2024 New Mexico High School Basketball State Tournament Quarterfinals Recap
The 2024 New Mexico high school basketball state tournament pressed on as teams journeyed to the Albuquerque Metro area, gearing up to compete at either the University of New Mexico Arena, affectionately known as The PIT, or at the Rio Rancho Events Center in Rio Rancho. The quarterfinals for the 5A and 4A divisions unfolded at The PIT, while the 3A and 2A divisions battled it out at the Rio Rancho Events Center. #nmpreps
Scores and Schedule
5A BASKETBALL
#1 Hobbs 68, #8 La Cueva 44 - Final
In a fiercely contested match marked by technical fouls and one ejection, the tournament's top seed advanced to the Final Four with a convincing 68-44 victory over La Cueva. The Hobbs Eagles displayed resilience, overcoming every challenge the Bears presented with ease. Four Eagles players achieved double-digit scoring, spearheaded by star guard/wing Bhret Clay, who contributed 19 points and 8 rebounds. Nakia Mojica added 10 points while distributing 6 assists, with Brynn Hargrove and Kyndle Cunningham each tallying 11 points. The Eagles' relentless defense forced 21 turnovers, converting them into 23 points. On the other side, the Bears struggled to find their rhythm throughout the game, failing to make significant adjustments, resulting in the disparity in the score. Despite their efforts, standout player Eva Love led the Bears with 15 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists, supported by Payton Lobato with 11 points and Jordyn Dyer with 10. With this victory, the Hobbs Eagles advance to the Final Four, where they will square off against the Volcano Vista Hawks on Thursday.
#2 Sandia Matadors 64, #7 Eldorado Eagles 40 - Final
In what was anticipated to be a closely contested matchup, and indeed was in the first quarter, with both teams tied at 16, the Sandia Matadors seized control thereafter. They dominated proceedings, outscoring Eldorado 19-3 in the second quarter, followed by an 18-7 third quarter onslaught. The standout performers were undoubtedly the Benally sisters, Sydney and Kaiyah, with the younger Kaiyah stealing the spotlight, showcasing some remarkable moves and dropping 16 points while also dishing out 3 assists. Her elder sister, Sydney, led the team with an impressive 21 points. Eldorado found their momentum led by Bella Hines, who tallied 20 points and 7 rebounds.
#3 Farmington 65, #6 Organ Mountain 31 - Final
From the tip-off, it was all Farmington, and they lived up to expectations, led by their standout player Kapiolani Anitielu, who delivered a stellar performance with 16 points, 4 rebounds, and 8 assists. Adding to the offensive firepower, her sister Kjani Anitielu contributed 14 points, while Caris Dale and Ayana Toledo each chipped in 14 and 10 points, respectively. The Scorpions dominated on both ends of the court, shooting an impressive 49.2% from the field. They capitalized on turnovers, scoring 36 points off of Organ Mountain's 31 turnovers, and also racked up 52 points from inside the paint. Despite the effort from Organ Mountain, with Caitlyn Turnbow leading the charge with 14 points and 8 rebounds, they fell short. With this victory, the Scorpions advance to the Final Four, where they will face the 2-seed Sandia Matadors.
#4 Volcano Vista 35, #5 Mayfield 31 - Final
Perhaps it was the early morning start, but the first 5A quarterfinal of the day, tipping off at 9:45 a.m. in The PIT, saw a total of 66 points scored combined between the two teams, with the 4-seed Volcano Vista Hawks emerging victorious, 35-31. In a closely contested match, both teams struggled from the field, shooting under 20% (Volcano Vista High School at 16.9% and Mayfield High School at 19.3%), but it was the Hawks who managed to edge out the win. Liliana Duncan was the lone Hawks player to reach double digits in scoring with 10 points, while star forward Taejhuan Hill made a significant impact with 23 rebounds in addition to her 8 points. The only other player to hit double figures was Ceanna McKines, who recorded 15 points for the Mayfield Trojans. Next up, the Volcano Vista Hawks will face the winner between the 1-seed Hobbs Eagles and the 8-seed La Cueva Bears in a game scheduled for this evening at 8:15 p.m. in The PIT.
