Bella Hines bolting from the high school ranks for new girls team at ABC Prep

May 23—New Mexico's most recognizable high school basketball player announced Thursday that she is no longer a high school basketball player.

Eldorado's Bella Hines, a standout combo guard and future LSU Tiger, is bolting from the Eagles to instead finish her playing career at Albuquerque's ABC Prep.

The 5-foot-9 Hines was one of the country's leading scorers last season, averaging 32.5 points a game. She will be part of an elite new girls basketball team at ABC Prep, thus ending a spectacular — and now shortened — three-year high school career with the Eagles.

Hines did not return a message seeking comment.

Hines leaves the high school ranks as the leading girls basketball scorer in Albuquerque Public Schools history, and Eldorado's all-time leading scorer, regardless of gender. She attained both those milestones earlier this year.

Hines also reached the rare 2,000-point plateau during her junior season, and was on track to perhaps break New Mexico's career scoring record during her upcoming senior season.

She'll continue to score, just not with the Eagles.

Hines accumulated 974 points last season at Eldorado, the third-highest individual single season total — but best among someone in the largest classification — in New Mexico history, according to the records portion of the New Mexico Activities Association website.

She also ranks second in all-time 3-pointers, behind only Jordyn Lewis of Ramah.

In early April, Hines, who had several dozen-plus Division I scholarship offers, settled on LSU as her college destination. She is ranked No. 22 by ESPNW in its Class of 2025 rankings.

Also this year, Hines signed with Dallas-based Young Money APAA Sports and got an agent.

Hines' announcement comes on the heels of Atrisco Heritage guard Latavious Morris' making an identical decision to leave high school basketball for ABC Prep.

ABC Prep offers up a chance at both a regional and national basketball schedule that runs roughly in conjunction with a high school season in the winter months, albeit against higher caliber individual and team competition. Players are presented a chance to earn far more notice from college coaches and recruiters than they would at a New Mexico high school.