Girls' BORDERLAND 50: Part IV—Tier 1 & 2 Prospects (No. 10–1)
The region’s elite: A deep dive into the ten most complete, program-defining girls' basketball prospects across the Borderland.
This project now enters its final stretch with Part IV of the Girls Borderland 50, spotlighting the top 10 girls’ basketball prospects in the region across Tier 2 and the elite Tier 1. These are the players who not only performed at the highest levels in 2024–25 but did so with consistency, resilience, and a visible evolution in their game. Every prospect in this group has already reshaped their program’s ceiling—and in the case of the top three, the landscape of Borderland girls’ basketball itself.
These aren’t just elite players. They are tone-setters. Each has been the focal point of opposing game plans, the target of defensive pressure, and the subject of film sessions—and still found ways to produce. Some have already secured their next-level destination. Others are just scratching the surface of what they can become. What they share is simple: none of this was given. They earned it.
This final tier is for prospects who check every box: production, projection, impact, and skill refinement. To crack the top 10 means you're in the 98th percentile of all girls’ prospects across El Paso County, Doña Ana County, and Alamogordo—more than 500 varsity players in total. These evaluations are thorough by design. The standard is higher here. Each rank is grounded in game film, in-person evaluation, advanced metrics, and long-term trajectory.
These are the most complete players in the Borderland.
Welcome to the top 10.
RANKING RANGE
Morales was one of the more volatile prospects on my board. At various points, she hovered in the Tier 3–4 range (20s–30s), largely due to the insights outlined in the Growth Areas section. But the talent is too loud to dismiss. Her frame, athleticism, and scoring instincts—paired with the fact that she’s only halfway through her high school career—ultimately pulled her into the Top 10. Add in the fact that she’s coached by Cynthia Hernandez, one of the most demanding and respected voices in the city, and there’s little doubt Morales will emerge as one of the Borderland’s premier players by 2027.
POSITIONAL BREAKDOWN
Morales profiles as a combo guard with high-level athletic tools and positional size around 5'8”—a significant advantage in a city where most guards fall in the 5'1"–5'3" range. Her strength and burst pop on film, but her long-term positional fit remains fluid. Is she a primary initiator or an on-ball scoring guard who needs structure around her? That distinction will evolve with time. Her off-ball habits are still developing, but the upside to become a collegiate-level guard is present.
2024-25 SEASON
Now a two-year varsity contributor, Morales played a central role in Burges’ back-to-back district titles. Her isolation scoring flashes and athleticism stood out consistently, even alongside a talented senior-led backcourt. She averaged 11.3 PPG and made modest to meaningful improvements across shooting splits—including a TS% bump to 42.5%. Her growth was real, and Burges doesn’t win district without her.
PROJECTING FORWARD
If Morales continues to develop, she’ll be one of the most dangerous players in the Borderland by her senior year. There are still more gaps than polish in her game, but her competitive fire and desire to impact the game are unmistakable. Burges may take a step back next season with its seniors gone, but the challenge of leading through adversity could accelerate Morales’ maturity. Even in a down year, there’s room for meaningful growth—especially in areas tied to leadership, decision-making, and efficiency. My guess? She rises to the occasion and cements herself as a can’t-miss prospect in two years. She’s going to score a lot of points—that’s not in question. The only question is: how many wins come with it? In her context, winning will look like leading through adversity, taking responsibility for what’s happening on the floor—even when it isn’t her fault—and making the players around her better.
GROWTH AREAS
Shot Selection and Efficiency
Morales has solid isolation scoring skills and can convert tough shots most players wouldn’t dare take. But too often, she leans into difficult looks. The result? A shot profile that lowers her efficiency. She attempted 7.4 threes per game—over 60% of her total attempts—from behind the arc yet converted just 27%. That volume-to-efficiency imbalance limits her impact. The math is simple: unless you’re hitting 3s above 33.4%, twos are more valuable. Morales has the tools to develop a midrange pull-up and finish through contact—areas that could both raise her efficiency and unlock foul-drawing potential.
Her free throw rate (18.3%) is low given her usage. For context, Franklin’s Allison De La O—similarly sized and also an underclassman—had a FTr of 53.5% and a TS% 17 points higher on 69 fewer attempts. The difference? De La O plays within herself and to her strengths. Morales must learn that volume without efficiency doesn’t elevate a team. Morales is on par with De La O in many ways, but scoring approach is not one of them.
