Area players hit 1000th-point milestone
Navajo Times | Quentin Jodie
To’hajiilee junior guard Khyran Guerro was honored on Saturday afternoon for hitting the 1000-point plateau earlier this season at To’hajiilee High School.
TOHAJIILEE, N.M. – Add To’hajiilee’s Khyran Guerro and Pine Hill’s Channing James to a growing list of New Mexico prep players hitting the 1000-point plateau.
Guerro surpassed that mark on Jan. 15 when To’hajiilee hosted Laguna Acoma in a nondistrict game. Since then, Guerro has played in five games, including Tuesday’s 61-51 win over the Coronado Leopards.
“I didn’t know that I was about to hit that,” Guerro said. “I actually found out about it a week later.”
In that game with LA, Guerro finished with a game-high 32 points as he was recognized on Saturday before its rivalry game with Pine Hill at To’hajiilee High School.
Navajo Times | Quentin Jodie
Pine Hill senior Channing James is one of a handful of New Mexico prep players to hit 1000 career points. The four-year varsity player accomplished that feat on Jan. 10.
“I’m proud of what I did, and I want to thank everyone who has supported me,” Guerro said. “It’s a good milestone to hit.”
Standing at 5-foot-8, the To’hajiilee guard plays with a lot of energy whether its defensively or offensively. Guerro has a knack for chasing after every loose ball and that is what his coach likes about him.
“I don’t know where he gets his motivation from, but Khyran can go from one end of the court to the other with ease,” first-year coach To’hajiilee coach Ivan Delgarito said. “We need more players like that and he’s a good example for our upcoming players.”
As for James, the Pine Hill senior hit his 1000th point against East Mountain on Jan. 10 during the three-day Estancia boys basketball tournament.
“It’s a big accomplishment for me,” James said. “It’s a lifetime dream of mine. Not very many people hit that, so I’m really grateful that I hit it.”
The Warriors opened the Estancia tournament with Moriarty and in that game James put up 24 points as he only five points shy of hitting that milestone.
“I knew that I was close, so I went for it,” said James, who led Pine Hill with 24 points in its game with East Mountain. “I hit it right away in the first quarter.”
As a four-year varsity player, James has seen his point production increase substantially this season as Pine Hill was hit by graduation last season.
“We lost a couple of big seniors last year, so I’ve been trying to play my heart out this year,” James said. “But I really can’t do anything without my team, so a big shoutout goes to them. They give me the ball when I’m open.”
Pine Hill coach Lawrence Yazzie said having James is a big blessing since he’s working with young squad.
“He’s a pretty awesome kid,” Yazzie said. “He’s a pretty good leader. Sometimes I get grief from people wondering why Channing is coaching the boys.
“But I tell them he knows the sport and he knows the game,” he added. “He’s a true leader and they just respond well to him, and that helps us out a lot.”
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