District Playoff Preview: Players To Watch

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The 2025-26 regular season concluded on Saturday. Tonight and tomorrow, five district playoff games will be played. Remember, these games do not decide the district regular season champion. Both teams are declared co-district champions. The purpose of these games is to decide the No. 1 seed for the district tournament. Here is a look at each game:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Cleveland vs. Volcano Vista (5A-1)</strong>: A classic heavyweight boxing match. This game features some of the top players in the entire state. The Storm have won two of the three previous meetings this season between the teams. They first met in the Metro Tournament in January. Less than a week ago, Cleveland beat the Hawks, 82-75. <strong>Players To Watch</strong>: [player_tooltip player_id='1326930' first='Remy' last='Albrecht'] (Cleveland); [player_tooltip player_id='2085714' first='Ajay' last='Vigil'] (Cleveland); [player_tooltip player_id='2111977' first='David' last='Lunn'] (Volcano Vista), [player_tooltip player_id='2743220' first='Finley' last='Fitak'] (Volcano Vista). &nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>La Cueva vs. Sandia (5A-2)</strong>: Sandia won its final nine game after losing to La Cueva in the district opener on Jan. 20. But it took an OT victory for the Matadors over Santa Fe on Friday night to force this extra game. One of those nine wins (60-58) came against La Cueva on Feb. 6, which forced the tie atop the standings. For the most part, La Cueva dominated the competition in district play, winning most games by double digits. This game will be played on Tuesday night at Del Norte High. <strong>Players To Watch</strong>: [player_tooltip player_id='2714567' first='Isaiah' last='Brown'] (Sandia); [player_tooltip player_id='1698809' first='Lavodrick' last='Hogues'] (Sandia)); [player_tooltip player_id='2694526' first='Hunter' last='Butler'] (La Cueva); [player_tooltip player_id='2085694' first='Drew' last='Bramlett'] (La Cueva). &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Del Norte vs. Hope Christian (4A-6)</strong>: Del Norte forced this district playoff game by rallying past Hope Christian on the Huskies' home floor on Friday night. The Huskies had the regular season title in their sights when they built a 12-point lead in the early moments of the fourth quarter. But Del Norte stormed back with a 13-0 run to take the lead. This will be the FIFTH meeting this season – and the second ion four days - between these two teams, so there are absolutely no secrets. <strong>Players To Watch</strong>: [player_tooltip player_id='1717253' first='Francois' last='Satchivi'] (Del Norte); Mumin Omer (Del Norte); Conor Dwyer (Hope Christian); [player_tooltip player_id='1717247' first='Brayden' last='Giron'] (Hope Christian).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Fort Sumner/House vs. Logan (1A-6)</strong>: This has developed into one of the top rivalries in New Mexico high school basketball, certainly in eastern New Mexico. Defending 1A champion Logan has lost just three games this season, but one of those setbacks came to Fort Sumner/House on Feb. 14, which forced a tie in this three-team district. <strong>Players To Watch</strong>: [player_tooltip player_id='1717249' first='Hayden' last='Bruhn'] (Logan); [player_tooltip player_id='1717329' first='Mason' last='Wallin'] (Logan); [player_tooltip player_id='2833891' first='Jordan' last='Holland'] (Fort Sumner/House). &nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Magdalena vs. Cliff (1A-2)</strong>: Magdalena won the second meeting between these teams on Feb. 12. Cliff won the first matchup on Jan. 24. <strong>Players To Watch</strong>: Kaanan Stephens (Magdalena); Ky Stephens (Magdalena). &nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>REGULAR SEASON DISTRICT CHAMPIONS</strong>:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Class 5A</strong>: Cleveland/Volcano Vista (5A-1); La Cueva/Sandia (5A-2); Centennial (5A-3); Hobbs (5A-4); Albuquerque High (5A-5)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Class 4A</strong>: Gallup (4A-1); Taos (4A-2); Silver (4A-3); Artesia (4A-4); Highland (4A-5); Del Norte/Hope Christian (7-1).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Class 3A</strong>: Navajo Prep (3A-1); St. Michael's (3A-2); Cobre (3A-3); Tularosa (3A-4); Bosque (3A-5).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Class 2A</strong>: Rehoboth Christian (2A-1); Menaul/Oak Grove Classical (2A-2)(Menual won district playoff game, 50-48); Mesilla Valley Christian (2A-3); Texico (2A-4); Mesa Vista (2A-5); Pecos (2A-6).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Class 1A</strong>: Pine Hill/To'hajiilee (1A-1); Magdalena/Cliff (1A-2); Alamo Navajo (1A-3); Melrose (1A-4); Cimarron (1A-5); Logan/Fort Sumner (1A-6)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:html --> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The Storm take on the Volcano Vista Hawks tonight to determine who will be the number one seed in the 1-5A district! Please come out and support these talented athletes! Go Storm! ⚡️⚡️<a href="https://twitter.com/coachzcole?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@coachzcole</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/sportsprimo2?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@sportsprimo2</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/JamesDYodice?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JamesDYodice</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/PrepHoops_NM?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PrepHoops_NM</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/nmpreps?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nmpreps</a> <a href="https://t.co/cfeLAmsOps">pic.twitter.com/cfeLAmsOps</a></p>&mdash; Cleveland Storm Basketball⚡️ (@cleveland_bball) <a href="https://twitter.com/cleveland_bball/status/2026070680291487837?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 23, 2026</a></blockquote> <!-- /wp:html --> <!-- wp:html --> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">We have a big game this week, please come support your bears 🐻🐻 <a href="https://t.co/fY6TqUNRTr">pic.twitter.com/fY6TqUNRTr</a></p>&mdash; lchsbbasketball (@lchsbasketball5) <a href="https://twitter.com/lchsbasketball5/status/2025619369481638106?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 22, 2026</a></blockquote> <!-- /wp:html -->