Today marks the pinnacle of the 2024 New Mexico high school basketball state tournament as the Final Four matchups unfold. Both boys and girls teams will vie for a chance to advance to the State Championship games scheduled for Friday or Saturday. Stay tuned for an exciting display of talent and determination on the court. #nmpreps

No. 1 Volcano Vista 60, No. 5 La Cueva 47 - Final

By Joshua Grine

In a clash that showcased the pinnacle of basketball talent in New Mexico, the stage was set for an epic showdown between the No. 1 Volcano Vista Hawks and the No. 5 La Cueva Bears in the 5A state basketball Final Four. With a multitude of top-ranked players on both sides, anticipation ran high as fans braced for an exhilarating contest.

The Bears wasted no time asserting their dominance, coming out with ferocious energy and precision to take an early 14-10 lead after the first quarter. Daniel Lovato spearheaded the Bears' offensive charge in the first half, tallying 10 points and 5 rebounds, showcasing his versatility on the court. Meanwhile, the Hawks' freshman sensation, David Lunn, dazzled with his explosive athleticism, leading Volcano Vista with 12 points in the opening half.

The game was characterized by pivotal turning points and momentum swings, with both teams engaging in a relentless battle for supremacy. La Cueva maintained a narrow 27-24 lead at halftime, setting the stage for a thrilling second half.

As the action resumed, the Hawks emerged from the locker room determined to reclaim control of the game. A decisive 11-4 run in the third quarter propelled Volcano Vista into the lead, igniting the crowd with anticipation. Despite La Cueva's valiant efforts to halt the Hawks' momentum, Volcano Vista maintained their composure and executed flawlessly down the stretch.

David Lunn continued to shine in the third quarter, adding six more points to his impressive tally, finishing with 18 points heading into the final period. In the fourth quarter, the Hawks intensified their assault, embarking on another crucial 11-4 run to extend their lead to 54-43 with just over three minutes remaining.

From there, Volcano Vista never looked back, controlling the game with poise and precision to secure a commanding 60-47 victory and advance to the state championship game. With their sights set on a historic three-peat, the Hawks will face the No. 2 Organ Mountain Knights in what promises to be an electrifying showdown on Saturday night at 8pm in The PIT.

Key to Volcano Vista's triumph was their relentless defensive pressure, forcing 18 turnovers through three quarters while committing just 5 themselves. David Lunn led the charge with an impressive 22 points and 4 rebounds, while Kenyon Aguino contributed a double-double performance with 20 points and 12 rebounds.

Despite the loss, Daniel Lovato delivered a commendable performance for La Cueva, finishing with 15 points and 7 rebounds, showcasing his resilience and determination throughout the contest.

No. 2 Organ Mountain 56, No. 11 Albuquerque 47 - Final

By Joshua Grine

In the opening clash of the 5A New Mexico high school basketball Final Four, the No. 11 Albuquerque High Bulldogs squared off against the No. 2 Organ Mountain Knights in a showdown that promised excitement from the tip-off. With this being their first meeting of the season, anticipation ran high as both teams aimed to secure a spot in the state championship game.

The first half unfolded as a back-and-forth battle, with the Knights edging ahead to a 27-19 lead at halftime. Organ Mountain capitalized on their interior presence, notching 20 points in the paint, led by the dominant play of big man Brandon Kehres, who notched 11 first-half points. Meanwhile, guard Patrick Delahoussaye provided a crucial spark off the bench with 6 points. The Bulldogs, fueled by the determination to extend their Cinderella run, showcased resilience, with Isaiah Maldonado leading the charge with 9 points.

As the second half commenced, the game intensified, with both teams trading blows in a fiercely contested affair. With just four minutes remaining, the Knights held a narrow 40-37 lead, with the Bulldogs hot on their heels. However, a decisive 12-1 run, punctuated by a thunderous dunk from Yehni Wilson, who finished with 18 points, propelled the Knights to a hard-fought 56-47 victory, securing their place in the 5A state championship game. Senior post Brandon Kehres delivered a standout performance for the Knights, tallying 20 points and 15 rebounds to lead his team to victory.

