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University of New Mexico football coach Danny Gonzales speaks to the Lobo freshmen and their parents during a dinner event on Friday at the Tow Diehm facility. (Courtesy of UNM Athletics)
Last week, as University of New Mexico freshman Andrell Barney Jr. settled in his new home in Albuquerque, he took a moment to walk around the campus by himself.
The 5-foot-11 defensive back from Basha High School in Chandler, Arizona made sure to familiarize himself with his new surroundings as he never had the opportunity to do so because of the coronavirus pandemic last year.
Barney and the majority of the incoming freshmen arrived last week at UNM for what they believe will be a special season.
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Amari Brown, in an undated photo, was expected to play his freshman season of basketball at Cibola High. But because of the uncertainty of a season happening in New Mexico, Brown says, he is moving to Georgia, at least temporarily. (Courtesy of Catina Dunn)
Temporary relocation or permanent move?
Even Amari Brown can’t say for sure.
But one thing that we do know is that Brown will not be playing basketball for Cibola High School this spring, if there even is a season.
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And that uncertainty about the prospects of having an abbreviated season this semester is the primary reason Brown, the most heralded incoming freshman in the metro area in over a decade, is leaving New Mexico.
The Clovis-to-Albuquerque football pipeline keeps on flowing.
On Tuesday, Clovis High linebacker Ernesto Acuña became the third Wildcat off this year’s team to commit to the University of New Mexico.
The 6-foot-3, 215-pound senior outside linebacker joins Jaden Phillips and Jeston Webskowski as future Lobos.
“I felt like it was the best fit for me,” Acuña said, adding that he’ll sign in the coming days with UNM. “(The Lobos) are going in the right direction, and I wanted to be a part of that.”
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Acuña, a quick and hard-hitting linebacker, had offers from Eastern New Mexico, New Mexico Military Institute and Aurora University in Illinois.