Mountainair Boys
Coach: José Chavez (10th season, 89-126)
Last year: 12-13, no state playoffs
Returning letterwinners: 10
Returning starters: Brody Brazil (5-6, Fr., W); Diego Luna (5-6, Sr., G); Nolan Kayser, (5-8, So. W).
About the starters: “They can shoot pretty well from the exterior,” Chavez said .
Key to the season: The Bears will be relying on Marcos Sisneros (6-0, Fr., P) to seamlessly step into the starting lineup and be productive. “He can dribble and shoot from the exterior so he’s like a swing player,” Chavez said. “He runs the top of my press. A lot is expected out of him. Being that young, his development is going to be crucial to see if he can take the pressure, being so young.”
Strengths: “We have to hustle. That’s our main strength is going to have to be grit. It comes down to the nitty gritty and who wants it.”
Weaknesses: Youth and inexperience. The team has four freshmen and three sophomores. “I think being young is going to build a lot of character and we’ll get to where we need to be. We still have to work on the chemistry and what each role each one needs to be in.”
Goals and outlook:
“To play the best we can, that’s all we can do,” Chavez said. “Play as hard as we can every single game and I think the record will speak for itself if we can get to that point. Definitely our main goal for sure would be to win districts. I still do expect to make a really good run for first place I the district. As far as strategy wise, we’re coming in with a totally different strategy as far as district with a high-intensity game and a lot pressing.”
Mountainair Girls
Coach: Adrienne Bargas (Fifth season, 45-39)
Last year: 7-15, no state playoffs
Returning letterwinners: Six
Returning starters: Jasmine Everett (5-3, Sr., G); Aaliyah Lopez (5-2, Jr., PG); Amanda Hamilton (5-4, Jr., G).
Lopez is “aggressive, sharp shooter, leader on the floor,” Bargas said, and Everett is a “solid shooter, natural leader, aggressive on the ball, while Hamilton is an “aggressive defender, shooter under the basket.”
Key to the season: Taking each possession one at a time by working to leave the past in the past.
Strengths: “The girls are trying to find their tempo and rhythm and how to get in sync with one another,” Bargas said. “They are willing to try all things I throw at them.”
Weaknesses: “They get discouraged easily if they miss a shot,” she said. “I am working with them to shake off the miss and do something to help the team next time they touch the ball. If a mistake is made, make up for it next possession.”
Goals and outlook: “This year is a rebuild year,” Bargas said. “My goals for my team this year are to build confidence in themselves and take the bad with the good. Things aren’t always going to work in our favor, but they still need to work hard and believe that they can do what’s needed to win. The goals and expectations for the year mirror one another. One cannot be accomplished without the other. As long as the girls are building and learning, I have met the goals and expectations for my season.”
Estancia Boys
Coach: Daniel Pierce (Ninth season, 142-65)
Last year: 12-15, no state playoffs
Returning letterwinners: 3
Returning starters: 0
Key to the season: The three players with varsity experience — Justin Rubio (6-3, Jr., P); Joshua Calhoon (5-10, Sr., G); Marcos Lucero (Jr., G) — need to be leaders for the inexperieced players on the squad. Calhoon, already has proven leadership skills after his stellar football season. “Josh is a very good leader,” Pierce said. “Everybody follows him. He’s got the best of the best of attitudes, coachability, work ethic. He might not be the best at something, but he’ll still figure out how to do it.”
Rubio’s basketball acumen, as well as his size, will be important. “He’s a strong kid,” Pierce said. “He loves basketball. He’s a hard worker. He’s pretty tough. He can be pretty dominant.”
Strengths: The team is moving from a run-and-gun offense to a more set-piece that will emphasize Rubio’s ability to control the paint. “If we can get the ball inside to Justin, he can lead us. He can put up big numbers.”
