Today, the teams compete in the 2024 New Mexico high school basketball state tournament Final Four. Boys and girls teams will compete today for an opportunity to go to Friday or Saturday's State Championship #nmpreps

5A Basketball: #2 Sandia 61, #3 Farmington 58 - Final

By Anthony Johnson

Trailing 51-39 with less than 90 seconds to go in the third quarter, the Sandia Lady Matadors went to work. Olivia Montano hit corner three's on back-to-back possessions as Sandia closed the quarter with a 9-1 burst and trailed just 52-48 heading into the fourth quarter. Sydney Benally capped a 7-0 start to the fourth quarter with an and one to put Sandia up 55-52 with 6:03. Despite the impressive 16-1 run in just over three game minutes game minutes, Farmington showed some mettle of their own. The Lady Scorpions snapped out of their haze and scored four straight to reclaim the lead at 56-55 and then again at 58-57. Tied at 58 in the waning seconds it was Audri Wright hitting just her second shot of the game, but without a doubt the biggest shot, a three ball to put Sandia ahead 61-58 with under 20 seconds to go. Farmington's game tying trey came up short and Sandia was able to run out the rest of the clock and run right into the 5A championship game. The Lady Matadors will either face defending champ Hobbs or Volcano Vista on Saturday afternoon.

Sydney Benally led Sandia with a game-high 29 points and Hope Giddings added 11. For Farmington it was Maleah Charlie leading the way with 15 points followed by Caris Dale with 14 and Kapiolani Anitielu with 13.

5A Basketball: #4 Volcano Vista 49, #1 Hobbs 42 - Final

By Joshua Grine

In a highly anticipated clash at the 5A Final Four, the 1-seed Hobbs Eagles squared off against the 4-seed Volcano Vista Hawks in what promised to be a thrilling showdown between two perennial contenders. These two teams, no strangers to the big stage, continued their recent rivalry, with the Hawks looking to avenge last season's championship defeat at the hands of Hobbs. They have played each other in the last four state championship games, splitting two titles each.

From the opening tip-off, both teams showcased their championship pedigree, trading blows in a fiercely competitive battle. The Hawks surged ahead in the first quarter, led by the sharpshooting of Mia Espinoza, who ignited the offense with 11 points, including three timely three-pointers. With a commanding 19-6 lead after the first quarter, Volcano Vista set the tone for the game, maintaining their momentum to carry a 33-22 advantage into halftime.

Despite Hobbs finding their rhythm in the second quarter and improving their shooting efficiency, the Hawks continued to dictate the pace of the game, capitalizing on their dominance in the paint and second-chance opportunities. Stretch forward Kyndle Cunningham provided a spark for the Eagles with 7 points and 4 rebounds in the opening half, but it was Volcano Vista's relentless attack inside that proved pivotal, as they outscored Hobbs 16-6 in the paint and capitalized on 12 second-chance points.

As the second half unfolded, Hobbs mounted a spirited comeback effort, rallying to tie the game at 42 apiece with just over two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. However, the resilient Hawks responded emphatically, unleashing a decisive 7-0 run to seal a 49-42 victory and punch their ticket to their fifth consecutive state championship game. With impeccable execution and composure down the stretch, Volcano Vista showcased their championship pedigree, securing a well-deserved win.

Leading the charge for the Hawks was Taejhuan Hill, who delivered a dominant performance with 15 points and 14 rebounds, while Mia Espinoza contributed 13 points and 3 steals, fueling the Hawks' offensive attack. Despite a valiant effort from Hobbs, no player reached double digits in scoring, with Cunningham leading the way with 9 points, supported by Nakia Mojica's 9 points and 5 assists.

In the end, Volcano Vista's resilience and determination propelled them to victory, setting the stage for an eagerly anticipated showdown in the state championship game against the 2-seed Sandia Matadors.

4A Basketball: #1 Kirtland Central 61, #4 Gallup 47 - Final

By Anthony Johnson

In a rematch of last years championship game, Kirtland Central exacted a bit of revenge as they defeated Gallup 61-47, moving on to this years championship game tomorrow night where they will face St. Pius X. Eighth grader Allyson Tsosie of Kirtland Central while small in stature, had a monster game! She scored a game-high 22 points and got the ball rolling early for the Lady Broncos with a triple that sparked a 12-0 start to the game. Elaina Clani hit a pair of three's and then got three the hard way to cap the run. Kirtland Central took a 16-6 lead into the second, the Lady Bengals cut it to 22-17 with 4:16 but that would be the closest Gallup would get as Kirland Central finished the half with a 11-4 run to grab a 33-21 halftime lead. The defending champs cut it to six (41-35) with just over two minutes remaining in the third but they couldn't get any closer as Kirtland Central steadily pulled away for the win.

Tsosie not only led Kirtland Central in points with 22, she also led them in rebounds with 12. Clani finished with 10 points and Keira Beall-Gleason added 9 for the Lady Broncos. Rylie Whitehair led Gallup with 16 points and 18 rebounds, while Kayden Tsosie chipped in with 13 points.

4A Basketball: #2 St. Pius X 53, #3 Artesia 31 - Final

By Anthony Johnson

Bella Candelaria got St. Pius X off to a quick start, hitting two three's in the opening moments of the game, pushing the Lady Sartans out to a 6-2 edge. Artesia came back to tie the game at 8. but St. Pius went 8-4 the rest of the way to grab a 16-12 lead after one. In the second quarter, the Lady Sartans locked in defensively and held Artesia to just 8 second quarter points. Catalina Anaya outscored Artesia by herself in the quarter, pouring in nine points for the Lady Sartans. At halftime St. Pius had doubled up Artesia, leading 40-20 and essentially ending the game. The two teams traded buckets throughout the the second half, St. Pius stretched their lead to 25 at times and went on to win 53-31, dancing into the 4A Championship Game tomorrow evening against either Kirtland Central or Gallup.

Anaya finished with a game-high 23 points for the Lady Sartans, Macy Freeze added 12 and Candelaria finished with 11. Kymber Beltran led Artesia with 15 points and Jenna Whitmire had 9.