Basketball Recap: Sandia Piles Up the Points Against Manzano

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Previous Games

02/14/25 - Home	83-35 W
01/28/25 - Away	70-34 W
01/05/22 - Neutral	59-40 W
12/17/21 - Away	70-28 W
02/25/20 - Home	47-42 W
+ 5 more games

Sandia came tearing into Friday's match with five straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 25.6 points), and they left with even more momentum. They claimed a resounding 83-35 victory over the Manzano Monarchs. Given the Matadors' advantage in MaxPreps' New Mexico basketball rankings (they are ranked third, while the Monarchs are ranked 67th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.

Sandia's win was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Isaiah Brown, who posted 11 points along with six rebounds and five assists. Brown is also on a roll when it comes to steals, as he's now grabbed two or more in each of the last ten games he's played. Another player making a difference was Lavodrick Hogues, who went 5-for-6 en route to 16 points and five boards.

Sandia smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 15 offensive rebounds. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least eight offensive boards in ten consecutive games.

Despite the defeat, Manzano had strong showings from Bryce Johnson, who dropped a double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds, and Christian Santillanes, who earned 11 points and five boards. That's the most rebounds Johnson has posted since back in December of 2024.

Sandia pushed their record up to 21-3 with the victory, which was their tenth straight at home. The wins came thanks in part to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 79.8 points over those games. As for Manzano, they have been struggling recently as they've lost 16 of their last 17 contests. That's put a noticeable dent in their 6-17 record this season.

Sandia has already played their next match, an 80-56 win against Eldorado on the 19th. As for Manzano, they also wasted no time getting back out on the court and have already played their next game, an 81-44 loss against Atrisco Heritage Academy on the 15th.