SantaFeToday.com Santa Fe’s Hometown News
By Arnie Leshin
As Wednesday night‘s quarterfinals of the boys state tournament bounces in, just a quick check of what occurred in last Saturday’s opening round.
Home court advantage went to all but Raton in 3A and Silver in 4A. The 6th-seeded Colts took a 63-51 fall against 11th-seeded Albuquerque Del Norte, and the 6th-seeded Tigers were eliminated 46-40 by 11tth-seeded district rival Santa Fe Indian School. And so 11 versus 6 went 2-for-2.
And you can add 10th-seeded Carlsbad’s 49-47 squeaker over 7th-seeded Rio Rancho in 6A, and not forget 8 versus 9, for of all the seedings it had the closest four games. In 2A, (8) Estancia got past (9) Lordsburg, 62-55, in 3A, (8) Crownpoint won over (9) Santa Fe Prep, 42-33, in 4A, it was (8) Artesia ousting (9) Lovington, 50-47, and in 5A, (9) Albuquerque Sandia won 49-46 at (8) Santa Fe High, and so only the Matadors won on the road.
All first and second seeded teams remain. In 2A in fact, the first eight seeds made it into the quarters. In 3A, it was the first five, as was the case in 4A where it was the 6th-seed being ousted. In 5A, the survivors were the top six seeds, with No. 7 sent packing its gear.
Two undefeated teams are hanging in there and both are in 5A, with top-seeded Las Cruces at 29-0 and 2nd-seeeded Albuquerque Volcano Vista at 26-0. They could only meet in Saturday’s finals at the University of New Mexico Pit.
In 2A, 2nd-seeded Pecos is in quest of its sixth state championship. In 3A, District 2 has three schools still in the running — 2nd-seeded Robertson, 4th-seeded St. Michael’s, and surprising 11th-seeded Indian School, but the team on top of the heap is top-seeded Socorro, In 4A, there’s two from district 2 in 2nd-seeded Taos and 3rd-seeded Espanola Valley, and they could clash in the semifinals.
But on top of 4A is Albuquerque Highland, which is 23-3 and lines up next with Artesia, Right below them is an All-Albuquerque paring as 5th-seeded Albuquerque Academy plays at 4th-seeded Albuquerque St. Pius X.
But most of the play centers on big school 5A, You’ve got the two unbeaten teams on the top and bottom of the bracket, then there’s 3rd-seeded Albuquerque La Cueva, which owns a 23-3 mark and will be home to 6th-seeded Los Lunas, which could be a spoiler. And right up there is 4th-seeded Hobbs, a true perennial power who will face 5th-seeded Artesia. Sandia, the 9th-seed, could be a sleeper against the Wildcats, and so can 10th-seeded Carlsbad when it plays at Volcano Vista.
You know the ball takes funny bounces, that the officiating can go either way, injuries can occur, and only the final score reveals the winner and loser. Also to mention that face masks will not be required in the first and second rounds or at the Pit.
WEDNESDAY NIGHTSCHEDULE OF BOYS
QUARTERFINALS OF THE STATE BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT:
2A — (8) Estancia (14-7) at (1) Tularosa (25-2), 6 p.m.
(5) Albuquerque Menaul (18-6) at (4) Escalante (19-4), 6 p.m.
(6) Jal (16-7) at (3) Rehoboth (21-3), 6 p.m.
(7) Hagerman (15-5) at (2) Pecos (22-6), 6 p.m.
3A — (8) Crownpoint (15-10) at (1) Socorro (20-5), 6 p.m.
(5) Navajo Prep (11-15) at (4) St. Michael’s (14-13), 6 p.m.
(11) Santa Fe Indian School (9-17) at Albuquerque Sandia Prep (14-11),
6 p.m.
(7) Albuquerque Bosque School (16-7) at (2) Robertson (18-6), 6 p.m.
4A — (8) Artesia (16-8) at (1) Albuquerque Highland (23-3), 6 p.m.
(5) Albuquerque Academy (18-7) at (4) Albuquerque St. Pius X (18-5), 6 p.m.
(11) Albuquerque Del Norte (10-16) at (3) Espanola Valley (21-7), 6 p.m.
(7) Belen (17-6) at (2) Taos (22-6), 6 p.m.
5A — (9) Albuquerque Sandia (18-6) at (1) Las Cruces (290), 7 p.m.
(5) Albuquerque Atrisco Heritage (19-8) at (4) Hobbs (26-2), 6 p.m.
(6) Los Lunas (21-8) at (3) Albuquerque La Cueva (23-3), 7 p.m.
(10) Carlsbad (16-10) at (2) Albuquerque Volcano Vista (26-0), 6 p.m.
