CSC’s AD announced new men’s basketball coach
Athletic Director Joel Smith announced Wednesday that Houston Reed will replace Brent Bargen as the head men’s basketball coach. Reed was introduced today (Thursday, May 5) in a media opportunity at the Chicoine Center.
Smith announced Bargen’s leaving on March 15; Bargen’s contract lasts until June 30. Bargen posted a 78-186 record in 10 years at CSC.
Smith stated in an email Wednesday that Reed’s start date is May 18.
There were at least 150 applicants for the head coaching position.
“I was aware of his success at Otero JC,” Smith stated about choosing Reed for the job. “He is a hard worker who will fit in well with the Chadron Community.”
“I’m not making any promises anytime soon, but our guys will play hard from day one,” Reed said at the conference.
Read said his players are going to be competitive and that he wants that to be the environment they play in and take that into life outside of basketball. Reed did meet with current players Wednesday and let them know he wants them to compete regardless of who stays or leaves.
At least one player, Sharif Black, sophomore of Detroit, and the team’s standout point guard, said he will be transferring at the end of this year. Black’s leaving was announced after Bargen’s resignation was announced and Black cited Bargen’s resignation as one of his reasons for leaving.
Recruiting wise, Reed, before he was offered the job, already started looking at potential players to bring to CSC next season.
“I understand it is late into the recruiting season, but there are still a lot of good players out there, and I think we can get them here,” Reed said.
Reed’s biggest challenge will be “building a culture of being great in basketball and life,” he said.
Reed does have success at the junior college level.
Reed was the head men’s basketball coach at Otero Junior College, La Junta, Colorado, for the past 10 years. During that time he posted a 174-140 record. He was 117-46 in the last five years. Reed also let the team to the NJCAA Region IX Tournament in 2012 and in 2013. The team won the Region IX South Division in 2015-16. He also received the Region IX Coach of the Year in 2012 and 2016.
Reed was the head boys’ basketball coach at Rocky Ford High School in Colorado before Otero Junior College.
He played for OJC from 1198-2002. He still holds the single-game scoring record and is 15th on the all-time score leader board.
After OJC, Reed posted two seasons at Northern State University, Aberdeen, South Dakota, under the leadership of Don Meyer, who leads the NCAA in all-time wins.
“I start officially on May 18th, but my process of recruiting, coaching, and being a leaders has already started,” Reed said.