LAS VEGAS, N.M. --- Look for the pace to be turned up a notch or two this season for the New Mexico Highlands men's basketball program as the Cowboys hope a mix of returning players and talented incomers can lead the program back to the RMAC Tournament – and then some.
NMHU went 15-13 a season ago, including 10-12 in RMAC play – a painstaking one game outside qualifying for the RMAC Tournament. The Cowboys begin their season 3 p.m. Friday against Western New Mexico in Albuquerque at The University of New Mexico's Davalos Center. The Cowboys take on Eastern New Mexico at Dreamstyle Arena in Albuquerque 3 p.m. Saturday.
Six players return from that squad while coach
Craig Snow and his coaching staff have brought in 10 new players to help add the depth they need to push the pace for a team that averaged 77.9 points per game a year ago – eighth in the conference.
Two starters return for the Cowboys in 6-foot-6 senior wing and Albuquerque native
Jordan Jones and 6-foot-3 sophomore guard and Las Vegas, New Mexico, native
D.J. Bustos. Jones averaged 10.5 points (fourth on the team – NMHU lost its three top scorers) and 3.4 rebounds while hitting a team-best 56 3-pointers and shooting 40.9 percent from beyond the arc (he also shot a team-best 85.1 percent from the free-throw line). Bustos averaged 7.1 points per game and shot 42.3 percent from 3-point range and was second on the team with 52 3-pointers made.
Six-foot-7 senior forward
Nnamdi Okoro – who started the exhibition game loss to Evansville last Saturday – returns after averaging 10.0 points and 5.1 rebounds per contest a year ago and so does 6-foot senior guard
Adrian LaFleur (4.8 ppg, team-best 47.1% 3FG), 6-foot-2 sophomore guard
Desmond Carpenter (4.5 ppg, 34.7% 3FG) and 7-foot-3 junior center
Patrik Boloz (1.3 ppg, 1.0 rpg).
There will be plenty of new faces on the court for the Cowboys this season, including Colorado State transfer
Raquan Mitchell. The junior played in 30 games last season – including nine starts – for the Rams and averaged 7.0 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game. The 6-foot-3 guard from Miami, Florida, scored a season-high 21 points against The University of New Mexico last season.
Joining Mitchell in the backcourt will be Northern Colorado transfer
Gerad Davis – who led the Cowboys with 20 points in their exhibition loss to Evansville. The 6-foot-4 guard played at Casper College prior to UNC where he averaged 14 points per contest to lead the team.
The Cowboys also have brothers
Brandon Collier (a 5-11 junior) and
Jeff Collier (a 6-6 freshman) transferring in as Brandon played at Wheelock College last season while Jeff played at Lincoln Memorial University. Both – like Mitchell – are from Miami, Florida. Also playing for the Cowboys is 6-foot-7 senior forward
Mangisto Deng – who last played for Barton Community College.
NMHU has five true freshmen – all from New Mexico – entering the fold in 6-foot-7 forward
Marlon Cunningham (Albuquerque High School), 6-foot guard
Mario Archuleta (Pecos High School), 5-foot-11 guard
Jaylen Domina-Lovato (Eldorado High School – Albuquerque), 6-foot-6 wing
Eric Sonnenberg (Manzano High School – Albuquerque) and 5-foot-11 guard
Jose Vigil (West Mesa High School – Albuquerque).
Following this weekend's games, the Cowboys travel to take on Western New Mexico in Silver City on Wednesday before playing their home opener 4 p.m. Saturday against University of the Southwest.
