The Rio Rancho High School basketball teams begin play in tournaments in Albuquerque today, the first of three for each as December begins tomorrow and, with it, heated hoops action on the hardwood.

Rams boys at Joe Armijo Classic

Rio Rancho (1-0) will be playing in the Academy Invitational, renamed the Armijo Classic a few years ago by Chargers coach Mike Brown as a way to honor a former basketball coach he had at St. Pius X, for the seventh year in a row. Rams second-year coach Brian Smith said he was honored to be playing in the last game of the day after the Rams traditionally have played in an earlier game. Brown termed the Rams' game against last year's AA state champ Hope Christian Huskies as the marquee game of the day.

The Rams never have won the Academy title, having been deprived of a title shot with four first-round losses; they lost the 2003 championship game to Cibola, 73-51.

The Rams beat Hope 66-37 last season at the Duke City Invite in the schools' first-ever hoops meeting.

There could be seven Rio Rancho players on the court as the game begins; two Huskies stars, center Zach Spangler and forward Xavier Blount, live in the City of Vision but eye another title, this time in Class AAA, in March.

The other game in the Rams' half of the bracket features Highland vs. Roswell at 2:45 p.m. If the rams win, they'll meet the Highland-Roswell winner Friday at 7 p.m. If the Rams lose, they'll meet the loser of the Hornets-Coyotes game Friday at 1 p.m.

In the upper half of the bracket, Sandia faces West Mesa at 1 .m. today, while the host Chargers face Deming at 5:15 p.m.

Game times remain the same throughout the tournament, with the championship game set for Saturday at 7 p.m.

The Rams play in the annual APS Duke City tournament next weekend, then face another three games in as many days at the Milk Cow Classic at The Rock in Clovis Dec. 28-30.

Between those two tournaments, the No. 2 Rams travel to No. 1 Manzano on Dec. 15, then entertain Highland on Dec. 16. The Monarchs and Hornets are coached by brothers Greg Brown and Danny Brown, respectively; they're the sons of longtime Academy coach Mike Brown.

Rams girls at Farmers Duke City tournament

Coach Bob McIntyre's Rams open the season at Valley High School's Warren Smart Gymnasium today at 5:30, when they'll meet Eldorado in a first-round game of the annual APS girls tournament.

The Rams are 10-2 all-time against the Eagles, and they've won the last nine meetings. Eldorado will be the Rams' first opponent of 2007, when the Eagles visit the PAC on Jan. 4.

The other game in the Rams' half of the bracket pits St. Pius X, the Class 4A state champ in March, vs. the host Vikings.

The other half of the bracket will be played at West Mesa High School today and Friday. Sandia meets Farmington today at 5:30; West Mesa meets Los Alamos at 7 p.m.

Today's winners at Valley meet up Friday at 7 at Valley; the losers of today's games at VHS square off Friday at 5:30 at Valley.

Game times for the winners and losers of the contests at West Mesa are the same Friday.

The games for first- through seventh-place are Saturday at Valley, with the championship game set for 7 p.m.

The seventh annual Mel Otero Invitational will be held at RRHS next Thursday through Saturday; the Rams meet Onate Thursday at 7 p.m.

The Rams girls then have three games - at home Dec. 15 vs. Manzano, at Del Norte on Dec. 19 and at La Cueva on Dec. 21 - before playing in their third tournament of December, the Sun City Classic, Dec. 27-29.

The Rams girls have been in the last six APS tournament championship games, with two titles to show for it: They beat Cibola two years ago and defeated La Cueva in 2003.

In the championship game last December, La Cueva beat the Rams 50-34; the Rams avenged that loss 19 days later with a 41-31 victory at the RAC.

Rio Rancho's other losses in APS championship contests have been to Sandia (2001) and La Cueva (2000 and '02).

Ram dunks: Former Rams standout Nicole Tatum scored 10 points in Adams State College's 59-50 victory over St. Edwards College in Canyon, Texas, Saturday, then was only 1 of 6 from the field on Sunday when ASC (2-3) was shellacked 68-36 at Eastern New Mexico University.