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#2 ARTESIA (SCORE) #3 HOPE CHRISTIAN (SCORE)
March 12, 2026 – UNM’s The Pit, Albuquerque, NM
ALBUQUERQUE — The No. 2 Artesia Bulldogs used a strong second half to defeat the No. 3 Hope Christian Huskies 71–52 in the NMAA Class 4A boys state semifinal, moving one step closer to a repeat state championship.
Artesia built momentum early and carried a six-point lead into halftime, setting the stage for a decisive third-quarter run. The Bulldogs tightened their defense and controlled the boards after the break, outscoring Hope Christian 17–10 in the third quarter to extend their advantage into double digits.
Senior standout Clay Kincaid led the way with a dominant double-double, finishing with a game-high 24 points and 11 rebounds. Trent Egeland added 16 points, while Braylon Vega chipped in 14, giving Artesia a balanced scoring attack that proved difficult for the Huskies to contain.
Hope Christian was paced by senior Brayden Giron, who scored 15 points and helped keep the Huskies competitive through the first half. However, Artesia’s depth and execution on both ends of the floor ultimately wore down Hope Christian as the Bulldogs steadily pulled away late.
With the victory, Artesia advances to the Class 4A state championship, where the Bulldogs will face the winner of the Highland vs. Taos semifinal. A win would secure back-to-back state titles for Artesia, further solidifying the program’s position among New Mexico’s elite.
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