MaxPreps 2015-16 New Mexico preseason high school girls basketball Fab 5, presented by the Army National Guard

1. Cibola (Albuquerque)
Head coach: Lori Mabrey
2014-15 record: 28-2 (6A state champion)

The defending state champions return three starters with a 16-game winning streak. Though she's just a sophomore, 5-foot-10 shooting guard Amaya Brown is coming off averages of 16.2 points, 8.0 rebounds and 2.3 steals and probably is the No. 1 player in the state with the likes of UConn and Tennessee already checking her out. Corbyn Cunningham, a 5-11 junior, averaged 10.9 points and 10.2 rebounds, while 5-8 senior guard Dmitri Fong averaged 8.4 points and 4.9 rebounds. Junior point guard Kavionnia Brown (5-5) should improve upon averages of five points, five assists and 2.5 steals.

See last season's New Mexico girls basketball computer rankings

2. Volcano Vista (Albuquerque)
Head coach: Lisa Villareal
2014-15 record: 18-11

All five starters are back from a team that lost to eventual state champ Cibola in the quarterfinals. Senior guard Deezha Battle (5-2) averaged 17.9 points last year while, 5-10 senior forward Raven Herrera averaged 17.4 points and 6.3 rebounds and also stood out on defense. Junior point guard Melissa Mancha led the Hawks with 4.2 assists per game. They should go at least nine deep.

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3. Las Cruces
Head coach: Matt Abney
2014-15 record: 20-10

The Bulldawgs will rely heavily upon three returning double-figure scorers and two of them are only sophomores. Sarah Abney, a 5-8 sophomore who is the daughter of head coach Matt Abney, paced Las Cruces in five categories as a freshman. She averaged 10.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, had 75 deflections, 56 steals and shot 70 percent from the free throw line. Another sophomore, 5-8 Jayden Perez, averaged 14.8 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists while earning District Player of the Year honors. The team's lone senior, 5-9 Megan Guadian, averaged 10.3 points and 2.8 rebounds. Sophomores Janessa Johnson (5-8) and Valeria Valtierra (5-7) add excellent depth.

See last season's New Mexico girls basketball playoff brackets

4. Hope Christian (Albuquerque)
Head coach: Terry Heisey
2014-15 record: 25-6 (4A state champion)

The Huskies, who won the Class 4A state title with a sophomore-dominated team, return four starters and still have no seniors. Juniors who scored in double figures last year include 6-1 Alivia Lewis (13.3 points, 9.3 rebounds and 3.1 blocks), 5-9 point guard Hanna Valencia (12.1 points and 3.1 assists) and 6-0 forward Brielle Milford (10.2 points and 7.1 rebounds). Two other key juniors are 5-4 Christine Heisey and 5-7 Charity Murphy. The Huskies should be 10-deep this year.

See last season's New Mexico girls basketball stat leaders

5. Gallup
Head coach: Kamau Turner
2014-15 record: 26-3

The Bengals return two starters from last year's Class 5A state runner-up. Coach Kamau Turner calls 6-0 senior center Ni'asia McIntosh "probably the most underrated player in our state. This year she is going to put up phenomenal numbers." She averaged an impressive 21 points and 17 rebounds as a junior. Five-foot senior point guard Deerae Torrez averaged 10.0 points, 6.0 assists and 3.0 steals last year. They will get help from 5-1 junior Kalisha Kinsel, 5-4 senior Cori Gordon and 5-7 senior Camille Ettcity.