The fate of the Santa Fe High boys’ basketball team now rests with the selection committee following a disappointing 78-65 loss to Sandia High School in the District 2-5A tournament semifinals. The Demons, who finished the season with a record of 16-13, are waiting to learn if they will earn one of the at-large spots in the upcoming Class 5A state tournament, which opens on March 7, 2024. Their prospects will be revealed when the tournament pairings are announced this Sunday afternoon.
The Demons missed the opportunity for an automatic bid to the postseason, a coveted position that will be claimed by the district champion. Sandia, with a record of 20-8, is set to compete against La Cueva (21-6) for the district title on Saturday. The outcome of that match will determine who secures the automatic entry into the state tournament.
Selection Process and Ranking Dynamics
As the team anxiously awaits the committee’s decision, they currently sit at No. 16 in the MaxPreps power rankings, just ahead of Cibola and Eldorado. The rankings are crucial for determining playoff eligibility, as they incorporate feedback from coaches and statistical algorithms. Notably, Cibola, despite a less favorable record of 11-16, is trailing Santa Fe by a narrow margin in the rankings, raising concerns about the fairness of the selection process.
“I’ve had a couple of people tell me you can’t have an 11-win team in there over a bunch of kids who won 16 games and played us tough when we saw them,”
stated Sandia coach Danny Brown, reflecting the sentiment of many observers regarding the Demons’ qualifications for playoff contention.
Santa Fe High coach Francisco Rivera believes that the team’s overall performance supports their case for an at-large bid. The Demons have notable victories, including wins against two teams with over 20 wins—Taos and Santa Fe Indian—as well as a victory over Farmington, another playoff team. Rivera noted, “I don’t leave it up to coaches. We’ll have to see if this loss drops us in MaxPreps, but there’s a lot of things to deal with.”
Challenges and Upcoming Plans
The loss to Sandia was challenging for the Demons, particularly since the Matadors returned key players Gad Harris and George Smith, who combined for 21 points in the game. The Demons found themselves struggling, trailing 42-25 at halftime—a stark contrast as they typically hold opponents under 50 points per game.
As preparations for the selection process unfold, Rivera plans to host a watch party at his home, encouraging his players to relax and stay positive. “I told them to go to church on Sunday, maybe go twice if they have to,” he remarked. “But we make our own bed. We had opportunities this season, and we just fell short in some of them but, no, not nervous about this.”
If the Demons do secure a place in the tournament, they are likely to be assigned a No. 15 or No. 16 seed. This positioning would set them on a collision course with formidable opponents, potentially facing the four-time defending champion Volcano Vista or the current top seed, Cleveland. Cleveland is scheduled to face Volcano Vista in the 1-5A title game on Saturday, with the winner expected to claim the overall No. 1 seed.
While awaiting the outcome, Rivera has decided that the team will take a break from basketball activities, opting for a bowling outing instead. He believes this will provide a much-needed distraction as they brace for the drama that Sunday will bring.
