A glance at the Class 5A basketball brackets

After spending much of the evening scouring state tournament brackets, seeds and matchups, I couldn't help but wonder ...

Does anybody run an office pool for the state tournament?

Could be fun, but I never do well in those things.

Here's a look at the Class 5A brackets ...

BOYS

Pairings (all games Saturday, times to be announced)

1) Clovis vs. 16) Onate
2) Hobbs vs. 15) Valley
3) Highland vs. 14) Gallup
4) Rio Rancho vs. 13) Alamogordo
5) La Cueva vs. 12) Gadsden
6) Mayfield vs. 11) Manzano
7) Los Lunas vs. 10) Albuquerque High
8) Cibola vs. 9) Sandia

Best out: West Mesa (12-15). The Mustangs started 8-3, including a comeback win over Albuquerque High. But they were 2-13 in other games against Class 5A playoff teams.

Interesting matchups

• Sandia (16-11) at Cibola (17-11): Two of the state's best post players will go at it -- Sandia's Eric Kibi and Cibola's Jon Mader. Kibi and Mader are typical New Mexico back-to-the-basket forwards. Undersized (both are 6-foot-4) with slick moves and a nose for rebounds. Cibola won an earlier matchup 63-53 on Jan. 9

• Albuquerque High (18-11) at Los Lunas (18-9): Watch the sharp shooters. Los Lunas has Matt Billups, who has excelled with a heavy heart this season after the death of his father Harold. Albuquerque High has Emilio Andrade, who can bury clutch shots with the best of them. This is an even matchup all over the floor. The Tigers won, 61-52, on Jan. 17.

• Gadsden (15-13) at La Cueva (18-9): Gadsden might be the scariest team in Class 5A because of their willingness to play the dreaded stall-ball. The Panthers knocked Alamogordo out of the state tournament last week using this tactic and winning 16-10. La Cueva has been up and down this season. The last time the Bears were a No. 5 seed was during the 2006 state tournament. That year La Cueva lost a stunner at home to another team from District 3-5A (Alamogordo).

Looking ahead to Round 2

• If the first round is a breeze for No. 1 Clovis, the second round might provide their first state tourney test. The quarterfinals could bring Cibola, a team that the Wildcats edged, 73-70, earlier this season. When healthy the Cougars have enough offense to hang with any team.

• Highland coach Danny Brown has got to be a bit concerned about a possible matchup with district rival Manzano in Round 2. The Monarchs know the Hornets better than any team, having played them four times. Highland is 3-1 against Manzano, but the games have been decided by a combined 11 points.
  

GIRLS

Pairings (all games Friday, times to be announced)
1) La Cueva vs. 16) Gallup
2) Eldorado vs. 15) West Mesa
3) Rio Rancho vs. 14) Clovis
4) Cibola vs. 13) Highland
5) Las Cruces vs. 12) Los Lunas
6) Alamogordo vs. 11) Rio Grande
7) Valley vs. 10) Hobbs
8) Sandia vs. 9) Mayfield

Best out: Santa Fe (12-15). The Demons were 1-10 versus Class 5A playoff teams. They beat Rio Grande early in the season then lost to the Ravens later.

Interesting matchups

• Gallup (13-13) at La Cueva (24-2): In November you might have guessed this matchup would decided the state title. Not now. Gallup lost four starters (three to suspension) and struggled in the state's deepest district. La Cueva has more talent, but, even without so many key players, Gallup has tradition, pride and a system that gives them a chance.

• Mayfield (18-9) at Sandia (16-13): Two of the state's top programs have entered a rebuilding phase after a dominant run. They've played some memorable games in recent years. This could be another.

• Highland (13-15) at Cibola (22-6): Yeah two of the state's best players -- Highland's Deeva Vaughn and Cibola's Skye Barnett -- will share the floor, but this could be a dangerous game for the Cougars. Highland is 1-1 versus Cibola. The total combined scores of these two games is 82-80, Cibola.

Looking ahead to Round 2

• Rio Rancho vs. Alamogordo: It's the slow, deliberate Rams versus the fast Tigers. Rio Rancho has scored 50 or more points this season only five times. Alamogordo did that 19 times, including five times reaching at least 70.

• La Cueva vs. Sandia: Twenty-one ... six ... five... seven. That's the margin of victory in the four La Cueva wins over Sandia. In this rivalry don't be surprised if the fifth matchup is closer.
  

We're back: West Mesa's playoff berth is the first for the school's girls basketball team in more than a decade. Congrats.