ARTICLE BY: TONY VENEGAS | OA SPORTS

James Reese has been on a good run the last two seasons on the court.

The former Odessa College basketball standout followed up leading the Wranglers to a Western Junior College Athletic Conference regular season title as a sophomore in 2018-19 by helping North Texas win a conference title of its own a year later in Conference USA.

It was the first title for the Mean Green program in 31 seasons. Reese said that he knew early on that the team could be in line for some special achievements.

"Our coaches put us in a great position as a team," Reese said. "We had great players 1 through 14 that worked hard every day in practice and bought in to what the coaches told us."

Like his time at Odessa College, Reese played an integral part in the Mean Green's success by starting all 31 games.

What was different during this past season in Denton was the way he got that done. Unlike his one season with the Wranglers, the junior guard from Eastover, South Carolina, was not the top scoring option on his team.

Reese finished the season averaging 8.6 points per game, but found other ways to contribute. He finished second on the team in steals (30) and only missed one free throw all season (23-24).

It was a stark contrast from being the focal point of the offense at Odessa College, but Reese said it was all part of the growing process.

"I learned how to embrace a different role," Reese said. "When I got to North Texas, I still made good plays but I had to shift my focus.

"The coaches at North Texas didn't need me to do as much as I did at OC. I got better at adjusting to situations and just with the little things as well."

By comparison, Reese averaged 16 points a game for the Wranglers and was the go-to scoring option on several occasions.

He had three 30-point games, including a season-best 41 points against Hill College on Nov. 24, 2018. Those efforts were good enough to earn NJCAA All-American honors.

Looking back on those accomplishments, Reese credited Wranglers head coach Kris Baumann and the Odessa College staff for helping to shape him into a more complete player and calling it "the best decision I could have made."

"When I came out there, Coach Baumann told me that this (Odessa College) would be a place where I could get my groove back and get on the radar.

"He allowed me to just play my game and helped me with a lot of things personally, as well. That's something I will always cherish. That's home for me, too, and something I'll never forget."

Things were on the upswing for Reese, but like everything else in the sports world, it all came to a halt with the coronavirus pandemic.

Reese said that the North Texas team was on its way to Frisco for a shootaround when it got the word that the Conference USA Tournament was canceled. The NCAA Tournament was canceled shortly after. The result was a season cut short and Reese and his teammates were left to process what happened.

"I was heartbroken," Reese said. "At first, it was a sign of relief because since we were the No. 1 seed, we were still going to go to the NCAA tournament. When they canceled that, it was tough and sad."

Even with that disappointment, Reese said he tried to make the best of the situation by looking back at the good times. The moment he remembers the most was when the Mean Green defeated Western Kentucky in overtime on March 1 at The Super Pit to clinch the title in front of the home fans.

"That was one of the best feelings," he said. "It felt good to see the seniors getting that conference ring, we had the city behind us and it was just a great family atmosphere there. I was just happy to be a part of it."

Reese will be a senior next year and is ready for another opportunity to lead the Mean Green to another conference title and another potential spot in the NCAA Tournament.

After what the Mean Green accomplished last season, he is anxious to get back on the court and start again.

"I feel like that the sky is the limit as to what we can do next year," he said. "I know we'll be in the gym working and we're going to try and do the same thing again."