2024 State Championships: 5A Bracket Predictions

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The 2024 State Championships are nearly upon us with a start date of March 8. The official bracket will be revealed tomorrow (3/3) on 'Selection Sunday'.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here are my seeding predictions for the 5A class with the following criteria in mind -- District Play Finish, Head-to-Head Matchups, Wins vs District Champions, Overall Record and MaxPreps Ranking. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>No. 1 Hobbs VS No. 16 Las Cruces</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>To no surprise, the Lady Eagles get the top overall seed in the 5A Tournament after finishing the regular season with a 23-3 record, which includes an undefeated District record of 6-0. Coach Carpenter, and his talented trio of juniors -- [player_tooltip player_id='458555' first='Bhret' last='Clay'], [player_tooltip player_id='458556' first='Brynn' last='Hargrove'] and [player_tooltip player_id='467050' first='Kyndle' last='Cunningham'] -- are the reigning, defending Champions, and will have homecourt in the Round of 16 as they welcome the Las Cruces Bulldawgs, 13-12, led by Coach Selby. Junior [player_tooltip player_id='814476' first='Bethzy' last='Quinones'] and Janessa Navarette -- a senior transfer from Centennial -- are the Bulldawgs top two playmakers combining for nearly 19 points per game, 4 assists and 5 steals. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>No. 2 Sandia VS No. 15 Alamogordo</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>After claiming the best record in arguably the toughest District in New Mexico -- District 2-5A -- the Sandia Matadors will get the No. 2 seed and will face the Alamogordo Tigers from District 4-5A. Led by the Big 3 -- [player_tooltip player_id='391103' first='Sydney' last='Benally'], [player_tooltip player_id='391104' first='Hope' last='Giddings'] and [player_tooltip player_id='391109' first='Audriana' last='Wright'] -- the Matadors are title contenders and are viewed by some, as the most dangerous team in 5A. Sandia has several players capable of scoring off the bounce and have floor spacers off the bench that can stretch the floor. Alamogordo will depend on [player_tooltip player_id='635354' first='Abby' last='Vazquez'] and [player_tooltip player_id='642714' first='Teeya' last='Gordon'] to get the job done and lift the Tigers past the Matadors. Vazquez and Gordon should and will be focal points in the halfcourt, both out on the perimeter and down in the lane. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>No. 3 Farmington VS No. 14 Cleveland</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Farmington has been a top 3 team all season and that should not change despite finishing in 2nd place for District play. The Lady Scorpions have one of the deadliest 1-2 punches in the State with the likes of the Anitielu sisters. Senior [player_tooltip player_id='391245' first='Kapiolani' last='Anitielu'] is one of, if not the most, versatile player regardless of class while [player_tooltip player_id='648195' first='Kjani' last='Anitielu'] is a talented sophomore guard in her own right. As for the Storm, it will take a valiant effort from the entire rotation to go in and get a Round of 16 win on the road. However, if Senior [player_tooltip player_id='370403' first='Kindyll' last='Sandoval'] and sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='486438' first='Jaslene' last='Big Crow'], come out swinging, they have a "punchers" chance as they say. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>No. 4 Volcano Vista VS No. 13 Los Lunas</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The District 1-5A winners, the Volcano Vista Hawks, get the four seed and will face the District 5-5A runner up, the Los Lunas Tigers. A meeting between an experienced program taking on a budding team that is relentless in their approach to pressure the ball. Volcano, led by senior All-State Forward [player_tooltip player_id='357657' first='Taejhuan' last='Hill'] -- an Adams State signee -- will surely have an advantage in the interior but if [player_tooltip player_id='642725' first='Tessa' last='Jaramillo'] and [player_tooltip player_id='648217' first='Vayda' last='Golino'] of Los Lunas, can disrupt the Hawks ball handlers, it could result in game where the Tigers are playing at a faster pace and tempo, which may favor them. