Downing Nabs 1st Head Coaching Victory, Saints Win Season Opener Over Otero

LA JUNTA, Colo. – In his first game as a head coach, Seward County men's basketball's Austin Downing helped guide the Saints to a 77-65 win over the Otero Rattlers at the McDivitt Center on Friday evening.

The win for the Saints (1-0) was their first in a season opener since the 2022-23 season opening win over Trinidad State at The Greenhouse.

Congratulations to @ThADowning on his first win as a head coach ��@Seward_Hoops | #GoodToBeGreen pic.twitter.com/LmCsruJgVy

— Seward County Saints (@SewardSaints) November 1, 2025

"It felt rewarding but at the same time it just made me appreciate how much support I have," said Downing. "You're only as good as those you surround yourself with and I feel like I'm around some pretty special human beings on a daily basis. Excited to continue to grow with this group and attack things one day at a time."

The Saints found a way to get a double-digit road win despite turning the ball over 25 times.

"It was a very sloppy game that our guys found a way to win," Downing said. "You could absolutely tell that we hadn't played against anyone else since October 11th. Lots of first game jitters (even on my end) and guys still getting used to one another."

The first 10 minutes of the first half was full of lead changes. Seward sophomore forward Lucas N'Gombo put in a layup with 13:31 to go to put Seward ahead 9-8. They did not trail again in the game.

Sophomore Quincey Kidd followed that up with his second three of the first half with 12:11 to go putting the Saints ahead 12-8. An emphatic dunk from freshman Antonio Williams Jr. gave the Saints its biggest lead of the half at 29-16 with 7:47 to play. Seward took a 41-32 lead into halftime.

Freshman Bailey Milligan opened the second half with a triple but Otero quickly cut the Seward lead to three with a 9-0 run. Sophomore Lyna Brooks Jr. hit two free throws to stop the bleeding and put Seward ahead 46-41 with 17:21 to go.

Seward turned in an 8-0 run to take a 65-53 lead with eight minutes to play. An N'Gombo layup put Seward ahead 69-59 with six minutes to go and the Saints led by double digits the rest of the way.

N'Gombo and Brooks Jr. each paced the Saints with 16 points with N'Gombo pulling down seven rebounds. Milligan finished with 14 points and five rebounds while redshirt freshman guard Brooks Powers added 10 points, five rebounds and four assists. Williams Jr. had eight points four rebounds and three assists off the bench.

Seward shot 39.7% (23-58) from the field and 22.7% (5-22) from distance. The Saints knocked in 78.8% (26-33) of their free throws.

"We managed to have 16 assists but shooting 39% from the field and 22% from three tells us as a unit that we weren't getting the shots we wanted," Downing noted.