BASKETBALL: Chaps ready for new journey under Arnold

The new era of Chaparral basketball kicks off Thursday when MC travels to Hobbs, New Mexico, to play against Pratt Community College in the New Mexico JC Classic.

For Arnold, this will mark his return to the junior college ball after spending the last three years as an assistant coach at the four-year level. Prior to that, he was a successful head coach at Odessa College, leading the Wranglers to a 159-32 record.

"Being an assistant was a different deal. It was tougher for me," Arnold said. "You kind of go around and you work for different guys and you learn things, you take the good and the bad. You stay below and you work hard for them, but at the end of the day, in the back of my mind, I knew I wanted to run my own program again. The timing was right. I'm extremely excited being here. It's a good place for my family. It's good all around."

This year's team contains a mixture of returning players, transfers and promising freshmen. From early indications, Arnold said the players have bought in and have the characteristics that he values in being tough, hard-minded, blue collar, energetic and who play the right way.

"We're going to be a group that people will be excited to watch how hard the guys play and do the little things that carry over to winning," Arnold said. "I don't think we're extremely flashy or anything. Just a hard-nosed group that's about the right things."

Sophomore forward Trent Johnson, one of six returning players who saw time on the court last year, said he feels good about this team's potential.

"I thought it was pretty easy to adapt," he said. "Coach Arnold expects hard work and me and a bunch of returners were in the same boat. All the new guys coming in, they all love to work hard and get we get after each other every day. We go 100 percent, so it's really good."

Johnson, who averaged 10.5 points and 6.5 rebounds last year, said the experience he got last year of playing at MC and in the Western Junior College Athletic Conference should help him this season.

"It got me used to playing in the region, you get used to the area and playing against different types of players," he said. "I feel good going into this year and looking to get better every day. I'm pretty hungry. I'm ready to show everyone what Midland is about. It's good going in with a group of guys who really want to win, grind it out all season and get after each other. It's exciting."

Keonte Jones, a 6-foot-6 sophomore guard/forward, who transferred from Mineral Area College in Missouri, said the gelling by this group of players has been easy.

"Most of us were coming from a different school so it was kind of easy to click, telling each other the background of what was going on at our other school and what we we're looking forward to having here," he said. "We all like to compete and I love that, no backing down. It was easy to connect with them."

Jones said the team has not only been working on playing together but on the little things that will help them win games.

"It's just improving, not really skill-wise, but just the details. like closing out, boxing out and being very detailed in what we do and being consistent," he said. "I'm excited to play with a new group, competing and going out there to win."

Arnold said they will find out more about themselves and what they can do during the non-conference portion of their schedule.

"We just need to play hard, continue to rebound, continue to mesh the group together and the offense will get better as the season goes along," Arnold said. "I know it's a cliché but it's an everyday process. They've really bought into it, they really are trying and giving their best effort every day. I don't know how good we are, but they are trying."