4A BASKETBALL
#1 Kirtland Central 50, #8 Valencia 34 - Final
Despite a scoring drought in the second quarter for Valencia, the game remained closely contested throughout the evening. After trailing by 15 points early in the third quarter, Valencia mounted a comeback, narrowing the gap to six points before Kirtland Central ultimately pulled away for a 50-34 victory, securing their spot in the state Final Four. There, they will face their district rival, the Gallup Bengals, seeded 4th in this year's bracket. Leading the charge for the Broncos was Keira Beall-Gleason, who recorded 15 points and 7 rebounds, supported by a total of nine Broncos who contributed to the scoring. On the opposing side, Jaiden Montgomery led the Jaguars with 14 points and 12 rebounds. Kirtland Central dominated the paint, scoring 26 points inside, and capitalized on turnovers, scoring 19 points off them. Additionally, Kirtland Central's bench outscored Valencia's bench 15-3. Shooting 44.4% from behind the three-point line, Kirtland Central showcased their sharpshooting skills throughout the game.
#2 St. Pius X 40, #7 Bloomfield 36 - Final/Overtime
The 2-seed Sartans narrowly escaped a scare against the Bloomfield Bobcats from the northwest region, staging a comeback in the final minutes to force overtime and clinch a 40-36 victory. Alyssa Mays led the charge with an impressive stat line of 14 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 steals. Forward Macy Freeze secured a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds, making significant contributions to the Sartans' win. On the opposing side, Danielle Johnson finished with 16 points and 4 rebounds, while Aliya Quintana added 12 points and 9 rebounds for the resilient Bobcats.
#3 Artesia 47, #11 Deming 39 - Final
The 3-seed Artesia Bulldogs challenged the Cinderella story of the first round, facing the 11-seed Deming Wildcats, who took a 10-7 lead in the first quarter. The Bulldogs unleashed their offense in the second quarter, scoring 14 points to the Wildcats' 5, leading 21-15 at halftime. Deming fought back, narrowing the lead to 33-27 by the end of the third quarter, winning the quarter 12-11. However, the Bulldogs eventually pulled away in the fourth quarter, securing a 47-39 victory. Lorin Wagner led the Bulldogs in scoring with 15 points and 15 rebounds, delivering a standout performance. Hattie Harrison contributed 9 points and 13 rebounds, while Kailee Padilla added 9 points, 3 assists, and 2 rebounds in the win. The Deming Wildcats were led by Jacqueline Aquayo, who scored 13 points, grabbed 4 steals, and secured 5 rebounds. With this victory, the Bulldogs advance to the Final Four, where they will face the 2-seed St. Pius X Sartans.
#4 Gallup 66, #5 Portales 56 - Final
The Gallup Bengals, widely regarded as the second-best team in New Mexico high school 4A girls' basketball, faced a determined Portales Rams team, seeded 5th in the bracket, who had their sights set on an upset. The Bengals seized control in the first half, establishing a commanding lead of 36-23. However, the Portales Rams came out of halftime with determination, heating up their offense and scoring 21 points to briefly take the lead and narrow the margin to 47-44. Despite the Rams' surge, the Gallup Bengals held their ground, rallying late in the fourth quarter to secure a ten-point victory, 66-56. Rylie Whitehair made her presence known inside, contributing 20 points and 11 rebounds, while Kayden Tsosie showcased her smooth shooting touch with 12 points and 4 rebounds. Adriell Thomas added 11 points to the Bengals' tally. For the Portales Rams, Angel Ornelas played a pivotal role in the comeback effort, tallying 13 points, 3 steals, and 6 assists. Myleigh Banda contributed 15 points, and Evannie Fulfer added 14 points in the loss. The victory for Gallup sets up another anticipated rematch with the 1-seed Kirtland Central, in what many anticipate to be a clash between the top two teams in the class.
