Centennial
Hawks
Las Cruces,
N.M.
Year at
Holiday Tournament: 2nd (2013)
Record: 6-2
Coach: Steve
Heredia
Key Players:
Omar Baez (6-3, F, Sr.), Cesar Molina (5-11, PG, Jr.), James Mulheron (6-5, F,
Sr.), Vince Carrillo (6-3, F, Sr.)
Overview:
Centennial returns to the Holiday Tournament with many of its key pieces back
from a team that took fourth last season in Hobbs – losing close games to
eventual tourney champ Lawton, Okla., (54-50) in the semifinals and Cleveland
(60-56) in the third-place game. The Hawks have a pair of quality backcourt
players in Cesar Molina and Omar Baez and frontcourt players in James Mulheron
and Vince Carrillo. Centennial played Hobbs close in Las Cruces early in the
season, losing to the Eagles 66-60. The Hawks are ranked No. 4 in the state and
No. 1 in Class 5A according to MaxPreps.com.
Cibola
Cougars
Albuquerque,
N.M.
Year at
Holiday Tournament: 2nd (2009)
Record: 3-2
Coach: Ray
Rodriguez
Key Players:
Christian Cunningham (6-6, F, Sr.), Malik Liddell (6-1, G-F, Sr.)
Overview:
While Cibola sits at 3-2 on the season, the Cougars could very well be 5-0 if
not for losing their season opener at Albuquerque Eldorado 66-61 and falling in
a nail biter to La Cueva on the road, 50-49. Cibola is always dangerous with
Rodriguez at the helm and he has a difference maker down low in 6-foot-6 senior
Christian Cunningham and on the perimeter in 6-foot-2 Malik Liddell. The
Cougars last played at the Holiday Tournament in 2009, going 1-2 and taking
fifth. Cibola is ranked No. 7 in Class 6A and No. 14 overall.
Rio Rancho,
N.M.
Year at
Holiday Tournament: 2nd (2013)
Record: 8-0
Coach: Brian
Smith
Key Players:
Ryan Jones (6-2, G, Sr.); Marcus Williams (6-3, F, Jr.)
Overview:
Cleveland, along with Hobbs, are considered two of the top teams in the state
and are ranked so with the Eagles at No. 1 and the Storm at No. 2. The Storm
have that designation thanks to the 1-2 punch of talented guard Ryan Jones and
athletic forward Marcus Williams. Jones, who has committed to play at
University of Massachusetts-Lowell, is one of the top scorers and shooters in
the state. While the Storm’s schedule hasn’t been tough (of the eight wins to
start the season, only Las Cruces (6-4) and Farmington (8-2) are over .500),
they’ve taken care of business with all but one of their wins by 13 points or
more – six by 20 points or more.
El Paso
Tigers
El Paso,
Texas
Year at
Holiday Tournament: 4th (1987, 1990, 1997)
Record: (5-4
– according to MaxPreps.com)
Coach: Juan
Hernandez
Key Players:
Andre Castro (6-0, G, Sr.), Adam Topp (5-9, G, Sr.)
Overview: El
Paso High returns to the Hobbs Holiday Tournament for the first time since
1997. The Tigers return nearly everyone from a team that went 16-14 last
season, including captains Andre Castro and Adam Topp, as they had just two
seniors on that roster. According to MaxPreps.com, the Tigers have lost their
last two contests – a 70-45 loss to El Paso Andress and a 43-31 loss to El Paso
Burges.
Hirschi
Huskies
Wichita
Falls, Texas
Year at
Holiday Tournament: 1st
Record: 2-10
Coach:
Donald Hedge
Key Players:
Michael Norris (5-9, Jr.), Ezekiel Holmes (6-3, Fr.), Sayon Rhodes (6-2, Sr.)
Overview:
Hirschi High School out of Wichita Falls, Texas, makes its first trip to the
Hobbs Holiday Tournament this season. The Huskies have lost five in a row
heading into the tournament with a 52-50 loss to Wichita Falls in the Wichita
Falls Classic on Dec. 20. Hirschi has some size as its roster boasts seven
players 6-foot-2 or taller, including 6-foot-7 senior Dshan Harley.
Hobbs Eagles
Hobbs, N.M.
Year at
Holiday Tournament: 57th
Record: 9-0
Coach: Mike
Smith
Key Players:
Kelvin Jones (6-11, P, Sr., 17.3 ppg, 10.3 rpg, 4.4 bpg), Trey Nelson (5-9, PG,
Sr., 16 ppg), Josh Ruiz (6-1, P, Sr. 12.8 ppg, 6.2 rpg), Pierre Swain (6-1,
G/F, Jr., 11.8 ppg), Andre Foster (5-10, G, Sr., 8.8 ppg)
Overview:
Hobbs for the second year in a row enters the Holiday Tournament undefeated.
The Eagles are beating teams by an average of 26.1 points per game and are
ranked No. 1 in Class 6A and the state. The Eagles have a difference maker in
the middle in 6-foot-11 Kelvin Jones and at point guard in Trey Nelson. The duo
has helped Hobbs average 85.2 points per game – tops in the state. However,
Hobbs is looking to win its first Hobbs Holiday Tournament title since 2008 –
the longest drought in the 57-year history of the tournament for the Eagles.
Moore Lions
Moore, Okla.
Year at
Holiday Tournament: 1st
Record: 2-1
Coach:
Stuart Payne
Key Players:
Jaylon Wilson (G, Sr.), Cole Oliver (5-9, PG, Sr.), Diontre Cutliff (Sr., F)
Overview:
Moore High School comes to Hobbs for the first time to participate in the
Holiday Tournament. Its fellow Class 6A Oklahoma counterpart Lawton saw plenty
of success at the tournament, including beating Hobbs in the finals last
season. Not much is known about the Lions outside of being a senior-laden squad
(they have nine seniors on the roster) as they are only three games into the
season. They are 2-1 with wins over Yukon (Okla.) and Southmoore (Moore, Okla.)
and a loss to Norman (Okla.).
Odessa
Bronchos
Odessa,
Texas
Year at
Holiday Tournament: 19th (1962-65, 1967-76, 1980, 2011-13)
Record: 5-9
Coach: Matt
Jackson
Key Players:
Phillip Estrella (5-9, SG, Jr., 9.4 ppg) Isaac Hernandez (5-7, PG, Fr., 5.1
ppg), Ozzy Terrazas (6-5, P, Fr., 7.1 ppg), Isaiah Mata (5-9, SG, Jr., 8.0 ppg)
Overview:
Odessa High returns to the tournament for the fourth year in a row with a new
coach in Matt Jackson. The Bronchos have battled some injury issues, but figure
to return one of its top scorers Monday. Before losing to Abilene Cooper 51-46
on Tuesday, freshmen Isaac Hernandez (10 points) and Ozzy Terrazas (seven) led
the Bronchos to a 38-35 win over San Angelo Lake View on Dec. 19. In a 53-34
win over Monahans in the game before, Hernandez and Terrazas both had 11 while
junior Isaiah Mata had 17. Fellow junior Phillip Estrella leads the team in
scoring at 9.4 points per contest.
