3A and 2A Elite Eight: Upsets, Stars and Championship Fire

<!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">2026 Nusenda Credit Union State Basketball Championships<br>3A &amp; 2A Girls' Quarterfinals – Rio Rancho Events Center (Tuesday, March 10)</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The brackets are burning down! Tuesday's quarterfinal action at the Rio Rancho Events Center delivered drama, dominant performances, and one massive upset as teams battled for spots in the Elite Eight. From lockdown defense to unstoppable scoring duos, these squads showed why New Mexico high school girls' hoops is must-watch. Here's the breakdown of every game, with the top performers who lit up the court.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Class 3A</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">No. 5 Cobre 46, No. 4 Dexter 43</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>What an upset! The Indians stunned the higher-seeded Demons without hitting a single three-pointer (0-for-7 from deep). It was all about grit inside. [player_tooltip player_id='648223' first='Makayla' last='Duarte'], [player_tooltip player_id='1068211' first='Hayley' last='Gutierrez'], and [player_tooltip player_id='1736671' first='Kamera' last='Ortiz'] formed a dynamic trio, combining for 37 points, 26 rebounds, and 11 steals. Pure dominance—Cobre's defense and hustle carried them through!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">No. 3 Robertson 40, No. 6 Crownpoint 36</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Cardinals grinded out a tough four-point victory behind a monster double-double from [player_tooltip player_id='1693195' first='Devynne' last='Jenkins']: 10 points and a game-changing 16 rebounds. Robertson improves to 23-7 and looks ready for the next battle.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">No. 1 Navajo Prep 48, No. 8 Tohatchi 33</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The top-seeded Eagles soared, cruising to a convincing win. Dejahnelle Denetso led the charge with a game-high 15 points, 3 assists, and 6 steals. Navajo Prep moves to 25-3 and remains the team to beat in 3A.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">No. 2 Santa Fe Indian School 51, No. 7 Newcomb 28</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Braves rolled with authority. [player_tooltip player_id='1068744' first='Toni' last='Riley'] and [player_tooltip player_id='648199' first='Kaydence' last='Riley'] were electric, combining for 21 points. Toni added 3 assists and 3 steals, while Kaydence dominated the glass with 13 rebounds for a double-double. Santa Fe Indian School advances at 24-6.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Class 2A</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">No. 3 Tatum 59, No. 6 Santa Rosa 43</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Coyotes pounced on the Lions, fueled by [player_tooltip player_id='893558' first='Avery' last='Henard']'s two-way masterpiece: 22 points, 6 rebounds, and 7 steals. Tatum's balanced attack proved too much—watch out for these Coyotes moving forward!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">No. 4 Laguna Acoma 47, No. 5 Clayton 38</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Hawks unleashed a devastating 1-2 punch. Jaysie Garcia and [player_tooltip player_id='1671436' first='Brianna' last='Carrillo'] each posted double-doubles, combining for 29 points, 20 rebounds, and 5 steals. Laguna Acoma surges to 26-4 and looks primed for a deep run.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">No. 2 Texico 54, No. 7 Penasco 32</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Wolverines overwhelmed the Panthers behind [player_tooltip player_id='1221581' first='Macy' last='Cline'] and Kinzee Crow. The duo poured in 33 points and hauled down 21 rebounds, with Crow notching a double-double highlighted by an incredible 16 boards. Texico improves to 25-6.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">No. 1 Mesa Vista 54, No. 9 Jal 42</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Trojans dominated, led by [player_tooltip player_id='1648702' first='Aaliyah' last='Boies'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1262037' first='Aubrey' last='Maestas']. The tandem exploded for 43 points, including four three-pointers, with Boies adding 8 steals for extra flair. Mesa Vista stays red hot in pursuit of the crown.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>These eight teams have punched their tickets to the Final Four—expect more fireworks as the stakes skyrocket. Who will cut down the nets? Stay locked in for the next round of the 2026 Nusenda Credit Union State Basketball Championships!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->