Rankings Preview: 2023 Sleepers
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The updated New Mexico Rankings will be released this month! After extensive research and coverage, these will be our most extensive rankings to date with more players ranked than ever. After a long Spring and Summer Grassroots season, several players…
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Continue ReadingThe updated New Mexico Rankings will be released this month! After extensive research and coverage, these will be our most extensive rankings to date with more players ranked than ever. After a long Spring and Summer Grassroots season, several players have had an opportunity to stand out and put themselves on the rankings radar, including several in the 2023 class. In this article, we take a look at some potential Sleepers in the class.
Damian Perez Damian Perez 6'5" | SF Carlsbad | 2023 State NM 6’5 SF Carlsbad (featured image) – Caught Perez on our circuit this summer, not only was I impressed but got feedback about him from several coaches that liked his game. He scores the ball from a variety of levels and is a better R&J athlete than you may think. When engaged, Perez is a two-way player that has an impact on both sides of the ball. Expect the previously unranked player to make a splash in the upcoming rankings.
Caileb Parham Caileb Parham 6'2" | SG Eldorado | 2023 State NM 6’1 SG Eldorado – Parhnam traveled quite a bit on circuits this summer, which provided me a good look at him. His best skill may be his mentality. Parham is a dedicated downhill driver that showed the ability to get to the rim against high-level athletes. With good offensive skills and a GPA over 3.0, Parham may find himself looking at playing opportunities post-high school. After being left off for over a year, he may also be looking at an appearance in the rankings.
Nick Dial Nick Dial 6'4" | SF Manzano | 2023 State NM 6’4 PF Manzano – Saw Dial during the APS tournament and liked his dawg mentality and skills. If he shows any type of improvement this season, he could be in for a breakthrough campaign. As it is Dial has a chance to be in the rankings based on his production in his junior year.
Jason Lovato Jason Lovato 6'2" | PG Bernalillo | 2023 State NM 5’10 PG Bernalillo – Caught a glimpse of Lovato during bigfoot hoops and was impressed with his offensive skill set. Lovato showed the ability to shoot it and had a better-than-average handle that included some craftiness and COD ability. Won’t be quite sure where he lands until I do some more film eval, but he certainly showed the skill level to appear.
Torrance Burdex Jr Torrance Burdex Jr 6'2" | PF West Mesa | 2023 State NM 6’1 PF West Mesa – I was able to lay eyes on Burdex towards the end of summer, and he’s a player West Mesa fans are going to love. The undersized power forward displayed a knack for scoring the ball around the rim with his back to the basket. His sheer hustle, grit and determination are fun to watch, making him a player to keep an eye on as we approach the release of the upcoming rankings.