Next stop on the back-to-back basketball tournaments in Santa Fe has Thursday’s first round of the annual Al Armendariz tourney played at Capital High, with the semifinals there on Friday, and the 1st through 7th places set for Saturday in the 16-school field

By Arnie Leshin 

It’s just a short ride crosstown for the follow-up to the annual Bobby Rodriguez/Capital City basketball tournament.

Just five days after host Santa Fe High’s undefeated boys turned back district and city rival Capital in overtime, and the unbeaten Rio Rancho Cleveland girls got past Espanola Valley to hoist the respective championship trophies at the Toby Roybal Memorial Gymnasium, next up is the annual Al Armendariz tournament to be played at Capital High, with the opening round on Thursday.

 

And again it will be four girls and four boys games, with another possible boy’s title game matching the Demons with the Jaguars, but with Pecos perhaps having something to say about this. The Panthers have won three-straight state championship games in 3A and 2A. Santa Fe High made it to last year’s 5A final, and Capital, with notable injuries, got to the 5A state quarterfinals. 

 

The Panthers and Demons are the lone undefeated teams among the boys, Pecos at 2-0 and Santa Fe High at 3-0. Next in line are once-beaten Capital at 3-1, and 4A Espanola with the same 3-1 record, and 3A Tohatchi is also 3-1. Rounding out the field are 3A’s Santa Fe Indian School at 1-2, and Crownpoint at 1-3. 

 

The girl’s field consists of unbeaten Pecos, which is 2-0 and the defending state 2A champion. Then there’s the host Jags who downed the Demonettes for third place at last week’s local tournament. Both are currently at 2-2. Indian School comes in at 3-1, Tohatchi is 2-1, 3A Cobre at 2-3, and Crownpoint at 1-2. Making the longest trip here will be El Paso Texico, and the Tigers are all even at 4-4. 

 

AL ARMENDARIZ BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT AT CAPITAL HIGH:

 

THURSDAY FIRST ROUND:

                       GIRLS — Pecos versus Santa Fe Indian School at 8 a.m.

                       BOYS —  Kirtland Central versus Pecos at 9:30 a.m.

                       GIRLS — Crownpoint versus El Paso Texas at 11 a.m.

                       BOYS —  Espanola Valley versus SF Indian School, 12:30 p.m.

                       GIRLS — Tohatchi versus Santa Fe High at 2 p.m.

                       BOYS —  Crownpoint versus Santa Fe High at 3:30 p.m.

                       GIRLS — Cobre versus Capital at 5 p.m.

                       BOYS —  Tohatchi versus Capital at 6:30 p.m.

 

FRIDAY SEMIFINALS:

                       GIRLS — Crownpoint–El Paso winner vs. Tohatchi-Santa Fe HIgh winner at 2 p.m.

                       BOYS —  Crownpoint-Santa Fe High winner vs. Kirtland Central-Pecos winner at 3:30 p.m.

                       GIRLS — Pecos-SF Indian School winner vs. Cobre-Capital winner at 5 p.m.

                       BOYS —  Espanola-SF Indian School winner vs. Tohatchi-Capital winner at 6:30 p.m.

 

SATURDAY FINALS:    1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th places:  

                       GIRLS — 7th place at 8 a.m. 

                       BOYS —  7th place at 9:30 a.m.

                       GIRLS — 5th place at 11 a.m.

                       BOYS —  5th place at 12:30 p.m.

                       GIRLS — 3rd place at 2 p.m.

                       BOYS —  3rd place at 3:30 p.m.

                       GIRLS — Championship at 5 p.m.

                       BOYS —  Championship at 6:30 p.m.