Coach Nate Porter sees a lot to like as he assesses the makeup of the 2025-26 Patagonia High boys basketball team.
Leadership, experience, size, ball-handling, shooting and chemistry are all accounted for. What he doesn’t see is a player capable of taking over a game.
Last season, that player was Diego Carranza.
“We lose a lot statistically with Diego Carranza gone,” Porter said. “We had one guy who could take over and do things, and a lot of kids who watched him do that. They won’t be able to watch this year. They’ll have to do it for themselves.”
The flip side is that the Lobos should be more balanced.
“We’ve got three guards who can really dribble, we’ve got some good wings, and we’ve got some bigs,” Porter said. “It’s just that low margin of error at a school with 71 kids. You need the kids to stay healthy and eligible and continue to buy in to what we’re teaching them. Staying healthy always seems to be one of our big concerns.”
“We won’t be as deep as last year, but I think we’ll be a better team. We’ll have to find out.”
They’ll start finding out at this week’s Boyd Baker Tournament at St. Augustine Catholic High School in Tucson. Patagonia will play Thursday against Class 2A Tombstone at 3:30 p.m. and Class 3A Andrada Polytechnic at 6:30 p.m., then finish up on Friday against 2A St. Augustine at 5 p.m.
“What I like about this team is their attitude,” Porter said. “I like how they’re coming in every day and wanting to work hard. From a skill standpoint, I think we have all the positions covered, a good blend of guys that have been in the system and good leadership.
“They’re holding each other accountable, wanting to get better, and you can tell that that really get along, which makes it easier for a coach.”
The Lobos were 10-11 last season and finished ranked 26thin Class 1A, two spots short of qualifying for the state tournament for the first time since 2021.
Patagonia’s roster features six seniors and three juniors. The top returnees are 6-5 junior Kannon Shore, 6-2 senior Gavin Arbizo, 6-2 senior Gus Varela and 5-7 senior Diego Padilla. Seniors Jaxon Yslava and Noah Gallardo, juniors Josh Woods and Alex Ruskowitz and sophomores Marco Vasquez and Jose Quiroz also return from last season, and they are joined by senior Miguel Albarran and freshman Troy Hawkins.
The Lobos have good size for a 1A team, and Porter said Arbizo, Varela and Shore all added strength in the offseason. He also believes that ball-handling is in good hands with Padilla as the lead guard, assisted by Vasquez and Hawkins.
More will be known after the season-opening tournament.
“That tournament always shows everybody a lot, because nobody’s really ready yet,” Porter said. “You’re not even three full weeks (of practice) before the tournament, so you really get an idea of who you are.”
2025-26 Schedule
Boyd Baker Tournament at St. Augustine Catholic High School in Tucson:
Nov 20: vs. Tombstone, 3:30 p.m.
Nov. 20: vs. Andrada Polytechnic, 6:30 p.m.
Nov. 21: vs. St. Augustine, 5 p.m.
Dec. 1: at San Simon, 7 p.m.
Coach Edgar Brown Holiday Basketball Tournament at Williams High School:
Dec. 4: vs. Northland Prep, 12 noon
Dec. 4: vs. Williams, 2 p.m.
Dec. 10: at St. David, 7 p.m.
Dec. 11: vs. Hayden, 7 p.m.
Dec. 18: vs. Valley Union, 7 p.m.
Dec. 27: vs. Bagdad, at Mortgage Matchup Center, Phoenix, 2:15 p.m.
Jan. 8: vs. San Simon, 7 p.m.
Jan. 10: vs. Superior, 4 p.m.
Jan. 12: at The Gregory School, 7 p.m.
Jan. 13: vs. Andrada Polytechnic, 7 p.m.
Jan. 16: at Baboquivari, 4:30 p.m.
Jan. 21: at ASDB, 7 p.m.
Jan. 24: vs. Ray, 7 p.m.
Jan. 26: at Tombstone, 7 p.m.
Jan. 27: vs. North Phoenix Prep, 7 p.m.
Jan. 29: at Valley Union, 7 p.m.
Jan. 30: at San Manuel, 4:30 p.m.
Feb. 2: at Lourdes Catholic, 5 p.m.