LAS CRUCES, New Mexico. - Only a true basketball diehard would know what the acronym NNMC stands for. But perhaps it’s time everyone got in on Northern New Mexico College, because this is now the state’s hottest pipeline for future collegians. To that end, say this for the tiny NAIA school in Española: It’s looking to make a splash.

Not only will the men’s basketball program play four Division I programs next season — including a matchup with New Mexico State — but head coach Ryan Cordova has made it his mission to keep it as local as possible. No fewer than six New Mexicans signed letters of intent to play with NNMC next season. Five of them were at Oñate High on Thursday night for the annual North-South All-Star Game.

While Cordova didn’t land the cream of the 2010-11 crop, such as Division I signees Mike Holyfield of Manzano and P.J. Horgan of Cleveland, he didn’t do too badly for himself, either. The prize catch among the five recruits from the North squad was former Española Valley guard Rodney Coles.

“Even when I went into my junior year, he was looking at me right away,” said Coles, whose father once coached Cordova in football at McCurdy.

Santa Fe’s Orlando Echave, Sandia’s Nic Sheridan, Manzano’s Erik Bouma and Valley’s Mario Flores also signed with NNMC, as did Cleveland’s Bryce Abeyta, who was the only one of the six not playing in the North-South game.

CLASS 4A-5A ALL_STARS: On Thursday, the South’s big three — Oñate teammates Terrel de Rouen and Tim Jacobs, along with Clovis’ Lathan Lieb — combined for 59 points as the South pulled away in the second half for a 95-75 victory. De Rouen led the South with 23 points. Lieb scored 20 and Jacobs added 16.

— This article appeared on page D4 of the Albuquerque Journal