Rattlers Finish Recruiting Class

The Otero Men's Basketball team has finished off its 2012-13 recruiting class with the signing of three more players. These players join the previous six signees. The Rattlers lost 8 sophomores last season to graduation, and are looking at this recruiting class to give a major boost after winning the 2012 Region IX title. Head Coach Houston Reed commented, “These three guys really add to this recruiting class. We feel like we have collected a talented group of student-athletes to represent Otero. Time will tell how they will play as a collective group and what type of toughness we’ll play with. We have some returners coming back as well that we feel really good about. We are looking forward to the fall."

Chris Golden – Milwaukee, WI

Golden is a 6’2” scoring guard from Wisconsin Lutheran High School, which finished the season 16-9 and won their conference for the seventh year in a row. Chris averaged 16.4 points per game while making 49 threes.  He was selected the unanimous conference player of the year along with being selected to the all-state team. Chris was coveted by several division one schools receiving interest from Northern Colorado, Montana, Eastern Kentucky, Northern Illinois, South Dakota, amongst others. He was also recruited by Labette and Indian Hills junior colleges. Coach Reed added, “Chris can score the ball in a variety of ways. Junior college ended up being part of his journey and we are happy his choice was Otero. He scores well off the bounce, is an unselfish player and person, and has a nice offensive feel for the game. He obviously comes from a very winning and well coached program completing his package as a player."

                     

                                                                 Daniel Hield, Freeport, Bahamas

Hield is a 6’10” 300 pound post player from the Bahamas. Daniel was a reserve post player last year for Odessa College in Texas. Odessa finished the season with a 24-8 record and when there was a coaching change Hield looked to transfer schools. Daniel has a definite presence in the post. He is big, has nice hands and feet, and moves well for being as big as he is. He will have one year of eligibility at Otero. “We are excited about having big Daniel next season. He will give us some added experience in the post after losing two sophomores in the post last season. There are not a lot of players in our region with Daniel’s size. He will add to our depth and give us an added weapon in the post to utilize. We are looking forward to working with him. He’s a great kid and will fit our culture at Otero,” Reed stated.

                                                     Kentwan Smith, Freeport, Bahamas

Smith is a 6’8, 205 pound forward originally from the Bahamas. Smith spent last season at division one Louisiana-Lafayette in the Sun Belt conference. He prepped at Piney Woods in Mississippi where they won a state championship his senior year. In 2011, he was rated as a top 15 prospect in the state of Mississippi. Smith decided to transfer to Otero to find a better fit. Coach Reed had this to say, “Kentwan plays facing the basket. He will give us some length and athleticism, along with some experience in the wing position. He saw some playing time last season at a high level. He has a great work ethic and I strongly believe his best basketball is still in front of him. We look forward to continuing his growth at Otero in his year of eligibility here."

Rattlers Reload for 2012-2013

Coming off an unprecedented championship run, the Rattlers have added a deep recruiting class that will try to replace the 8 sophomores that were lost to graduation. Head Coach Houston Reed is pleased to announce this first list of future Otero Junior College basketball players...the rest of this year's class will be released shortly.

Alex Padgett – a 6’3” guard from Fruita Monument , CO. Alex was part of three Southwestern Conference championships in his career, only losing one conference game in his playing career. The Wildcats finished the season with a 21-4 record. Alex averaged 17.7 ppg and 3.4 apg as a senior earning recognition as a 1st team all-conference selection, and he was also selected as an all-tournament player in every tournament the Wildcats played in this season. Alex was also recently selected as Kiwanas Student of the month. Alex also received recruitment from Colorado Mesa University, Metro State, and UCCS. “Alex embodies the type of player and person we want as a student-athlete at Otero. His improvement as we watched him develop in high school makes us believe he can immediately impact our program and will earn a division one scholarship from Otero. We ultimately were attracted to him by his work ethic, character, unselfishness and obviously his ability to play,” head coach Houston Reed commented.

Nick Ongarato – a 6’3” guard from Broomfield, CO. Broomfield High School advanced to the 4A Final Four and completed the season with a 24-2 record. Nick averaged 12.2 ppg, and 2.3 apg, making 88 threes this season earning him first team all-conference and all-state honorable mention. He was also selected as an all-state football player. Nick also received recruitment from Eastern Wyoming, Colorado State-Pueblo, and several junior colleges in California where he has family living. “We have been recruiting Nick for quite awhile. He’s a winner. Broomfield was one of the best teams in the state this year large in part to his contributions. Nick comes up with big plays at opportune times; rather if it’s hitting a shot, pulling a rebound or getting the ball where it’s suppose to go. His toughness and winning attitude makes him a great fit here.” head coach Houston Reed commented.