Decision-Making and Body Language
Some of this can be chalked up to youth, but Morales’ body language stood out on film in ways that demand attention. The talent gap between Burges’ backcourt and the rest of its roster was wide—some teammates struggled with basic fundamentals—and Morales often responded with visible frustration. While understandable, her reactions affected the team’s cohesion. Instead of adapting, she often doubled down, playing 1-on-5 basketball that didn’t yield better results.
It’s no secret that her most efficient games—and Burges’ most lopsided wins—came when Morales attempted anywhere from seven to 11 shots, while her most inefficient scoring efforts came in games where she attempted 14 or more. Leadership means living with your teammates’ mistakes and making them better through trust, not control.
Her off-ball habits also need refinement; too often she rushes to reclaim the ball rather than repositioning with purpose. Growth here will be essential for her to evolve from a high-usage scorer into a winning, system-anchored player.
RANKING RANGE
This is where the rankings start to get tough. I could easily justify moving Martinez closer to the top based on everything below. But it also means passing over other elite players who had outstanding seasons. That said, the next two years—not this ranking—will decide her trajectory. And if she continues on this path, it’ll be hard to bet against her.
POSITIONAL BREAKDOWN
Martinez is a true point guard in both role and feel. She initiates offense with dribble-drive penetration, finishes cleanly in transition, and already shows an advanced sense of pacing. While many guards play at a single speed, she’s beginning to manipulate tempo—slowing down to read space, accelerating when windows open. That maturity in rhythm is what sets her apart.
2024-25 SEASON
Her sophomore season was quietly one of the more efficient years among underclassman guards. She averaged 12.7 PPG on a 54.4 TS%, converting 50.2% of her 2-point attempts and 73.2% from the line. As Bel Air’s top on-ball creator, she was both the team’s most reliable scorer and its most efficient one—a rare combo at her age. Are they still a playoff team without her? Probably. But they certainly don’t win 18 games or flirt with a Top 2 finish without her.
2-5A basketball took a major step forward with the arrival of El Dorado and, more significantly, Americas. That context makes her production even more meaningful—her numbers held firm against stronger competition and stayed in range with the district’s best. That’s a good sign for what’s ahead.
PROJECTING FORWARD
I consider her the top 2027 I watched in 2024–25, slightly ahead of another highly promising prospect. Rankings aside—because they don’t define players—she’s tracking to be one of the most impactful guards in 2-5A by the time she’s a senior. Her ceiling is real, and she’s trending upward.
Regardless of her final rank in two years, she’s going to spearhead the Bel Air offense through two more seasons in an increasingly competitive 2-5A district. Given that Americas remains the crown jewel of the district, every game Martinez plays against them going forward becomes a proving ground for her development. Those matchups will reveal not just where she is—but where she’s headed. As Bel Air’s primary ball handler and decision-maker, her ability to manage pace and break pressure against Americas’ full-court press will be crucial—not just for her growth, but for her team’s ability to stay competitive in those high-leverage environments.
GROWTH AREAS
Martinez already plays a mature brand of basketball. She avoids bad shots, leverages space in the midrange, and scores efficiently without being ball dominant. Her lefty floater is a weapon, and she’s hit 53.2% of her twos across 336 attempts over two seasons—proof that her game is built on good shot selection and floor awareness. She even posted a 54.4 TS% this season despite shooting just 31% from three.
What’s next is refinement. Her assist-to-turnover ratio dipped from a stellar 2.37 as a freshman, likely due to increased scoring volume. That’s a tradeoff to watch. If she can scale her scoring without compromising decision-making, her value skyrockets. Developing her off-hand as both a finisher and handler is also essential. She already has great footwork and timing—adding ambidexterity would unlock another level.
She reminds me a lot of Jordan Sapien—not just stylistically, but in how grounded her game is. There’s no wasted movement. There’s no fluff. She plays the position the right way—not because there’s only one way to do it, but because she understands the core principles: pace, spacing, and control. In many ways, her trajectory echoes Sapien’s—grounded, methodical, with high level flashes.
She has a real shot to be the best player in this class by 2027.
