Mapping out prep hoops postseason teams
Now that the dust settled on the boys and girls basketball regular season, the postseason picture is much clearer. But then, it wasn’t all that murky before the final horn on Saturday sounded. If you want to get an inkling of what teams to watch next month, this should give you some insight into that. Maybe. (Selection and seeding is an inexact science). Without further ado …
Top four guarantees — Boys: Española Valley (Class 5A), Capital (5A), Pecos (3A), Mora (2A); Girls: Las Vegas Robertson (4A), Peñasco (2A). The Sundevils are the clear No. 1 in 5A, but Capital has some wiggle room to get out of the Sundevils’ side of the bracket and slide into a three-seed. All the Jaguars have to do is win out this week, but that means beating the Sundevils. Pecos is locked into No. 3 because of Texico’s perfection and Estancia’s win over the Panthers in January. Mora is red-hot after a 2-4 start to the season, going 17-3 since then and winning 10 in a row.
As for the girls, Robertson would be the odds on No. 1 in 4A if not for losses to Texico and Moriarty. Peñasco toughened up its schedule, and its reward should be a three seed.
Don’t sleep on these teams — Boys: Taos (4A), St. Michael’s (4A), Santa Fe Prep (3A), New Mexico School for the Deaf (1A); Girls: Pojoaque Valley (4A), Santa Fe Indian School (4A), Pecos (3A). The Tigers at No. 5 will not be an easy out in the 4A boys bracket. They played Bernalillo close in their second matchup and gave Albuquerque Hope Christian all it could handle in January. The Horsemen are here because of their unpredictability. When they’re on, they can compete with anybody. When they’re not, you’ll shake your head.
Prep might be the biggest sleeper of the bunch because of its three-guard tandem of Sam Sparks, Sean Coles and Dillon Abeyta. Remember, guards win games in March. The Roadrunners have the biggest big man in 1A in 6-foot-9 post Deven Thompson, and an ability to win close games.
Elkettes and Lady Braves have the combination of size and guard play to play their way into the championship game. The Lady Panthers have their best team in many years because of their pressing style and scoring options. Just look away when they get to the free-throw line.
They made it! — Boys: Santa Fe High (6A);
Girls: Capital (5A), St. Michael’s (4A), Mora/ Escalante/Questa (2A). The Demons are in thanks to a stronger nondistrict schedule and a win over Pecos, and they will play that “team nobody wants to play” role in the opening round. Capital girls are looking at the 16th and final spot because they beat 2-5A champ Española. Meanwhile, the trirunners-up of 5-2A weaved such a tangled web, it’s almost impossible to figure out which team gets in and which is hopping mad Sunday. They all split with each other, so it comes down to wins over regular-season district champs.
Mora is in because it beat three district champions (Pecos, McCurdy and Coronado), and Questa probably sneaks in because of its wins over co-champs Cuba and Cimarron.
Besides, what’s a state girls tournament without Mora? Hasn’t happened in 14 years.