Reed Wins Coach of the Year Honors

Otero Head Coach Houston Reed

After his team's remarkable 2011-2012 season, Houston Reed was honored with several Coach of the Year awards. He was named Region IX South Sub-Region Coach of the Year, Region IX Coach of the Year, and District 9 Coach of the Year. The first two awards were voted on by fellow coaches in Region IX. The District 9 honor was given to Coach Reed at the NJCAA National Tournament Awards Banquet in Hutchinson, Kansas. Otero finished the season with a 30-6 record, won the first Region IX Championship in program history, and advanced to the Elite 8 of the NJCAA Tournament. 


Coach Reed commented on his honors, "I am humbled to be recognized with these awards and accomplishments. There are a lot of great coaches in Region IX. It makes it easier when you have assistant coaches that contribute so much, and talented, hard working players always make coaches look better."  

Ratters Recieve Post-Season Awards

Numerous Rattlers were given awards after an impressive 2011-2012 season. Otero finished with a record of 30-6, won the 2012 Region IX Tournament, and advanced to the Elite 8 of the NJCAA Tournament. Here our some of the honors:



Adam Link (Colorado Springs, CO)- Region IX 1st Team, NJCAA Tournament 1st team.



Oscar Garcia (El Paso, TX)- Region IX All-Tournament.

Brandon Harris (Oklahoma City, OK)- Region IX All-Tournament, NJCAA Tournament Sportsmanship Award.



Wes McKenzie (Colorado Springs, CO)- Region IX 3rd Team, Region IX All-Tournament.



A Season To Remember: 2012 Otero Rattlers

The 2011-2012 season will go down as the greatest season in Otero Men's basketball history. The Rattlers finished the season 30-6, won the Region IX Championship, and advanced to the Elite 8 of the NJCAA Tournament. Led by Head Coach, Houston Reed, this year's team will be remembered for how hard they played, their unselfish attitude offensively, and their suffocating defense (59.6 ppg allowed). The eight sophomores (Wes McKenzie, Oscar Garcia, Taylor Shaffer, Lucas Archuleta, Dylan Fritsch, Brandon Harris, Adam Link, and Anthony Johnson) took ownership of this team and weren't going to settle for anything less than a Region IX Championship.

REGION IX TOURNAMENT

Otero finished the regular season with a 25-4 record and the 2nd seed in the South Sub-Region. The magical run began in Scottsbluff, Nebraska (Western Nebraska hosted) when the Rattlers defeated Gillette College 81-59 in the first round of the tournament.  Adam Link had an electic performance with 27 points and 11 rebounds.  Next, Otero defeated a tough Sheridan team 83-72 to advance to the Final 4. Point guard play was huge for the Rattlers as Brandon Harris had 17 pts and Perryonte Smith chipped in 12 pts. The game was finished off with back to back buckets by Wes McKenzie and Lucas Archuleta. Otero then faced Miles City in the Semi-Final of the Region IX tournament.Wes McKenzie led the way with 21 pts and freshman Chris Strong poured in 13 pts with 10 of them coming in the first half. The Rattlers were able to seal the game with two huge put-backs by Oscar Garcia. Otero would now face Casper College in the first ever Championship game appearance for the Rattlers. The game was a heavy-weight fight with both teams trading punches. The Rattlers led by as many as 16 points in the 2nd half but Casper trimmed the Otero lead to a mere point with 12 seconds remaining. The Rattlers finally broke the T-Bird press and Perryonte Smith scored a lay-up to put Otero up three points with 2.8 seconds remaining. Casper had a half-court shot attempt, but it went wide and a chaotic celebration ensued for the Rattlers. That night in Scottsbluff will be cherished by everyone involved.



HUTCH...

