Texas Border Business
EDINBURG, Texas – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Men’s Basketball Head Coach Matt Figger announced on Monday the additions of Chris Buchanan as an assistant coach and Tyler Guidry as a special assistant to the head coach.
Chris Buchanan
Buchanan comes to UTRGV from Odessa College, where as an assistant coach in 2021-22, he helped the team to the NJCAA Tournament Quarterfinals and an undefeated record in conference play. He executed and presented strategic scouting reports to the coaching staff and players that led to an average margin of victory of 20 points. Buchanan coached an All-American and four All-Conference selections while recruiting current top Division I and junior college prospects. He also assisted with the team’s academics, as the team finished the fall with a 3.56 GPA.
Buchanan was an assistant coach at Portland from 2019-21 after serving as the assistant director of basketball operations since the summer of 2017. As one of the youngest Division I assistant coaches in the nation, Buchanan recruited multiple All-West Coast Conference and Player of the Week selections. He prepared and presented scouting reports, collaborated with the strength & conditioning staff, and coordinated with academics. In his operations role, Buchanan managed day-to-day operations, including game day, practice and travel logistics, managing and training student managers, and implementing youth clinics and camps.
“Chris is an extremely hard worker and a student of the game,” Figger said. “He brings lots of energy and work ethic to my staff. He’s one of the guys that’s going to challenge us every day of work. I’m very excited to have him on staff.”
Prior to his time at Portland, Buchanan worked as the Assistant Director of Scouting for Anthony Ray’s Arizona Preps from 2015-17 after working as an intern the previous two years. His role included traveling to local, regional, and national tournaments to evaluate high school and junior college prospects for the organization. He co-ran the Arizona Preps Fall Showcase from 2015-17, which brought together many former Arizona area standouts and helped land local prospects college basketball scholarships.
Buchanan also worked many high-profile camps including the Reebok All-American Headliners Camp, Arizona Preps Spring Showcase, West Coast Elite All-Star Camp, West Coast Elite’s Spring High Academic Camp, John Lucas Enterprises Right Way Camp, and John Lucas Enterprises’ International Middle School Combine.
“I’m very excited to be here and part of the UTRGV family,” Buchanan said. “I really appreciate Coach Figger and the staff for bringing me aboard. As a men’s basketball program and as an athletic department, I think UTRGV is a sleeping giant. I’m very fortunate to be part of this team and I’m happy to do whatever I can to bring some wins to this program and #RallyTheValley.”
Buchanan graduated from Arizona in May 2015 with a bachelor’s in communications and a minor in sports management. While in Tucson, he worked for WildcatAuthority.com, a Scout.com affiliate web site that focused on Arizona basketball recruiting.
A McDonalds All-America nominee as player at Arcadia High School in Phoenix, Buchanan went on to play two years at Peninsula College in Port Angeles, Wash. He was a part of the Peninsula team that won the Northwest Athletic Associate of Community Colleges Championship as a freshman and the team was ranked No. 15 nationally as a sophomore. The Pirates finished with a 47-13 overall record in his two years with the program.
Tyler Guidry
Guidry joins UTRGV after four seasons as the head boys’ basketball coach at his alma mater, Westbury Christian School, where he coaches several NCAA Division I student-athletes. The 2021 Texas Association of Basketball Coaches Coach of the Year, Guidry led his team to the state championship in 2020-21. His team also went 27-12 in 2021-22, reaching the state semifinals.
“Tyler is another guy who brings a lot of energy and a great work ethic to our staff,” Figger said. “He was a successful college player and then a successful coach at Westbury Christian. He has connections with people in the city of Houston. He’s a great addition to our staff.”
Guidry has previous collegiate experience as an assistant coach at Wiley College in 2017-18 and as a graduate assistant at St. Thomas from 2015-17.
While at Wiley, Guidry assisted in recruiting, film breakdowns, scouting reports, and compliance.
In 2016-17, Guidry helped St. Thomas to the Red River Athletic Conference Tournament for the first time since 2014. Guidry coached the 2016-17 RRAC Freshman of the Year, a pair of 2016-17 second team all-conference selections and a 2015-16 first team all-conference honoree. He graduated with a Master of Business Arts in General Business in May 2017.
“I am very excited to join the UTRGV men’s basketball family,” Guidry said. “I was to thank Coach Figger for giving me this opportunity to grow and learn at the Division I level. Winning is very important to me, and I will do whatever I can to help this program win. I look forward to helping grow this program and putting UTRGV on the map.”
Guidry played collegiately for Southwestern Assemblies of God University from 2011-14. He helped the Lions win the 2013 RRAC Championship and reach the 2013 NAIA Championship game. In Guidry’s four years, SAGU reached the NAIA Tournament three times. In 2013-14, Guidry helped the Lions win the Sooner Athletic Conference Championship. He was named the team’s most improved player following the 2013-14 and 2014-15 seasons. Guidry ranked in the top 40 in the NAIA in assist to turnover ratio in 2013-14. He is in the top five at SAGU in career assists with 221. Guidry graduated Summa Cum Laude in 2015 with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting.
Guidry played high school basketball at Westbury Christian in Houston, where he helped his team win back-to-back state championships in 2009 and 2010 and three-straight district titles from 2009-11. He earned First Team All-State honors in 2011 and Second Team All-State in 2010. Guidry earned All-District honors in 2010 and 2011.
