Rattler Basketball Inks Three Colorado Players

DeSe Lee, a power forward/post from Aurora Central High School.	Wes McKenzie, a point guard/shooting guard from Liberty High School in Colorado Springs.

LA JUNTA — The Otero Junior College Men’s Basketball program has signed three Colorado players to play for the Rattlers in the 2010-11 season.

According to Head Coach Houston Reed, the three were some of the most highly recruited players in Colorado in 2010.

“Colorado players are our top priority in recruiting and these three young men were some of the most highly recruited players in the State of Colorado in 2010,” said Reed. “Our assistant coach, Brendan O’Connor did a great job of getting out on the road and finding these kids. We feel like all three of them fit the culture we are trying to create at Otero; they want to be coached, want to work to get better, and are serious about earning a degree,” said Reed.

DeSe Lee is a 6’7”, 205 pound power forward/post from Aurora Central High School (19-7 record) where he led the Trojans to the 5A final four, averaging 20.0 points per game, 9.3 rebounds per game and 4.3 blocks per game his senior season. Lee scored a season high 45 points against Lincoln High School, and was a second team 5A All-State selection by the Denver Post. Lee was also selected to play in The Show All-star game earlier this spring which is a collaboration of the best players in Colorado regardless of classification or grade. Lee was heavily recruited by other junior colleges including Trinidad State Junior College, Lamar Community College, Chochise College and Western Texas College.

“DeSe has great hands and a great feel on the block. We are expecting him to impact immediately, and fill the shoes of our last two division one post players. We are hoping he can develop into a post player that we can consistently dump it down into,” said Reed.

Wes McKenzie is a 6’2”, 175 pound point guard/shooting guard from Liberty High School in Colorado Springs. McKenzie led 5A basketball in scoring as a senior averaging 25.3 points per game. He scored over 30 points six times and over 40 twice as a senior. His first 40 point game performance came as a sophomore. McKenzie was also selected as 5A Colorado Springs Metro co-player of the year by the Colorado Springs Gazette, and he was named to the Colorado High School Coaches Association All-State team. He leaves Liberty High School as the all-time leading scorer in school history. McKenzie also played in The Show All-star game earlier this spring. He was a top wide receiver in Colorado and pursued as a collegiate football recruit. He was recruited by Colorado State University-Pueblo, University of Colorado-Colorado Springs and Eastern Wyoming College.

“Wes has proven he can score the basketball in a variety of ways. He is a gifted athlete and even a better person. He’s a young man that is committed to getting better and can bring toughness to our program immediately,” Coach Reed said.

Taylor Shaffer is a 6’3”, 180 pound shooting guard/wing from Pagosa Springs High School (21-5 record). He was twice named Player of the Year in the 3A Intermountain Conference. Shaffer averaged 13.0 points per game, 6.0 assists per game, and shot and impressive 49 percent from the three point line as a senior leading his team to the state tournament. Shaffer was a 3A second team All-State selection from the Denver Post, and was named to the Colorado High School Coaches Association All-state team. He was also a standout high school quarterback throwing for an average of 241 yards per game, and was sought as a college football recruit. He also made a recruiting visit to Mesa State College before choosing OJC.

“Taylor is the son of one of the best high school coaches in Colorado, and really knows how to play the game. He can shoot it, knows how to defend in the half court, and really makes others around him better. We were mostly drawn to him by his work ethic, toughness, and character,” said Reed.