NM youth basketball team wins big

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - A New Mexico youth basketball team went to Las Vegas, Nevada along with 500 other teams to get a taste of competition from across the globe. Now they have a trophy.

"We played teams from all over the world and competed hard," said Randy Castillo, a player on the team.

From Mexico to Arizona, Atlanta and Denver, there was no match for the 12-and-under New Mexico Elite.

Elite is the name on their jerseys but also the way they played the games at the Amateur Athletic Union's Jam On It tournament.

"It was just a tough game, it was on and off. The score was really tight," said Castillo.

They were nervous after losing the first game and having their backs against the wall, down by twelve, in the semi-finals. The grade school stars fought back, winning five in a row and title of best in the country.

They beat Puerto Rico in the championship game, which had beat the Elite early on.

"Now that they know they're on top, they think they're unstoppable now," said Head Coach Jose Bibian.

The Elite now has a target on their backs from competitors, but Bibian thinks they'll step up to the challenge again.

"Everybody knows us in Arizona and California, and now everybody will know us now that we won the big one in Las Vegas," said Bibian.

The Elite's season is over but expect to see them back together next year. Some of the players have been playing together since they were five years old.