DeSoto County talent to fuel new ‘hyper-speed’ era with Northwest men’s basketball
Photo: Zahir Gutierrez of Olive Branch and Josiah Nelson of Lewisburg take a break during a game. The pair are part of a platoon-style attack that keeps players fresh but intensely engaged when on the court. (Courtesy Caleb Burggraaf/nwccrangers.com)
SENATOBIA, Miss. — When John Redman arrived in Senatobia to take the reins of the Northwest Mississippi Community College men’s basketball program, he brought a “hyper-speed” offensive philosophy that requires endurance, high basketball IQ, and buy-in. To execute that vision, Redman didn’t have to look far, securing two DeSoto County standouts to help launch a new era of Rangers basketball.
Olive Branch alumnus Zahir Gutierrez and Lewisburg graduate Josiah Nelson now play close to home, becoming key contributors for a Rangers squad that held a 7-4 record heading into Saturday’s contest at Dyersburg State.
Redman, who spent seven seasons as associate head coach at Delta State University before taking the Northwest job, is instilling a run-and-gun system that creates a frenetic pace on the floor.
“I’m a runner my whole life. I want to run,” Redman said. “I talk about it with the guys: when the ball moves, the scoreboard moves.”
Redman’s goal is ambitious—he wants his team putting up 90 shots and 40 three-pointers a game. To handle that volume, he relies on a deep bench and players who understand winning.
Gutierrez, a sophomore guard, transferred to Northwest after spending last season at Pearl River Community College. A former MHSAA 6A state champion with the Olive Branch Conquistadors, Gutierrez was one of Redman’s first targets on the recruiting trail.
“The fact that he signed me first out of anybody, and he came looking for me, I knew that I was going to be a big piece of what he was trying to build,” Gutierrez said. “He put that trust in me, so I have to put that trust in him.”
Through 11 games, Gutierrez averaged 14 points per game, highlighted by an explosive 33-point performance against Calhoun Community College in early December. For Gutierrez, the transition to Redman’s offense was natural.
“All my high school career, we played just like that,” Gutierrez said. “I love that playing style… I can shoot really good, so that also kind of helps me out.”
Beyond the court, the move to Senatobia has offered personal rewards for the Olive Branch native.
“It’s one of the biggest blessings of my entire life,” Gutierrez said. “It’s closer to home… I get to see my family every weekend whereas last year I wasn’t able to, and I’m a big family man.”
Joining him is Josiah Nelson, a redshirt freshman who helped lead Lewisburg to a Region 1-7A championship in high school under coach Zach Jorgenson. Nelson is averaging 7 points per game, including a season-high 11 points in a November win against Coastal Alabama-South, where he hit a clutch three-pointer to seal the victory.
Nelson noted that the “wholesale substitution” patterns—often subbing five players at a time—keep legs fresh and the defense off balance.
“It goes perfectly with my game. We shoot a lot of threes,” Nelson said. “I have a lot of really good players around me that can score, and they just make me look good out there.”
Nelson acknowledges that the Rangers are fighting to change the narrative around the basketball program.
“Obviously the basketball program hasn’t been a winning program, but in every other sport (at Northwest), they win,” Nelson said. “We’re hoping that we can turn it around and turn the basketball program into something big.”
Redman praised both local players for their maturity and history of success.
“Both those guys are just winners,” Redman said. “Joe (Nelson) is a warrior… Zahir’s basketball IQ is so high.”
The DeSoto County connection extends to the redshirt roster as well, with Eric Oliver Jr. of Horn Lake and Jordan Richardson of Southaven (Lausanne Collegiate) currently with the team.
As the Rangers head toward the break, Redman is optimistic about the foundation being built by his local stars.
“We’re playing a totally different style that none of these guys have ever played for or really ever seen before,” Redman said. “I’m really proud of our guys. They are really battling.”
SCOREBOARD
Saturday, Dec. 13
Prep boys basketball
- DeSoto Central 61, Spain Park, Ala. 53
- Olive Branch 62, Morton 41
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