RANKING RANGE
Castro’s size, scoring instincts, and long-term upside firmly land her in Tier 2. In just one season at Riverside, she emerged as the team’s top prospect—a notable feat considering the program’s recent success and continuity over the past four years. Statistically and stylistically, she has a strong case for a Top 10 ranking. The main contextual limiter is competition level: while her numbers hold up, they came in 4A—where the game-to-game depth and team quality don’t fully match the 5A or 6A landscapes. That said, the talent is real, and the upside is just beginning to surface.
POSITIONAL BREAKDOWN
Castro projects as a scoring wing, though in the Borderland environment, that effectively means a two-guard. She’s not a lead initiator, but she thrives attacking from the wing—especially off the catch or with one or two dribbles. At 5'10", she’s taller than most area guards and wings, and that height shows up in her shot profile. She’s capable of elevating over defenders and converting tough midrange and deep 2-point looks—a trait that makes her a natural mismatch scorer in high school settings.
2024-25 SEASON
Castro’s senior year was outstanding from a scoring standpoint. She averaged 15.4 PPG and posted a 54.4 TS%—a number that genuinely surprised me given how many of her makes came from contested midrange jumpers. She consistently takes tough shots—and still puts up efficiency numbers that rival players with far easier shot profiles. Her free throw rate of 31.5% also indicates real rim pressure and scoring acumen. Watching her live, I initially misjudged her scoring approach as inefficient—but the numbers forced me to reconsider. Castro challenged my assumptions, and that shifted how I evaluated several prospects going forward.
PROJECTING FORWARD
Castro is headed to Dawson Community College, a DI NJCAA program in Glendive, Montana. The Lady Buccaneers are coming off a rebuilding year with a young core and a wave of new international talent arriving for 2025–26. It’s a promising landing spot. Whether she starts or rotates early, she’ll be pushed by higher-level athletes and deeper team structures than she saw in high school. This is exactly the kind of developmental environment Borderland prospects need, and I’m optimistic about her long-term trajectory at the JUCO level and beyond.
GROWTH AREAS
As much as I credit her tough shot-making, there’s another level Castro can reach by leaning into cleaner shot creation. Those high-difficulty looks should be situational—not foundational. If she continues refining her ability to generate efficient attempts—especially off movement or two-woman actions—her scoring impact will scale.
Ballhandling is another clear area for growth. While she wasn’t a primary creator, there were moments in traffic or transition where her handle didn’t hold up under pressure. Strengthening her ball security will unlock more playmaking and scoring opportunities while maximizing her versatility. That improvement could make her a key piece not just at Dawson, but wherever she lands after her JUCO stint.
Castro might struggle early on given the significant uptick in opponent quality, but if she approaches it with the right mentality, she’ll level up fast. The foundation is there—now it’s about refining the tools and adjusting to the speed of the next level.
RANKING RANGE
Bethzy Quinones undoubtedly belongs among the top Borderland prospects given her role, production, and impact on winning for the Las Cruces Bulldogs as a mainstay in their varsity program over the past three seasons. The players ranked above her simply did it at a slightly higher level and impacted more areas of the floor, but Quinones consistently lined up against some of the best guard play the Borderland has to offer, holding her own—and that cannot go unnoticed.
POSITIONAL BREAKDOWN
Quinones is a true point guard and point-of-attack defender. You want her initiating offense, and you want her guarding the ball. She has excellent lateral movement and functions as a reliable ball handler and fundamental passer. Las Cruces had several off-ball scorers who benefited directly from Quinones’ ball control and tempo management.
2024-25 SEASON
The senior guard had an excellent final run at Cruces High. She increased her scoring average by 3.4 PPG while scaling her volume up 30.4%—with a marginal 2.4 TS% increase. That’s not nothing, especially given the uptick in attempts. Sometimes, stagnant efficiency at higher volume is more impressive than increased efficiency from a lower-volume starting point.
This isn’t a case of a prospect who finally got her shot—she was Las Cruces’ leading scorer last season as well. Additionally, she earned 2nd Team All-Defense honors on my Girls’ Borderland Basketball Awards, averaging 4.0 steals per game—a 1.8 increase from her junior year.
PROJECTING FORWARD
Quinones is headed to Scottsdale, Arizona to play for Scottsdale Community College, a NJCAA DII program. Considering there are still parts of her game that need refining, the JUCO route is a smart starting point. The Artichokes are coming off back-to-back 17+ win seasons, with their 2024–25 attack bolstered by significant freshman production. How Quinones gets integrated into the lineup will depend on what she already does well: secure ball-handling and energy-filled perimeter defense.
