The husky build suggests he belongs in the post, where they can toss him the basketball and let him go to work. But what you see isn’t what you get with Otis senior Jimmy McGrath.
He possesses the ideal build (6-feet-3, 220 pounds) for a two-way lineman in size- starved 6-man football, but McGrath’s athletic ability warranted use as a running back and linebacker for the Bulldogs. Likewise, Mc- Grath has too much talent on the hardwood to be left in the paint.
That’s why McGrath sets up on the perimeter and drills 3-pointers. McGrath led the Bulldogs (20-6, state semifinalists last season) in 3-pointers (31-of-79), scoring average (14.5) and rebounds (8.3) last season.
“It’s pretty rare,” McGrath said. “It’s usually the small guards shooting from the perimeter.”
What wasn’t rare was teams initially guarding McGrath with a hefty post player.
“That’s what usually happens,” McGrath said. “People don’t expect much out of me, I guess.”
Those expectations have risen dramatically this season, at least for the Bulldogs as a whole. Last season Otis upset second-seeded Kit Carson behind 20 points from McGrath before losing to then-undefeated Crested Butte in the semifinals. The Bulldogs also return key contributors Karson Kuntz (13.0 points) and Dillon Patterson (10.7), and the rotation goes about 10-deep. While Spanish exchange student Jose Flores has gone home, the Bulldogs received another in 6-5 Carlos Hernandez. Also in the fold is 6-7 Lance Pickett, who will take over at center.
The only graduation loss was fifth-leading scorer Scott Aughe, who averaged 7.3 points. That’s why Otis begins the season ranked No. 1, despite never having played a championship game, above Hi-Plains and last year’s undefeated champion, Caliche.
“With almost everyone returning, that gives us a huge advantage,” McGrath said. “We just need to learn how to finish. If we knew how last season, we probably would have made it to the state championship game.”
1A BOYS HOOPS
1A top 10
1. Otis
2. Hi-Plains
3. Caliche
4. Primero
5. South Baca Co.
6. Idalia
7. Creede
8. Karval
9. Crested Butte
10. Eads
1A players to watch
Name School Ht. Yr.
William Bryant Primero 5-8 Jr.
Jake Grogg Crested Butte 6-1 Jr.
Charles Johnson Kit Carson 6-3 Sr.
Adam Marostica Idalia 6-2 Jr.
Jimmy McGrath Otis 6-3 Sr.
Rafe Schroder South Baca Co. 6-1 Sr.
Brett Stone Karval 6-0 Sr.
Corey Stumpf Caliche 6-0 Sr.
Kraig Tagtmeyer Hi-Plains 5-11 Sr.
John Whitmore Creede 6-4 Sr.
