The top players from 5A who are not in the Playoffs

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With the 2025 State Tournament starting later today, let's take a look at some notable players who are <strong><em>not</em></strong> taking the court. The purpose of this article, is to highlight various talented players and is not intended to discredit their respective teams in any form. That being said, here are the top players from the 5A class, who are <em><strong>not</strong></em> in the State Tournament.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:table --> <figure class="wp-block-table"><table class="has-fixed-layout"><tbody><tr><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center"><strong>Players</strong></td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center"><strong>School</strong></td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center"><strong>Team Record</strong></td></tr><tr><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">[player_tooltip player_id='391323' first='Mila' last='Espinoza']</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">Volcano Vista</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">16-11*</td></tr><tr><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">[player_tooltip player_id='391320' first='Zaria' last='Gomez']</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">Manzano</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">10-16</td></tr><tr><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">[player_tooltip player_id='642714' first='Teeya' last='Gordon']</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">Alamogordo</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">5-22</td></tr><tr><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">[player_tooltip player_id='642722' first='Joy' last='Hunt'] </td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">Centennial </td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">12-15*</td></tr><tr><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">Sophia Lopez</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">Rio Grande</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">4-23</td></tr><tr><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">[player_tooltip player_id='648204' first='Daira' last='Solis Gutierrez']</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">Manzano</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">10-16</td></tr><tr><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">[player_tooltip player_id='391121' first='Monique' last='Sena']</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">West Mesa</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">16-12</td></tr></tbody></table><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Players listed in alphabetical order by last name</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:table --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["391323"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67c69d2037246"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Espinoza is one of two players on this list whose team made the State tournament. The reason the 5'4" Espinoza is missing the playoffs, is due to a knee injury which was sustained back in January.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Prior to the injury, Espinoza served as the primary option for Volcano Vista. The savvy senior combo-guard averaged 16.2 points per game -- a new career-high -- with 2.8 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 2.9 steals for the Hawks.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Additionally, Espinoza connected on 46 three-pointers and ultimately finished with eight games totaling three or more three-pointers made. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>No. 9 Volcano Vista will travel South and face No. 8 Clovis. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["391320"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67c6915aa9192"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">This season, Gomez was lights out from behind the arc as she led the State in three-pointers made. The 5'7" senior shooting-guard had 83 'treys' in 24 games played for the Monarchs and was the only player to connect on 70+ for the 2024-25 season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Overall, Gomez averaged an impressive 19.5 points per game on 37/34/72 shooting-splits (FG/3P/FT) for the Monarchs. That said, Gomez was more than just a shooter, as she averaged 4.3 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 3.8 steals per game for Manzano.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["642714"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67c6915aa91ea"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">As a senior, Gordon averaged a double-double for the Tigers with 14.5 points -- on 57 percent -- and 11.4 rebounds per game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Moreover, the 6'1" center and Western New Mexico commit, registered 11 double-doubles in 20 games played, a new career-high.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>To end the year, Gordon recorded a double-double in four of the final five games for Alamogordo, averaging 15.2 points and 13.4 rebounds respectively. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["642722"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67ca094c6dc2f"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Hunt is the second of the aforementioned players on the list whose team made the State Tournament; Unfortunately enough, Hunt will miss the playoffs after suffering a broken hand in the first quarter of the District 3-5A semi-final game vs Las Cruces.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">This season, Hunt, a 5'10" power-forward, reached double-figures in 13/27 games this season for Centennial. Altogether, Hunt averaged 9.4 points per game -- on 42 percent shooting -- with 5.8 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game for Coach Abney and the Hawks.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>No. 15 Centennial travels to the metro area to take on the defending 5A Champions, No. 2 Sandia.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["811192"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67c6915aa9230"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Lopez is a lanky multi-positional player that ended the 2024-25 season, playing great basketball. Over her final five games, Lopez thrice scored 19 points. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In the end, the 5'11" combo-guard posted 12.0 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 2.3 steals per game for the Ravens during her junior campaign, logging three double-doubles, the teams top mark. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["648204"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67c6915aa9274"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">As a junior, Solis Gutierrez set a new career-high by putting up a smooth 12.7 points per game on 46 percent shooting for the Monarchs. On top of averaging double-digits, the 5'5" shooting-guard also averaged 5.7 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.9 steals per game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In the second to last game of the 2024-25 season, Solis Gutierrez scored a career-high 25 points as she went 7/13 from the floor vs Capital. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["391121"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67c6915aa92b5"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The 2024-25 season was a breakout year for Sena who averaged a commanding 18.1 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 4.1 steals for the Mustangs in 25 games played. What's more, Sena also led the State in Assists with 5.6 per game!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In the end, the skilled senior point-guard tallied eight double-doubles and one triple-double for West Mesa en route to being the team leader in multiple statistical categories. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>*Statistics via MaxPreps*</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->