OFTB: Sapien and Pebble Hills Stake their Claim in 6A
NEWSLETTER: Sapien is back and healthy, a multitude of prospects hit milestones, and 6A boys' and girls' basketball is heating up!
The Holiday break is almost here, but basketball in the Borderland is not slowing down. If anything, it is ramping up as El Paso programs are all but done with their non-district schedule, while Southern New Mexico programs are starting tournament play.
Here are my Observations from the Bleachers for this past week.
MILESTONE HITTERS
So far this season, we have seen top prospects hit career-scoring milestones. Franklin’s Emma Balsiger passed the 1,000-point mark back in November, while Ysleta’s Azaiah Thompson hit the 2K milestone a week and a half ago. This past week, four more Borderland prospects hit the 1K milestone:
Aaron Guerrero (Anthony HS)
The senior guard is the basketball equivelant to a gunslinging quarterback. He’s a confident kid who plays hard and scores with the best of them down in 4-3A. More importantly, he’s been part of a winning program that won 23 games and went undefeated in district play last season.
Anakin Torres (Austin HS)
One of the better multiple-sport athletes playing basketball, Anakin Torres is probably best known for his exploits on the football field. He was selected to play in the Greater El Paso All-Star Game after a senior season where he played on both sides of the ball. But that hasn’t stopped him from racking up points on the basketball court and helping Austin to a much improved 2024-25 season. Thanks to players like Torres, the Panthers will be in contention for the 1-4A title.
Elnathan Pieri (Jefferson HS)
This kid deserves more attention because he plays the game the right way: effort-filled with a grinding mentality. He’s been a steady presence for Jefferson ever since he put on a varsity jersey and to no surprise is a capable scorer. Pieri’s team might be out of district contention but they have found a way to improve every year since he’s been in the fold.
Yazmin Rios (Riverside HS)
If you want a winner, look nor further than Yazmin Rios. She’s been a varsity player all four years for a program that has been the class of 4A basketball. Rios has been a steady scoring and rebounding presence for the Rangers since she stepped into the starting lineup and is in the midst of helping Riverside to another district title and playoff run. It’s been a special run for a special player and her 1K milestone is evidence of that.
STAT STUFFER OF THE WEEK: ITZEL CARO (EASTWOOD)
Itzel Caro had herself a game this past Friday against Pebble Hills. Granted, it came in a loss that saw Eastwood squander a double-digit lead; they probably wouldn’t have been in that position without Caro’s scoring.
On the night, the senior wing scored a season/career-high 24 points and hit six 3-pointers—also a season/career high. It was a remarkable output from a prospect who hasn’t hit more than two 3-pointers in a game all season.
But that is what you get with Caro, an ultra-confident kid who is never afraid to take and make the biggest shots. Every shot she took was in rhythm and crucial to keeping Eastwood out in front.
She has all the intangibles you would want a player to have and then goes out and has an impressive perimeter-scoring game. Win or lose, Caro has announced herself as one of the best prospects in the Borderland.
TEAM SPOTLIGHT: AUSTIN PANTHERS BB
Forgive me for assuming that the Bowie boy’s basketball team was the only program to keep tabs on in 1-4A basketball. After all, they steamrolled their competition last season and returned most of their top talent.
Bowie is still going to be a force in 1-4A, but we also need to pay attention to the Austin Panthers. Last week, they won the Anthony Basketball Holiday Tournament in dominant fashion. In the championship game, they beat their respective district foe, Irvin High School, 61-26.
Austin's win in the tournament is not surprising, but beating Irvin—a program that looks much improved from last season—by 35 points is a statement win. This is a program on the rise and much improved from its nine-win total in 2023-24.
Austin is currently 9-6 on the season, with district play kicking off in three weeks.
6A GIRLS UPDATE: PEBBLE HILLS RISES
In the matchup of the week, Pebble Hills took care of business at home against the Eastwood Troopers. But, it was by no means straightforward. The Spartans had to fight tooth and nail in both halves to take the win in overtime.
Eastwood was in control most of the game, thanks to the phenomenal scoring effort from Itzel Caro. She hit five 3-pointers through the first three quarters as the Troopers built a 12-point lead. Then, somehow, someway, Pebble Hills went on a 31-11 run in the fourth quarter and overtime to take the win.
It was a remarkable comeback spearheaded by the best player I’ve seen in 6A basketball—Jordan Sapien. So what does this win mean?
It gives Pebble Hills some breathing room at the top of 6A. Additionally, you have to make them favorites against every team they line up against in district play—minus Eastwood.
