Players Poised to Break Out This Season

As the new high school basketball season gets underway, a fresh group of guards from across New Mexico is ready to make their mark. They're talented, hungry, and stepping into bigger roles that could shift the competitive landscape. These four aren't just contributors — they're potential difference-makers with skill sets tailored for today's pace-and-space game. If you've somehow missed their names before now, get familiar, because this year could be where their reputations take off.    [player_tooltip player_id='2961305' first='Corde' last='Peele'] is one of the more intriguing backcourt threats heading into the season. He's a tough downhill driver who embraces physicality and knows how to use his size to carve out advantages. Whether he's bullying smaller defenders on the way to the rim or creating driving lanes off ball screens, he's constantly applying pressure. The thing that separates Peele from your average slasher, though, is his versatility. He's just as capable of knocking down shots or facilitating for teammates as he is of finishing plays himself. Once he gets going downhill, it's a long night for whoever draws the assignment. Expect him to be the tone setter for Rio Grande's offense.     Every team needs a guard who keeps the engine running, and [player_tooltip player_id='2215899' first='Pedro' last='Padron'] is exactly that. He plays with poise well beyond his age, controlling tempo, directing traffic, and taking care of the basketball. Padron doesn't have to be the primary scorer — instead, he elevates the talent around him and puts teammates in spots where they can succeed. His leadership is already visible, and it's rare to see a young guard embrace responsibility the way he does. When the game gets chaotic, Padron gets calmer. If Del Norte makes noise this season, don't overlook the fact that everything starts with the ball in his hands.     Jayson Bruner isn't going to stand still and wait for touches. He's constantly moving, cutting, relocating, and making defenses work. That activity leads to clean looks, and when he gets them, he makes teams pay. Bruner's spot up shooting is already a weapon, but his ability to put the ball on the floor and rise into a fluid pull up gives him a second layer to his game. He's the kind of scoring guard who doesn't need a high usage rate to produce. As defenses key in on Gallup's other weapons, Bruner will stack points all season.     If you enjoy players who can score any way they want, circle Sage Livingston's name. Livingston plays with pace and purpose, exploding downhill yet staying composed in traffic. His handle is crisp, his range extends well beyond the arc, and his ability to finish strong through contact makes him a matchup problem. More importantly, he makes good decisions. He's not out there freelancing or hunting bad shots. Livingston can take over a game without forcing the issue, and that balance makes him incredibly dangerous. He's already a bucket, and this season could be the one where he becomes the bucket.

As the new high school basketball season gets underway, a fresh group of guards from across New Mexico is ready to make their mark. They're talented, hungry, and stepping into bigger roles that could shift the competitive landscape. These four aren't just contributors — they're potential difference-makers with skill sets tailored for today's pace-and-space game. If you've somehow missed their names before now, get familiar, because this year could be where their reputations take off.