Just days after winning the first Region IX Championship in program history, the Rattlers were on a bus headed to the most sought after desination in all of junior college basketball: Hutchinson, Kansas. The NJCAA tournament is always held in Hutch and it was a spectacular experience for our team. Our team host, Buck Lyle, did an tremendous job of making our stay special. The Rattlers drew a tough Wabash Valley team in the first round. Otero led for almost the entire game, but Wabash tied the score with 40 seconds remaining. Fortunately, Wes McKenzie buried a contested 17ft jump shot with 5 seconds left. Wabash took a last second shot, but it was off-line and the Rattlers advanced to the Elite 8. Otero faced Northwest Florida St. for a chance to go to the NJCAA Final 4. The Rattlers led NW Florida, the #2 in the Nation, for much of the game. However, NW Florida made a few more plays in the end and were able to beat the Rattlers 77-71. The next day, Otero faced Columbia State for the right to keep playing for 5th and 6th place. While Otero held an 8 point advantage at half time, the Rattlers ran out of gas in the 2nd half and were defeated 79-67.  

HIGH EXPECTATIONS

Coming into this season, our players bought into the idea of having high expectations for themselves and one another. They worked to improve daily as individuals and as a group. As coaches we wish we could take credit for what our team did this season. We cannot. Our players had shared suffering, shared ownership, individual responsibilty and collective pride. As coaches, we were simply along for the ride. And it was an unforgettable journey.



My view of Otero MBB...from Student Manager Dominique Arana

As the Otero Men’s Basketball manager, I’m glad I have gotten an opportunity to be part of a great team. Last year was my first year here at Otero and I didn’t know what it would be like to be a part of a college team. When I first met the team, I didn’t know if they would like me as a manager, but after getting to know them they seem to like having me around and I really appreciate that. Last year, the team was younger and so they were just learning how to play as a team, but this year they came back experienced and have played great as a team and it has shown with our current record of 9-0. In my second year of being a manager I have got to know the players more and have watched them improve. I have seen them work to get better in the gym, and they play great together as a team.



Student Manager Dominique Arana (front left) with 2011-2012 returning sophomores.



 Coach Reed and Coach O’Connor have been two of the best coaches I ever had and I have never even played for them. I’m thankful they have given me a chance to travel with the team and get the team gear as well. They treat me just like they treat every player on the team.  In my time here at Otero, I have also learned that the coaches like to have fun and play practical jokes from time to time. The one prank I will always remember is when we were at a basketball tournament and we were getting ready to leave the hotel and I couldn’t find the camera. I looked everywhere in the hotel room, under the bed, in the drawers, only to find out that some of the players and coaches had hid it from me and had already put it on the bus. Our team works really hard, but we also have a great time having fun with each other.

 Lastly, I do the “dirty work” of washing uniforms, making the coldest ice baths I can, running the scoreboard during practice, and filming or doing stats for games. I feel that everyone has a role on the team and so I try to fulfill my role so our team can be the best it can be.  I’m thankful to be part of Otero Men’s Basketball.

Otero Men's Basketball gives thanks...

As Thanksgiving approaches, we asked our team to reflect on the things they were thankful for in their lives. Here are their responses:

Lathan Lieb is thankful for his family, friends, and the opportunity to be a part of this team.

Dylan Fritsch is thankful for a second chance and to still be playing on a team he loves.

Anthony Johnson is thankful for his family, friends, and teammates.

Taylor Shaffer is thankful to have both of his parents and to be part of a team that not only loves the game but that also loves each other.

Lucas Archuleta is thankful for all the people in his life, the opportunity to play college basketball and for his good health.

Perryonte Smith is thankful to have a family, to be a part of the team, and to be away from the trouble that exists in the streets.

Adam Link is thankful for the second chance that Coach Reed has given him.

Andre Reider is thankful for his family, good health, and for being a part of this team which is surrounded by great teammates and coaches.

Chris Strong is thankful for his family, being able to play basketball everyday, and having a great team and coaches.

Brandon Harris is thankful for his Mom, God, Family, Friends, and life.

Yoshio Allen is thankful for his caring family,the opportunity to go to college, and the chance to play on a college basketball team.

Kallen Link is thankful for his parents and family.

Oscar Garcia is thankful for the health of himself, his family, and his team, and the opportunity to go to school and play basketball.

Wes McKenzie is thankful for his supportive family, his teammates and coaches, and Jesus Christ.

Elliott Hamdeed is thankful for his faith and family, teammates and coaches that care, and being in great health with a chance at an education. 

Dominique Arana is thankful for his family, friends, and a chance to help out with a great basketball team.

