5A Team Preview: La Cueva Bears

Photo: La Cueva High School

Sky Hatcher

November 17, 2023 @ 09:00 AM

Key Players: [player_tooltip player_id='1069704' first='Dylan' last='Chavez'], [player_tooltip player_id='1176302' first='Cameron' last='Dyer'], [player_tooltip player_id='1176299' first='Daniel' last='Lovato']   The Bears have been a premiere team in New Mexico for essentially the entirety of the 21st century, and they show no signs of slowing down. Only one point away from making it past the quarterfinals last season, they'll be looking for revenge this season with a new lineup that is one of the tallest in the state. At the forefront, UNM commit [player_tooltip player_id='1069704' first='Dylan' last='Chavez'] has re-joined La Cueva to be the primary offensive weapon for this team. At 6'6", he has a great frame for a shooting guard and has developed his game to score from all three levels, especially in the mid-range game where he has a multitude of moves to utilize from that range. Alongside him is backcourt mate Cam Dyer, a strong aggressive guard who is the perfect combination of strength and athleticism at his position. Dyer saw some reps at point guard last year and will have to take over a larger role at the position with several key senior starters graduating. The strengths of this team don't stop at their guard position, however, with their frontcourt improving significantly over the offseason. [player_tooltip player_id='1176299' first='Daniel' last='Lovato'] has taken a leap as a post-threat, improving his finishing around the rim and his defensive presence. Their depth has improved as well, with [player_tooltip player_id='1679998' first='Brandon' last='Bartlett'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1698810' first='Eric' last='Jacobsen'] stepping up to provide valuable minutes for this squad. Regardless of all the changes to this roster, this Bears team will be the team to beat in 5A District 2, and 2nd-year coach Eric Orell will look to improve upon his first season.