Class 4A Semifinals: Game Recaps and Top Performers

CLASS 4A SEMIFINALS – GAME RECAPS   ARTESIA 71, HOPE CHRISTIAN 52   How it happened: Utilizing its superior size, Artesia jumped out to a 13-6 lead in the opening four minutes of the game, forcing Hope Christian to call timeout with 4:09 left. The Huskies righted the ship in the closing minutes of the first quarter, draining a triple to close to within 19-15, before an Artesia jumper at the buzzer gave the Bulldogs a 21-15 lead after eight minutes. Six-foot-8 F/C [player_tooltip player_id='2146038' first='Clay' last='Kincaid'] scored 7 points in the first quarter on 3-of-3 shooting, while [player_tooltip player_id='2827151' first='Trent' last='Egeland'] added 6 points. Six-foot-6 Hope Christian star [player_tooltip player_id='1717247' first='Brayden' last='Giron'] led the Huskies with 7 points.   When Hope Christian badly needed a basket when trailing 27-17, the Huskies buried a triple to cut the deficit to seven. Giron's 3-pointer moved Hope Christian to within two points at 29-27 with just over a minute remaining in the first half. Artesia responded with a four-point run for a 33-27 halftime lead. The story of the first half was Artesia's domination close to the basket. The Bulldogs scored 26 points in the paint, 11 second chance points, and shot 54 percent (15-28) from the field. Artesia had balanced scoring in the first half with Kincaid leading the way with 9 points followed by [player_tooltip player_id='1717327' first='Braylon' last='Vega'] and Egeland with 8.   Kincaid's conventional 3-point play off an offensive rebound gave Artesia a 39-31 lead with 5:20 left in the 3rd quarter. Another Bulldogs basket pushed the lead to double digits (41-31) but Hope Christian's triple from the corner prompted a timeout. Four straight Artesia points gave the Bulldogs their biggest lead at 45-34. Vega drained a 3-pointer from the wing with about 20 seconds left in the 3Q as Artesia took a 50-37 lead over Hope Christian into the final frame.   Artesia scored the first four points of the fourth quarter to take a 54-37 lead. Hope Christian finally scored at the 6:09 mark and immediately called timeout. Hope Christian had a brief 4-point spurt but Kincaid's putback basket made it 56-41 with 4-1/2 minutes left. If Vega's 3-pointer from the wing didn't end the drama, it was close. The triple gave Artesia a 59-42 lead. The lead reached 21 (63-42) with just over 3 minutes left. At that point, the Bulldogs could start celebrating their second consecutive trip to the 4A state championship game. For good measure, the Bulldogs lobbed the ball into Kincaid twice in the final minute for close baskets. Artesia finished with 56 points in the paint and shot 64 percent from the field (32-50).                                    Standout Performers   [player_tooltip player_id='2146038' first='Clay' last='Kincaid'], Artesia: Led Artesia with 24 points and 11 rebounds for an impressive double-double.   [player_tooltip player_id='2827151' first='Trent' last='Egeland'], Artesia: Scored 16 points on 8-of-12 shooting and grabbed 8 rebounds for the Bulldogs.   [player_tooltip player_id='1717327' first='Braylon' last='Vega'], Artesia: Scored 14 points with two 3-pointers, dished out 3 assists and made 3 steals on defense for the Bulldogs.   [player_tooltip player_id='1717247' first='Brayden' last='Giron'], Hope Christian: Led the Huskies with 15 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals.   <blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Artesia beat Hope Christian 71-52 to advance to the Boys Class 4A Final at the 2026 Nusenda Credit Union State Basketball Championships. <a href="https://twitter.com/nusendacu?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nusendacu</a> Here are some of the highlights. <a href="https://t.co/aQRURVheA5">pic.twitter.com/aQRURVheA5</a>— NMAA (@_NMAA) <a href="https://twitter.com/_NMAA/status/2032233085459447816?