The REAL season begins ...

Tuesday, the girls started off the district basketball season as 5AAA, 2AAA, and 2AAAA begin play today.
Today, 2AAAA boys take center stage with Santa Fe High facing Espanola Valley in a big 2AAAA game to start the district season.
Here's a look at what to expect this week in district play, bypassing Tuesday's action (although not ignoring it):
Today
Santa Fe High at Espanola Valley, 7 p.m. - What a way for the Demons to begin their district play as a AAAA school. While Espanola is still one of the best teams in AAAA, the Sundevils have shown and surprising inability to kickstart their offense. Outside of Rodney Coles, the rest of the team looks tentative attacking the basket and not good enough from the perimeter to overcome that. If anything, the Sundevils HAVE to attack the basket to be successful.
As for the Demons, they have yet to put together a complete effort. They fall behind too often, then expend energy coming back. Usually, that means Santa Fe High is gassed when it matters the most (see Grants, Sandia Prep games). It's a team that shows it can compete with the best teams in the state. What's missing is a big win.
There's no time like the present.


Thursday
Albuquerque Sandia Prep at St. Michael's, 7 p.m. - Welcome to the toughest district in Class AAA. This opener will be key in determining who is the primary challenger to two-time reigning AAA champion Albuquerque Hope Christian. The Sundevils have size in Harry Hampden-Smith (6-foot-5) and the Fort Lewis-bound Kody Salcido (6-6), but the Horsemen are accustomed to facing big teams. Their schedule has been filled with them. But just because you've faced big teams doesn't mean you can beat them.
St. Michael's is small in every way possible. Its bigs are small (none are taller than 6-1), and its guards are small, which seems to be a problem when bigger teams press the Horsemen. Still, if they can control the tempo, that can play into their favor.

Friday
St. Michael's at Pojoaque Valley, 7 p.m. - The Elkettes likely come in 0-1 in 5AAA play, and will be desperate to avoid an 0-2 start. And what better team to do it against than the Lady Horsemen, a team they already beat (the Capital City Invitational in December)? The key will be to force the tempo. St. Michael's goal is to hold teams to less than 30 points, because it struggles to score much more than that.

Saturday
Two streaks are on the line this night:
Capital at Espanola Valley, 7 p.m. - The last time Capital beat the Sundevils, seniors Jonathon Rodriguez and Estevan Martinez were still in middle school. That was 13 games ago. The Jaguars always circle this game as their proving ground in Class AAAA, and often they have come away wanting. This might be their best chance, however. Espanola is 8-6, but has struggled at times to score and its six losses almost equals the number of losses in the past two seasons combined. But the Sundevils are the better tested team, having not lost to a AAAA school yet this season.

St. Michael's at Pojoaque Valley, 7 p.m. - Remember this date: Feb. 9, 2005. David Jaramillo and Josh Harris were Elks seniors, and Ryan Gonzalez was a precocious eighth grade. The coach for St. Michael's was Ron Mayberry, and Ron Geyer was still coaching girls basketball at Los Lunas. My, how time flies. Geyer has not lost in 16 matchups against Joey Trujillo and the Elks. Gonzalez won a state title, but the New Mexico Highlands junior never could boast beating the Horsemen. But ...
The Horsemen look as vulnerable as ever, but the Elks aren't much better. That makes for an intriguing matchup, especially if St. Michael's enter the district 0-1. An 0-2 start would be a death knell for a District 5AAA top seed.