'Remarkable': Teammates of Pueblo South's Maurice Austin in awe of his record-setting run

Pueblo South’s Maurice “Mo” Austin has been climbing the state’s scoring ranks this season and is 33 points away from becoming a top 10 scorer in state history.

The feat will be the latest milestone for the Pueblo native who’s trying to lead his team to a title in the final season of his historic high-school basketball career.

“It’s really just different, honestly. I’ve never seen somebody that assertive on defense and eager to work hard every day,” said teammate Andres Cura. “He practices just like how he plays. It’s just been remarkable watching him. It’s effortless and you don’t see something like that every day.”

Cura, a senior, has had a front-row seat to Austin’s record-setting season. Last month, Austin became the state’s all-time steals leader, surpassing Wyatt Hayes’ previous record of 407.

On Jan. 23, he became Pueblo’s most prolific high school scorer. He eclipsed Pueblo Central’s Michael Ranson, who scored 2,010 points between 2012 and 2016.

Austin is strengthening both records every night he takes the court. He’s averaging career highs in points (33.1) and steals (5.9) and has scored 26 or more points in all but two games this season.

He set a career-high and school record when he dropped 56 points on Jan. 9 in a 74-68 win over Air Academy.

“When we watch the film, we’re like, ‘Dang, he gets buckets so easily,’” Cura said. “He could just grab a steal and go for a layup or on a fast break pull up for a jumper. It’s crazy to watch.”

Austin’s career is so decorated that his No. 24 jersey was already retired before he set those records. At that ceremony, he credited his teammates, family and friends for all of his on- and off-the-court success.

He responded similarly when asked how he felt about reaching milestones that will immortalize him as one of Pueblo's best basketball players.

“I gotta give a huge shout-out to my teammates,” Austin said. “It was just another thing to check off the list but the one thing we want is that ring and state title. It was a nice day and a half and then we just got right back to work.”

Similarly, Austin credited his defensive prowess as a byproduct of the work he’s put in under the tutelage of Shannan Lane, his head coach, and her assistant Brandon Norris. He didn’t forget his brother, Tarrance Austin, who told Maurice to “make your defense your offense.”

“His work ethic — he wants to win in every drill, sprint and wants to be a winner,” Cura said. “He portrays that in everything he does, so I think that’s what makes him different. He just wants to get better.”

Cura played against Maurice in middle school before they became high-school teammates. Though his talent has increased, Maurice's charismatic, outgoing nature has remained, Cura said.

Austin has infused that with his need to serve as a leader for a younger Pueblo South group. Most of the players on this season’s roster are freshmen and sophomores, each learning how to succeed at the varsity level.

Though the Colts’ 10-9 record is not emblematic of their dominance in recent years, particularly that 27-1 season in which the Austin brothers nearly helped the school capture a state title, Maurice has not shied away from being a teammate who encourages others, Cura said.

“He’s always been a natural-born leader, but this year especially because we do have younger kids,” Cura said. “So being a good mentor and guide for them has been a changing point this year and being a bigger brother to the freshman and sophomores has been helpful too.”

Four games remain in the regular season. The team’s underclassmen will surely aid Maurice in his bid to climb the state’s scoring leaderboard. If he keeps up his current pace, he will surpass Jaedon Bowles of Manual High School for No. 8 all-time on the list.

Maurice has an outside shot to crack the top six or five, especially if he puts up a few more crooked numbers in the box score.

His status as Pueblo’s No. 1 scorer, however, may go unchallenged for some time.

“It’s a shout-out to my team, they put me in the right areas to succeed and without them, I wouldn’t have that record,” Maurice said of the Pueblo scoring title. “That goes for all of the teams I had. My teammates and coaches put me in a position to achieve that record.”

More: 'Pillars of Wrestling': How the Colts' seniors helped the program expand from 7 wrestlers

Chieftain reporter Josue Perez can be reached at JHPerez@gannett.com. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @josuepwrites. Support local news, subscribe to The Pueblo Chieftain at subscribe.chieftain.com.

This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: Pueblo South's Maurice Austin snaps state, city records