Sunday, March 2, 2008, was an important day for Grants High School junior basketball player Chris Lopez.

Sophomore Chris Lopez once had trouble balancing books and basketballs, but all that is now in the past.BEACON / ROMERO

    That was the day that he and the Pirates, which then featured Josh Marquez and Eddie Lopez - Chris's older brother - learned they had earned a 12 seed in the state tournament and would face Goddard in a first-round game.

    But his excitement had taken a long time to build.

    All year, Chris played a key bench role in the Pirates' success. Surprising to him - and maybe even spectators - was the fact that he even played varsity as a freshman, something unheard of in years past. On top of that, he and Eddie were able to share the court together, which turned into a dream come true for the younger Lopez.

    “How many people get to play with their brother their freshman year,” Chris asked. “I look up to him a lot and it felt really good playing with him. My favorite part was one time someone was shooting a free throw and me and Eddie were both standing at center court. My auntie actually got a picture of that and I have it hanging in my room.” 

    Of course, all good things must come to an end and the Pirates were soundly bounced by Goddard, and Chris lamented that he would never play with Eddie on the court again.

    “I got real emotional when we lost that game,” he said. “One of my brother's dreams was to get to 'The Pit.' I tried my hardest to help him get there but I didn't succeed.”

I    n the offseason, Chris kept dreaming about how his sophomore year would go and working on his game locally and even in Las Vegas, Nev. With some seniors gone, including Eddie who now attends Prescott Community College in Yavapai, Ariz., he would undoubtedly earn even more playing time and have another shot at making his brother proud. Little did he know he wouldn't get an ounce of playing time in the upcoming season, in fact, he wouldn't even have the privilege of suiting up in the red and black.

Dark times

    As many student-athletes know, trying to balance books and sports can be difficult. Then there are personal lives to consider, as Chris would soon find out. As much as he pined and prepared for his sophomore year as a Pirate, his life took a turn that would ultimately derail his dream. Plainly and simply he began running with the wrong crowd.

    “There was no alcohol or drugs, but having fun made me want to have fun more than do school work,” Lopez said. “My year went along with it, and my grades just weren't there. It hurt me, my family and Coach Zeller, and I apologize to them.” 

    But none were as hurt as Eddie, who so badly wanted for Chris to succeed much as he had.

    “I probably let him down the most of everybody and I felt bad for it,” Chris said. “He was angry at me, but he didn't want to show it too much to where I would dislike him. He stayed there strong for me.”

Chris even caught flak from community members, anxious to see him really shine on the court for GHS.

    “I didn't know the Pirates got that much attention,” he said. “I'd go to work and every customer we'd get would say 'Why aren't you playing?' And 'How does your dad feel? How does your brother feel?' You know, I felt embarrassed telling them I didn't make the grades.”

    And when the Pirate season opener came around last year, Chris was in attendance, but it was one of only two games he would attend all year long, as the Pirates ascended into the state tournament again. 

    “I went to first game, sat there, and it hurt,” Chris said. “I wanted to be on the court with them. Everyone around me was saying, 'You should be there. What happened?' I got that everywhere I went, but it was my fault.”

Resurgence

    Today, Chris said he is far more focused, and the fact that he had the marks to make the team shows that. But it's not only his grades that make him attractive to Coach Z. The kid has hops aplenty, not to mention the lithe speed of a gazelle. Chris said that Zeller indeed had a big part in his resurgence.

    “We are really close,” Chris said. “I go see him every day before practice and he checked up on me, to make sure I was doing well.”

But ultimately, Chris acknowledged that the biggest changes he needed to make had to come from within himself.

    “I chose a new path of not really having any friends at all,” he said with a laugh. “On weekends, I'm just chilling.”

    And hours before he was due to suit up and probably start for the Pirates last night against Shiprock, he recalled the feeling he had when he first hit the court in “The Port.”

    “The first game my freshman year, I was sitting in locker room so nervous,” he said. “I told Eddie, 'I'm scared to go out there.' When we finally did, I had goosebumps and it was bad.”

“(Thursday), I hope it feels the same way.”