GROWTH AREAS
Watching Quinones in person, I kept waiting for her to attack from the perimeter—but it never came. Then I checked the numbers: her lack of perimeter scoring isn’t just minimal—it’s nonexistent. In four years of high school play, she attempted just 25 three-pointers.
If you’ve read my evaluations, you know I’ve flagged multiple prospects who should scale back their perimeter shooting due to shot selection, mechanics, or lack of diversity. I’m not necessarily advocating that Quinones flip her shot profile on its head—but the higher up she goes, the better the scouting, and the smarter the defensive schemes.
If a program can consistently go under screens or sag off her at the point of attack, it will limit her offensive ceiling. Developing even a low- to moderate-volume perimeter game will force defenses to close out, opening up the middle of the floor—where she prefers to operate—and giving her more space to create.
RANKING RANGE
It’s hard to justify putting Jazlene Ruiz outside of the Top 5 and Tier 1. She’s one of the best athletes in girls Borderland basketball and has been a varsity mainstay at Mayfield High, contributing to four playoff teams and emerging as the program’s top prospect since her junior year. The Trojans went 33–9 in district play during her four-year career, including 19–1 over the last two seasons with Ruiz at the helm.
POSITIONAL BREAKDOWN
This is where things get tricky with Ruiz. After a pre-district tournament in El Paso, I asked her what position she felt most comfortable playing. She said as a wing/interior player—which surprised me, because her best moments come in transition with the ball in her hands.
However, when you watch her in halfcourt settings or games played at a slower tempo, her identity shifts. She’s not a natural point guard, but she’s so dynamic in space with the ball that it makes you want to fit her into a mold she doesn’t quite belong in. That’s why I’ve categorized her as a wing. Her 5'8" frame allows her to operate as a frontcourt player in Las Cruces, but she’d benefit from sliding up the lineup at the college level.
2024-25 SEASON
Ruiz’s senior season featured a mix of slight statistical dips and gains: minor decreases in PPG, SPG, and BPG, alongside small increases in RPG and APG. But which stats she led in doesn’t really matter. If you watched her play, it was clear—she was Mayfield’s best player. She drove them offensively, defensively, and especially in transition, where she thrived. Her game could be volatile at times, with turnovers and fouls stemming from her aggressive style—but more often than not, it worked.
PROJECTING FORWARD
Ruiz signed with Cloud County Community College, an NJCAA Division I program in Concordia, Kansas. At this point, it might sound like I’m proselytizing for Borderland prospects to go the JUCO route—so let me clarify: I think JUCO is an ideal developmental path for talented but raw players with fundamental skill gaps. That happens to describe many Borderland athletes, and Ruiz fits that mold.
She’s undeniably talented, with a rare physical edge—but she still has room to grow. JUCO gives her the reps, competition, and structure to make that leap.
GROWTH AREAS
Shooting is critical for Ruiz. Her game is almost entirely paint-bound, with only marginal perimeter attempts—but this goes beyond shot diversity. It’s about becoming a better shooter, period. The numbers bear it out: over four years, she shot just 14% from three on 182 attempts, and a more concerning 34% from the free throw line on 372 attempts.
To put that in perspective, those marks are nearly half the average among Borderland guards and wings—many of whom already struggle with efficiency in those areas. That I still have Ruiz ranked as high as No. 6 despite those deficits speaks volumes about her overall talent.
She’s a downhill force, capable of blowing past defenders in transition with sheer burst and physicality. But if she can get above water from an efficiency standpoint beyond 14 feet—especially at the line—her game will open up in massive ways. That alone could transform her post-JUCO outlook and unlock the next stage of her career.
RANKING RANGE
The upside is high with this one. Abigail Ortega was a prospect I circled way back in the preseason—just from watching her warm up in shooting lines at the Jamboree Showcase. She’s one of the best shooters in the area (more on that below), and she plays a measured brand of basketball while producing real box score impact. Her Tier 2 placement is more than fair, though I’ve slid her up and down the Top 10 over the past few months. I ultimately placed her in the Top 5 because she still has another year to grow in an excellent program—with her best basketball ahead of her.
POSITIONAL BREAKDOWN
In a Borderland context, Ortega slots into the shooting guard position seamlessly. She’s highly effective attacking the middle of the paint off the ball or spotting up in the corners in catch-and-shoot situations. She can score without the ball and on the move—a shooting guard prototype at its finest.
