“What a great ride,” head coach for the Mustangs Mike Rummel told the San Miguel Basin Forum Sunday, reflecting on the high school basketball team’s success. It was just one day after the combined Mustangs, made up of both Norwood and Nucla players, had returned from the state tournament in Greeley.
The boys went into the state’s 1A Great Eight with a record of 25-0. The team knew when they departed Nucla last Wednesday what their challenges would be headed in.
The guys played their first one March 12.
“Our first game against Sierre Grande was a fast-paced game,” Rummel said.
“They were a team that full-court pressed and liked to play fast, hoping to make you turn the ball over, so they could get easy points from your turn-over,”
The Mustangs went in at the half down 20-31. By the end of the third quarter though, they were up 39-38 and ended up winning 52-45.
Fans on site and throughout the West End were celebrating, while also anticipating the next game, knowing the guys were close to taking the state championship.
But next things didn’t go as Rummel or the guys had hoped.
“The second game we had no answer for Cheyenne Wells’ 6’-8”, 255-pound post player,” Rummel said. “He dominated the inside on us, scoring 24 points and had 20 rebounds.”
Rummel said the Mustangs just couldn’t move him to box him out.
“We lost that one 59-31,” he said, “giving us our first loss of the season.”
Night 3, the Mustangs played a private school, Flatirons Academy.
“In the first quarter, we were down 4-13,” Rummel said. “We made a run in the second quarter and went in at halftime ahead 24-20. The second half, their big post players, 6’-7” and 6’-5”, stepped up their game, and they ended up pulling out and beating us 42-56.”
Rummel said the Mustangs didn’t do a very good job of running their plays the second half.
“So, overall we ended up taking fourth place,” he said.
Is he disappointed?
No. For him, there’s too much to celebrate, and gratitude is the current sentiment.
“From what I have been hearing, this is the highest ranking in state that a Nucla boys basketball team has ever reached,” he said. “The boys have nothing to be ashamed of at all, finishing the season with a 26-2 record.”
The last five months are proof of what can happen with hard work, collaboration and community support.
“Morgan (Rummel, who is the assistant coach) and I as coaches, as well as their families and their community, are very proud of the level that they achieved this year,” he said. “Thank you to the booster club for the money and other people that donated money to help buy meals for them while we were at state.”
Rummel said it’s not over, and it’s true most of the players will be coming back next year. Rummel acknowledged the girls team too, with an incredible record and one game short of making the state tournament. He wishes both the boys and girls all of the best for 2026-27.
“Hopefully Nucla returns with both teams competing next year,” Rummel said. “Go Mustangs!”
