Josiah Fresquez had a special reason for wanting to stay close to home to continue playing basketball in college.
The former Española Valley star guard who helped the Española Valley Sundevils reach the Class 4A state tournament semi-finals last season, recently signed to play at Northern New Mexico College, coach Mike Dominguez said.
Fresquez originally planned to go to New Mexico Highlands University in Las Vegas, but when Dominguez left the Cowboys and became coach of the Eagles, it only made sense to follow him, Fresquez said.
“I get to stay at home,” he said. “That’s very important because my family has followed my whole basketball career.”
As a matter of fact, the idea of perhaps the one family member who has not gotten a chance to see him play might now be able to do so is a fervent hope, Fresquez added.
“It’s my dream that my grandfather, who is sick and has not gotten a chance to see me play in high school now might be able to see me play in college,” he said. “It’s my dream for him to make it to at least one game.”
Fresquez actually takes care of his grandfather, who is in his 80s and lives in Chimayó.
“I just try to do as much as I can to help him out,” Fresquez said. “I try to do everything I need to do early. All summer, I’ve been getting up at 5:45 in the morning and run three miles. Then I go to the gym and lift then I’ll shoot a little. Then I have the rest of the day off to help him.”
Dominguez said he’s known the Fresquez family for years, so the coach watched as Fresquez grew up.
“He’s smart, knows how to play the game,” Dominguez said. “He’s a really good kid.”
In addition to NNMC and Highlands, Fresquez had offers from a couple of schools back East. In his only year at Española after transferring from Los Alamos, the 5-foot, 7-inch Fresquez led the Sundevils in scoring (18.9), rebounds (4.4), assists (4.0) and steals (2.7). He was the Rio Grande SUN male basketball player of the year.
But this is where he wanted to be, although the work is now just starting.
“It’s going to be quite an adjustment, especially for me because I’m a smaller guard,” he said of playing college ball. “It’s going to be harder for me to get to the rim. But I can pass the ball very well and I have big shooters around me so I can fully unlock that and that should be fun. I have to work harder than everybody else and I have to earn my minutes. I just have to put in the time and earn my spot.”
Dominguez used his Highlands connections to bring in two other players, as well, with junior Ja’Kwan Hill out of Albuquerque 5A power Volcano Vista High School and senior TJ Sanchez, Capitol’s all-time leading scorer, both signing with the Eagles.
The 6’0” Sanchez was the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference co-freshman of the year in 2022-23 with the Cowboys and was a two-year starter at shooting guard. He was off to a great start last season, averaging 9.1 points and almost an assist per game before tearing a meniscus in his knee 10 games into the season.
“At the time, he was playing the best he’s ever played,” Dominguez said. “He was doing exactly what we were asking him to do. When he went down, that’s when we struggled as a team. He brings so much energy and excitement.”
And the 6’0” Hill, also a shooting guard who was the New Mexico Gatorade player of the year in 2022 after leading the Hawks to the state championship, started last season after Sanchez went down, averaging 6.4 points a game.
“He’s just a tough kid, a really good defender,” Dominguez said. “He usually guards the other team’s best guard. He really understands what it is I’m asking him to do. “The nice thing is these two guys have been with me and so they’ll be able to help with the transition of what we do and install the culture of what we’re trying to do here.”
In addition to the three players with ties to Northern New Mexico, Dominguez recruited 6’0” junior guard Diego Sharp, who attended Cleveland and ABC Prep and is transferring from Cochise Junior College in Douglas, Arizona, where he averaged 8.6 points a game.
Finally, Dominguez is bringing in 6’10” freshman post Davinn Jansen from the Netherlands and 6’6” freshman forward Kevin Harrison out of El Paso.
The Eagles also have seven returning players, while Dominguez is continuing to recruit as he looks for up to three more players to bring in.