Road Warriors: Moriarty Pintos Embrace Toughness and Grit Entering Encinias’ Third Season

By Russell Huffman

As the sneakers squeak against the hardwood and whistles echo through the Moriarty High School gym, head coach Caleb Encinias isn’t looking for flash. He isn’t looking for guys hunting highlight reels. Entering his third season at the helm of the Pinto boys’ basketball program, Encinias is looking for something that doesn’t always show up in the box score: grit.

For Encinias, a Moriarty native who has lived in the community for his entire 30 years, this season represents a pivotal moment in establishing a new culture. After taking over from Marcus Ortiz, Encinias has spent two years laying a foundation. Now, he believes the team has the identity required to compete in one of the state’s most grueling basketball districts.

“I’m right where I want to be,” Encinias said of coaching his alma mater. “I grew up in this community… so coaching here means a lot to me.”

The Football Injection

The defining characteristic of the 2024-25 Pintos might just be their physicality, a trait directly imported from the gridiron. In an era where sports specialization is becoming the norm, Moriarty is taking an old-school approach. Encinias noted that the program boasts 18 players crossing over from the football team, a squad that recently suffered a tough quarterfinals loss.

While that transition requires a shift in conditioning, it brings an edge that the basketball team desperately needs.

“We have a core of players that are not only tough athletes but also great human beings,” Encinias said. “It’s a team that just got a taste of winning, and it’s a team that has a chip on their shoulder.”

Among the players to watch this season are Mario Romero, Mateo Manley-Griego, Devin Ortiz, Scott Batie, Dominic Brown, and Sam Pierce. According to Encinias, this group checks every box he is looking for: toughness, athleticism, speed, and hard-nosed physicality.

“I think we have the physicality to make up for size,” Encinias admitted, noting that the team will be somewhat undersized compared to district giants who field 6-foot-6 players against Moriarty’s tallest at 6-foot-2. “I think we got smaller guys that are going to go hit somebody, put a body on someone, and box someone out, rather than just hunting the basketball.”

Road Warriors

The Pintos won’t have the luxury of easing into this identity. The schedule has dealt them a challenging hand to start the year: a five-game road stretch and six of their first seven games on the highway. For many programs, playing away from home for weeks on end could be detrimental to morale. Encinias, however, sees it as a crucible for team bonding.

“I don’t think it could be detrimental to our team; if anything, I think it makes our team come together more,” he explained. “When we’re going out on the road, it’s us against everyone else.”

This “us against the world” mentality is a necessity, not a slogan. Moriarty competes in the Northern District, widely regarded as one of the toughest in New Mexico across all classifications. To crack the top tier occupied by powerhouses like Espanola, Taos, and Pojoaque, a team must be able to handle full-court pressure every single night.

Encinias candidly reflected on last season, noting that the team showed up out of shape and struggled with depth, often only going eight deep. “There were games that we were in against Espanola that just got away from us at the end, and I think that just came down from us not having the gas tank,” he said.

This year, the tank is full.

Defensive Identity

With the graduation of Jordan Brown, the district’s premier shooting threat who hit 40% from beyond the arc (17.9 points), the Pintos are shifting their tactical focus. The offense will likely rely less on perimeter shooting and more on transition points generated by a suffocating defense.

During recent practices, the team has focused heavily on press defense, backside rotations, and sideline traps.

“To make up ground there, we’re going to have to play defense,” Encinias stated. “We’re going to have to force turnovers and score in transition. The fundamentals on the defensive end are just as important.”

A Culture of Accountability

Beyond the X’s and O’s, the most significant change in the Pinto program is internal accountability. Encinias described a practice environment where players police themselves regarding effort—specifically, the non-negotiable rule of touching the line during sprints.

“In years past, we’ve had leaders that maybe didn’t hold others accountable they might let some get away with bad habits,” Encinias said. “We don’t have that this year. If you don’t touch the line, your teammate is going to call you out.”

This collective buy-in is what Encinias hopes will define the “Moriarty Pinto Culture.” He wants opponents to leave the gym physically exhausted, regardless of the final score, thinking, We don’t want to play those guys again.

Measuring Success

While every coach wants to see the win column grow, Encinias measures success through a wider lens. He points to “small victories”—winning the rebounding battle, limiting turnovers, and maintaining academic excellence. He proudly noted that in his first two years, the team hasn’t lost a single player to academic ineligibility.

Assisting Encinias on the bench this year will be varsity assistant Gabriel Romero, JV Coach Hayes Frost, and C-Team Coach Jeremy Trujillo. Together, the staff is looking to hone a young team that lists only one senior—into a sharp unit.

The season ahead promises to be a grind, starting on the road and ending in the gauntlet of the District 2-4A. But if the preseason intensity is any indication, the Pintos aren’t just looking to survive the travel; they’re looking to run opponents off the floor.

“We’re going to be diving for loose balls. We know that we’re going to touch the baseline on sprints,” Encinias promised. “Whether it’s win or lose, our opponents aren’t going to want to play us again.”