Despite the loss, the Bulldogs showcased their resilience and determination throughout the tournament, led by the stellar play of guard Isaiah Maldonado, who poured in 24 points, along with 4 steals and 5 rebounds, in a valiant effort.

With this thrilling win, the Organ Mountain Knights advance to the championship game, where they await the winner of the matchup between No. 1 Volcano Vista and No. 5 La Cueva. As they prepare to compete for the coveted title, the Knights carry the momentum of their hard-fought victory.

No. 1 Highland 60, No. 5 St. Pius X 56 - Final

By Anthony Johnson

Highland continues to live a life on the edge in this tournament. The Hornets have trailed entering the fourth quarter in two of their three games, but as a number one-seed does, they have figured it out and found a way to win all three games. Tonight, facing a 54-46 deficit with 2:42 and their best player playing on one leg things appeared to be bleak. However, it was this time Jesus Licon and the Hornets went to work and played their best basketball of the evening. Licon hit back-to-back triples in route to a personal 8-0 run to tie the game at 54 with 1:13. Raul Stanford added a driving score that put the Hornets up 56-54 and they would not let the slip from that point. Highland closed the game 14-2, surrendering just two points via the free throw line in the last 2:42 of the game. With the win, Highland moves on to a much anticipated rematch against Valley, whom the Hornets beat 70-57 way back on December 5. This time around though, a blue trophy will be on the line when these two juggernauts clash on Saturday afternoon.

Licon despite his obvious limp led the way for the Hornets finishing with 20 points and 6 rebounds, Stanford added 19 points and 4 assists while Sebastian Hernandez had 10 points. Crystian Perea led the Sartans with 19 points while Mason Montoya and Jason Montoya each added 11 points apiece.

No. 2 Valley 61, No. 3 Hope Christian 44 - Final

By Anthony Johnson

While not quite by 40 or more points this time out, the Valley Vikings continued their march towards the blue trophy with a 61-44 win over Hope Christian. The Vikings narrowly missed getting four players in double-digits scoring, with the fourth finishing with nine. The difference in this game was the third quarter, after trailing 10-9 after one and 24-20 at halftime, the Huskies couldn't get anything to drop as the second half got underway. It wasn't until the 1:44 mark that they found their first two points of the half. The Vikings however were having no such troubles, they scored the first 13-points to open a 37-20 lead before Hope Christian scored a point. Valley led 39-24 after three and used a 16-25 performance from the free throw line in the fourth quarter to put the game away. The Vikings will face either Highland or St. Pius X in Saturday's championship game.

Rosendo Roybal finished with 14 and 7 rebounds to lead the Vikings, Julian Chavez added 13 points and 5 assists while Alec Giron had 12 points and 5 rebounds. For the Huskies it was Noah Perry with 19 points leading the way and Xavier Otero chipped in 11.

#1 Robertson 60, #4 Hot Springs 47 - Final

By Anthony Johnson

The Robertson Cardinals are headed to their third consecutive 3A championship game following their 60-37 win over Hot Springs. The Cardinals used some swarming pressure defense to force 26 Tiger turnovers on the game, nine alone in the third quarter which is where the Cardinals took control of and won this game. During that third quarter, Hot Springs in addition to the turnovers could not find any success shooting the ball against the stingy Cardinals defense. Robertson held them to just 2-14 shooting from the field and opened the quarter with a 8-0 run. The Cardinals outscored the Tigers 20-5 and turned what was a close game (28-18) at halftime, into a 48-23 game after three. While showcasing their stellar defense, on the offensive end of the floor the Cardinals featured a very balanced attack, needing only a single player with double digit scoring in Jesse James Gonzales who finished with 12 points to reach 60 points as a team. The Cardinals made sure there would be no storybook comeback, starting the fourth quarter with a 11-2 run to officially put the game on ice. The Cardinals will face either Navajo Prep or Santa Fe Indian in tomorrow afternoons championship game.

