
NTU signs 11 new players to men’s basketball team

Navajo Times | Quentin Jodie
Former Ganado basketball player Oraias Begay (right) drives to the hoop during the NTU men’s basketball tryouts on Tuesday, June 17 in Crownpoint. Begay was one of 11 players that signed with the NTU team.
CROWNPOINT
Navajo Technical University men’s basketball coach Mike McMillian is looking at 11 prospects to fill in needs for the upcoming 2025-26 season.
Last week, NTU hosted tryouts at its main campus in Crownpoint with 24 athletes vying for those 11 spots.
“The turnout was pretty good,” McMillian said. “We were expecting less than 20, but on the day of the tryouts we had six, seven (additional) athletes that showed up so that was exciting.”
The 11 student-athletes signed their letters of intent on Wednesday, June 18 following the two-day tryouts on Monday and Tuesday. They include Eric Slim Jr., Keaton Long, Uriah Gill, Texas James, Chris Rodriguez, Devin Moore, Torman Lang, Arsean Bozo, Zonte Upton, Necolis Begay and Cyril Johnson.
“Their talents, skills, and expertise of the game is what we need for our program,” McMillian said. “We’re looking forward to having them.”
Bozo, who has family roots in the Lukachukai, Arizona area, is a 2023 graduate of Arizona’s Baboquivari High School in Sells, Arizona. The half-Diné and half-African American is hoping to revive his basket career after not playing competitively for the past two years.

Navajo Times | Quentin Jodie
Former Baboquivari High basketball player Arsean Bozo (right) drives near the baseline for a two-point shot against Grants High graduate Uriah Gill during tryouts for the NTU men’s basketball team on Tuesday, June 17. The two players were awarded scholarships for the 2025-26 season.
“Honestly, it felt awesome to sign because for my whole life I always wanted to play,” Bozo said. “I want to keep playing until the wheels fall off, until my body says no more.
“I feel like I was given another chance to go play ball again,” he added. “It’s just a privilege to be playing basketball again and I don’t intend to waste it.”
Bozo played forward and center for his high school team, helping Baboquivari to a 1A state runner-up finish his senior season. He’s willing to play other spots for the McMillian-coached team.
“Really, I’m just trying to fill a position where it’s needed,” Bozo said. “If they need someone that can be a point guard that can lock down anybody, I will do everything that I can to be that player.
“If they need a shooting guard that can shoot the ball well, I’ll be that player,” he added. “If the need a small forward, power forward or center even, I’ll do whatever they need to win.”
Bozo plans on studying engineering technology at NTU this coming fall. Prior to that, he attended Tohono O’odham Community College in Sells and Fort Lewis College in Durango.
Despite not playing for a couple of seasons, Bozo is looking to grow under the tutelage of McMillian.
“There’s some things that I have to work on for sure,” he said. “I think he’s a good coach and (McMillian) seems to know what he wants from certain drills. I know that he’s going to make us better ball players.”
The student-athletes are expected to be back on campus a week before the start fall semester, which begins on Aug. 18.
“With these new add-ons, we’re hoping to at least finish above .500,” McMillian said. “When they get back, we’ll start our conditioning, and we’ll start preparing them for the season.”
The NTU coach says the new players will join returners Troy King and Joshua Kee on the men’s basketball team. He’s also expecting to have four redshirt players to be part of the team for a total of 17 members on this year’s squad.
In addition to tryouts, the NTU men’s team also hosted a two-day camp for youngsters early last week.
“The basketball camp went great,” McMillian said. “I enjoyed every moment hanging out with the kids, teaching them a little bit of basketball. I had my athletes come over and assist me, so it was a great experience for all of us.”
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