NMMAA Playoff Recap: Prime Time Performers

<p>Wow, what a season, it seems like just yesterday, we were tipping off in the opener. After crowning 5 Champions we have the opportunity to look back at the season. While there were certainly some big names who made an obvious impact, some players saved their best for the biggest games. In this article, we take a look at some big-time playoff performers. </p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1076677" first="Jose" last="Murillo"] <em>6’9 C Highland 2022 (#5PHNM)</em> - The athletic forward gave everything and was rewarded with a title. Murrillo averaged over 35 points per game en route to helping the Highlanders take home the 4A crown. He saved perhaps his best performance for last, putting together a brilliant 40 point 20 rebound performance in the title game. </p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1076702" first="Shane" last="Douma-Sanchez"] <em>6’1 CG Del Norte 2023 (#2PHNM 2023)</em> <em>(featured image)</em> - An uneven season for SDS who missed a good portion with injury. He made up for his absence by putting together several big-time performances during the Knights playoff run. He was steady in the early rounds but it was his 36 point explosion in the championship game that was his signature performance. </p> <p><strong>William Benjamin Jr</strong> <em>6’1 CG Las Cruces 2022 (#2PHNM 2022)</em> - Benjamin had some stellar performances on the way to helping LC reach the 5A state title. Perhaps no performance highlighted how much he impacts games as his near triple-double against Albuquerque. The speedy guard finished the contest with 15 points to go along with 12 assists and 7 rebounds. </p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1076669" first="Jalen" last="Goar"] <em>6’0 SG Hobbs 2022 (#8PHNM 2022)</em> - Goar was one of the most dynamic scorers in the state. So it was no surprise that he put his scoring on display during the playoff. The sharpshooting guard was at his best during the postseason. He helped the Eagles reach the 5A quarterfinals, and finished that game with 24 against Atrisco Heritage. </p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1076700" first="Exodus" last="Ayers"] <em>6’3 CG La Cueva 2023 (#1PHNM 2023)</em> - Ayers is a player capable of beating you in several ways. He showed off his versatility during the playoffs. Ayers displayed the ability to get buckets and create buckets for others. This was never more evident than his double double against Los Lunas. The combo guard added 6 assists to go along with his 14 points and 10 rebounds. </p>