Three of 4 city hoops teams move into Metro quarterfinals

ALBUQUERQUE – Three of four City of Vision varsity basketball teams advanced to the second round of the four-day APS Metro Championships, with only the Rio Rancho High School boys dropping into the consolation bracket.

Here’s what happened Tuesday evening in gyms in Albuquerque:

BOYS’ GAMES

Cleveland 79, Santa Fe 46: In the teams’ second meeting of the season, this time at Albuquerque High, former Demons coach Zack Cole led his new team into the second round.

Daniel Steverson again led the Storm (10-2) with 24 points, while Remy Albrecht joined him in double figures with 16. The Storm had slipped past the Demons 80-74 in their first meeting, which took place in the Thunderdome on Dec. 8.

The Storm will meet La Cueva, a 67-53 victor over the host AHS Bulldogs, in a 7:15 p.m. tipoff this evening at Bulldog City.

Sandia 72, Rio Rancho 62: At Del Norte, Jahmil Crayton-Johnson came off the bench to sink half of the Matadors’ eight 3-pointers, finishing with a team-high 18 points to advance Sandia.

“We knew they were going to shoot 3,” Rams coach Wally Salata said. “When you’re one for 14, you’re not gonna win basketball games, and with our team, that’s the bottom line.”

The Matadors used a 4-0 run to pull away from a deadlock at 12 and never trailed again, holding a double-digit lead over the Rams (6-6), who managed only one 3 from 14 shots behind the arc.

Taking advantage of a tenacious defense, which led to many of the Matadors’ 23 turnovers, four pf those turnovers with about five minutes left in the game helped the Rams get within seven, 56-49. Two treys by Crayton-Johnson keyed an 8-0 run for a safe 15-point lead.

Senior Jayden Johnson led the Rams with 22 points, with 10 in the final quarter.

The Rams meet Del Norte, a 53-38 victim of Eldorado in the other game at DNHS, today at 5:30, again at Del Norte.

• In the other gyms’ first-round games, Highland beat Hobbs 63-52 and Volcano Vista beat Manzano 73-55; the Hornets and Hawks meet at 7:15 in VVHS’s Ring of Fire.

Atrisco Heritage Academy defeated Hope Christian 73-66 and West Mesa beat Cibola 74-63; the Jaguars and Mustangs will tip-off at 7:15 at AHA.

GIRLS’ GAMES

Cleveland 49, Albuquerque High 36: In their second meeting with the Lady Bulldogs, the Storm (7-6) had a quartet in double figures: Danae Elzy led the way with 14 points, Jaylene BigCrow had 11, and Kindyll Sandoval and Savannah Madueno had 10 apiece.

As a reward for that victory at West Mesa High – the Storm had eked out a 45-44 win over the Bulldogs on Dec. 5 – Cleveland meets defending 5A champ Hobbs at 7:15 this evening at West Mesa.

The Eagles, who beat the host Mustangs 75-33 in the later game Tuesday, take a 14-game winning streak into their meeting with the Storm.

Rio Rancho 70, Highland 38: The Rams (8-3) had no trouble whipping the Hornets in a meeting at Sandia, scoring the most points since Lori Mabrey assumed the reins as head coach in 2022.

Freshman Jemmah Estrada led the Rams with a game-high 23 points, while eighth grader Madi Martinez added 15.

Thanks to their win, the Rams get to meet host Sandia for the second time this season.

Sandia beat the Rams handily, 40-14, in a semifinal game of the Mel Otero Invite at RRHS on Dec. 15 in the RAC.

The Matadors clobbered Cibola 96-12 to advance into their 7:15 meeting with the Rams.

• In the other gyms’ first-round games, Eldorado vanquished Valley 58-28 and La Cueva hammered Hope Christian 58-38; the Eagles and Bears meet at 7:15 at La Cueva in a quarterfinal.

Volcano Vista whipped Santa Fe 66-26 and Gallup also beat its foe, Atrisco Heritage Academy, by 40 points, 70-30; the Hawks and Bengals face off at Atrisco Heritage Academy at 7:15.