Early Look: 4A Mountain League

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In this article, I take a look at 4 teams who I believe will be competing for playoff spots this season, and if they all live up to the hype, they may have a shot at the 4A State Championship.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Legacy Longhorns </em></strong><em>(2025-2026 Overall Record 23-9, 9-0 In Conference Play)</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Legacy Longhorns made a deep run in the playoffs last season, making it all the way to the 4A Southern Region Final and advancing to state. They ultimately fell to both Clark (in the 4A Southern Region Final) and Bishop Manogue (in the 4A State Semifinal). Although I'm sure they would've enjoyed taking home some hardware, it was still a very successful season for them. Replicating that success will not be easy, but I believe they likely have another winning season on the way. They did lose seniors to graduation, and [player_tooltip player_id='2635490' first='Grayson' last='Williams'] + [player_tooltip player_id='3723148' first='Nehemiah' last='Williamson'] just transferred. However, they did add a few notable guys, including [player_tooltip player_id='2423332' first='Mekhi' last='Carter'] and [player_tooltip player_id='3566995' first='Jayden' last='Johnson']. [player_tooltip player_id='2423332' first='Mekhi' last='Carter'] is one of the best 2028 guards in the state, and he'll be running the show at the PG position. Johnson plays the point a bit as well and can also play off ball, where he hunts shots on the perimeter. The Longhorns will look to reigning 4A Mountain League MVP [player_tooltip player_id='2288366' first='Jordyn' last='Perdue'] too, who gets it done on offense utilizing his athleticism. I believe CJ Paige should have a prominent role as well, and I anticipate that he starts. Legacy has a few other solid prospects, giving them a fair amount of depth.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Somerset Losee Lions </em></strong><em>(2025-2026 Overall Record 12-11, 4-3 In Conference Play)</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Losee Lions impressed earlier this summer down at Section 7. They picked up a few big wins, and it was awesome to see the youthful group mature in real time. Sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='2477281' first='DJ' last='Hunter'] appears to have improved in a variety of ways, and he also showcased the ice in his veins, draining a half-court buzzer-beater. He will be their main catalyst, and I believe that he has what it takes to help them win close games this year. The Lions also added a few other skilled guards in [player_tooltip player_id='2918902' first='Alyo' last='Hawkins Jr.'] BJ Jolly, and [player_tooltip player_id='2919438' first='Cash' last='Torres']. Hawkins can provide instant offense, as can Jolly and Torres. They have 3 forwards who stand at 6'7"+ in [player_tooltip player_id='3243670' first='Jake' last='Bunyan'], [player_tooltip player_id='2128634' first='Brady' last='Robinson'], and [player_tooltip player_id='2412305' first='Nick' last='Odum']. Bunyan will be tasked with holding down the fort in the paint on both ends, and he may begin to make even more of an impact with his scoring. Robinson will likely play on the wing and sit in the corners, ready to launch catch-and-shoot 3's. Then Odum can slash to the rack, drain jumpers, and I think he'll be a tough guy to score on. While they won't have many upperclassmen on the roster, expect this team to be in contention for the 1 seed.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Western Warriors </em></strong><em>(2025-2026 Overall Record 16-9, 3-4 In Conference Play)</em> </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Western may have enough pieces this year to make the postseason. They are anchored by forward/center Rich Batey, who I've mentioned is one of the best shot blockers in Vegas right now. They also have guards [player_tooltip player_id='2813415' first='Shem' last='Greene'] and Jaelonn Davis. Greene is a threat to score just about anytime he touches the ball, and he has the confidence to let it go from anywhere. Davis, on the other hand, is an athletic prospect who we could see getting downhill more than in years past. The Warriors also have [player_tooltip player_id='3027268' first='Jaeven' last='Glass'] and Cameron Stephens, two dynamic athletes who should help them, especially on the defensive end. Considering the experience within their senior class and the cohesion this group has built, Western is worth tracking.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Shadow Ridge Mustangs </em></strong><em>(2025-2026 Overall Record 20-8, 5-2 In Conference Play) </em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Shadow Ridge making the postseason is more of a question mark than it was about a week ago. Jaden Williams has made the move to Florida, as I reported, and he was definitely the engine that made them go. With that said, they do have three other members of the senior class who will be sticking around. Those guys are [player_tooltip player_id='2673903' first='Troy' last='Fields'], [player_tooltip player_id='1965087' first='Marcus' last='Jennings Jr']., and [player_tooltip player_id='2883883' first='Caleb' last='Camarillo']. At the moment, I would say that Camarillo will likely see the biggest uptick in his usage and time possessing the rock, and I think it's a good opportunity for him to further boost his stock. Both Jennings Jr. and Fields will also likely be taking a few more shots, which could add to their overall output on offense.From there, we'll have to see who steps up and gives them quality minutes off the bench.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->