High School Hidden Gems 2022

<p>Hidden gems continue as we look further into New Mexico talent that has been under the radar. In this article I searched for some top 2022 talent from every high school that has been overlooked. These are New Mexico basketball’s hidden gems. </p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1076693" first="Joren" last="Mirabal"] 6’1" G 2022 - Joren is an ultimate competitor and teammate. This kid flat out knows what it takes to win games. He is one of the hardest working kids on the court by far. He plays super hard and can make opportunities happen off of his effort and hard work ethic. He is a great defender and an ultimate glue guy for his team. Joren is also a knockdown shooter. He is definitely going to give Magdalena High School an edge when the season starts.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1076676" first="Diego" last="Sharp"] 6’2" G 2022 - I expect big things out of Diego this season. He is a great player who can attack at all angles and finish strong at the rim. He is a very hard worker who has been putting in a ton of time perfecting his shot and his attack. All that hard work is paying off because I watched him light teams up from the outside. He is a super strong defender who can lock you up no matter what size you are. Diego is a major workhorse. He is going to be a key component to Cleveland High School’s wins this season.</p> <p> [player_tooltip player_id="1076681" first="Kaden" last="Self"] 6’8" PF 2022 - Kaden is very long and is able to attack above the rim with no fear. He has great footwork underneath and has a very strong inside presence.  He is a blocking menace underneath and he could flat out run. He is a rebounding machine who creates a ton of offense for his teammates with those long arms. He is a solid defender who rarely gets beat to the middle. Coach Benjamin struck gold with his twin tower duo of [player_tooltip player_id="1076681" first="Kaden" last="Self"] and [player_tooltip player_id="1076667" first="Isaiah" last="Carr"]. Looks like the Champion Las Cruces High School Bulldawgs are going to have a major block party this season. </p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1076684" first="Michael" last="Ortiz"] 6’5" PF 2022 - Michael is an impressive player. At 6’5" he is a strong power forward who can do it all. He has brute strength around the rim, ripping the ball out of opponents hands. He is a solid shot blocker and an excellent rim protector. He plays very good defense and has a very nice hook shot and up and over. He plays extremely hard every time he is on the court. He is not afraid to get in the mix and not afraid to drive the ball on defenders. Michael is going to make a substantial impact on Cleveland High Schools team. </p> <p>Brandon Oloumou 6’10” C 2022 – Menaul High Schools big time shot blocker and rim protector is a beast. At 6’10” he is a force to be reckon with. He is very hard to match up with because the kid isn't skinny at all. He has very nice size to him and he is super dominant around the basket. I feel bad for the schools that have to tangle down low with this kid. He is very physical and athletic which is a big problem for his defenders. He is still a bit raw in some aspects but he makes up for it in his ability to dunk on everybody in his sight. Let's see how many kids get posterized by this Menaul giant this season.  </p>