High school basketball district play begins this week around San Juan County
- Lady Bobcats open district season Tuesday night at home against Shiprock
- Piedra Vista Lady Panthers look to extend five-game win streak Tuesday night on road at Eldorado
- Farmington's boys team open district 2-5A campaign and seek eighth straight win Tuesday vs. Sandia
UPDATES with games being postponed involving Aztec High and Navajo Prep.
FARMINGTON — Here is a preview of what's coming up this week in high school basketball, including the opening games of district action and a glance at some of the top games.
Games of the Week
Boys Basketball
La Cueva Bears (11-2) at Piedra Vista Panthers (7-9), Saturday, 2:30 p.m.
Led by junior Exodus Ayers, the La Cueva Bears have won eight of their last nine games heading into the District 2-5A season.
Ayers is averaging 17 points per game while teammates Gabe Trujillo (11 points per game) and Cedarius Yates (10 points per game) are adding to the Bears success this season.
La Cueva earned the third place trophy earlier this month in the Metro Boys Tournament at Albuquerque, beating West Mesa and Cleveland but losing to Atrisco Heritage.
Piedra Vista, coming off a convincing win last weekend over Aztec to wrap up their non-district season on a positive note, had lost three of their last four game in close contests against Miyamura, Kirtland Central and on the road at Bloomfield.
The Panthers will be hoping to end a six-game losing streak to La Cueva dating back to the 2018-19 season.
Girls Basketball
Gallup Bengals (12-1) at Kirtland Central Broncos (11-4), Tuesday, 7 p.m.
The defending Class 4A state champion Gallup High girls basketball team is off to a rousing start to defending their crown.
More:Navajo Prep girls remain top-ranked 3A basketball team for third straight week
Having only one loss this season, that coming at the hands of unbeaten Farmington last November, the Lady Bengals have won 11 in a row and have secured two tournament championships, winning both the Gallup Invitational and the Capital Tournament last month.
Gallup won the state title during the abbreviated spring season, beating Espanola Valley by a final of 63-51 last May in Albuquerque.
The Kirtland Central Lady Broncos, who lost in last season's state 4A tournament in the semifinals to Espanola Valley, split the two-game series with Gallup last season, losing on the road 47-42 before winning at Bronco Arena 60-57, handing the Bengals their only loss of the shortened campaign.
Led by seniors Hailey Long and Trinity Juan, the Lady Bengals will be asked to slow down Aisha Ramone and Teghan Begay, two of Kirtland Central's leading scorers.
Here's your schedule of this week's prep basketball games for local and area teams. Game times listed are varsity start times. Information is courtesy of MaxPreps.
Tuesday
Boys Basketball
Sandia at Farmington, 7 p.m.
Piedra Vista at Eldorado, 7 p.m.
Navajo Prep at Zuni, postponed.
Wingate at Newcomb, 7 p.m.
Girls Basketball
Farmington at Sandia, 7 p.m.
Eldorado at Piedra Vista, 7 p.m.
Gallup at Kirtland Central, 7 p.m.
Shiprock at Bloomfield, 7 p.m.
Wingate at Newcomb, 5:30 p.m.
Aztec at Miyamura, postponed.
Wednesday
Boys Basketball
Navajo Prep at Thoreau, postponed.
Girls Basketball
Navajo Prep at Wingate, 7 p.m.
Newcomb at Tohatchi, 7 p.m.
Thursday
Boys Basketball
Miyamura at Aztec, 7 p.m.
Bloomfield at Shiprock, 7 p.m.
Kirtland Central at Gallup, 7 p.m.
Tohatchi at Newcomb, 7 p.m.
Wingate at Navajo Prep, 7 p.m.
Friday
Girls Basketball
Aztec at Bloomfield, 7 p.m.
Kirtland Central at Shiprock, 7 p.m.
Santa Fe Prep at Navajo Prep, 6 p.m.
Crownpoint at Newcomb, 7 p.m.
Saturday
Boys Basketball
West Mesa at Farmington, 2:30 p.m.
La Cueva at Piedra Vista, 2:30 p.m.
Bloomfield at Aztec, 7 p.m.
Shiprock at Kirtland Central, 7 p.m.
Newcomb at Crownpoint, 2 p.m.
Girls Basketball
Farmington at West Mesa, 2:30 p.m.
Piedra Vista at La Cueva, 2:30 p.m.
For more schedules, scores and updated rankings, check out the New Mexico High School basketball page on MaxPreps.
Steve Bortstein can be reached via email at SBortstein@Gannett.com, via Twitter @DTSBortstein or on the phone at (505) 635-2680.