That said, what position a player lines up at in the Borderland doesn’t always map cleanly onto college frameworks—especially when factoring in size. So while Ortega fits as a 2-guard now, her future role likely won’t be exclusive to that spot. Developing as an on-ball player will be essential to her progression at the next level.
2024-25 SEASON
Ortega was Eastwood’s leading scorer and, by a wide margin, their most reliable one. She accounted for 29.6% of the team’s total points and averaged 5.1 more PPG than their second-leading scorer. Even more telling: she was the team’s most efficient shooter from every area on the floor. Given how many of her attempts came from the perimeter, that’s doubly impressive.
When she was on, she was on. Ortega posted an adjusted field goal percentage of 50% or better in 25 games where she attempted 10 or more shots—including eight games over 60%. That kind of high-volume, high-efficiency perimeter scoring is rare in this region.
Part of that is system-based—Eastwood generates clean looks with their team offense—but other players in the same system didn’t convert at anywhere near the same rate. Even more impressive: her numbers improved in district play at the 6A level. She averaged 2.1 more points per game and shot six percentage points higher from both the field and three.
Her season-long 3-point percentage was modest at 31% on 152 attempts. But she also shot 82% from the free throw line—well above average for any position and one of the clearest signs of true shooting touch. In evaluating shooters, free throw percentage often reveals more than raw three-point numbers. Ortega is one of the few in this area to cross the 80% threshold. She’s a real shooter—not just a context-driven one.
But Ortega’s value doesn’t stop at scoring. She was second on the team in both rebounding and steals and posted a slightly positive assist-to-turnover ratio—further proof of her all-around utility.
PROJECTING FORWARD
I’m fascinated to see what Ortega does as a senior, especially with Eastwood losing its second- and fourth-leading shot-attempt players. While Gaby Flores, Danika Sifuentes, and Joselyn Mota will absorb some of that usage, Ortega could—and should—be more aggressive. Not to dominate the offense, but because she’s that good.
Here’s another stat that supports that case: in seven games where she attempted seven or more threes, she shot 40% or better in five of them. In the two games where she didn’t? Eastwood still won by double digits. This isn’t about jacking up more shots—it’s about capitalizing on the quality looks she already gets within Eastwood’s system. Twelve-and-a-half attempts per game is good. It could be better.
GROWTH AREAS
Off-the-dribble shooting. I know I sound like a broken record, but this is the next frontier in Ortega’s development. Right now, she’s a catch-and-shoot threat. If she adds a pull-up package, she becomes a true three-level scorer.
Similarly, if her left hand becomes as reliable as her right, she’ll be tough to stop going downhill. And if she evolves as a driver—not just to score, but to create for others—she’ll unlock space for teammates in the same areas she’s exploited over the last three seasons.
RANKING RANGE
If you read my Girls Borderland Basketball Awards, Danae Gonzalez’s entry at number four should come as no surprise. She made 1st Team All-Borderland, 1st Team All-Defense, won the Effort Award, and was a finalist for both Offensive Player of the Year and Most Valuable Player. She was a remarkable prospect to scout, and it was hard not placing her in Tier 1. Her game and production were loud, yet still deeply impactful. I wouldn’t argue with anyone who believes she deserves Tier 1 distinction.
POSITIONAL BREAKDOWN
Her 5'3" frame naturally slots her into the point guard category, and that should hold true at the college level. But for an undersized guard, Gonzalez played all over the floor—including in the paint. She’s tough, physical, and doesn’t let her size confine her to a perimeter-only role.
2024-25 SEASON
Gonzalez filled every statistical category in 2024–25. She led Burges in points, rebounds, assists, steals, three-pointers made, free throws made and attempted, and two-pointers made and attempted. Her line—17 PPG, 6 RPG, 3 APG, and 3 SPG—was one of the best in the Borderland.
Surprisingly, given how fast and frantic she played, her assist-to-turnover ratio was a net zero, and her TS% finished at 45.4%—on par or better than most Borderland guards with over 200 field goal attempts. Her facilitation did dip from her junior year (4.6 APG), but her scoring nearly doubled. A 7.2 PPG increase is wild. Gonzalez was simply a wrecking ball of energy and impact.
