Road to Class 4A title still goes through Artesia

There frequently comes a moment during an offseason for a defending state champion where players and coaches sit down and agree to put the euphoria of their title behind them and commit to turning the page.

The Artesia Bulldogs boys basketball team had that conversation.

On Dec. 2.

Two days before their current season began.

There is a reason for this, and the explanation is forthcoming, but what is pertinent is that Artesia, the defending Class 4A boys basketball champs, are most certainly wired to make a potent defense of their 2025 crown, what with the entire Bulldogs roster back intact for the 2025-26 season.

“Back to back, the second one is always harder than the first one,” said 6-foot-4 senior combo guard Charlie Campbell. Campbell scored a team-high 30 points Thursday afternoon for the top-ranked Bulldogs, who beat fourth-ranked Taos 63-51 in the first round of the Hope Christian tournament. “Everybody knows what they need to bring when they play us.”

Artesia (12-3) will play in a late semifinal on Friday night. The Bulldogs used a lengthy 19-0 run that lasted from midway through the second quarter to midway through the third quarter to overtake a game effort from the feisty Tigers. “Everyone wants to beat Artesia,” said another senior combo guard, Braylon Vega. “We have to play our best games.”

Thursday, admittedly, was not that for the Bulldogs, whose three losses are against 5A squads Rio Rancho, Carlsbad and Albuquerque High.

The last time before Thursday that Artesia played a game in Albuquerque, the Bulldogs were beating Highland in the state final. It was the program’s first title in 28 years. The Bulldogs didn’t graduate anyone off that championship team, which made their preseason status as 4A’s favorite predictable.

But, roster familiarity or not, every season is its own living organism, and requires maintenance to keep it healthy.

“It’s really a group of guys who only care about one thing: winning,” Artesia coach Mike Mondragon said.

Which brings the conversation back to Dec. 2.

Dec. 2 was a Tuesday. It fell three days after Artesia won the Class 5A state football championship.

And a majority of the Bulldogs’ basketball team were in pads, so there simply was no time to have that basketball talk until football business had been completed.

That football victory completed a sensational 2025 for the school. Artesia won boys state basketball in March, Artesia won state baseball in May, and Artesia won football in November. This basketball roster is stacked with multiple-sport state champions.

“First of all, it’s the swagger, the confidence, and you’ve done it before,” Mondragon said of the change in mindset from last season to this one. “What’s neat is you have guys who have been in high pressure situations, they’ve performed under that scope.”

Still, Artesia hasn’t quite been fully itself yet. Consider Thursday, when the team’s big man, 6-8 senior Clay Kincaid, sat out with an ankle injury. He isn’t likely to play at all at this tournament, Mondragon said.

Jack Byers, who plays three sports and is a University of Arizona baseball signee, stepped in to start Thursday and gave Artesia plenty of productive minutes with Kincaid on the shelf.

There are still two months before the second week of state begins in Albuquerque, and Artesia — a fantastic fusion of length, experience, versatility and athleticism — says it hasn’t yet approached its stride.

“We know we’re good,” said Vega, who scored 19 points Thursday. “It’s just not getting our heads too big. March is still two months away, it’s just getting better … and not looking ahead of ourselves.”

With so many elite athletes on one roster, Mondragon’s requirements shrink; his job is to keep this group on track, keep them focused and give them space to blossom.

“These guys, they don’t care who the alpha is,” he said, adding, “It’s about staying present, staying hungry, staying humble … staying where your feet are. It’s January. We’re gonna be a way different team in March. They know what’s ahead of them.”