Stars in their Roles: Borderland Wings

Basketball in the Borderland is back! El Paso teams are more than ten games into their pre-district schedule, while Southern New Mexico teams opened their season last week. Now it's time to talk about some prospects who do not get enough love. I am referring to the role players, underappreciated starters, bench units, or players from lower-level districts or teams that do not get enough coverage. This story will be part of a three-part series breaking down the underrated prospects at the <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/2024/12/stars-in-their-roles-borderland-guards/">guard</a>, wing, and big positions. Here are some Borderland wings from El Paso, Texas to Las Cruces, New Mexico who will star in their role this season.    By the time she enters her final two years of high school basketball, [player_tooltip player_id='902628' first='Carli' last='Nunez'] will be among the top prospects in Las Cruces, NM. Entering her freshman year she is already ranked within the top 20 for the state and top five for her position. Nunez is a 5-9 wing--still growing into her frame--with ball skills that can translate to the guard position. If the prerequisite ball handling and perimeter shooting keep improving, Nunez could easily be an oversized guard for the area and someone who naturally slots into the shooting guard position at the next level. Centennial already has a top senior in [player_tooltip player_id='642722' first='Joy' last='Hunt'], but the Hawks should be improved with young talent like Nunez in the fold.     It's all about the intangibles with Natalyn Lechuga. If you want an effort-filled player who goes after 50-50 balls and puts her body on the line, look no further than the Montwood junior. The great thing about the Rams is that you could say that about every player in their starting five. That said, Lechuga personifies the toughness of this team better than anyone in their lineup. Lechuga can line up just about anywhere and will take on guarding the opposing team's better perimeter players. Every team needs a Natalyn Lechuga type of player, thankfully for Montwood, they have the original.     It's probably a stretch to call Mia Delgado a role player since she is one of the top prospects from the class of 2027. That said, she plays on a team with excellent senior depth. The sophomore wing is more than comfortable playing out on the perimeter but can use her size and frame to finish in the paint. She has the potential to become an elite outside-in offensive threat by the time she is a senior. For now, she fits in as a crucial off-ball scorer and one of the Spartans' top rebounders. If Pebble Hills wins the 1-6A title, they will need big production from players like Delgado.     [player_tooltip player_id='959180' first='Samantha' last='Wise'] is a player that goes under the radar. But upon closer examination, she is a prospect that deserves more recognition. For starters, she players for the [program_tooltip program_id='713027' first='West' last='Texas Blazers'], an AAU program that has some of the best talent in the Borderland and more importantly, goes on the road and faces tough out-of-town competition. Secondly, she is a consistent scorer and rebounder for a tough Chapin High School squad. As a junior, she still has time to round out the prerequisite ball skills and shooting efficiency from the perimeter to play at the next level.     She might be categorized as a four or a five but if you watch Danielle Escobedo play, her skill set resembles that of a wing more so than a big. At 5-10, she is one of Franklin's bigger players so she naturally plays at the five. However, as an offensive player, her comfort level seems to be out on the perimeter and attacking the rim from the wing instead of posting up on the left or right block. Escobedo still has room to grow as an effective wing scorer-- the ball handling and jump shot can improve. She plays on a team with great primary, secondary, and tertiary scoring. With that, she can find her spots and take on an even bigger role come her senior year. Escobedo is a really strong player in the making who will be more than suitable in her role for the Franklin Cougars this season.

Basketball in the Borderland is back! El Paso teams are more than ten games into their pre-district schedule, while Southern New Mexico teams opened their season last week. Now it's time to talk about some prospects who do not get enough love. I am referring to the role players, underappreciated starters, bench units, or players from lower-level districts or teams that do not get enough coverage. This story will be part of a three-part series breaking down the underrated prospects at the guard, wing, and big positions. Here are some Borderland wings from El Paso, Texas to Las Cruces, New Mexico who will star in their role this season.