By: J. Daniel Pearson
On a night where they honored former Head Coach Nate Alexander, the Osceola Kowboys opened their 2025-26 season with a convincing 58-48 win over rival Harmony, for its 12th straight win over County opposition dating back to 2023.
It was a game where poor three-point shooting and foul trouble kept the Kowboys from pulling away from the inexperienced Longhorns – who graduated all five starters and three key reserves off of last year’s team.
Osceola went just one of 13 from beyond the arc; while getting several players in early foul trouble. Still, the Kowboys were never in any real danger – jumping out to a 10-0 lead at the start of the game and keeping a double-digit lead after each quarter.
Two-time OBC Player of the Year Luke McCrimon was one of those players who was in early foul trouble – picking up his fourth midway through the third quarter. But he finished with 17 points to lead all scorers. Ryan Rodriguez, who transferred from St. Cloud, added 13 and freshman Jeremiah Reid had 10 in his debut for Osceola.
Harmony (0-1), making its debut under new coach Adam Ojeda, displayed the same grit, determination and pressure defense that they did for years under former coach Duke Leonardo. Five different players scored seven or more, led by freshman Klani Stoutt’s 11; with Lincoln Smith and Daniel Mena adding nine each.=
Trailing for the entire game. Harmony was able to pull within five several times in the third quarter but the Osceola defense stiffened –pushing the lead back to double figures after each run.
“We knew we had a lot of talent coming back from last year,” Coach Steve Mason said of his Kowboys team that went 25-4 last year and came up one game short of a Final Four. “But we also knew that it was going to take some time to build chemistry with this group. Give Harmony a lot of credit, they are has always a tough team and they gave us a good test tonight.”
As far as his team’s foul issues, Mason quickly took responsibility.
“All preseason, I sort of let them kill each other in practice and rarely stopped scrimmages for fouls; that carried over tonight. We will need to dial that aggressiveness back a little.” He added the play of Reid was a big plus. “He’s a 14-year-old freshman, who is going to be a big-time player for us. His playing time is only going to be going up and up.”
Although it was the start of a new season, it was also a night to remember the past.
During a pre-game ceremony, before many of his former players and assistant coaches, Osceola honored the former coach by naming its home floor Nate Alexander Court. “It was very overwhelming when they told me about it,” Alexander said. “My first reaction was that it would be more appropriate to put the names of the players and my assistants on the floor instead. They were the reason for whatever success I had.”
Alexander coached the Kowboys for seven seasons, from 2012 to 2020. He would compile the most successful period in Osceola’s storied basketball history. His legacy included an overall record of 155-46 (.771), He never failed to reach regionals and finished with five “Elite Eight,” and three “Final Four” appearances to go with two state championships (2015, 2020).
Along the way, Alexander always seemed to have the Kowboys playing their best ball in the final month of the season. From Jan. 15 through the end of the playoffs, Alexander’s teams went 67-21 (.761), including six district championships and a 28-7 mark (.800) in post-season play.
Following his final season, a 19-9 campaign in 2019-20, Alexander stepped down to enter Real Estate. “The uncertainty of the Covid virus, along with the arrival of a second child, weighed heavily on my decision,” Alexander told Positively Osceola at the time. “I was presented an opportunity for a new career that would allow me to spend more time with my family and although I will miss teaching and coaching, it was something I felt I had to do.”
Ironically, basketball coaching was the furthest thing from his mind when he arrived at Osceola High School prior to the 2007-08 school year. Upon securing a teaching position, he went to then head football coach Jeff Ralston, asking for a spot on the football staff. “I played quarterback and safety in high school and was absolutely convinced myself that I was going to be a football coach,” Alexander said. “Coach Ralston said his staff was full, so I went to see Coach Mason and found out he had a basketball opening.”
Interestingly, two of the stars from Tuesday’s game, Jordan Mason and Luke McCrimon, served as ball boys for Osceola during Alexander’s tenure. “Absolutely incredibly proud of those two,” he said. “They went from running around the gym as youngsters to becoming standout players today.”
Ever the quiet, humble and modest, Alexander took little credit for his success. “What little I contributed had more to do with the great players, assistant coaches, and administrative support I had at Osceola,” he said. “I was fortunate to be here at a time when I got to work around and learn from some great coaching mentors like Doug Nichols (football), Jim Bird (wrestling coach and Athletics Director), Carrie Palmi (volleyball) and Scott Birchler (baseball). They were the ones that taught me how to coach.”
As far as having the Osceola court named after him at age 43, Alexander joked “When they first told me about this, I was shocked. I said something like I thought you had to be coaching for 40 years, be really rich or be dead to receive an honor like this.” But he added, “I really don’t believe that I am deserving, but it is a great honor and certainly appreciated.”