Weaknesses: “It’s a rebuilding year,” Pierce said. “I’m excited for this year, we’re getting better every day. But we have to get them to understand how to play the game and how understand the game. These guys have never had to lead a basketball team. They’ve always been led. But our young group of kids are going to be very good.”
Goals and outlook: “I just want to be competitive and play good against the good teams,” Pierce said. “We’re just trying to get these kids playing at a level they need to play at. We’re trying to set up team goals and have them come up with individual goals on their own. But our team goal is to win the district, have a winning record and make the state tournament. And I just want the team to be able to come together and understand the game. How we do things and why we things.”
Estancia Girls
Coach: Lawrence Tapia (Second season, 14-13)
Last year: 14-13, no state playoffs
Returning letterwinners: 11
Returning starters: Gabriella Villeafuerte (5-4, Sr., PG); Karina Villafuerte (5-2, Jr., G); Dezlyn Carreon (5-7, Sr., P); Jhenna(CQ) Valencia (5-7, So., G); Ana Cuavaz(CQ)(5-4, So., F).
“We haven’t got the tallest girls, but man, we’re fast,” Tapia said.
Key to the season: Getting out in transition and keeping turnovers to a minimum.
“We thrive on transition,” Tapia said. “I knew we weren’t going to have a lot of height at Estancia, but the best thing that comes with that is our speed. We want to go up and down the court. We’re a run and gun team.
Strengths: “They’ve been playing together forever. You can tell,” he said. “They’ve gotten so much better going up and down the court, passing and finding the open player. We always want to keep up pressure. And I’ve got a bunch of the them coming up who are just as good, just as talented so they can press the whole game.”
Weaknesses: “If teams were to try and slow us down, take away that transition, we have to make sure we’re disciplined enough to get there when the game slows down and make sure we’re on our A game and makes sure we can run our own little offensive sets.”
Goals and outlook: “The first goal is to win district,” Tapia said. “We can’t go with a tie again (the Bears tied for first in district play, but tiebreakers left them third). I’d rather go in there and win it outright. I think this team is capable of doing something like that. And I want to take that next step. I want these girls to realize they can win, they are winners. It’s not going to be a big shock to go out there and develop a championship mentality. They have it, they just need to find the mental size of things and they’ll get there.”
Moriarty Boys
Coach: Caleb Encinias (First season)
Last season: 8-19, no playoffs
Returning letterwinners: Five
Returning starters: Jordan Brown (5-11, Jr., G); Jonathan Beukelman (6-7, Sr., F); Jahkeem Graham (6-4, Sr., F).
Brown “has the ability to get hot from outside at anytime,” Encinias said. “He creates for others when he gets downhill with his dribble. Shows a lot of flashes of being a good defender.”
And both big men “have a lot of length and are both learning how to use it,” he said. “Both move well for their size. John has increased his vertical over the offseason and has bulked up which has given him a boost of confidence. Jahkeem is becoming a double digit rebounder each game.”
Key to the season: Three players, Aidyn Pacheco, Ele Mackrain, and Isaiah Quintana, are turning to the court after taking a year off and will be joined Abraham Tapia to give the significant depth.
Strengths: “The first thing that stands out when you see our team is how lengthy we are,” Encinias said. “We have the ability to play many different lineups, as well. We have a group of young men that are work horses. They are relentless on the defensive end.”
Weaknesses: “Still learning how to play together,” he said. “A lot of these guys have never played with each other.”
Goals and Outlook: “Get better every day,” Encinias said. “Build a foundation that we can build on. Instill the Pinto Pride into everyone in the program both at the high school and middle school levels. Build up the Pinto Pride in the community. I fully expect us to be in every ball game with a chance to win every ball game just because of how competitive my players are. They love the game, they love each other, they play for each other, they play hard for me and give me everything they got. On top of that they are tired of losing and want to change the culture here.
East Mountain Girls
Coach: Jeanne Woodfin (Third year, 9-38)
Returning letterwinners: Seven
Returning starters: Rylee Allen (5-11, Sr., F); Ava Podzemny (5-11, Sr., F).
