Players to watch
Dec. 11—Boys
P.J. Lovato, 6-foot-3, senior forward, Santa Fe High: Lovato's maturation into a multitalented wing reaches its zenith this season. Lovato, the last member of the 2018-19 Class 5A state runner-up team, has always been a strong post player for the undersized Demons, but his lanky frame makes it easy for him to block shots, deflect passes and, yes, dunk. With some needed depth in the paint, Lovato gets his chance to play more on the perimeter and has shown he can knock down jump shots. Santa Fe High will rely on him for senior leadership and making heady plays as it tries to return to the title game.
Anthony Alvez, 5-foot-11, senior wing, Capital: Alvez is the player the Jaguars lean on to break down defenses and create scoring chances. He is long enough to take on most wings, and can knock down perimeter shots. On a team of small teammates, Alvez is being asked to play bigger than he is while also taking advantage of a bounty of shooters that wait around the perimeter. If Capital is to return to the Class 5A State Tournament, Alvez will need to be the leader on both ends of the court.
Devin Flores, 6-foot-2, senior wing, St. Michael's: Flores was supposed to be one cog in a host of scoring options for the Horsemen, but he will spend the first half of the season carrying his team toward the District 2-3A season. A four-year varsity letterman, Flores has the size, length and strength to play in the paint and out on the perimeter. He is averaging 20.5 points per game so far on the season, but can he do enough to keep St. Michael's afloat until junior guard Adam Montoya returns in January to give him a partner in crime?
Jodaiah Padilla, 5-foot-11, junior guard, Pecos: Padilla had big shoes to fill within his own family and the Panthers. Older brother, Xavier Padilla, played on all four state championship teams from 2016-20, and Jodaiah was a part of the 2019-20 championship squad. He is a good shooter from the perimeter who can get to the rim, but he also does plenty of the little things that make Pecos a threat to return atop the 2A summit this season. Padilla has a knack for getting his hands on the ball for steals and clutch rebounds and is a selfless teammate, to boot.
Daemon Ely, 6-foot-7, junior post, Taos: Ely might be the best post player in the North, and is the focal point of the Tigers' offense. With a host of post moves and a deft shooting touch, Ely is leading Taos with 13.2 points and eight rebounds per game and can alter shots on the defensive end. Teaming with 6-5 teammate Elden Torres, Taos has the best post combo in District 2-4A. If Taos' guards mature and take care of the ball, opposing teams will struggle to slow down Ely.
Girls
Maci Cordova, 5-foot-6, junior guard, Santa Fe High: On a team that thrives on attacking the basket and knocking down open 3s, Cordova is the Demons' best option to do both. She is averaging a 11 points per game on a team that harbors dreams of advancing to the Class 5A State Tournament for the first time in five seasons. The daughter of Northern New Mexico College head men's basketball coach Ryan Cordova, she shows a fearlessness attacking the basket, but can also knock down 3-pointers when defenses overplay her.
Cameron Conners, 5-foot-9, senior wing, Santa Fe Indian School: Conners is part of a two-heading scoring attack for the Lady Braves, who are off to an 8-1 start. She is second on the team in scoring at 11.3 points per game and averages a team-best 7.9 rebounds per game. She also provides a strong interior presence on the defensive side, often taking on the opposing team's best post player, and has quick hands that collects 2.6 steals per game. A member of Española Valley's state runner-up team in the spring because SFIS did not compete in athletics, Conners will play a key role if the Lady Braves make it to the 3A championship game.
Jordan Torres, 5-foot-4, senior guard, Santa Fe Indian School: Torres is the Lady Braves' Ms. Outside to Conners' Ms. Inside scoring tandem. Torres leads the team with a 13.4 points per game average and showed how dangerous she is on the perimeter when she hit seven 3-pointers in the Nov. 23 season opener against Dulce. Torres is also the primary distributor on offense (4.1 assists per game) and leads the team with 3.6 steals per contest. She also helped the Lady Sundevils to the 4A title game, and she will have a major say on whether the Lady Braves get to the finals.
Jayden Jenkins, 5-foot-10, senior post, Las Vegas Robertson: The unquestioned leader of the Lady Cardinals, Jenkins is perhaps the best post player in Class 3A. Her size and length make her a handful for even big-school opponents to defend, and she is a constant double-double threat. She has help around her to keep defenses honest with the addition of junior transfer Mistidawn Roybal, but the Lady Cardinals were already a 3A contender. Jenkins won a state title in the fall with the volleyball team, and she could add another blue trophy in the winter.
Joni Martinez, 5-foot-1, senior guard, Española Valley: Martinez was one of only a handful of players who saw varsity action in the spring on a loaded Lady Sundevils squad that reached the 4A championship game. Martinez is using that experience to help the team transition to a new era after the graduation of six seniors who were integral to the program's success. Martinez showed what she is capable of in the opening round of the Capital City Tournament when she scored 18 of her team-high 24 points in the fourth quarter of a 51-50 loss to Albuquerque Highland.
