March 15, 2025
“God created him with special needs, and that shot meant everything to him”
There was not a dry eye in the Bulldog Pit. It had nothing to do with the Artesia boys’ basketball team dismantling Lovington 57-42 in a District 4A-4 game.
The final seconds of the Feb. 14 contest showed what is good about high school sports.
Like the movie Rudy, the Bulldogs’ student body started chanting, “We want Aaron, we want Aaron! When do we want him? Now.”
Aaron Aguilar’s teachers had made T-shirts with his name and number on them.
When Lovington assistant coach Trenton Lee called time out with 11 seconds to play, Aguilar was standing on the court near Bulldogs coach Michael Mondragon. Lovington senior Mike Pando inbounded the ball but instead of throwing it to a teammate passed it to Aguilar behind the 3-point line.
Aguilar caught the pass, took aim at the basket, let the shot fly – and missed. He got the ball back and shot again. Another miss. But his third shot swished through the net as the buzzer sounded, setting off a celebration with Aguilar mobbed by teammates, fans and even Lovington players.
Aguilar is no ordinary basketball player. He is a special needs student at Artesia High School who has been a member of the basketball team and has occasionally suited up for junior varsity games. But for this game, the Bulldogs’ final home game of the season and Aaron’s last as a graduating senior, he was in uniform with the varsity and ready for action.
Mondragon said the special moment was not planned out in advance. It was all ad-lib because there was no way of knowing how the game would play out. If the outcome had been in doubt, Mondragon would not have put Aguilar in the game and let Lovington know what was up. But with the Bulldogs leading the Wildcats by 12 points in the closing seconds, the coach knew he could surprise Aguilar and his family.
“This young man was a part of our program,” Mondragon said. “I am super proud of him, and him scoring was a special moment for him and his family and our program.”
Aaron, a son of Eliseo and Rachel Aguilar, was diagnosed with short-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency (SCADD) – a genetic condition that prevents the body from breaking down certain types of fats and can cause a range of symptoms including muscle weakness and developmental delay, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Aaron began having problems two weeks after birth, his mother said, and was in and out of hospitals for the first three years of his life.
“Now look at him,” she said. “He is 19 years old. Doctors told him he would not be able to do all of the stuff that he is doing now.”
Aaron heard the fans cheering for him after he made the basket. He said he was happy and excited after practicing every day for three years.
Rachel said the family didn’t know if her son would play against Lovington. She said Mondragon told them he would try to get Aaron into the game.
“It meant everything to him,” she said. “He loves basketball, but he really doesn’t get to play. So for him to make a buzzer three, that was awesome.”
“It has been an adjustment, but we have always tried to treat Aaron the same,” Rachel said. “The world is not going to treat him any differently. He would get in trouble like any other kid, but we would have to watch his health.”
Aaron has three older brothers: Adrian Tirado, 28; Kameron, 25; and Eliseo Aguilar Jr., 20.
Aaron’s special education teacher, Angela Montgomery, attended the game and was overcome with emotion. She cried after he made the basket.
“I have watched Aaron grow for the past three years,” Montgomery said. “He’s been my student, and I cannot thank the coaches and players enough for letting him have this opportunity.”
Aaron participates in Special Olympics for Artesia. He plays basketball and golf, bowls, and runs track.
“God made him with special needs,” Rachel said. “I think what happened at the game might help some other kids who think they can’t. They can. And that is what I have always told Aaron. You may have this, but that does not define you. You can do whatever you put your mind to.”
JT Keith can be reached at jtkeith@elritomedia.com.