“I expect my bigs to cover all positions on the floor,” Woodfin said. “Ava and Rylee (who was the All-Metro 3A defensive player of the year last season) are both team leaders.”
Key to the season: Fellow seniors Terra Norman, Cashia Simkins and Noelle Estrada help form an experienced quintet that is expected to guide the less-experienced players. “All of my seniors have been a crucial part of varsity in the last two and three years,” she said. “And they’re really motivational to all the other girls. I think we’re going to have going to have really strong leadership across the board.”
Strengths: “We have a lot of quickness and we have a really solid group of players. Even though we have five seniors and the rest are sophomores and freshmen, I would say that we need to keep working together as a team, gelling. There aA lot of new players on the varsity this year.”
Weaknesses: “I really don’t see that we have a lot of weaknesses,” Woodfin said. “we have a lot of potential, a lot of talent. Any weaknesses we can correct with practicing in those certain areas and working on those as we go.”Goals and outlook: “My goals are to increase our wins,” she said. “The most games East Mountain has ever won in a season is seven. We’re going after some of our best records in the past and I think we can take those this year. We would like to do well in district and I think we really have a lot of potential to do some great things. I would not say that state would be out of the question as long as the girls work hard and they stay committed. The stretch goal is state, but we’re looking to setting the highest scoring record of East Mountain by becoming the first to score 70 in at least one game.
Moriarty Girls
Coach: Jana Baguskis (Fourth season, 42-23)
Last season: 16-12, lost to Artesia 54-50 in the opening round of the state tournament
Returning letterwinners: 6
Returning starters: Presley Edwards (Jr., PG); Junior); Juliana Young (Jr., G).
Edwards, who was on the District 5-4A Second Team last season is “the heartbeat of our team,” Baguskis said. “She plays any position we need from her and plays them well.” And Young “leads our offense with great vision and is the floor general.”
Key to the season: To return to the state tournament, the Pintos will need new starters
Miranda Quintana, Jacqueline Rivas and Victoria Alvarado to be productive quickly
Strengths: “Running the floor and scoring in transition, playing disciplined defense,” Baguskis said.
Weaknesses: With little senior leadership available, the team will have to rely on its returning leadership to carry the load.
Goals and outlook: “Handle the hard,” the coach said. “Get better each game. Make a run in March. My expectation for this team is to grow each game and be playing our best basketball in March. We have a good group of returners who (know to) win is not easy and who are putting in the work towards becoming a team that makes a run in the state tournament.
East Mountain Boys
Coach: Brad Hofmann (First season)
Last season: 4-22, no state playoffs.
Returning letterwinners: 6
Returning starters: Isaac Madrid (6-2, Sr., F); Evren Neal (5-8, Jr., G); Aidan Madrid (6-0, So., F).
Isaac Madrid is a “good shooter and rebounder, aggressive post defender who provides strength around the basket,” Hofmann said. “As our lone senior Isaac, will be an important leader on this year’s team.” Neal is a “quick, athletic player who can get to the basket and shoot from the perimeter. (He) is moving from the off guard spot to point guard this year and will be an important leader on the team.” And Aiden Madrid is a “very smart and savvy player who understands the game, good mid-range shooter and good passer.”
Key to the season: Getting the younger, less-experienced players to buy in to the new program to help form a cohesive unit.
Strength: “As a group, the boys play hard and like to compete,” Hofmann said. “The group has a lot of potential.”
Weaknesses: “We are a very young team with the majority of players in the program being sophomores or freshman,” he said. “And I’m looking forward to watching them develop throughout the season.”
Goals and outlook: “For all players to compete in a manner that displays a positive attitude, unselfishness, togetherness and toughness,” Hofmann said. “For all players to develop as individuals, as members of a team and as leaders. Expectations are for the boys to compete hard every day in practice and games and come together as a team. That’s what we control.”