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High school basketball: Players, matchups heat up state hoops tourney

By James Staley
Tuesday, February 27, 2007

Forty-eight state tournament games spread over the fifth-largest state.

What's a New Mexico prep basketball fan to do Friday and Saturday?

For some suggestions, The Tribune consulted veteran local hoops coaches Doug Dorame and Jim Hulsman. Here's what the present and past Bulldogs coaches said.

The coin-flip games: Local 8-versus-9 games caught the attention of Dorame and Hulsman.

Start with Saturday's boys tilt: No. 9 Highland at No. 8 Sandia.

"It's one of those traditional rivalries," Hulsman said. "Once you get to the state tournament, these games have a different attitude. I look for games like this."

If the parity of this matchup doesn't grab you, the chance to see some of the state's top playmakers clash should.

Sandia's DeAndre Lansdowne and Highland's Chad Adams could drop 30 points in any game. Both average double-digit rebounds per game, so the missed shots should be almost as entertaining.

On the girls side, No. 9 Hobbs visits No. 8 Rio Rancho on Friday night. Dorame called this a "coin-flip" game; either team could win. The Rams and Eagles are no strangers to the state tournament, and both teams have shown glimpses of looking like Class 5A contenders.

Better than expected? Hyperanimated Valley coach Joe Coleman seems to thrive on impossible games.

Saturday's No. 14 Valley at No. 3 Manzano fits that description. The Monarchs are the defending state champions and have slapped the Vikings with two double-digit losses already this season.

"He is very competitive in difficult situations," Hulsman said of Coleman. "His team reflects that. They aren't afraid of floor burns."

Manzano seems to have a big edge in talent and experience, but Valley ousted last year's No. 1 seed, Mayfield, in the quarterfinals. Can Valley summon that same magic?

Gallup's girls know plenty about postseason upsets. Last year, as a No. 5 seed, the Bengals booted Class 5A favorites Clovis and Mayfield to win the title.

Dorame said Gallup could be on the other side of an upset Friday when it visits Eldorado.

Gallup, No. 6, is the higher seed, but because all district tournament champions earn home games, No. 11 Eldorado will host the game.

In December the Eagles edged the Bengals, 42-39, at a Clovis tournament.

On the road: So much for a sure thing.

Perhaps the least anticipated in any given year is the 1-16 matchup.

Not this year.

"It's not your typical throw-away No. 1 versus No. 16 game," said Dorame, referring to Friday's Rio Grande at Mayfield girls game. "This is a dangerous game (for Mayfield)."

On Dec. 1 last year, Mayfield needed a last-second shot from the state's top player, Madi Spence, to escape Rio Grande, 79-76.

Spence netted the last of her 27 points with 18 seconds left to put Mayfield ahead for good.

She might have missed getting the last laugh, but Rio Grande's Michelle Hale cobbled together better stats. She finished with 27 points and 15 rebounds.

"Rio Grande has talent," Dorame said. "They might have underachieved a bit this year, but that game caught my eye right away."

Another faceoff between two of the state's best players occurs Saturday in Las Cruces.

That's when No. 11 Rio Grande plays No. 6 Las Cruces High.

Ready. Aim. Fire.

Bulldawgs guard and New Mexico State signee Gordo Castillo has been arguably the state's most dangerous shooter. If it's not Castillo, it's Rio Grande's Sam Lente.

Castillo (24.9 per game) and Lente (19.8) can score with the best and against the best. Castillo lit up Hobbs for 41 earlier this year. Lente hit Manzano, perhaps the state's stingiest defensive team, for 27.

It could be painful for the nets.

All aforementioned games start at 7 p.m.

Buckle up.