Coach O'Connor is thankful for the love and support of his family and friends, the opportunity to work for a selfless leader like Houston Reed, and the joy that comes with being around a team that plays for each other.

Coach Reed is thankful to be in love with his wife after 10 and 1/2 years of marriage, his children's health, and to have an occupation where his job isn't work.

Lastly, we'd like to thank all people that help our team. Parents, friends, faculty and staff at Otero Junior College, your support is essential to the growth of our program.
Happy Thanksgiving from Otero Men's Basketball!

My Otero Experience...from former Rattler Dan Steffensen

I am proud to say I went to Otero Junior College. Otero is great for more than the aspect of just basketball. My freshman year Coach Reed took me under his wing and helped me off of the court. This translated to the court for me, and because of this I worked as hard as I could for him. Coach Reed has built a great basketball program which is quite difficult considering the dynamics of junior college. Coach Reed taught me the game in a way that I could understand it and could then perform it in my game. Coach Reed is a great motivator and expects you to work your hardest on and off the court. He often talks about being a better man and expects you to work on yourself off the court as well. Coach Brendan O’Connor is a great asset for Coach Reed. He is knowledgeable about the game and hard working. If you needed extra work in the gym he would be there for you.

 I was also very impressed with the institution of Otero Junior College. The staff is in full support of you. Their goal is to graduate you and get you to your next institution in a good standing to graduate there as well. Otero is truly a community that cares about its students and does everything it can to see them succeed.

Coach Reed has a great basketball mind, but the attribute that impressed me the most about Coach Reed is his work ethic. Coach Reed does not forget about you once you leave.  He keeps in contact with you after you leave and really cares about how you do after you leave his program. I could not thank coach enough for everything he did and does for me and I am in his debt.  I am grateful to have played for him and blessed to be able to call him a friend. Coach Reed is what college basketball is all about.

Editor's Note: Dan Steffensen was an All-Region player for Otero from 2007-2009. He then transferred to Fort Lewis College where he was named 2011 RMAC Tournament MVP in his senior season.

High Expectations...from Sophomore Wes McKenzie

As a returning player, I’m as excited as anyone for this season. We have a great core group returning from last year. We’ve been through the grind of a full season, experienced the highs and lows, and recognize how to approach a new year. We see this new season as a chance to redeem ourselves. In a team meeting this year, Coach Reed brought up the atmosphere in the locker room after our loss to Lamar last year. That game lost us the opportunity to play in the region tournament and ended our season. Coach Reed described to us how he uses the memory, of how that locker room felt, to drive him. Personally, this was very motivational. I was reminded of how last year ended and decided we couldn’t let it happen again.

As returners, we are very excited about the group our coaches have brought together. The coaching staff has brought in a couple of transfers and recruited some hard working freshmen. Our young guys are talented and learning at a fast rate. I appreciate how eager they are to work and get things right. Our new guys all bring great energy every day. We are all excited about the potential this year’s team has. I feel a good sense of concentration and drive from everyone, which could make for a special team.  However, we still have a ton of work to do. We haven’t proven anything yet.

Our coaching staff has been great this year. Coach Snyder did an amazing job in the weight room, getting us in shape while adding a little self discipline. Coach O’Connor has done a great job with the guards. He never lets us settle and always pushes us to reach our full potential. Coach O’C always reminds us of the high level we must play at as guards. Coach Reed is the man. I’ve never respected a coach more than I respect Coach Reed. He makes an effort to build a relationship with every player and never treats any player different than another. My respect for him makes me play harder, which makes me better, which helps me reach my potential. What more could you ask for in a coach?

Lastly, our fans are OFF THE CHAIN. I guarantee our gym will be one of the toughest places to play in our entire region. Our fans make a huge difference and we really appreciate their support. I’ve never been more excited for a season of basketball than I am for this year. I feel that God has definitely blessed me in many ways. I couldn’t ask for a better situation. We can’t wait to play in front of our home crowd and represent for Otero on the road. Either way, we’ll be doing all that we can to achieve our goals. As a team, we are focused on constant, daily improvement. HIGH EXPECTATIONS.