FROM TASKER TO REEVES, NOT MUCH HAS CHANGED FOR HOBBS BOYS BASKETBALL
The Hobbs High School boys basketball team is getting ready for its biggest game of 2022, so far. The Eagles will travel to Carlsbad on Friday evening. Hobbs holds a 20-2 record and is ranked 5th in the state in the latest MaxPreps polls. District rival Carlsbad is 19-3 overall and ranked 8th. “I have nine seniors on my team which makes a big difference,” said 4th year head coach Shelby Reeves. “Being from Hobbs, they work hard and want to make everybody proud.”
The Eagles are led by seniors Jalen Goar and Aaron Mora. Goar is a shooting guard who is a three-point threat and Mora is a 6’6” post player. Last week, Goar set the school record for most three-pointers in a career (218), and he is close to breaking into the top ten all-time in the state. “Everybody sees him as a shooter from long distance, but he has a full game,” said Reeves. “He can take you off the dribble, he can pull up on you. When his threes are not dropping, he calls plays to get others going. You love having guys like that on your team.”
Reeves is just the fourth head coach for the program over the past 70+ years. Reeves played for the legendary Ralph Tasker and coached with the Hall of Famer, as well. “Coach Tasker allowed me to come into the gym at the age of 6, I had to come with my brothers,” Reeves recalled. “He allowed me to sit next to him and I got to run the clock. He would tell me about teams, just being around him was wonderful. The knowledge he gave us about basketball was big for me.”
From Tasker to Reeves, not much has changed. The Eagles press and score a lot of points. Hobbs is averaging almost 80 points a game and has scored in the 90’s three times this season. Hobbs has 17 state titles, but none since 2015. “We know there are 5 or 6 teams that could possibly win this,” said Reeves. “We’re fighting to try and get those home games in the first round and quarterfinals and if we can get to the Pit, see where everything falls from there.”
Hobbs only has two losses on the season, to Odessa Permian and unbeaten Las Cruces. The Eagles hope to avoid a third setback on Friday night against the Cavemen.
