The 2008 Fullcourt Press New Mexico Skills Showcase at Eldorado High School on Saturday had several big name players showcasing their talents.

The Showcase had four games: 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, and 11th-12th Grade. Four different states were represented including New Mexico, Texas, Arizona, and Colorado. Some players that were expected to participate had scheduling conflicts due to the SAT test.

These are the team rankings from participating teams in the Showcase completed by the NM Hoops Guru

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1. Highland High (Albuquerque, NM) - Xavier Blount and Marcus Franco had great games. UNM commit Chad Adams had a quiet evening. Dylan Houlihan had a solid showing in the Sophomore Game. Daniel Molina did not play.

2. Hobbs High (Hobbs, NM) - Allen Tate was the name that everyone knew in the Showcase, and he had a pretty game, too. However, two "unknowns" is why Hobbs is at the 2 spot. Freshman Anthony Norris will likely be the Eagle player everyone talks about in a couple years. Sophomore Londus Franklin does not look like he can move that well, but he can definitely play ball. His big body should help him get some playing time this year, if not a starting position.

3. El Dorado High (El Paso, TX) - El Dorado had 4 players participate in the Showcase. Freshman Maurice McFarland had a big game in the Freshman Game leading the white to victory. Christ Strong played on the black squad. Juniors Talon Morris and Levander Brunette participated in the Junior-Senior Game. Morris had a lot of points.

4. La Cueva High (Albuquerque, NM) - I already can't wait for Cullen Neal to put on a Bears uniform with Cory Alford and Ronnie Daniels, but I'm going to have to wait until the 2009-2010 season. Neal and Alford, the Lobo coaching staff's kids, are going to be special at La Cueva. Chandler Buckner impressed in the Sophomore Game. Partick Beltran had a pretty fade-away jumper from the side that showed a lot of potential.

5. Temple Baptist (Albuquerque, NM) - Justin Whitt and Josh Counce were stars this past year. Whitt had a good game in the Sophomore Game showing he can compete with the big kids. Josh Counce had a quiet game in the Junior-Senior Game, but that's because that game had so many big name players there. He still had a solid performance. Devin Padilla-Johnson also played solid in the Sophomore Game.

Others top teams:

Sandia High (Albuquerque, NM), Franklin High (El Paso, TX), Chapin High (El Paso, TX)

NOTES:

Watch out Moriarty… Daniel Pierce has been gone a year already, but good things are coming once again.

Yes, Marcos Villanueva is only a sophomore and looks like he'll be the next big thing, but Austin Roark is the name to pay attention to. The 8th grader stands at 6-foot-6 right now. That size alone can dominate 4A ball.

La Cueva will win State sometime between 2011 and 2013... Why? Cullen Neal and Cory Alford, both will be ranked in Rivals.com Top 150 for their respective age groups in the future. Add Ronnie Daniels in 2011 and they'll have the best backcourt in the State.

There's something about the Tate family and basketball… Allen Tate and Jordan Tate are cousins. Don't forget they're related to Jeff Taylor, also.

Give me a scholarship… Tate and Gonzalez will likely sign somewhere while having plenty of offers on the table. However, players like Eric Kibi, Paul Jessen, and Dylan Chavez can play at the next level.

Kibi can play at the D-1 level in my opinion but will likely have to refine his game through a junior college. Jessen is a solid, smart player that could fit into some D-II or D-III school. Chavez is undersized for his position, but he can play the game. If he can get really quick and establish a consistent jumpshot he could probably play somewhere as a small forward.