Matthew Herrera, Another #24 Ready to Light Up Ben Lujan Gymnasium

 Matthew Herrera

If you don’t remember the guy wearing #24 when the Elks won their first state basketball championship in 2008, you’re probably not a dyed in the green Elks’ basketball fan; number 24 was the number Ryan Gonzalez had stitched on his jersey.

Now, as we anticipate the 2010-11 basketball season, there will be a left-handed freshman kid wearing #24 in tribute to Gonzalez, his role model. The new kid’s name is Matthew Herrera, and like Gonzalez, Herrera has game.

At 6’1”, the 14-year-old said he has grown 6 ½ “ since the 7^th grade. But more importantly, his game has grown. He’s learned to go right, how to post up and, thanks to Gonzalez, he’s improved his shot.

“Ryan has helped me quite a bit,” Herrera said as he sat in the Wellness Center Gym, holding a basketball. He said he’s been carrying a basketball around for as long as he can remember.

He said Ryan got him to square up on his jumper and offered advice, like always follow your shot.

This summer, Herrera’s jumper, defense, discipline and determination came to the attention of the New Mexico Force, a 14 and under AAU team out of Albuquerque, and they asked him to join their prestigious team without a tryout. Incidentally, Gonzalez, who now plays for Highlands University, also played for the Force.

Last week, the Force played in the Adidas Super 64 Tournament in Las Vegas, Nevada. Matthew said they played four games against teams from Colorado, California and Washington.

Matthew’s dad, Marcos Herrera, who sat with his son in the gym during the interview, said he was in the stands during one of the tournament games when Matthew blocked a shot.

“He blocked a shot and dribbled the ball the length of the court for a lay-up,” Marcos said. “I was sitting next to one of the parents from the other team who said, ‘That kid’s a one man wrecking crew.’”

And that he is.  He averaged 10 points a game in the Las Vegas Tournament and during the Force’s 40 game season he put up 23 points in a game in El Paso, Texas and had a double-double; 17 points, 10 rebounds in another game.

Asked why Ryan Gonzalez is his role model, he thought a moment and said, “Ryan always has a positive attitude and he never seems to get frustrated.”

Talking with Matthew, you get the same feeling. He’s not a braggart.  He’s focused and he’s ready to compete at the high school level.  And he’s not the only talented freshman who will be wearing an Elks’ uniform this season. The Pojoaque 8^th grad team had an 18-0 record last year.

With the Force traveling all over the country this summer, Marcos said he wanted to thank a couple of businesses who sponsored Matthew’s basketball journey. “Nambe Drugs and Winkler’s Collision both sponsored Matthew this summer,” Marcos said. “And I want to thank them for everything they’re done.”

What they’ve done is help a good basketball player become better because like Gonzalez told Matthew, “The only way you can get better is by playing the best.”