Mando Marshall – a 6’5” forward from Las Cruces, NM. Las Cruces High School finished the season with a 24-5 record qualifying for the state tournament. Mando averaged 16 ppg and 7.0 rpg, 4.1 apg, shooting 60 percent from the floor. He was named district 3-5A player of the year, was a first team all-state selection as a senior, and selected to play in the prestigious New Mexico North-South all-star game. He was selected as a first team all-district player three straight years. Mando received recruitment from many division one schools throughout the year. He also was recruited by Cochise and Northeastern before choosing Otero. “We fell in love with Mando when we set eyes on him. He has great athletic ability. He has a grit and toughness to him we really like. We really like his ability to finish around the rim and play in transition. Coach Benjamin has done a great job with him and we are excited to work with him and watch him continue to develop his game and grow as a player,” head coach Houston Reed commented.

James Healy – a 6’3” shooter from Cibola High School in Albuquerque, NM. Cibola High School finished the season with a 20-7 record spending the year as a top ranked team. James averaged 21 ppg, shooting 43 percent from three on the season. James was recognized as district 1-5A player of the year, 2nd team all-state, and 1st team all-metro. James maintained a 4.0 grade point average throughout all four years of high school. He was also recruited by Cochise, E. New Mexico, and University of South Dakota. “James shoots the eyes out of the basketball. He has deep range and a pure stroke. He has a great feel for the game and is great and reading screens and making basketball choices. He’s a high character kid that has a second to none work ethic which makes us feel like he’s a great fit,” head coach Houston Reed commented.

Derek Hillyer – a 6’9” post from Bayfield, CO. Though Bayfield had an up and down season, Derek was a solid contributor throughout the season. The post from Bayfield averaged 15.6 ppg, 8.1 rpg, and 2.5 blocks per game for the Wolverines. Derek was recognized as first team all-conference player. He also received recruiting attention from Fort Lewis and Western State. “We believe that Derek’s best basketball is still in front of him. He has a lot of tools that with polish can make him a high level player at the collegiate level. He comes from a strong basketball background. We are excited to see him develop and grow”, commented head coach Houston Reed.

Tyler Shetterly -6’6” post/forward prepped at Washington High School in Sioux Falls, SD. The Warriors finished the season with a 15-9 record making it to the final four in the state tournament. Tyler averaged 13.7 ppg, 8.4 rpg, and 2 blocks per game earning him first team all-conference and all-city honors. He received recruiting interest from Augustana, Northwestern Iowa, and Upper Iowa before choosing Otero. “Every guy we talked to says Tyler plays his tail off. He has the ability to score and finish one on one on the block. He can stretch you out to 15 feet with his jumper. We were drawn to him by his intangibles, sealing in the post, running the floor, and constantly pursing rebounds,” said head coach Houston Reed.

Three More Sophomores Move On...

Following an incredible season that finished with 30 wins, a Region IX Championship, and an appearance in the Elite 8 of the NJCAA Tournament, Otero Mens' Basketball is proud to announce that all 8 sophomores have signed to further their careers at 4-year institutions.

Dylan Fritsch, the 6'6 sniper from Albuquerque, will attend Jacksonville University. He will leave Otero 13th on the all-time scoring list (1 pt ahead of Coach Houston Reed).  Dylan finished his career with 164 made 3 pt field goals. He made countless clutch shots for Otero during his two-year span as a player. If there was a big shot to be made, Dylan always stepped up and buried it. Coach Reed had this to say about Dylan, "We are going to miss watching Dylan shoot the basketball. He has one of the purest strokes I have ever seen. He grew up a lot here at Otero both on and off the floor and we will miss his enthusiasm and upbeat personality." Jacksonville University is a Division I institution which competes in the Atlantic Sun conference. Dylan will face off against former Otero teammate Oscar Garcia when Jacksonville plays Lipscomb University twice next season. Fritsch chose Jacksonville over a number of other Division I and Division II programs. 

Taylor Shaffer, the 6'4 shooting guard, will be attending Colorado Mesa University on a full football scholarship. The Pagosa Springs, CO native was a standout football and basketball player in high school and chose to play basketball for the Rattlers the past two seasons. Taylor's toughness and leadership have been critical to the success of Otero basketball the last two years. He was elected as a team captain and his work ethic and team attitude are second to none.  Taylor will take those attributes into being a terrific college quarterback. Coach Reed commented on Taylor, "Nobody worked harder or invested more than Taylor. His servant-leadership and unselfishness will help him be a great quarterback. Taylor will be a highly successful person after his athletic career is over, and we will miss him greatly in our program." 

Anthony Johnson has decided to continue his basketball career at Faulkner University in Montgomery, Alabama. Johnson, the 6'10 sophomore from Houston, had interest from several Division I and II programs after his stellar play at the Region IX and NJCAA National Tournaments. AJ aka "Big Boy" battled immense personal adversity while at Otero and he made himself into the player he is today. He fulfilled his role of rebounding, screening, protecting the rim, and was a great presence in the post. He will be remembered for contributing huge minutes in the Rattlers title run, especially his tip-in at the end of the first half vs. Miles City in the Region IX Semifinal as well as grabbing 6 tough rebounds in the National Quarterfinal game vs. NW Florida State. Coach Reed had this to say about AJ, "Anthony is like a son to me. What he went through in his personal life would have caused many people to quit. AJ didn't. He simply worked harder and invested more into himself and our program. He is one of the best people I have ever known and we were truly blessed to have him for two years." 

