Metro’s 4A powers all win

Bosque School slams Socorro to advance

All of the top five seeds in the boys Class 4A state basketball tournament won first-round games on Saturday night.

Which is probably good for business going into Week 2, since all five are from Albuquerque.

No. 1 Highland, No. 2 Valley, No. 3 Hope Christian, No. 4 Albuquerque Academy and No. 5 St. Pius each won at home Saturday night.

Ironically, the team that had the toughest time advancing was the top-ranked Hornets (23-6), who trailed after each of the first three quarters to No. 16 Los Alamos before putting together a strong fourth quarter for a 57-51 victory over the Hilltoppers (12-17).

“That’s how it’s going to be be for the next week,” Hornets coach Justin Woody said after his team’s escape. “Every team you’re gonna play is gonna be good.”

Jesus Licon led Highland with 24 points. Isai Herrera added 17 points. The Hornets face district rival Grants in Wednesday’s 6:30 p.m. quarterfinal at the Pit; Highland won both regular-season meetings, by 24 and 15 points.

The second-seeded Vikings (226) blew out No. 15 Bloomfield (1515) 64-23 on Saturday.

Valley shot 51% from the floor. Tyler Kozlowski led the team with 17 points, including three 3-pointers. He was 6 of 9 from the floor, and also added six steals and three assists.

Valley next faces No. 7 Lovington at 3 p.m. Wednesday.

At the Academy, the Chargers’ fantastic trio of Joe Jack (29 points, five rebounds), Justin Mask (23 points, five rebounds) and Dillon McCleskey (16 points, four assists) propelled the defending state champions past Gallup 92-67 on Saturday.

On Wednesday at 8 a.m., Academy faces rival St. Pius. The Sartans (18-11) turned aside No. 12 Shiprock 75-55. Jason Montoya scored 25 points, including five 3s, for St. Pius.

Hope Christian (19-9) routed No. 14 Española Valley 65-35. The Huskies face No. 6 Artesia (188) at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday; the Bulldogs cruised past Taos 61-35 on Saturday.

From Class 3A, No. 5 seed Bosque School is into Week 2 following its 74-57 win at home over Socorro. Kyle Morris scored 16 points and dished out six assists for the Bobcats (21-7), and Cooper Hautau added 16 points, 10 rebounds and six assists.

Sandia Prep (11-19), the 15 seed in 3A, lost 82-49 at No. 2 Navajo Prep.

Menaul, the metro area’s lone 2A playoff team, was eliminated in Texico, 69-48 by the Wolverines. In Class 1A, both No. 7 Legacy Academy (24-6), which defeated No. 10 Alamo Navajo 67-52, and No. 9 seed Evangel Christian Academy/ Oak Grove Classical Academy (1911), which upset No. 8 Cliff 55-51, reached the second week.

For the Silverbacks, senior guard Jaevion Scales had four 3s and a team-best 15 points. His younger brother Bryant, a sophomore, added 12 points.