High school hoops in New Mexico are history for year 2019, and on Thursday 2020 bounces in with the annual Northern New Mexico Rio Grande for both genders.

Happy New Year. High school hoops in New Mexico are history for year 2019, and on Thursday 2020 bounces in with the annual Northern New Mexico Rio Grande for both genders.

Pecos’ boys, coming off a second-straight championship in the annual Stu Clark tournament played at New Mexico Highlands University, and in quest of a fourth state title in a row, is favored to win this one, too. The girls field favors the Panthers and Penasco, two of the better teams in 2A and Pecos as defending state champions.

Just a reminder that Pecos was the only school in the state to sweep both the girls and boys finals last year.

At the Northern New Mexico Rio Grande tournament, it will be the same schools in both fields. Along with Pecos, they are Espanola McCurdy, Escalante, Mesa Vista, Mora, Penasco, and Questa, and the first time this season that the Panther boys are in a tournament that includes other small schools.