NMPreps.com continues to keep track of all the off-season news throughout the state of New Mexico. Joshua Grine, NMPreps.com senior basketball analyst tracks the state for all the news in high school sports.

More: 2013 Coaching Carousel | New Mexico Basketball Homepage

NMPREPS.COM - The Tularosa High School basketball program went with a familiar name to the region hiring one of the state of New Mexico's top assistant basketball coaches.

Sergio Castanon, only 25 years young will walk the sidelines as the next head coach of the Tularosa Wildcats. The Wildcats who won the State Title in 2012 will be in for a couple rebuilding years.

Castanon, a former basketball player and New Mexico All-State player at nearby Ruidoso High School.The Ruidoso Warriors played at Tularosa each year and as close as the schools are geographically they know each other well.

Castanon has spent the last two years, since graduating from the University of New Mexico, as an assistant coach at Laguna-Acoma High School in Casa Blanaca, New Mexico. Castanon, was a huge part of the building of the Hawks and leading them to the 2013 State Championship.

Castanon explained about winning the 2013 State Championship, "A lot of fun. To play and win in the Pit is an unforgettable experience. Such a great reward for all of the boys hard work all year long. The Laguna-Acoma program did something special and doing it infront of one of the best fan bases in the state. Unforgettable moment and season!"

The Laguna-Acoma Hawks were known not only for athletic ability but also for the way that they moved that ball. "First and foremost we will be a team in every sense of the word. We will play tough, team defense and will look to push the tempo. Tularosa is a highly respected program with high expectations year in and year out and I will not change that. We will compete every time we take the floor. " Castanon explained.

"I have high expectations. I think the core that is coming back is very talented." Castanon said. The Wildcats went 20-7, 8-1 District and played in the 2A Elite Eight one year removed from winning the state championship.

When asked about getting his first head coaching gig and what he has learned from mentors, "My father. He was the one who put the basketball in my hands.He was my coach growing up and he continues to give his much welcomed advice." This is sort of a homecoming after spending years up in northern New Mexico and Castanon expressed his pleasure about having the opportunity to go back home, "I'm excited about it. It will make the transition much easier because of the endless support that I will have from family and friends. I'm looking forward to it."

JOSHUA J. GRINEClick Here to view this Link. joined NMPreps.com before the 2010 basketball season as our Senior Basketball Analyst. Grine is a former coach (Valencia, Rio Rancho) and basketball player (Grants, Rio Rancho) who has been around New Mexico for several years.

E-Mail: grinejosh@yahoo.com