Okay’s Caleb Riggs – “The Cowboy Way” Presented by Connors State College

Photo courtesy CSC Media

After helping lead the Okay Mustangs to two state tournament finals while setting a school scoring record, Caleb Riggs found that he didn’t have to travel far or change his orange-and-black uniform colors after signing with Connors State College two years ago. Now a sophomore and playing a starting role for the Cowboys this year, Riggs has no regrets about his decision.

“When I visited, I thought why not come here? It’s one of the best junior college basketball programs in the country and to play for someone like coach (Bill) Muse was an opportunity I just couldn’t turn down,” said Riggs. “The atmosphere of a small town like Warner is a lot like going to high school in Okay where everyone knows everyone else. The people here are so caring. They greet you and talk about watching you play, and I really appreciate that.”

That small-town atmosphere has been a big factor in the success of the Connors State program according to Muse.

“Connors is like a family within a small community and a lot of our students come from small communities like Warner. I think that helps with the parents when we recruit because they see we don’t have all the big-town glamor or crime and they see it as a good start-up place for their kids to go to college,” said Muse, a member of the NJCAA Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame. “We try to recruit Oklahoma first and it’s always special when you have an area player like Caleb that works his way into a starting position. He’s grown both as a player and a person.”

That growth is something that’s not lost on the 6-3 sophomore who is studying to be a chiropractor when his playing days are done.

“I’ve really matured a lot in the two years I’ve been here, and I give coach Muse a lot of the credit for that.”

For Muse success isn’t just about bringing these athletes to Warner to continue the basketball legacy.

“Coming to Connors is a tremendous opportunity to experience college life, live in the dorms, meet new people, get a good education and grow as an individual, But we know that  sooner or later the basketball is going to stop bouncing for these guys and so part of our job is to help prepare them for whatever the next step is when they leave here.”

Whether it’s on to another college stop or not, Caleb Riggs is happy that he made the decision to play basketball the Cowboy Way.