Los Lunas draws nearly 30 teams to summer basketball camp

Nearly 30 basketball squads from 17 schools crowded into Los Lunas High School for a three-day camp that stretched from the main gym to the auxiliary gym and left little daylight between games. The Los Lunas Boys Team Camp, held May 29-31, brought varsity, junior varsity and C-team programs from across New Mexico into Valencia County, underscoring how little of an offseason high school hoops now has.

The field included Los Lunas, Belen, Valencia and Farmington, along with programs from as far away as Las Cruces. Among the teams in the mix were Sandia, identified as a 5A semifinalist, and Highland, the 4A champion. With so many schools meeting in one place, Los Lunas again functioned as a central stop for the summer calendar rather than just a home floor for local teams.

For players, the camp was about sharpening defense, climbing the depth chart and tightening team chemistry before the winter season returns. Malaki Padilla of Belen used the camp to work on defense and get better as a teammate, while a young Los Lunas player focused on building culture instead of sitting idle at home. The pace reflected the way summer basketball now operates in Valencia County: organized, competitive and crowded with school pride.

Officials were part of that same grind. One referee said the summer camp work pays $30 a game, a small but welcome summer job for crews who use camps to stay sharp before the louder, more contentious season begins. The New Mexico Activities Association’s 2025-2026 officials’ fee schedule sets basketball officiating pay by association rates, plus travel-ring fees, showing that the camp economy is tied to the broader structure of prep sports across the state.

The camp also arrived as Los Lunas basketball entered a coaching transition. Pablo Gabaldon resigned June 8 for personal well-being and health after two years as head coach and a longer run as an assistant that began in 2017. He had been hired in April 2024 after Travis Julian stepped down following 12 years leading the Tigers. In recent summers, Los Lunas has also partnered with Valencia High School on the Big Cat Youth Camp, a second annual event at Valencia High School that widened the county’s role as a summer hoops stop for younger players, too.