Barlow grad becomes the man behind the mask on defense

Ask an athlete for his or her reason for playing at MHCC, and you most likely don’t expect diet to be among the factors.

But for freshman basketball player Brock Otis, proximity to family and a warm meal can go a long way.

“I liked Mt. Hood because it was local. I like being able to see my family every day, and it’s always nice being able to get a home-cooked meal,” said Otis.

In his first year at MHCC, Otis, 6 foot 3 inches, is the Saints’ starting small forward. Originally from Everett, Wash., he played his junior and senior years at nearby Sam Barlow, graduating in 2011.
Otis said college ball is very different.

“Besides the competition, it’s a lot harder, the game is a lot quicker and you have to use a lot more strategy. You’re always moving on the court, you can’t ever stop,” he said.

Otis has always played sports including baseball, football, track and basketball.

“Baseball was my favorite sport growing up. I played that a lot,” said Otis.

But that eventually changed.

“My dad was always in the gym when I was younger. He was a coach. So I started to be around basketball a lot and I liked it more and more. I wanted to be like my dad,” he said.

So far, Otis has enjoyed his time at MHCC, both on and off the court.

“It’s fun playing here. I’ve met new people and made new friends, I like the team aspect as a whole. I plan on returning next season to play,” he said.

This season has not been without its difficulties. Two months ago, Otis suffered a “noticeable” injury.

“I broke my nose in December during a practice where one of my teammates inadvertently elbowed me. Now I plan on wearing my facemask for the rest of the season. I’m used to it now,” Otis explained.

He describes his overall game as playing solid on both ends, and being athletic but mostly a defensive player.

“I am a competitive person. I am always in the zone when I play basketball,” Otis said.

But, when the facemask comes off, Otis likes to “hang out with my family, especially with my brothers,” he said.

He said he also enjoys golf. “It’s one of my passions.” During baseball season, he likes to travel back to Seattle to watch the Mariners play at Safeco Field.

Otis is working toward his associate’s degree in business. He plans to continue at a four-year school, but hasn’t decided where. “I like physical therapy; it would be cool to run my own physical therapy business one day,” he said.

This term, Otis is registered for 15 credits. Balancing class with basketball practice can be a difficult thing to handle.

“It’s tough with all the studying and work and basketball but you’ve got to grind throughout the semester and get it done,” he said.

While Otis spent his early years playing more baseball, he has long looked up to NBA stars Tim Duncan and Vince Carter.

“I think Duncan is the best power forward of all time. He has great footwork and knows how to win. And Carter was amazing the way he dunked when he was younger,” he said.

As for his own efforts on the court, through 18 contests Otis is averaging seven points per game and shooting 48 percent from the field.

He said he believes the men’s team is headed in the right direction recently.

“We haven’t been finishing games this season like we should, but ever since we lost to Lane, we have been playing a lot better overall,” he said.

“Our goal is to string wins together and finish this season strong and get to NWAACCS. I think we can beat anyone, anywhere, anytime. We just have to play right,” he said.

Head coach Geoff Gibor said Otis’ toughness and reliability are what makes him the valued player he is on the team.

“As a person, Brock is an even-keeled, consistent guy. He is mentally tough as a young man and a player,” said Gibor. “Brock steps up as a leader when the team needs one,”