While it was all tied up 20-20 at halftime, Manzano was not quite Albuquerque Academy's equal in the second half on Friday. They took a 45-38 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Chargers. The game marked the Monarchs' lowest-scoring contest so far this season.

Bryce Johnson
| 01/09/26 vs Albuquerque Academy | 15 |
| 01/03/26 vs St. Pius X | 17 |
| 01/02/26 vs Grants | 16 |
When it comes to explaining why Manzano lost, don't look at Bryce Johnson. Despite the final result, he almost dropped a double-double with 15 points and nine rebounds. The matchup was Johnson's third in a row with at least 15 points. Rolando Mendoza also deserves some recognition as he posted his first block of the season.
Manzano has been struggling recently as they've lost four of their last five contests. That's put a noticeable dent in their 5-7 record this season. As for Albuquerque Academy, their victory was their fourth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 9-4.
Both squads are looking forward to the support of their home crowds in their upcoming games. Manzano will welcome Robertson at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. As for Albuquerque Academy, they will face off against Los Alamos at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday. The Chargers will be up against the Hilltoppers' rather soft defense (which has allowed 64.47 points per game), so fans could be in store for a big offensive performance.
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