Cats, Lady Cats set to open season Thursday

CLOVIS - In what has been a different kind of year all around, the Clovis High boys basketball team will look plenty different from the past couple of seasons.

Gone are seven seniors who accounted for much of the damage from last year's squad, which went 21-9 (4-2 District 4-5A) and lost a close one to eventual champion Las Cruces High in the quarterfinals of the Class 5A state tournament.

The Wildcats, who open at Roswell Goddard on Thursday night, will be heavily guard-oriented, meaning that third-year coach and former CHS standout Jaden Isler can implement more of the faster style he prefers.

"We lose a huge chunk of our minutes and a huge chunk of our scoring," he said. "We don't have a ton of height, but I think we'll have more depth."

Five key players for the Cats are still playing football, and will join the team fulltime after Saturday's season-ending gridiron clash with Roswell High.

Admittedly, Isler doesn't know exactly what to expect.

"It's going to be a year where you're using your non-district games to feel your team out," he said. "It has to be done while you're playing games."

Four seniors bring back most of the returning experience, including guards Blake Muscato, C.J. Gutierrez and Jaylen Hyman and guard/forward Jaden Phillips.

Isler also expects help from junior guard Elijah Garcia and senior guard Darrell Lewis.

"I think we'll be able to play even faster (than usual)," Isler said. "I also think this team has a chance to be the best outside shooting team I've had."

Lewis noted that many on the team have played together for some time.

"I think we could be really good," he said. "We don't have too many big men, but the guards are really skilled.

"I think we have pretty good chemistry because we've played together before."

After Thursday's opener, the Cats play seven games over a two-week period, starting on Monday at Espanola Valley.

"I think it's going to be a year where it's hard to get fresh film on (opponents)," Isler said. "It'll be a lot of in-game adjustments with less prep time."

Lady Cats host Goddard - The CHS girls open their season at home on Thursday night in a 6:30 p.m. tipoff against Goddard, then travel to Valencia for a contest on Friday night.

Assistant coach Candace Jordan said Monday night that the Lady Wildcats (12-16, 3-3 district in 2019-20) should be a bit improved in a fairly tightly-bunched district.

"We didn't get to play (over the summer)," she said. "But once we started practicing (in late February), I think our shooting has improved.

"I think we're a little more well-rounded."

Six-foot senior post Hanna Nussbaumer is one of three returning starters, and led the Lady Cats last season with around 11 ppg and seven rpg. Other starters back, both seniors, are guard Danielle Acuna and post Skyler Jordan, the daughter of the assistant coach.

Senior guards Hailey Griego and Alandra Romero came off the bench for Clovis last year. Players up from the junior varsity who should help include post/guard Bryanna Griego and guard Yvonne Fuerte.

Coach Jordan said the district race should be competitive.

"Hobbs is still very good," she said. "They still have quite a few of their key players."

She added that Carlsbad is going through a coaching change, with veteran coach John Zumbrun moving over to the boys said, while Roswell High also returns a number of its top players.

"The girls have worked hard," coach Jordan said. "Hopefully, we can put it all together."