PROJECTING FORWARD
Gonzalez signed with Lamar Community College in Lamar, Colorado—an NJCAA Division I program competing in Region IX. Their head coach recently announced his departure to the Eastern New Mexico staff, and a replacement hasn’t yet been announced publicly. How that change affects Gonzalez remains to be seen.
That said, this kid is going to find the floor. She’s undeniable from an effort and impact standpoint. She will make her way.
GROWTH AREAS
Controlling pace is the biggest area for growth. Her effort, recovery speed on defense, and offensive rebounding masked a lot of inefficiencies. But at the college level, those unique, standout traits will be flattened to a degree.
Some of Gonzalez’s do-it-all, run-around style of play likely stemmed from Burges’ roster turnover and limitations—especially early in the season. But habits were formed during what was still an excellent senior year, and some of them can be scaled back. Her offensive rebounding, in particular, was one of the biggest enigmas I’ve seen covering high school basketball over the past two years. She could shoot a perimeter shot, crash into the paint, get inside leverage, and somehow come down with the board. It was remarkable—but undeniably unsound.
She’ll also need to return to more measured defensive principles, especially in transition. All that said, I don’t expect her to struggle with the adjustment. Playing alongside more fundamentally sound and skilled teammates will allow Gonzalez to settle into a more controlled and effective role.
THE TIER 1 PROSPECTS
We’ve finally arrived at the Tier 1 prospects inside the Top 10. This was my first season covering girls high school basketball, and knowing I planned to produce a Top 50, it demanded real groundwork before the season even began. I spoke with a half-dozen coaches and evaluators, studied rosters, scouted the preseason Girls Jamboree Showcase, and leaned slightly toward girls’ coverage—both in person and on tape—to close the knowledge gap.
Still, unlike the boys’ side, I didn’t enter the season with a clear sense of who the elite girls’ prospects were. This list evolved week by week, shaped by performance, consistency, and context.
What sets these three apart is simple: they were the most impactful, skilled, efficient, and dominant players I watched all season. Game after game, they stood out. They didn’t just perform—they altered outcomes.
I’ll entertain debates from No. 50 through No. 4. There’s plenty of room for nuance in that range. But this part isn’t up for discussion. These are the three best 2025 Borderland prospects.
RANKING RANGE
Allison De La O wasn’t the best prospect I scouted in 2024–25—but she was damn near close. I had a hard time not putting her at No. 1. She held her own against every program and player she lined up against, including some of the best local talent and Division I-caliber players from out of state. I tracked her closely all season, and her long-term projection is higher than any player I’ve scouted. She’s far beyond her freshman classification—statistically, skill-wise, and in terms of overall impact.
POSITIONAL BREAKDOWN
De La O should play whatever position puts the ball in her hands. She’s a true scoring guard who consistently collapses defenses with her dribble-drive penetration. Her playmaking for others is secondary, but noticeable. At 5'8"—and possibly still growing—she’s already bigger than the average Borderland guard. If she gets to 5'10" or taller, there won’t be a player in the region who can guard her 1-on-1.
2024-25 SEASON
Her freshman year was remarkable—the best scoring season I saw in 2024–25 across boys or girls. She averaged 16.6 PPG, accounting for 30.2% of Franklin’s offense, with an absurd 59.8 TS% and an adjusted foul rate of 53.5%.
Those numbers shouldn’t make sense—especially not for a freshman. For context, most guards in the region sit in the low-to-mid 40s in TS%, with foul rates barely cracking double digits. Her true shooting and free throw rate aren’t just elite—they’re singular. The only reason she didn’t win Offensive Player of the Year in my awards piece is because the player who did facilitated at an equally unreal level. But outside of Jordan Sapien, De La O was the best offensive player in the Borderland. She had no peer—boys or girls.
What do the numbers actually tell us? They show a freshman with elite processing speed, a defined offensive identity, and real composure—while most of her peers are still learning shot selection, pacing, and basic footwork. She reads the game in real time and plays at her own tempo. And that foul rate? It’s not an anomaly. It’s a reflection of how she forces officials to adjust—because if they don’t, she’ll draw a foul on every single possession. That’s not hyperbole.
Just as important: she gave structure to a team that often lacked it. Franklin ran a chaotic, perimeter-heavy offense that didn’t really match its personnel. This isn’t an indictment of her teammates—De La O simply brought a stylistic contrast that made them better. And she did it on her own terms—not by being coached into a specific role, but by instinctively adjusting.
