Saturday’s Standouts: Top Performers In State Championship Games

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Saturday was a busy day at The Pit with five state championship games. Here are the standouts from those games:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1687823' first='Thomas' last='Adams'], Sandia</strong>: Scored a team high 17 points with 3 3 pointers in Sandia's OT loss to Volcano Vista.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1176300' first='Kenyon' last='Aguino'], Volcano Vista</strong>: The Montana signee scored 18 points with 7 rebounds and 3 assists in Volcano Vista's OT win over Sandia. Made 8-of11 FT after drawing 9 fouls.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2818669' first='Chance' last='Brittenum'], Melrose</strong>: Scored 12 points with 5 rebounds in Melrose's loss to Logan.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1176305' first='Hudson' last='Brown'], Volcano Vista</strong>: Had 3 3-pointers and handed out 3 assists in Volcano Vista's OT win over Sandia. &nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1717249' first='Hayden' last='Bruhn'], Logan</strong>: Scored 23 points on 10-of-17 shooting and grabbed 16 rebounds for an impressive double-double in Logan's win over Melrose. Added 6 assists and 4 steals for one of the top individual performances on Championship Saturday.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1846065' first='Charlie' last='Campbell'], Artesia</strong>: Scored a team-high 15 points, grabbed 9 rebounds and dished out 5 assists in the Bulldogs win over Highland.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2833696' first='Jett' last='Curtis'], Texico</strong>: Scored team-high 22 points to help lead Texico to the 2A state title. Connected on 12-of-13 FT.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2818673' first='Cy' last='Draper'], Melrose</strong>: Scored a team-high 13 points with 8 rebounds and 2 assists in Melrose's loss to Logan. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2684221' first='Trent' last='Egeland'], Artesia</strong>: 12 points and 7 rebounds in Artesia's win over Highland.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2818681' first='Alex' last='Fuentes'], Texico</strong>: Scored 18 points to help lead Texico to a win over Mesa Vista in 2A title game. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Jordon Gallegos, Mesa Vista</strong>: 13 points and 6 rebounds in Mesa Vista's close loss to Texico in the 2A title game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2818687' first='Jesse' last='James Gonzales'], Robertson</strong>: The senior scored 24 points and dished out 6 assists in his final game for the Cardinals to lead Robertson to the 3A title over St. Michael's. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1488493' first='Rian' last='Gonzales'], Volcano Vista</strong>: Had 3 3-pointers in the win over Sandia and finished with 10 points.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2714580' first='Gad' last='Harris'], Sandia</strong>: Just a freshman, Harris scored 14 points with 5 rebounds, 5 assists&nbsp; and 4 steals in the Matadors OT loss to Volcano Vista. &nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2827160' first='Cael' last='Houghtaling'], Artesia</strong>: Scored 11 points with 7 rebounds and 3 assists in Artesia's win over Highland.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2706580' first='Ryan' last='Hunt'], St. Michael's</strong>: Double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds in St. Michael's loss to Robertson</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Devon Kotara, Logan</strong>: Scored 11 points and grabbed 7 rebounds in Logan's win over Melrose. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1687821' first='Jesus' last='Licon'], Highland</strong>: Licon struggled from the field but he still managed to find a way to score a team-high 18 points in the Hornets loss to Artesia in the 5A title game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2693635' first='Juan' last='Limas'], Highland</strong>: 12 points and 7 rebounds in Highland's loss to Artesia in the 5A title game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2818720' first='Brian' last='Lucero'], Robertson</strong>: Scored 10 points and grabbed 5 rebounds in the win over St. Michael's.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2111977' first='David' last='Lunn'], Volcano Vista</strong>: Probably the best player on the floor in Saturday's Class 5A championship game as he scored 19 points (many on slashing drives to the basket), grabbed 7 rebounds and dished out 3 assists. &nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2827164' first='Santiago' last='Martinez'], Mesa Vista</strong>: 23 points and 5 steals in Mesa Vista's close loss to Texico in the 2A title game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2292960' first='Zaire' last='Ndyabagye'], Sandia</strong>: Scored 15 points and grabbed 7 rebounds with 3 assists and 4 steals in Sandia's OT loss to Volcano Vista. &nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2714561' first='George' last='Smith'], Robertson</strong>: Scored 13 points and grabbed 5 rebounds with 4 assists in Robertson's win over rival St. Michael's. &nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2681022' first='DJ' last='Spruell'], Highland</strong>: Scored 11 points on 5-of-8 shooting&nbsp; and dished out 3 assists in Highland's loss to Artesia.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2394870' first='Kamal' last='Stith'], St. Michael's</strong>: Scored 10 points and grabbed 6 rebounds&nbsp; in the Horsemen's loss to Robertson.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2827188' first='Bennett' last='Wahlen'], Texico</strong>: Also the QB on the state championship winning football team, Wahlen&nbsp; scored 7 points, grabbed 4 rebounds and had 4 steals in Texico's win over Mesa Vista. &nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1717329' first='Mason' last='Wallin'], Logan</strong>: Just missed a double-double in the 1A title game with 10 points and 9 rebounds.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:html --> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Blessed to Receive on the Season:<br>- District 2-5A First Team <br>-District 2-5A Player Of The Year<br>-First Team All State Selectee<br>-Red vs Green All Star Game Selectee<br>-All Academic<a href="https://twitter.com/SebastianNoel47?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SebastianNoel47</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/RussellGurule?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RussellGurule</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/PrepHoops_NM?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PrepHoops_NM</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ttadams11?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ttadams11</a> <a href="https://t.co/30rpYZLEuf">pic.twitter.com/30rpYZLEuf</a></p>&mdash; [player_tooltip player_id='1687823' first='Thomas' last='Adams'] (@adams_thomas11) <a href="https://twitter.com/adams_thomas11/status/1901770057564426674?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 17, 2025</a></blockquote> <!-- /wp:html --> <!-- wp:html --> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The Class 4A State Champion Artesia Bulldogs got a raucous heroes&#039; welcome back to the City of Champions at midnight today, as ecstatic fans lined 13th Street to greet the bus as it made its way to Bulldog Pit. The program brought home its third blue trophy and first since 1997. <a href="https://t.co/F9SlaUm2Zd">pic.twitter.com/F9SlaUm2Zd</a></p>&mdash; 🏀 Brienne Green 🐾 (@ArtesiaSports) <a href="https://twitter.com/ArtesiaSports/status/1901467770157728029?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 17, 2025</a></blockquote> <!-- /wp:html --> <!-- wp:html --> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Two championships in one year. Three in the last two years! What a blessing it is to be surrounded by the best brotherhood. Go Big Green!<a href="https://twitter.com/Coach_Herrera3?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Coach_Herrera3</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/nmprepcosports?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nmprepcosports</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/_NMAA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@_NMAA</a> <a href="https://t.co/89mYygmfx9">pic.twitter.com/89mYygmfx9</a></p>&mdash; [player_tooltip player_id='2818681' first='Alex' last='Fuentes'] (@Alex_Fuentes8) <a href="https://twitter.com/Alex_Fuentes8/status/1901676296331055377?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 17, 2025</a></blockquote> <!-- /wp:html -->