, Manzano, Sandia and Santa Fe.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/lchsbasketball5/status/1828623448945357244 </div></figure>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/DrewBramlett/status/1816952317620470159 </div></figure>     <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/COHoops5280/status/1804576645455704170 </div></figure>

2024-25 TEAM PREVIEW: LA CUEVA BEARS