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>No. 5 Mayfield VS No. 12 Rio Rancho</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Mayfield was crowned the District 3-5A Champions for the regular season after finishing with a 9-1 record, putting the Trojans 17-games above .500 with a 21-4 record overall. Mayfield plays tenacious defense and has no problem being physical and making the game "muddy" in terms of having to work and earn each and every single point on every possession on both ends of the floor. The Trojans average almost 13 steals a contest, led by [player_tooltip player_id='391117' first='Jazlene' last='Ruiz'] who averages a staggering 4.1 steals per game on the year. Visiting Mayfield in the Round of 16 will be Rio Rancho. The Rams slide up a few spots thanks to their four head-to head wins vs Cleveland -- 1-0 in 'In-Season' Tournament, 2-0 in District Play and 1-0 in District Tournament -- resulting in a higher seed based on the criteria. The Rams will need for senior [player_tooltip player_id='878758' first='Makenna' last='Lee'] and the Martinez siblings -- [player_tooltip player_id='648192' first='LillyAnna' last='Martinez'] and [player_tooltip player_id='839457' first='Madilynn' last='Martinez'] -- to have big offensive outputs, if they want to walk away with a road win. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>No. 6 Eldorado VS No. 11 Clovis</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Eldorado is a team many do not want to face in the State Tournament simply because of their star player, [player_tooltip player_id='370329' first='Bella' last='Hines']. The junior CG is quickly becoming on of the Nations most sought after players, garnering interest from several top schools at the DI level, such as LSU &amp; IOWA. The Dynamic Hines is a lethal scoring threat averaging an astounding 34 points per game and has made a whopping 127 3-Pointers at a 35 percent clip this season! As for Clovis, look to SG [player_tooltip player_id='357695' first='Zarai' last='Lewis'] who filled the stat sheet all season long for the Wildcats. Lewis averaged 16.4 points per game, 6 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 2.1 steals and 1 block for the Wildcats out of District 4-5A. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>No. 7 Organ Mountain VS No. 10 Carlsbad</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Led by next level prospects, forward [player_tooltip player_id='357650' first='Caitlin' last='Turnbow'] -- a Fort Lewis signee -- and CG [player_tooltip player_id='357694' first='Yvanna' last='Villareal'] -- a Western New Mexico signee -- Organ Mountain is a sleeper team that could make a deep run. Caitlin and Yvanna, are one of the better tandems from an inside/out standpoint as they compliment one another. Turnbow put up a monstrous 17 points per game and 11.4 rebounds for the Lady Knights while Villareal averaged 11 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 2.4 steals a contest. In regards to Carlsbad, it will be [player_tooltip player_id='1054256' first='Abbey' last='Dugan'] who will shoulder the workload. Dugan is a 5'9" junior who serves as the primary ball handler and play-maker. Abbey is solid off the bounce and has the ability to get to the charity stripe fairly often. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>No. 8 La Cueva VS No. 9 Albuquerque High</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Most schools would consider winning 15+ games a success; In the case of the La Cueva Bears, who had a 19-6 regular season record, it kind of seems like a down year which is crazy to even think about. It is a testament to Coach Cogan and the job she has done, winning 20+ games, four out of the last five seasons. The Bears are one of the few programs with an All-State Duo -- [player_tooltip player_id='357673' first='Eva' last='Love'] and [player_tooltip player_id='648191' first='Jordyn' last='Dyer'] -- capable of taking over ball games on either end of the floor. Love, an Air Force signee, is the senior leader and three-level scorer while Dyer, an underclassman, plays beyond her years, excelling in the open court. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In her first season at the helm of 'Bulldog City', HC Teri Morrison led Albuquerque High to a .814 win percentage -- 22-5 record -- during the regular season. The Bulldogs are a young team led by sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='648201' first='Lailah' last='Bouldin'], a 5'5" SG who averaged a steady 14.3 points per game, 3 rebounds and 2.8 steals. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->