BOYS CLASS 1A AND 2A CAPSULES

The boys basketball district outlooks for Northern schools:

CLASS 2A

DISTRICT 2-2A

Academy for Technology and the Classics is building a case to not just be a district contender, but one of the top teams in the state. Off to a 6-0 start, the Phoenix are led by 6-foot-3 wing Julian Bernardino and junior guard Jordan Apodaca. The Phoenix will know their standing in the 2A pecking order by January when they play defending 2A champion Albuquerque Menaul and runner-up Pecos in consecutive games. Monte del Sol will rely on the senior duo of Kevin Enriquez and Xandro Zubia to carry a group of mostly underclassmen and eighth graders into dark-horse status in the district. Tierra Encantada is playing a schedule of mostly Class 1A schools in the hopes of building some momentum after a 3-14 season.

DISTRICT 5-2A

Escalante hasn’t lost a district game since 2020 and could face a challenge from a couple of teams, specifically Mesa Vista. The Lobos had junior guard Luka Torrez, the second-leading scorer last year, returning to fill the void left by the graduation of Santiago Rivas. The Trojans, meanwhile, have wings Jordan Cervantes and Brandon Sandoval to guide an up-tempo offense under the second tenure of Thomas Vigil. Peñasco will be led by the guard duo of Elias Archibeque and Jeremiah

Martinez. Questa is off to an 0-2 start and struggling for offense, while Mora tries to find a successor to graduating guard Diego Aragon.

DISTRICT 6-2A

The Pecos Panthers ruled the district over the past seven years and nothing appears to be changing. Coming off a Class 2A runner-up finish in March, Pecos is primed to return to its sixth championship game in seven seasons with the return of the bulk of its lineup, led by wing Jodiah Padilla and guard Malik Barrens. The Panthers should run and gun their way to no worse than a top-2 seed — barring injuries.

CLASS 1A

DISTRICT 7-1A

The Wolves welcome the return of head coach Taylor Romens after she missed most of last season due to her pregnancy. Senior guard Eno Little and senior forward Jackson Cole return to give the Wolves a 1-2 scoring punch that will try to keep Waldorf in district contention. New Mexico School for the Deaf lost one of its most talented players in guard Bruce Brewer Jr. and will rely on senior forward Kieran Vollmar to try and fill the scoring void. However, the Roadrunners are young, especially in the backcourt, and that could spell trouble. Coronado lost key players to graduation and transfers, and are in a rebuilding mode after making the Class 1A State Tournament last season.