Locked In: Damion Reyes Finds New Strength in ‘Lockdown’ Role for East Mountain

SANDIA PARK, N.M. — If you look closely at the eyes of East Mountain High School senior Damion Reyes when the Timberwolves are on defense, you won’t see the box score. You won’t see a player worried about his shooting percentage or his personal stats.

What you see is a singular, burning focus on the player in front of him.

“My role is just when I go in, I’m going to lock down their best player,” Reyes said. “I don’t want him to score. I don’t want him to be comfortable. Even if I’m not playing my greatest game, I want to make sure he’s not playing his greatest, either.”

It is a selfless philosophy born from a year of perspective that many high school athletes never have to face. For Reyes, the road to becoming a defensive specialist and a leader for the No. 4-ranked Timberwolves was paved with a grueling recovery from an injury that nearly took the game away entirely.

The turning point came on Dec. 26 last year—the day after Christmas. In what should have been a celebratory tournament, Reyes suffered a near-total ACL tear. The injury was a staggering blow to a player Coach Brad Hofmann described as a rising star who was “really elevating his game” at the time.

However, the path to surgery wasn’t simple. Because of a pre-existing heart condition, Reyes had to wait an additional two months for a specialized anesthesiology team to be cleared for his procedure.

“I was scared,” Reyes admitted. “I’d never had a big injury like this. I was thinking, maybe I’ll never play the same, or maybe everyone will be better than me because I didn’t get that practice time.”

While his body was sidelined, his spirit stayed in the gym. Hofmann noted that unless Reyes was in physical therapy, he attended every practice. He ran the clock. He pulled teammates aside to offer advice. He became, in the coach’s words, the ultimate teammate.

“He could not have been a better teammate,” Hofmann said. “Just happy for guys that were having success, always a smile on his face. He embodies a lot of the core values that we preach.”

The physical recovery was its own battle. Reyes described the first month post-surgery as “some of the worst pain,” a period spent relearning how to walk and struggling to regain muscle mass that seemed to vanish overnight.

Today, Reyes estimates he is at about 85% of his former physical self. His vertical jump hasn’t fully returned, but his impact on the court has never been higher. Transitioning from a starter to a key role player off the bench is a move that many seniors would find difficult to swallow, but Reyes has embraced it with a veteran’s maturity.

“I’ve learned I can’t start every game. We have too many people on the team, and I just have to learn my role,” Reyes said. “As a senior, it’s about setting an example. When you’re in this program for four years, you understand what you need to do as a teammate and a friend.”

That discipline extends beyond the hardwood. Reyes is a standout student with a passion for wildlife management and robotics. Following graduation, he plans to attend Grand Canyon University to study forensic science—a career path he jokingly admits was inspired by the television show Dexter.

As East Mountain continues its historic season, Reyes remains the Timberwolves’ defensive anchor, proof that “starting” isn’t the only way to lead.

“If someone gets in my shoes, I’d say find something else you can enjoy with your team while you’re out,” Reyes said, reflecting on his journey. “I stayed in the sports world by being there for my friends. That’s how I got through it.”

For Reyes, the 15% of his athleticism that is still missing doesn’t matter as much as the 100% he gives to his teammates every night.

Reyes is the son of Ashley Gambling and Joshua Reyes.