Who Dominated the 2025 Mel Otero Invitational?

The Mel Otero Invitational at Rio Rancho High School delivered three days of intense girls' varsity basketball action from December 11-13, 2025. This competitive 8-team field featured a mix of Class 5A and Class 4A powerhouses — six from 5A and two from 4A — showcasing some of New Mexico's brightest talents.   In a thrilling championship game, the host Rio Rancho Rams rallied from a halftime deficit to dominate the second half and claim the title with a 46-30 victory over the Albuquerque High Bulldogs. The Rams' resilience and standout individual performances highlighted a tournament full of exciting plays, tough defense, and clutch scoring.   Here are the All-Tournament selections, recognizing the players who lit up the court:   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">First Team</h2>   [player_tooltip player_id='839457' first='Madilynn' last='Martinez'] - Rio Rancho (MVP)   The tournament's Most Valuable Player was simply unstoppable. This skilled lefty dazzled with her deep range, sharp vision, and mastery of the pick-and-roll — scoring at will while dishing out assists to teammates. Martinez was on fire from start to finish.   [player_tooltip player_id='648197' first='Savannah' last='Combs'] - Albuquerque High   Combs owned the paint for the Bulldogs, consistently posting up deep in the lane. She battled through traffic for rebounds, powered home finishes against double-teams, and swatted shots with authority.   [player_tooltip player_id='831120' first='Daysia' last='Jack'] - Rio Rancho   A deadly perimeter threat, Jack drained catch-and-shoot threes with precision, stretching defenses and providing crucial spacing for the Rams.   [player_tooltip player_id='1068445' first='Larissa' last='Martinez'] - Rio Rancho   The ultimate do-it-all competitor, Martinez defended relentlessly, facilitated the offense, and chipped in points. Her standout skill? Leaping passing lanes for steals that sparked fast breaks.   [player_tooltip player_id='648191' first='Jordyn' last='Dyer'] - La Cueva   This dynamic shooting guard was a force of nature — pulling up for threes off the dribble, earning old-fashioned three-point plays, and locking down opponents with elite on-ball defense.   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Second Team</h2>   [player_tooltip player_id='648234' first='Ceanna' last='McKines'] - Mayfield   Pure bully ball at its finest. McKines attacked the rim relentlessly, finishing through contact and sprinkling in smooth midrange jumpers.   Bella Walter - Centennial   Walter brought nonstop energy for the Hawks, battling physically on both ends — fighting for position, crashing the boards, and scrapping for every loose ball.   [player_tooltip player_id='1058917' first='Zoey' last='Benally'] - Kirtland Central   A tempo-pushing sparkplug, Benally dished out multiple assists, scored layups off the dribble, and kept the Broncos moving in transition.   [player_tooltip player_id='648201' first='Lailah' last='Bouldin'] - Albuquerque High   Tenacious on defense and crafty on offense, Bouldin disrupted opponents while cleverly getting to her favorite spots for scores.   [player_tooltip player_id='1068199' first='Allyson' last='Tsosie'] - Kirtland Central   Versatile and dangerous, Tsosie knocked down catch-and-shoot threes in transition or off kick-outs, while her active hands created havoc defensively.   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Third Team</h2>   Amiyah Cunningham - St. Pius X   With solid positional size and boundless energy, Cunningham spaced the floor effectively and buried several catch-and-shoot threes.   [player_tooltip player_id='794012' first='Serena' last='McHugh'] - Rio Rancho   McHugh anchored the interior for the Rams, erasing shots at the rim and running the floor for easy transition buckets.   Ashlyn Maya - Mayfield   A savvy floor general with great feel, Maya distributed the ball expertly and drained multiple threes.   Addison Love - St. Pius X   This emerging talent stayed active off the ball, showcasing her offensive potential as a capable and budding scorer.   [player_tooltip player_id='792927' first='Kaci' last='McHugh'] - Rio Rancho   Making the most of her minutes, McHugh used her size and length to rise over defenders for shots and provided valuable relief points around the basket.   The Mel Otero Invitational once again proved why it's a premier early-season showcase, with standout performances hinting at big things to come in New Mexico high school girls' basketball. Congratulations to the champion Rio Rancho Rams and all the honorees!

The Mel Otero Invitational at Rio Rancho High School delivered three days of intense girls' varsity basketball action from December 11-13, 2025. This competitive 8-team field featured a mix of Class 5A and Class 4A powerhouses — six from 5A and two from 4A — showcasing some of New Mexico's brightest talents.