KC guards lead the way

KIRTLAND, N.M.

When the Kirtland Central High School boys’ basketball team walks into a gymnasium, most see their six-foot-six post player and are quick to assume that he runs the floor.

But in actuality, it’s a core group of guards who own the floor: juniors Jariah Setzer and Bryson Dowdy, and senior Eric Foutz.

The three have come together to make the Broncos a force to be reckoned with. It is that force that Kirtland Central head coach Brian Dowdy said has been the center of the majority of the team’s success so far this season.

“With those three, that’s kind of our nucleus right now,” Dowdy said. “It seems like in games when things get tough, they’re not only scoring and making the big plays, but they’re also a calming influence for everybody. If that’s not more important, it’s just as important as scoring for us too.”

At the beginning of the season, Dowdy said he knew the team would lean heavily on its guard play and so far, they have.

While the team went into the Winter break with an overall record of 4-6, the tough and often close losses didn’t come by way of luck, but instead, at the hands of the guard-heavy team that has given area teams a good run.

“After 10 games…definitely our guard play is our strength,” Dowdy said. “We’re getting better in the post and there’s some things we have to do there, but we tend to go as our guards go.”

That wasn’t always the case.

In the three seasons as head coach, Dowdy has had teams that were quick and nearly well rounded, but none has come quite as close as the group today.

Dowdy said many of the core guards are juniors and seniors, and they are third-year starters who have grown together to become a unit and play as one.

He said it took a long look in the mirror for some to step up and work toward a state title.

“They’re excited, they’re motivated, and they’re super competitive,” Dowdy said.

The leader of the nucleus in the point guard position is Setzer, who played in the season before, but didn’t earn a starting role until this season.
In the preseason, Dowdy dubbed him to be the exciting point guard to watch for, and so far he has lived up to it.

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