3A BASKETBALL
#1 Tohatchi 48, #8 Zuni 16 - Final
The game took a swift turn towards domination as the top-seeded Tohatchi Cougars surged to a 14-0 lead over the Zuni Thunderbirds in the opening quarter, building on it to secure a commanding 31-3 halftime advantage. Nine Cougars contributed to the scoring in this one, with Brooke Badonie leading the charge with 15 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and an impressive 7 steals. Marisa Denetso chipped in with 8 points and 3 steals to aid in the victory. Kealani Kaamasee stood out for the Thunderbirds with 11 rebounds, providing the lone noteworthy statistical performance. She also contributed 3 points to the scoreboard. Tohatchi's suffocating defense forced an astonishing 33 turnovers in this game, further solidifying their dominance.Tohatchi will take on Santa Fe Indian in the Final Four.
#3 Navajo Prep 59, #6 West Las Vegas 28 - Final
From the outset, the Navajo Prep Eagles dominated, securing a commanding 19-4 lead in the first quarter and cruising to a comfortable victory over the West Las Vegas Dons. Despite West Las Vegas showing resilience in the second quarter with 10 points, the Eagles continued their onslaught, adding 17 points to extend their halftime lead to 36-14. With a final score of 59-28, the Eagles advanced to the Final Four, where they will square off against the 7-seed St. Michael's Horsemen. Aniya Johnson led the Eagles in scoring with 13 points and 6 rebounds, supported by Shiloh Conn with 10 points and 3 rebounds. For West Las Vegas, Tyra Horner contributed 12 points, while Alexis Pacheco added 10 points in the loss.
#4 Santa Fe Indian 49, #5 Tucumcari 40 - Final
In an afternoon game marked by back-and-forth action at the Rio Rancho Events Center, the 4-seed Santa Fe Indian Braves held off the 5-seed Tucumcari Rattlers, securing their spot in the Final Four for the third consecutive year. They now face the formidable top seed, Tohatchi. The Braves' key player, as anticipated prior to the game, led the charge with an impressive 23 points and 7 rebounds. Kaydence Riley also made significant contributions with 12 points and 6 rebounds. For Tucumcari, Caylee Benavidez led the scoring with 18 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, while Kyla Lopez added 10 points and 13 rebounds in the loss.
#7 St. Michael's 41, #2 Robertson 39 - Final
Delivering the first upset of the day at the state tournament were the Horsemen of St. Michael's, edging out their rival and 2-seed Robertson with a narrow 41-39 victory. Despite a challenging shooting day and a shaky start, the Horsemen managed to overcome 24 turnovers to secure the upset. Seniors Jada Lujan, Ceciliana Ruiz, and Mia Duran were instrumental in making crucial plays. Lujan led the charge with a team-high 12 points and 10 rebounds, while Duran contributed 5 points and 11 rebounds for the Horsemen. Lovely Allemand made significant contributions in the second half, leading the way for the Cardinals with 11 points and 7 rebounds in the hard-fought loss.
2A BASKETBALL
#1 Mesa Vista 74, #8 Laguna-Acoma 36 - Final
#2 Tatum 55, #7 Dulce 45 - Final
Valeria Marizcal spearheaded the Tatum Coyotes to victory with an impressive performance, racking up 18 points and 10 rebounds in the early morning showdown at the Rio Rancho Events Center, propelling the Coyotes into the Final Four on Thursday morning. Also making significant contributions to the win was Avery Henard, notching 5 points and grabbing 10 rebounds for the Coyotes. On the opposing side, Mattie Dale led the charge for Dulce with a commendable display, tallying 19 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 assists in the hard-fought loss.
#4 Tularosa 39, #5 Menaul 36 - Final
#6 Penasco 50, #3 Pecos 32 - Final
Another upset unfolded at the Rio Rancho Events Center, with the 6-seed Penasco Panthers stunning the 3-seed Pecos Panthers with a commanding 50-32 victory. Jumping ahead with a formidable 15-8 first quarter, the Panthers maintained their momentum, dominating the second half and restricting Pecos to just 10 points. Three Panthers led the charge with double-digit scoring, as Analise MacAuley and Rochelle Lopez each contributed 16 points in the triumph, while Alexuis Romero added 10 points and 10 rebounds. Despite the loss, Natalia Stout showcased a strong performance for the Pecos Panthers, registering 17 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists.