El Paso High basketball players are heading into the final regular-season game of their 2024-25 season with high hopes and confidence, the Tigers are locked into a playoff spot against Americas tonight.

Last year, the varsity team fell short to Eastlake in the bi-district round of the playoffs.

“What we hope to do differently is obviously make it to the playoffs and win bi-district,” senior, Sebastian Ordoñez said ahead of the season.

The Tigers finished the regular season with 17 wins and 16 losses that included a 5-5 record in district play.

Sebastian, a second year varsity player, expressed the chip on his shoulder he has and wants to make this season count.

“The way that we’ve prepared differently for games last year is this year, we have a young squad. We have a bunch of juniors; we have a freshman and a sophomore,” Sebastian said. “And we just bring a lot of competitiveness to our practices during scrimmages. we just we just go at each other, compete, and just make each other better every single day.”

Sebastian believes that the competitive atmosphere at practice between the young and old players prepares the team even more.

“The biggest obstacle we have to overcome as a team is just staying very connected. Sometimes when we start losing a game, we start blaming each other for different things. We just have to stay calm, stay connected, and trust each other,” Sebastian said.

The team has embraced the challenge of integrating younger players into the roster, and their development has brought a new dynamic to practices.

“Every day, we’re making sure everyone’s on the same page and that we’re all going hard. That’s how it’s going to be in the games,” senior, Brody John said.

Brody surpassed 1,000 career points this season as the team’s leading scorer during his tenure with EPHS.

“It’s just kind of like, I guess, a display that all my work has paid off over the past four years,” Brody said. “You know, it’s a great sign that I can continue this to the next level.”

Brody acknowledges the hard work he has put in over the past for years and expresses his intent to compete at the next level.

“I think we’ve changed this program from a losing to a winning program, and I think we have some kids that could most likely change the program also in the future,” Brody said. “I’m proud of what I did. But at the same time what was it just me.”

Todd Gray, another senior on the varsity team, believes that the basics are essential for the growth of underclassmen on the team.

“I’d say just confidence in what you do,” Todd said. “In practice is what you need to work on, and just play with game knowledge inside and outside the game.”

Head coach, Luis Celaya, added to that by saying how this year’s senior class has shown leadership on the team. 

“I’d describe them as a tenacious group of young men who are always ready for the fight. Even when we fall behind, they’re still fighting to catch up. They’ve been this way for years and have been successful because of it.”

The seniors’ determination has been a highlight of their time on the team. Their ability to stay focused and fight through adversity has set a example for the younger players.

“Watching them hit different milestones has been amazing. For example, when Todd got his first dunk, you saw his confidence grow. Moments like that—seeing players develop as individuals and teammates—are the most rewarding part of coaching,” Celaya said.

Coach Celaya’s reflections on Todd’s development and other team milestones showcase how much he values the personal growth of his players.

“Well, we had an up and down preseason,” coach Celaya said. “ And you can tell that that that’s correlated to our beginning of our season, that we’re developing as a team. The young guys are learning to play at the varsity level, and the older guys are learning to play with these younger guys.”

Coach adds that he has high confidence that his team will learn from their mistakes and make an impact.

“Austin Bunn has been a leader for us the last few years,” coach Celaya said. “And it’s just his discipline, his work ethic, because it’s really unmatched. I mean, he really worked hard to improve his game and even though he wasn’t such a great player when he first came into us, he really started to develop and work on his craft to be become a better player. And so, developing and staying disciplined to your craft is extremely important for leadership.”

With all the experience coach and his players have experienced so far they have high hopes for the upcoming season and tournament, they believe with discipline and hard work this season will be a success and they will leave a legacy behind.

“We’ve seen throughout the start of our season that we’re having our ups and downs as we start to connect as a team. We’re starting to get better in different moments in different spots and we’re seeing some bright spots that we’re hoping that all that correlates to us getting an opportunity to win,” Celaya said.