McKenzie and Archuleta join forces at Ft. Lewis

If you watched Otero play this year, you may have noticed how well the Rattlers played with one another. It was an extremely cohesive group that played more like a four-year school than a junior college. And now, two of those Rattlers will continue their playing careers together at perennial Division II power, Fort Lewis College. Wes McKenzie (Colorado Springs, CO) and Lucas Archuleta (Rio Rancho, NM) both signed with the Skyhawks this past April. Associate Head Coach Bob Pietrack and Head Coach Bob Hofman are getting two of the best guards in all of Region IX. The tandem started every game this season and their back to back And One buckets versus Sheridan in the Region IX Tournament will not be forgotten any time soon.

Wes McKenzie started every game for Otero this season. He averaged 10 ppg while shooting 52% from the field and 46% from beyond the arc. Wes was also responsible for defending the opponents best perimeter player on a nightly basis. McKenzie hit numerous big shots for the Rattlers this season including three straight 3's in a home win over North Platte, a go-ahead 3 on the road at Northeastern, and a game winner in the NJCAA Tournament against Wabash Valley. Wes turned down a Division I offer to play for Fort Lewis.  He'll be remembered for his toughness, leadership, and being the best cutter we have ever coached. Coach Reed commented, "We were very fortunate to have Wes in our program for two years. The amount of work he put in the off-season before his sophomore season was unbelievable. He was our unquestioned leader. I'll miss being able to watch him compete on a daily basis."  

Lucas Archuleta was 2nd on the team in scoring and assists with 10.7 ppg and 3.7 apg respectively. His offensive versatility was crucial for the Rattlers this past season. Lucas can get to the rim, bury a pull-up jumper, or drain a 3 on any given possession. He also possesses terrific court vision and routinely made great passes that led to easy buckets for his teammates. Lucas made his fair share of big shots throughout his career. Perhaps none bigger than his made 3 point shot against Casper with less than 2 minutes remaining in the Region IX Championship game. The shot put Otero up by 4 points and the Rattlers eventually prevailed 73-70. Coach Reed remarked, "Lucas grew up a lot here at Otero. As a player he stretched and improved his game, but it was his personal growth that was most impressive. I couldn't be prouder to be his Coach."

Three Rattlers Sign With Division One Schools

Following an amazing season in which Otero won 30 games, won the Region IX Championship, and advanced to the NJCAA Elite 8, three Rattler players have signed with Division I institutions. Brandon Harris, Adam Link, and Oscar Garcia will all play at college basketball's highest level next season. We are very proud of these guys because they bought into the team concept and never got caught up in caring about their own stats or accomplishments. All three are tough kids that just want to compete and win. We will miss them, but we know that they will do great things at their next school.

Brandon Harris will attend Western Kentucky University next fall. The point guard averaged 10 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists in the 2011-2012 campaign. Harris also provided tremendous defensive pressure for the Rattlers. He broke the school record for steals in a season with 90. Brandon had over 20 Division I offers but chose to play for Coach Ray Harper and become a Hilltopper. Coach Reed had this to say about Brandon, "We are very happy for Brandon and wish him the best of luck at Western Kentucky. He did a great job of running our team this year and I'll miss watching him guard the ball full court. He is a great player, but a great person as well."

Adam Link will move on to Western Illinois University. The sophomore shot an amazing 61% from the field and led Otero in points and rebounds this season with 12 ppg and 8 rpg, respectively. Adam's athleticsm and versatilty were huge for the Rattlers during their championship run. He had several Divsion I offers but decided to become a Leatherneck and play for a tremendous coach in Jim Molinari at WIU. Adam will be remembred by many in La Junta for his ridiculous dunks and athletic blocks. Coach Reed remarked, "Adam is a phenomenal person that has worked to become the player he is today. The toughness he displayed this year will be something I will always remember."

Oscar Garcia, the 6'7 post from El Paso, TX has signed with Lipscomb University in Nashville, TN. Garcia was the defensive anchor for the Rattlers this past season and led the team in charges taken for the past two years. Also, "O" averaged 7 points and 4 rebounds this year. He will become a Bison next fall and play for Coach Scott Sanderson. Oscar will be remembered for his constant hustle, fearless attitude, and his huge putbacks that finished the Miles City game and which put the Rattlers into the Region IX Championship game. Coach Reed commented, "Oscar may be the toughest player I have ever coached. He is someone that you want in your foxhole. He is loved by everyone that knows him, especially his teammates. We will miss him greatly."

 

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.