NMPreps.com - Hoops: No. 26 Alamogordo Tigers

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2012 Hoops Pre-Season Coverage

No. 26 Alamogordo Tigers

2012 - 13 TIGERS

Classification: 5A
District: 3-5A
Classification Rank: #18 (5A)
Location: Alamogordo, NM

Looking to Rebuild Old Ways
The Tigers welcome back talent each-year and each-year the Tiger faithful leave with unanswered questions. This past season the Tigers fell to a miserable (9-19) and (2-8) in District 3-5A only better than cellar team Gadsden High. The Tigers also missed the State Tournament for the second straight season.

It's not like the Tigers lacked the talent as they lose two Top 100 Players, which both are playing at the next level this season. Quinci Hester who was in the NMPreps.com Top 40 Players signed and will play for Northern New Mexico College (Espanola Valley, NM) while teammate Erick Shalk will play for Western New Mexico Univeristy (Silver City, NM)

2012 - 2013 Breakdown

OVERVIEW: The Tigers faithful are roaring with excitement this off-season as they welcome back head coach Mike Day for his second stint as head coach. Day, last coached the Tigers from 2002-2006 going 71-42 during his first tenure. The cherry on top was when Day led the Tigers to the 2006 State Championship game, eventually losing (64-53) to Manzano High School. The Tigers will also welcome in transfer Tyler Day (2013), head coach Mike Day's son, who has excelled on both the A.A.U scene and High School scene in Texas. The Tigers will feature great talent this coming season and will lean on big man in the middle Josie Mills (2015/Forward) the talented sophomore who will only excel under the new system.

AHS At-A-Glance

Two Year Regular Season
2011-2012: 9-19 (2-8 District)
2010-2011: 13-16 (3-5 District)

Two Year Post Season Look
2012 Post Season: Missed the Playoffs
2011 Post Season: Missed the Playoffs

Roster/Depth Chart Look
Key Departures:
Quinci Hester & Erick Shalk
Key Returning Players:
Josie Mills, SO., F;
TJ Johnson, JR., G; JJ Johnson, JR. F

2012-2013 SCHEDULE
please submit entire schedule to grinejosh@yahoo.com

Feb. 1 - Las Cruces *
Feb. 5 - Gadsden *
Feb. 9 - Mayfield *
Feb. 10 - Onate *

BACKCOURT:

The Tigers lose two solid starters from last season, (Hester & Shalk), but will welcome back great fillers in Garrett Stockton and TJ Johnson. Stockton is to-be a three year letterman this coming season and provides depth along with experience. Throw in transfer Tyler Day and the Tigers have a try-fecta in the backcourt that could have them moving up into the Top 25 and more by seasons end. The Tigers will be able to move the ball more this season and have a balanced roster. I expect them to be putting points on the board with the talent exploding from this backcourt.

FRONTCOURT:

Josie Mills the next big thing out of Alamogordo is looking to put a mark on the program this season and be the sophomore sensation most think he could become. Mills, one of New Mexico's top players from the class of 2015 could easily become a double-double player, cleaning up the glass as the attention could be on the talented backcourt. JJ Johnson will look to round out the starting line-up for the Tigers this season.

SCHEDULE ANALYSIS:

We have yet to see the final schedule for the Tigers but can judge the games that we know. Looking at District 3-5A, right now we have the Tigers back in talks of playing or fighting for a District title, being slightly ahead of No. 27 Onate High School. The Tigers have talent returning and that's no secret. The team has been under .500 for the past two seasons now and that could finally wash away this season and this team could not only be thinking .500 but back to a 20-win team like they where in two of four years under Day.

FORECAST/REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS:

I have praised the Alamogordo Tigers this season and I think it's well worth it. Yes, the Tigers are coming off a 9-win season and lost both it's Top 100 players who are playing at the next level. Well, returning is head coach Mike Day who not only led this team to, two 20-win seasons, and had a 71-42 overall record but he is the coach who led them to the 2006 State Title. He is back for his second stint as head coach after serving the past five seasons as a coach in Texas. The Tigers have a solid group of returning players and the starting five should have a lot of attention come March. Yes, they are ranked outside the Top-25 right now and No. 18 in 5A but I am giving them wiggle room to climb the charts all season long.

Comment/Poll: No. 26 Alamogordo Tigers

60 Days of Hoops

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Day 39: No. 30 Piedra Vista Panthers

Joshua J. Grine joined NMPreps.com before the 2010 basketball season as our Senior Basketball Analyst. Grine is a former coach (Valencia, Rio Rancho) and basketball player (Grants, Rio Rancho) who has been around New Mexico for several years.

E-Mail: grinejosh@yahoo.com
Twitter: Twitter Here.

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