Española Valley hires two experienced head basketball coaches

Espanola Valley hires two experienced head basketball coaches in Johnny Abeyta with the girls and James Branch with the boys in a new look for the basketball-crazy, fiery, supportive area

Abeyta won Santa Fe Indian School’s first state girl’s championship in 2005, Branch did the same at Questa

By Arnie Leshin | April 26, 2017

No notable news on the sports front from Santa Fe Indian School, but it did get some play when Espanola Valley hired its new boys and girls basketball head coaches Monday.

First Johnny Abeyta, who barely received any space after being announced to replace resigning Cindy Roybal with the girl’s program. He has plenty of experience coaching the girls, in fact winning the state 3A championship as head coach of the Braves in 2005, the first for the school.

His team went 22-7 and turned back Portales, 42-37, in the final. Five years later, Roybal, also at Indian School, won her first of back-to-back state titles.

At Espanola, Roybal coached three seasons, had the talent, but couldn’t get past the semifinals each time. Now Abeyta takes over a program that graduated four varsity starters.

Before returning to coaching, James Branch was interim athletic director at Indian School. He was a candidate for the permanent position, but that was already a done deal for present AD Eric Brock.

He’s the traveling man who admits he’s a self-proclaimed basketball junkie, now taking over the Espanola boys after years of turmoil under Richard Martinez, and being replaced by his brother, Eric, last season when the defending 5A champion Sundevils were upset in the first round of the state tournament.

“I’m happy for this challenge,” he said, “because I felt I was the most qualified candidate. I was interim coach of the summer program at Espanola last year, worked with the varsity, and as coach of the freshmen team we went undefeated.”

Branch was also assistant coach to Richard Martinez in the 2016 championship season, so there’s no doubt he knows the personnel and will be taking over a varsity he was with two years ago. Plus, his freshmen team now become juniors.

He began his coaching career in 1985 after graduating from New Mexico Highlands where he led the team in assists and his roommate, Mark Cassidy, led the team in scoring.

At 2A Questa in 1993, he finished third, and the following campaign finished 22-4 and won state over defending champion Hot Springs, 75-67.

In 2000, at 3A Taos, his Tigers came in third the year that Los Alamos and 7-foot Chris Jackson won it all.

He also had other stops at his alma mater, Mora, as well as with the girl’s programs at Espanola McCurdy and Mesa Vista. Coaching the boys have brought him 217 victories.

“It’s a tough addiction,” Branch said, “but I just love to coach, teach the game of basketball, and I’m happy to be given this opportunity.”

He admitted that after 32 years of coaching this could be his last stop. He takes over a program that returns most of last year’s roster. His Sundevils might well be the team to beat next season.

Now he has to put together a staff. Wednesday, he met with the returning players.

It’s great, just great,” Branch said, “but I’m honestly shocked that this job is mine. I didn’t think I would get it, but now it’s time to get to work.”

Espanola had opened up all of its varsity coaching positions from the fall and winter sports. Roybal switched to girls’ head coach at 6A Santa Fe High and the Martinez brothers were denied a chance to stay around.

It will be Branch’s first 5A position as a head coach. Cassidy, also his teammate at Mora, is now retired and residing in Las Vegas, NM. Who knows, Branch might bring him out of retirement to assist him.

But for now, he and Abeyta bring their experience to the fiery, supportive Sundevil fans. It’s now their games to win, to lose, and to make friends in hoops town.