Volcano Vista dazzles on opening night

Volcano Vista’s David Lunn, left, goes up for a shot while being defended by Albuquerque High’s Noah Barela during Tuesday night’s game at Albuquerque High School.

Volcano Vista players celebrate at the end of the first half of a Nov. 26 game against Albuquerque High.

Volcano Vista’s Hudson Brown shoots a jump shot over Albuquerque High School on Tuesday.

James Yodice James Yodice James Yodice Journal Staff Writer

Published November 26, 2024 - 9:37 p.m. Modified November 26, 2024 - 10:28 p.m.

This was just opening night.

In theory, this is when the Volcano Vista Hawks should be at their most vulnerable, before they’ve had time to coalesce and map out the best version of themselves.

The Hawks were most definitely not vulnerable as they opened the 2024-25 boys basketball season. They were 180 emphatic degrees from vulnerable. They were smooth and efficient and ruthless. They rained down 3-pointers. They dunked.

They went into Bulldog City to face an Albuquerque High team that many coaches believe is top-5 caliber in New Mexico, and Volcano Vista drummed the Bulldogs 86-43 in a stunningly one-sided victory Tuesday night.

This didn’t look like opening night Volcano Vista.

This looked like midseason form Volcano Vista.

“We played well. Shot well, got good shots, played together,” Hawks coach Greg Brown said. “I think it’s just a credit to our seniors. They are super unselfish.”

People were still filing into the AHS gym, and those already there had barely gotten warm in their seats before Volcano Vista — trying this season to become the first four-peat state champ in 5A since 1999-2002 Hobbs — was doing its thing.

The Bulldogs had the first basket.

Volcano Vista scored the next 11 points and off the Hawks went.

Their third field goal of the game turned out to be quite an appropriate summary for how things went for both teams.

Following a turnover, senior forward Evan Accilien of Volcano Vista soared for a vicious one-handed dunk, posterizing an Albuquerque High defender in the process on what turned out to be a three-point play. He dunked the next time down the floor, too.

The Hawks led 20-8 after one quarter, and they hadn’t even revved their collective engine. Not yet.

Six different Volcano Vista players buried 3-pointers in an explosive second quarter. Rian Gonzales buried two of them, Josh Darling hit two treys, and the Hawks made eight from beyond the arc in a dazzling second-quarter display.

“We put a lot of work into shooting,” said Volcano senior forward Kenyon Aguino, who led the Hawks with 14 points. “That was a good sign for us.”

Said Brown, “These are guys that put some time in as well and worked hard, and feel responsible to help out the team.”

Volcano Vista led 47-13 at halftime.

“Getting everyone involved, that’s what we want to do,” Aguino said. “Turn our defense into offense, just be great and run.”

David Lunn added 13 points, Gonzales 12 (on four 3s) and Hudson Brown 10 for Volcano Vista.

In what could prove to be a recurring theme for the Hawks, they went all the way to the end of their bench Tuesday night as the clock was running for the majority of the second half.

“We’re trying to develop some depth. That’s been the knock on us,” Brown said. “You get past our starting five, does Volcano have any depth? Tonight was a great step.”

Also Tuesday night, Sandia’s boys squandered a 16-point lead in the second half to defending 4A state champion Highland, which ultimately forced overtime.

But Sandia prevailed in OT with an 83-78 victory. Zaire Ndyabagye had 21 points, Gad Harris 20 for the Matadors.