PROJECTING FORWARD
This is a future Division I basketball player. I say that confidently—not out of hype, but because of the homework I’ve done. She lives in the gym. Her fundamentals and basketball IQ are already ahead of the curve. UTEP offered her before she played a varsity game.
The real question isn’t if she’ll play Division I—it’s at what level. She’s likely to be the best player in El Paso over the next three years. But will Franklin’s program develop her the way she deserves? That’s a fair concern. Calling out coaching isn’t something I do lightly, but based on what I saw this season, the emphasis and structure need to improve. A lot of players want the attention De La O gets. Few work for it like she does.
GROWTH AREAS
De La O could keep playing exactly as she is and still dominate. But to reach her ceiling, she’ll need to expand her off-the-dribble game beyond the paint. The good news: she’s already on the right path. Her shot profile is balanced—she lives in the paint and at the line, but still took 30.5% of her attempts from three. She’s a willing perimeter shooter when it makes sense.
Offensively, I have few doubts about her scaling. It’s the defensive end where the most growth is needed—motor, positioning, and rebounding. She carries a massive offensive load, so it’s understandable that her defensive energy dips. But that can be fixed through better conditioning and more varsity reps. Her transition defense and communication need work. Like most players, she doesn’t talk enough on that end—and as Franklin’s top player, she needs to organize the floor when things break down. Her IQ and court-mapping ability give her the tools to do it.
Rebounding is also an area of untapped potential. She’ll be one of the bigger players on the floor in most El Paso matchups, and she has the frame to dominate the glass. Learning to box out, seal defenders, and time rebounds at their apex will allow her to snatch boards and push in transition—a huge weapon for someone with her downhill scoring ability.
RANKING RANGE
You don’t need context to understand how good Kylie Marquez is—you just have to watch her. She wrecks games on a consistent basis, much like a football free safety with the green light to drive downhill on the ball constantly. She’s an undeniable Tier 1 talent with ideal size, athleticism, and IQ within a unique game style that allows her to dominate without scoring the ball.
POSITIONAL BREAKDOWN
Marquez’s most impressive feat is that she plays out of position game in and game out for a program that starts three guards 5’3” or shorter. As a result, she takes on frontcourt duties and plays off the ball quite a bit. I have her slotted as the top Borderland wing, but make no mistake—she’s a guard. And in an ideal system, she’s a point guard. Or at least, that’s how I see her. She’s an excellent offensive playmaker in the open court and an underrated passer who’s even shown flashes of solid off-hand passing. Her positional versatility on defense was remarkable—I saw her guard every position on the floor with fundamentally sound technique throughout. I awarded her Defensive Player of the Year in my Girls Borderland Basketball Awards, and it was an easy decision.
2024-25 SEASON
With Americas moving from 1-6A down to 2-5A, that spelled bad news for the district. The Trail Blazers—and Marquez—ran roughshod over their new foes. She was the best all-around player not just on her team but in the district, impacting the game through scoring, playmaking, on- and off-ball defense, rebounding, and shot blocking. She led Americas in points, rebounds, and steals—the latter of which she gobbled up like they were nothing.
I’ll admit: steals at the high school level are an inflationary stat. Poor ballhandlers and passers get turned over at a remarkable rate, and steal inflation skyrockets. It’s not always a reliable metric of defensive skill—more often a reflection of poor competition. That said, the way Marquez collected her 5.5 steals per game (the highest recorded mark in the Borderland) was different. She did it by reading passing lanes, not just by swiping at dominant-hand dribblers. I’ve even seen her jump a passing lane, miss—rarely—recover, jump another passing lane, and steal the ball. Her timing, closing speed, and defensive IQ are second to none, and she excelled within Americas’ pressing system and zone scheme.
PROJECTING FORWARD
Thus far, most of Marquez’s looks have come from D2 schools—which is more than fine. She’ll be an excellent addition at that level if that’s where her athletic and academic opportunities align. But I also believe she can scale even higher with the right developmental roadmap. I think she has Division I talent that might not be recognized immediately, which might mean going through the JUCO system to level up. Regardless of where she lands after high school, you can bet that she and the Trail Blazers will be even more dominant in 2025–26 with their core 2026 prospects back for one more run.