In addition to the 12 points, Jesse James Gonzales just missed a double-double finishing with 8 assists. Brian Lucero and Nathan Gonzales each had 9 points while Nathaniel Gonzales and George Smith chipped in 8 points apiece. Adrian Gomez was the lone Tiger to reach double figures, finishing with 10 points and Tristan Polanco added 8 for Hot Springs.

#2 Navajo Prep 59, #3 Santa Fe Indian 56 - Final

By Anthony Johnson

Even though Navajo Prep never trailed the entire game, it was far from an easy victory for the Eagles who were able to get by Santa Fe Indian 59-56 in what has thus far been the game of the day. Both teams showed off some big shot making skills as well as the ability to not blink when the other team went on a run. Jude Thomas got the scoring and his big day started with a three on the Eagles first possession. From there the two teams battled back and forth until Navajo Prep put a little space between the two and led 20-13 after on. The Braves cut it to 21-19, but Navajo Prep responded with a 13-6 quarter closing to run to grab a 34-25 lead at halftime. The Eagles used a 8-2 run to open the third and stretch their lead out to 42-27 but Santa Fe Indian refused to go away. Dainien Gonzales scored seven points to lead a Santa Fe Indian 10-3 run to end the third and bring the Braves within striking distance at 45-37. In the fourth quarter, the Braves cut it to three at 46-43 following a Jamal Alonzo three, the Thomas boys, Jude and Jakobie connected on three straight threes to push Navajo Prep ahead 55-43 with 5:16. From there, the Eagles did just enough to hold of another rally by Santa Fe Indian and close out the game. With the win, the Eagles are on to their very first state championship game where they will face top-seeded Robertson tomorrow afternoon.

Jude Thomas led Navajo Prep with 20 points, Orion King finished with 12 points, Xavier Nez had 11 points and Jakobie Thomas rounded out the scoring with 10 points. For Santa Fe Indian, Jamal Alonzo was the leading man with 18 points Dainien Gonzales had 15 points and Kenyen Callado finished with 10.

#1 Academy for Technology and The Classics 50, #4 Mesa Vista 34 - Final

The Mesa Vista Trojans showcased resilience in the second quarter, rallying after an 8-point deficit following the first quarter of play. Despite trailing the ATC Phoenix by just two points at halftime, with the score at 24-22, Mesa Vista's momentum waned in the second half. They struggled to find their offensive rhythm, shooting a mere 29% from the field, making just 14 of 48 attempts, and scoring only 12 points throughout the entire second half.

ATC seized control of the game, ultimately emerging victorious with a final score of 50-34. Their triumph secured their return to the 2A state championship, marking the second consecutive year they will face the defending state champions, the 7-seed Pecos Panthers. Leading the charge for the Phoenix was Rocky Miller, who delivered a standout performance with 23 points and 18 rebounds. Jordan Apodaca contributed 13 points, while Julian Bernardino added 12 points to secure the win for ATC.

Despite the loss, Jordan Gallegos led the way for the Trojans with 15 points, displaying commendable effort and determination in a hard-fought contest.

#7 Pecos 63, #3 Tularosa 52 - Final

​Small runs paved the way for a significant surge, propelling the 7th seed Pecos Panthers back into the state championship game. They now await the victor between No. 1 Academy for Technology and the Classics and No. 4 Mesa Vista. The Panthers seized control after capitalizing on a pair of Tularosa technical fouls, not only dominating the scoreboard but also asserting their mental strength. Tularosa, relying heavily on their skilled guards, struggled to find their offensive rhythm in the second half. Meanwhile, Pecos capitalized on the opportunity, with wing Adrian Quintana playing a pivotal role in the Panthers' success. Quintana contributed crucial hustle plays, rebounds, and timely buckets, making a significant impact when it mattered most.