2025-26 Team Preview: Sandia Matadors

2025-26 SANDIA PREVIEW   OVERVIEW   Sandia fell an inch or two short of winning the Class 5A state championship last March when a shot from the corner clanged off the front rim. Had the shot gone in, the Matadors would have upset mighty Volcano Vista and lifted the blue trophy. Instead, Sandia lost in overtime in an epic title game at the Pit.   Sandia will have a different look in 2025-26. The Matadors will be smaller, faster, more athletic and fueled by a trio of sophomore guards few 5A teams can match. One thing won't change: Sandia will continue to fire up 3-point attempts at a furious pace. That's their identity. The Matadors established a new state record last season for most 3-pointers made by a team in a single season with 339, shattering the old mark (327) held by the 2008-09 Springer team.   “We have a lot of guys who can shoot it,” Sandia coach Danny Brown told Prep Hoops New Mexico. “We can score it, and that's the name of the game. We played fast last year. If it's possible, we're going to play faster.   “We are quicker. We may shoot it better. We have some guys who can really shoot. We'll probably have to pick up the pace because we are smaller. That will make up for our lack of size.”   Sandia's goal last season was 40 3-point attempts per game. They averaged about 33 per game.   “That has to continue,” Brown said. “We're known for playing fast and shooting threes. One thing I noticed this summer was how well we got to the paint and that will set the table for us. It will be fun. Our goal again this season is to shoot 40 3-pointers per game and make 15. That's why we have to play faster.”                  PLAYERS TO WATCH   [player_tooltip player_id='2714567' first='Isaiah' last='Brown'] (G, So., 5-10): Son of the head coach, he's the prototypical gym rat. Sandia's second-leading scorer last season at 14.3 points per game. Tied with two other players for the most 3-pointers in the state last season with 92 when he made 36.4 percent of his attempts from beyond arc. That percentage could surpass 40 percent in 2025-26. Ball handling wizard and an excellent defender (led Sandia in steals). “He's taken that next step as a basketball player,” Danny Brown said. “Obviously, he can shoot it. He has improved significantly on scoring at all three levels. He's gotten stronger, and that should make a difference for us.” Eastern New Mexico has offered.          [player_tooltip player_id='2714580' first='Gad' last='Harris'] (G, So., 5-10): Led Sandia in assists last season (5.8 per game) but he also scores (12.2 ppg) and defends (3.0 spg). Capable of stepping out and shooting the three as well. Outstanding two-sport athlete. “He is a legitimate point guard but we play positionless basketball,” Brown said. “We love having the ball in Gad's hands because we know he's going to make the right decision. He has improved tremendously shooting the basketball, and he was a good shooter before.” Northern New Mexico and New Mexico Highlands have offered.       [player_tooltip player_id='2714561' first='George' last='Smith'] (G, So., 6-0): As one of the major contributors to Robertson's Class 3A state championship run last March, Smith brings immediate credibility to the Sandia locker room. Elite athlete in football (Colorado State has offered) and hoops. “George is arguably the best athlete in the state,” Brown said. “He is very graceful and explosive. He's very good at the rim. Great finisher. His first step is second to none. He has that quick burst. He shoots it very decently. He knows he doesn't have to do as much as he did at Robertson. He's a winner.” Smith made 49 3-pointers and scored over 500 points for Robertson in 2024-25, averaging 15.7 ppg.          NAMES TO KNOW   [player_tooltip player_id='1698809' first='Lavodrick' last='Hogues'] (G, Jr., 6-1): Nickname is ‘Junior.' Going into his fourth year with the Sandia varsity. Averaged nearly 6.0 points and 2.2 rebounds per game last season in a ‘Sixth Man' reserve role. He will compete for a starting job. Started as a sophomore. “He had a fantastic summer shooting the basketball,” Brown said. “He knows our program. He knows the culture. Great leader. He's a lefty who can score. He's very crafty.”   [player_tooltip player_id='2300009' first='Jacob' last='Dawes'] (G, Sr., 5-9): Three-year member of the Sandia varsity. Could see his minutes increase significantly in 2025-26. “We found a role for him this summer where we have him off the ball,” Brown said. “Next to Isaiah, he was our best shooter all summer . He can really stroke it from three. He's very powerful and strong. He brings a lot offensively.”     [player_tooltip player_id='2216279' first='Dion' last='Cumber'] (G, Jr., 5-11): Expected to be a major contributor off the bench after averaging 1.6 points per game in limited action a season ago. “Dion has improved tremendously,” Brown said. “He's a gym rat. He'll come off the bench. He played some last year, but this will be his first time getting a ton of minutes.”        Jaleel Minnifield (G, Sr., 5-8): Nickname is ‘JJ.' Likely will be Sandia's ‘Sixth Man' in 2025-26. Averaged about 3 points per game last season. “He's good enough to start, but he'll be finishing a lot of games because he can defend,” Brown said. “He can shoot it and light it up quick. Extremely athletic.”          KEY NEWCOMERS   Wally Vandyke (F, Jr., 6-5): Brings length to the floor. Appeared in one varsity game last season. Spent most of last season with the JV team. “With Wally, it's about confidence,” Brown said. “If he gets that confidence, he'll get going. He played a lot with our guys this summer on their travel team.”   [player_tooltip player_id='2215933' first='Mateo' last='Hogan'] (F, Jr., 6-3): Also plays football. Will likely join the hoops team in January when he is expected to recover fully from an injury. Has a high basketball IQ with excellent passing and rebounding skills. Pick-and-roll standout. Big frame at 6-foot-3, 215 pounds. Capable of scoring at the rim.       [player_tooltip player_id='2216280' first='SJ' last='Harville'] (G, Jr., 5-11): Displayed great improvement since his freshman season. Limited action with the varsity last season. Mostly played JV in 2024-25. His #1 job is to come into the game and shoot 3-pointers. Good summer shooting the basketball.   Malachi Knox (G, Jr., 6-1): Eligible in January. Good size. Transferred from Atrisco Heritage. Great leaper.   FINAL THOUGHTS   Sandia went all the way to the final game of the 2024-25 season, and nobody should be surprised if the Matadors get there again. If they do, the least surprised people in the building will be the Sandia coaches and players.   “We're very optimistic,” Brown said. “We know we have a chance to be very good. We had a great summer. We did lose our three guys that had a lot of size. That's one thing we may struggle with. But this summer we played some big, physical teams.   “I was pleasantly surprises how we handled things defensively. Our style gives people problems. We're going to be quick and fast. We have a chance to be there at the end again if we stay healthy and rebound at a high clip. I think we'll be even deeper than last season.   “We know we were an inch or two away from dethroning the champions and being a state champ.”   Sandia opens the 2025-26 schedule on Nov. 22 with a trip to Hobbs followed by a Nov. 25 home game against Cibola.   <blockquote class="twitter-tweet">1% better every day. <a href="https://t.co/xIlE0yfJfX">pic.twitter.com/xIlE0yfJfX</a>— [player_tooltip player_id='2714567' first='Isaiah' last='Brown'] (@zay32brown) <a href="https://twitter.com/zay32brown/status/1964156567441334636?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 6, 2025</a></blockquote>

2025-26 SANDIA PREVIEW