The rematch at Eastwood on January 24 is a coin toss. Last Friday’s result proved nothing other than that two of the best teams in the area played a closely contested battle. If we do some projecting, Pebble Hills and Eastwood seem to be locked to make the playoffs.
That leaves Montwood, Franklin, Eastlake, and Socorro with the final two spots.
Although Socorro pulled off the upset against Eastlake last week—the Falcons were without one of their top players—I don’t believe they will come out on top against the rest of the top teams in 6A.
Eastlake’s win over Montwood a few weeks ago can’t be dismissed, but their loss to Socorro shows a lack of depth. When Coach Webb has her top three guards on the floor—Evani Valdez, Karina Ramos-Jurado, and Ari Galvan—they operate at a high level, but they don’t have the same offensive punch when one of those players is missing. That was evident watching their game against Socorro.
Betting against a team like Franklin with a backcourt of Emma Balsiger and Allison De La O is not something I would do. Thus, the battle between Montwood and Eastlake is something to keep an eye on.
Here are the current standings in 6A.
Here are some pivotal games in early January:
1/3: Pebble Hills at Socorro
1/3: Franklin at Eastlake
1/7: Eastwood at Montwood
1/7: Pebble Hills at Eastlake
It’s a brutal early January slate for Eastlake. A win at home against Franklin would bode well, while Eastwood beating Montwood would work in their favor. Also, Socorro's ability to play Pebble Hills close will tell us if they have a legitimate shot at making the top four—a blowout would indicate otherwise.
6A BOYS UPDATE: FIRST TEAM TO 45 WINS
There are six really solid teams in boys' 6A basketball, which means we might see two quality programs miss out on the playoffs. This is bitter because you want to see good players—especially seniors—have an opportunity to play post-season games. However, it’s also sweet because it shows the quality and state of basketball in this area.
We want balanced competition across the board—that is what makes it fun! So, what have we learned from two district games?
Eastwood is in pole position and not just because they are 2-0. They have the best player in 6A—Devin Falk-Ramirez—and a learned history of playing close games. They know how to execute down the stretch.
Although Pebble Hills finds themselves in a whole at 0-2, they can play with anyone. Even if they miss the playoffs, they might spoil someone’s party in the process. CJ Quirino and Gabe Loera are a fantastic scoring backcourt and we haven’t seen the best of Josh Flores this season. He’s a varsity returnee who has potential. If the Spartans can get all three of those guards rolling at the same time, they beat anyone.
Pace of play is notably slow in 6A. Eastwood is averaging 46.9 possessions per game—I had to crunch the numbers in my spreadsheet twice just to make sure—but they aren’t the only slow paced team. Coronado beat Montwood 35-30 last week in another grinding game.
Considering pace of play, the team’s that can make anywhere from seven to 12 3-pointers can steal a win. If a team plays slow with limited possesions and an inefficient offense it opens the door for “lesser” teams to win. That is the rub because most high school programs do not boast uber efficient offenses. Hence, why Pebble Hills is still a threat from my vantage point because they have a lethal 3-point shooter—Gabe Loera—who can dramatically shift outcomes. He hit four 3-pointers in the first three quarters against Eastwood, which played a huge role in Pebble Hills climbing out to an early lead. Pace and 3-point shooting matters!
Here are the 6A standings after two weeks:
Here are some pivotal games in early January:
1/3: Coronado at Eastwood
1/3: Franklin at Eastlake
1/7: Eastwood at Montwood
1/7: Eastlake at Pebble Hills
PODCAST UPDATE: JUCO TALK WITH SUNCITYHOOPS
The Podcast is back! Well, almost back. I originally planned to publish the latest episode on Wednesday, then realized Wednesday is Christmas. My brain is completely fried after a semester of teaching, so E9 will be out this weekend.
Like everyone, I will enjoy trying my best not to work and enjoy the break.
That said, my hour-plus discussion with Brad Hamilton, also known as SunCityHoops on Twitter, covered a lot. But the top subject matter was JUCO programs and the ramifications of the recent injunction filed against the NCAA on behalf of Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia, which will allow him another year of eligibility.
The discussion was less about Pavia and more about the possibility and eventuality of extended eligibility for JUCO prospects. The tides within collegiate sports have mightily changed over the past two years.
If we follow the precedent of post-NIL court rulings, we are heading down a road where players coming out of high school could potentially spend one or two years at a JUCO program without penalty and still have four years of eligibility at the DI and DII level.
It’s not a certainty; it’s one injunction. Again, just follow the precedent. It would dramatically change the landscape of college recruiting and JUCO programs and impact high school athletes.
I promise it will be an educational episode when it comes out!