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 12, 2026</a></blockquote>   HIGHLAND 71, TAOS 51   How it happened: Highland raced out to a 6-0 lead in the first two minutes, prompting Taos to call timeout. After another Hornets basket, Taos calmed down. A 3-pointer and tip-in by the Tigers made it 8-5. A pretty pass and backdoor layup have Highland a 11-6 lead. Taos responded with consecutive baskets to cut the gap to a single point, 11-10. Gene Padilla of Taos nailed a jumper at the first quarter buzzer as Highland led, 13-12, after the first 8 minutes.   The teams battled back-and-forth through the early stages of the second quarter with Highland maintaining a slim lead.  Taos tied the score for the first time at 20-20 on a layup midway through the frame. Tigers senior guard Orion Salazar buried a 3-pointer to give Taos its first lead at 23-20. Eight straight points by Highland gave the lead back to the Hornets at 28-23. But again Taos fought back with 4 straight points. Highland's offensive rebound basket and two free throws by Taos closed out an exciting and hard-fought first half with the Hornets holding a slim edge, 30-29.   Nico Sanchez led Highland with 14 points in the 1st half. Tigers F [player_tooltip player_id='2300007' first='Malakhai' last='Ely'] led all scorers with 18 points and 9 rebounds.   Highland had the better of the play early in the third quarter and took a 36-31 lead. Taos hit a 3-pointer from the corner but Highland scored two fast-break layups for a 40-34 lead. Taos called timeout. Shortly thereafter, Highland F Jery Moody picked up his third foul and had to go to the bench. [player_tooltip player_id='2693635' first='Juan' last='Limas'] drained a 3-pointer from the wing to put Highland up by nine, 45-36.  ,jus t past the midway point of the 3rd quarter. A free throw gave Highland a double-digit lead for the first time (46-36). Highland continued to build on its lead as Limas scored a layup and free throw for a conventional 3-point play for a 49-36 lead. Taos finally scored but Highland's Edwin Montelongo hit a 3 from the top of the circle. Highland led, 54-40, going into the final frame after outscoring Taos, 24-11, in the 3rd quarter.   Taos battled to keep the deficit withing striking distance early in the fourth quarter. A jumper cut the gap to 57-44 with about 6 minutes remaining. Solid Highland defense, though, kept Taos scoreless for over two minutes. A Highland layup gave them a 61-44 lead with under four minutes left. It was all but over when Moody was fouled while scoring off a scramble in front of the Highland basket and hit the free throw for a 64-46 lead. A free throw by Montelongo and breakaway layup gave Highland a 21-point lead, 67-46 with 2-1/2 minutes left. Highland outscored Taos, 41-22 in the second half, shooting over 50 percent from the field (15-28) while holding Taos to 33.3 percent (9-27).   Standout Performers:   Nico Sanchez, Highland: Just as he has done for most of the season, Sanchez led the Hornets in scoring with 26 points on 12-of-17 shooting. He was also superb defensively with 9 steals.   [player_tooltip player_id='2693635' first='Juan' last='Limas'], Highland: Scored 22 points and grabbed 4 rebounds to help lead the Hornets into the Class 4A state championship game for the third straight season and the fourth time in the last seven seasons.   [player_tooltip player_id='2300007' first='Malakhai' last='Ely'], Taos: Led the Tigers with 26 points on 11-of-19 shooting and 18 rebounds.   <blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Highland beat Taos 71-51 to advance to the Boys Class 4A Final against Artesia at the 2026 Nusenda Credit Union State Basketball Championships <a href="https://twitter.com/nusendacu?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nusendacu</a> Here are some of the highlights. <a href="https://t.co/NxIKRW1iP4">pic.twitter.com/NxIKRW1iP4</a>— NMAA (@_NMAA) <a href="https://twitter.com/_NMAA/status/2032282736569040911?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 13, 2026</a></blockquote>   CLASS 4A CHAMPIONSHIP GAME (Sat. March 14 at The Pit)   Artesia vs. Highland, 4 p.m.

CLASS 4A SEMIFINALS – GAME RECAPS