Othello's Kyler Villarreal headed to Walla Walla to play basketball

OTHELLO — Kyler Villarreal did everything in his power to help change the basketball culture and give Huskies fans something to cheer about during his career at Othello High School.

Now the Huskies senior is ready to test those skills at the next level. Villarreal signed his letter of intent to play for coach Jeff Reinland next year at Walla Walla Community College in the Northwest Athletic Conference.

The second team all-CWAC point guard, who had 41 points against Prosser, will join a perennial NWAC powerhouse coming off an East Region championship in 2018. The Warriors finished up in the Elite Eight at the NWAC men’s basketball championships this year at Everett Community College “I had a chance to see them play a couple of times this year at the there place and I really like the style of ball they play,” said Villarreal, who intends to study business. “When I took my visit, I really liked the campus and the town. It seemed like 

a good fit, a good place to call home for the next couple of years.”

Walla Walla (23-8) wrapped up the East Region with a 12-4 record, playing in a conference that included eventual NWAC champion North Idaho College, then went 1-1 in the tournament. In 2017, the Warriors won their third NWAC men’s basketball championship in program history, which includes back-to-back titles in 1978 and 1979.

It’s a chance to test his skills and something the 6-foot-5 Othello senior excited about.

“I don’t think I’ll be nervous about playing at a different level. I’m more excited,” said. “Basketball is a journey, it really is. Every time I step on the court, I learn something new and I’m looking forward to the new experience. I’ll have to work a little bit harder and I look forward learning new things.”

The Warriors averaged 86.2 points per game last season with a 43.6 percent shooting percentage, 36.4 from 3-point range. They like to run the floor, drive and kick and play aggressive pressure defense, which has some similarities to what first-year coach Roman Pruneda was doing at Othello.

“I had the chance to shoot around with the guys on my visit and they’re expecting me to come in and play guard,” Villarreal said. “Coach Reinland didn’t say exactly where, so it could be point guard, shooting guard or even on the wing. My ball-handling skills are good, but I think I might be playing more at the 2 or the 3.

“Basketball is my passion, it really is. I’m really looking forward to putting all my focus and energy into taking my game to the next level,” he said. “As far as I’m concerned, I’m going there to compete for a starting job. But I’m a team player and I’ll do everything they ask me to do.”