GROWTH AREAS
On the offensive end, the ballhandling can tighten. Not because it’s bad, but because she’s eventually going to get slotted back into a true guard role. She plays off ball so often that her on-ball reps are more limited than most guards at her level. Her left hand also needs some refinement—she’s good at crossing back over from right to left and back again to get to that right-side drive, but I didn’t see her go the opposite way often. She has a nice hesitation dribble where she downshifts with the ball in her right hand to continue driving right, but what happens when better defenders don’t bite?
More important than handling is continued improvement as a shooter. The good news: she made positive gains across the board—a seven-point jump in FG%, a four-point jump in 3P%, a four-point jump in FT%, and a five-point jump in 2FG%. It’s all trending in the right direction, even as her overall volume increased by 14.8%. One mechanical area worth watching is her free throw motion. She has a fairly deep knee bend that she springs out of quickly, which often leads to back-rimming when she misses. If she slows the load-up and reduces the speed of her kinetic chain, it could help with touch and arc. She’s not a bad free throw shooter—but the fast spring impacts how and where she misses.
RANKING RANGE
This was an easy one. Not because her fellow Tier 1 prospects—or the other players in the Top 50—lack traits on par with Sapien, but because her IQ and control of the game operate on an entirely different plane. She was the most impressive prospect I’ve scouted in two years of doing this—boys or girls—and it wasn’t even close. If I wanted to invent a higher tier, I could have. I know that’s a lofty statement, but the rest of this eval explains why.
POSITIONAL BREAKDOWN
Sapien is the prototypical point guard. She controls pace, creates easy looks for her teammates, and manipulates defenses with her probing and precision passing. She barely stands over five feet tall, so positional versatility isn’t really in play—but she doesn’t play the one out of necessity. She plays it because she excels at everything the position demands.
2024-25 SEASON
Jordan Sapien had something of a “down year” in 2024–25—at least from a scoring perspective. Her scoring dipped by 3.8 points per game, and her shooting splits declined across the board. Even so, she still averaged 13.9 PPG with a 52.7 TS% and a 31.7 free throw rate—well above average marks, and elite in context.
But where she truly separated herself was in facilitation. Sapien posted a 5.1 assist-to-turnover ratio. That’s not just excellent—it’s rare. For reference, a 3.0 A:TO is considered great. Most players in the Borderland don’t even come close. Sapien beat that by 70%. Her ratio isn’t just a stat—it’s a testament to complete offensive command.
To truly understand how hard it is to average 8.0 assists per game in high school, you need to understand what constitutes an assist. There are plenty of excellent passers in this region—Kylie Marquez, Austin Bonilla, Lenny Washington, Jayde Martinez. But even they don’t match Sapien’s facilitating output. Why? Because while they deliver great passes within a team context, Sapien manufactures easy buckets. Her passes don’t just create opportunities—they guarantee points. It's often just a matter of laying it in.
Her anticipatory passing is next level. She also scores efficiently in the paint thanks to her touch and her ability to manipulate defenders into fouls. She’s a master at beating her defender, slowing down, putting them on her back hip, and stopping—drawing contact. It’s all timing, feel, and IQ. She processes the game so quickly she can operate in second or third gear for an entire 32-minute contest.
And she did all of this while coming into the season injured—on a minutes restriction for the first month.
PROJECTING FORWARD
Western New Mexico is getting a gem in Jordan Sapien—and they probably know that if they’ve been paying even modest attention. The Mustangs are a struggling NCAA DII program that won just four games last season. Sapien will immediately elevate their guard play, whether she starts or not. She’s a true Division I-level talent who was underrecruited because of her size.
I covered Division I basketball for five years, primarily focused on mid-to-lower-tier programs, and I haven’t seen anything from Sapien that doesn’t align with what I saw from DI players in her size range. She belongs at that level.
GROWTH AREAS
Three-point shooting will be a key area of growth for Sapien in college. She was a career 32.7% shooter on 499 attempts at Pebble Hills—a respectable, but not elite, number. It’s certainly not below average for the area but it’s a number that needs to rise.
At the college level, teams will dare her to shoot from distance. If they’re smart, they’ll go under screens and pack the paint—because letting her get downhill is letting her operate in her comfort zone. If she can force defenders to close out hard—if they have to respect her shot—then she’ll be an outright problem at the DII level. And if she pushes that number above 35%, she’ll become nearly unguardable.