Former San Angelo Central guard Ruiz to play hoops for University of the Southwest
Another former San Angelo Central High School boys basketball player is taking his game to the University of the Southwest in Hobbs, New Mexico.
Former Bobcats guard Dominic Ruiz made his plans official earlier this week to play for the private NAIA Christian school that competes in the Red River Athletic Conference.
"What made me want to go there was to continue playing basketball and just doing what I love as well as continuing my academic career and furthering myself into becoming a physical therapist," Ruiz said.
"If God allows me to continue to keep going further with basketball, I'll keeping doing that. I'll just keep working hard in everything I do, and I'm blessed to do that with this offer. I'm glad I can do it. Not many people can they say can."
Ruiz will be teammates with his former teammate Mathew Cooper, who signed an agreement with the University of the Southwest in April.
The 5-foot-10 guard talked about what he has to offer a college team.
"I bring a lot of hard work, good shooting and a great team player," Ruiz said. "I love to move the ball. I'm unselfish with it. I score when needed and I pass when needed as well."
Central finished 21-11 overall and 7-5 in district this past season to earn the No. 4 playoff seed under head coach C.J. Villegas. The Bobcats got knocked out by El Paso Americas in the first round of the playoffs for the second-straight year.
Ruiz said it was an ideal situation playing for the Bobcats.
"Oh man, it was fun, especially playing for coach V and (former assistant Jamal) Anene," Ruiz said. "They made it great. They actually made it amazing. They taught me a lot of life's lessons, as well as things on the court.
"They taught me how to push into different gears and to keep working and told me a lot of stuff that will be with me the rest of my life. Those two coaches taught me a lot of stuff that I know and I'm grateful for them. I was blessed to be able to be with them this year and the (previous) year."
Ruiz and his teammates were inseparable.
"Like our coaches said a lot, this group was really special because how close we were on and off the court," Ruiz said. "It was a whole bunch of chemistry involved and a lot of hanging out outside of basketball at school.
"And I feel like this group was more like family than anything. We pretty much considered ourselves as brothers. It helped us a lot with our chemistry. We trusted each other more than I feel like anybody could ever say they could."
This article originally appeared on San Angelo Standard-Times: Ex-San Angelo Central basketball player Ruiz announces college plans
