The 2025 New Mexico high school boys basketball state tournament quarterfinals. #nmpreps - State Tournament Scores, Brackets, and Updates
No. 8 Highland 66, No. 4 Albuquerque Academy 37 - Final
ALBUQUERQUE- What started as tightly contested game turned into a blowout win for the Highland Hornets, as they cruise past Albuquerque Academy 66-37 to head back to the 4A Championship Game for the second straight year where they will be gunning for back-to-back titles. It was 11-9 Highland after one and 20-16 at halftime, but in the third quarter Owen Cheng and the Hornets went to work. Cheng torched the nets for 11 points in the quarter, including going 3-5 from downtown that drew thunderous ovations from the crows with each tickle of the twine. DJ Spruell added seven third quarter points as Highland used a 22-10 quarter to take a 42-26 lead into the fourth quarter. The second half surge and hot shooting continued in the fourth as the Hornets went 17-32 from the field in the second half to send the Chargers home. The lone bright spot defensively for the Chargers would be that they held Jesus Licon, fresh off a 35-point performance yesterday to just 8 points in this one. However, Licon’s teammates picked up their superstar and easily punched their return ticket to the 4A title game. Cheng led the Hornets with 16 points, Jerry Moody added 14 and Juan Limas 13. The Hornets will face either No. 2 Artesia or No. 3 Espanola Valley on Championship Saturday at 4pm.
