Elite Eight Thrillers: Huskies, Rams, Chargers, Bulldogs Advance

<p>The electric quarterfinal round of the 2026 Nusenda Credit Union State Girls Basketball Championships lit up The Pit on Tuesday, March 10, as New Mexico's best high school teams battled for semifinal berths. From defensive masterclasses to breakout scoring displays, these four games featured intense action and rising stars stepping up on the biggest stage. Here's a breakdown of the Elite Eight openers, highlighting the winners, standout performers, and what propelled each victory.</p>   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">4A: No. 4 Hope Christian 48, No. 5 Valencia 35</h2>   <p>The Huskies (now 25-6) controlled the tempo after a close first half, pulling away with suffocating defense and balanced scoring. Hope Christian won the tip and led 9-8 after Q1, 22-15 at halftime, and 36-21 after Q3 before sealing the deal.</p>   <p>Their positional length disrupted Valencia's half-court sets, and a second-half zone adjustment shut down drives to the paint. [player_tooltip player_id='839433' first='Bri' last='Bishop'] erupted for a game-high 18 points, 4 rebounds, and 6 steals, attacking relentlessly and drawing fouls. [player_tooltip player_id='1233322' first='Adalynn' last='Day'] added 10 points, 4 rebounds, and 7 assists, while [player_tooltip player_id='1267244' first='Louisa' last='Landavazo'] chipped in 8 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 steals—both sophomores dominated defensively and ran the show. Senior [player_tooltip player_id='648212' first='Mia' last='Bishop'] contributed 8 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 blocks, using her size for interior presence and second-chance denial.</p>   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">5A: No. 3 Rio Rancho 48, No. 6 Los Lunas 35 </h2>   <p>The Rams (now 26-4) overwhelmed with relentless pressure from the opening tip (won by Rio Rancho), building leads of 14-4 after Q1, 26-11 at halftime, and 34-15 after Q3.</p>   <p>Physicality and energy disrupted Los Lunas' offense, forcing turnovers and poor shooting on open looks. [player_tooltip player_id='839457' first='Madilynn' last='Martinez'] led with 17 points, 3 assists, and 2 steals, exploiting mismatches as a speedy lefty sophomore. Junior [player_tooltip player_id='831120' first='Daysia' last='Jack'] added 12 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 steals, locking down on-ball defense and clamping the Tigers all game.</p>   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">4A: No. 3 Albuquerque Academy 63, No. 11 Shiprock 44 </h2>   <p>The Chargers (now 25-5) won the tip and steadily pulled away, leading 12-9 after Q1, 26-11 at halftime, and exploding to 50-33 after Q3.</p>   <p>Their length proved too much for Shiprock to handle as the game progressed. The trio of [player_tooltip player_id='839425' first='Harper' last='Dunn'] (18 points, 6 rebounds, 4 blocks), [player_tooltip player_id='648196' first='Adeline' last='Spratley'] (17 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists double-double), and [player_tooltip player_id='1068275' first='Kiki' last='Brown'] (12 points, 8 rebounds) combined for 47 points and 26 rebounds. Dunn's 6'6" frame wreaked havoc inside, while Spratley and Brown used physicality to dominate boards and create chaos.</p>   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">5A: No. 4 Albuquerque High 38, No. 5 Sandia 22<br></h2>   <p>The Bulldogs (now 26-3) grinded out a low-scoring defensive gem, leading 7-3 after Q1, 11-10 at halftime, and 23-18 after Q3 before pulling away.</p>   <p>Timely buckets, transition containment, and limiting second chances held Sandia to single digits each quarter. Star duo [player_tooltip player_id='648201' first='Lailah' last='Bouldin'] (double-double with 3 threes, 13 rebounds, 3 steals) and [player_tooltip player_id='1356317' first='Abrielle' last='Pavia'] (key playmaking, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals) combined for 26 points. Bouldin's shooting and energy proved decisive, with Pavia orchestrating as the primary handler.</p>   <p>These advancing squads now set their sights on the semis—stay tuned for more action as the chase for titles continues at The Pit!</p>   <p></p>

The electric quarterfinal round of the 2026 Nusenda Credit Union State Girls Basketball Championships lit up The Pit on Tuesday, March 10, as New Mexico's best high school teams battled for semifinal berths. From defensive masterclasses to breakout scoring displays, these four games featured intense action and rising stars stepping up on the biggest stage. Here's a breakdown of the Elite Eight openers, highlighting the winners, standout performers, and what propelled each victory.