Humble but fierce, soft-spoken but driven, Owls' Octavio Brito '25 Named National Player of Year

In a career of on-court highlights, records, championships, and accolades, Keene State senior Octavio Brito ‘25 comes across as a take-it-in-stride person.

He plays with emotion but doesn’t flaunt any of the above or seek admiration.

Being named National Player of the Year, the first in Keene State’s time in Division III, is a different deal. When Octavio got a knock on the door of his Lincoln, R.I., home from his head coach, Steve Enright, and learned the news, the humble standout, meticulous and steely between the lines, was overcome with surprise and elation.

The award was announced Thursday by the presenting body, the National Association of Basketball Coaches. Octavio is the 39th recipient in the 42 years the award has been given; three players were back-to-back awardees, and two players shared the award in 2007.

The 6-foot-4-inch swingman who finished his playing career second in scoring with 2,206 points, and whose name is scattered about the pages of the program’s record book, aspires to play professionally overseas.

This resume-topping award won’t hurt his prospects of finding his way onto an international roster.

His game grew more well-rounded and consistent with each season as an Owl, the proof visible in his long game-by-game stat lines noting points, rebounds, assists, blocks, and steals.

There were many moments during his career when he seemed like a Cadillac amid economy sedans, his three-point shot smooth as sorbet and without range, his straight-line drives graceful yet penetrating.

In a second-round NCAA Tournament win over Eastern University at home his junior season, Octavio got hot early and stayed hot, scoring a then-career-high 40 points to help send the Owls to the Sweet 16 for a second straight season. At the time, it was the most points scored by an Owl player in a game in more than five years, and his eight three-pointers were the most in a contest in more than 15 years. He then scored 42 in a home game this season against UMass-Boston.

To be fair, his supporting cast has been phenomenal. A strong case can be made that Octavio and Jeff Hunter, teammates for three seasons, formed the most potent 1-2 punch in the history of the Little East Conference.

Playing alongside Octavio for the program’s incredible run these past four seasons, and record four straight LEC regular-season titles, were three other unforgettable standouts – Mason Jean Baptiste, Nate Siow, and Spencer Aronson. With Brito, the four combined for 5,344 career points and a 98-19 record. Baptiste and Siow would etch their names on the 1,000 career points list before they turned in their uniforms, and Aronson was a sharpshooter extraordinaire who delivered, mostly from long distance, in big games and moments.

Octavio tested the transfer portal waters after his junior year, as he readied for what would be his third coach in four seasons as an Owl. He drew interest but stayed at Keene State where so much of his legacy was already cemented.

He was named LEC Player of the Year this season and garnered his third straight All-America First Team recognition earlier this week, the sixth Owl to earn the honor but the first to achieve it three times.

During the Octavio Brito years, the Owls soared to as high as No. 4 in the d3hoops.com national polls and lived in the Top 25 for 33 straight weeks at one point.

Enright, who had a front-row seat to Octavio’s hardwood artistry for just one season, described his centerpiece player as “the heart and soul of Keene State basketball throughout his career and the ultimate teammate and winner.”

Octavio was a quick study and an entertaining player from the start.

Ryan Cain, the coach at Keene State for Octavio’s first two seasons, remembers the challenge of assessing Octavio’s “ceiling” and how his talents might translate in the Owls’ program. That evaluation had to be made during COVID-19 when high school games were streamed and attendance restricted.

Cain and his staff still saw enough to understand that Octavio was a scholarship-level talent, and landing him would be a big deal, even in what then was a not-so-normal recruiting cycle.

They could not have imagined, fully at least, what that “ceiling” would be. Cain and then-assistant coach David Hastings met with Octavio ahead of his freshman season to tell him the only thing that would restrict his opportunity to play as a freshman was how hard and consistently he was willing to compete.

He didn’t need to be told twice.

Octavio had a wonderful first year wearing red and white. Cain said Octavio “competed as hard and consistently as any player I’ve ever coached.”

The Owls won the conference championship, beating UMass-Dartmouth, and upset Swarthmore in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Octavio guarded the All-Americans on those teams – Marcus Azor and Vinny DeAngelo – and the game plan in both contests was for Octavio to guard both without help. “He did a tremendous job,” Cain said.

The program at the time did not feature formal captains, but the coaching staff agreed that the team needed player-driven leadership and named Jeff Hunter, a sophomore that season, and Octavio captains for the next season.

Octavio is a strong student as well, majoring in sport & recreation management. He has ambitions to work as an athletic director. His roots and family are his foundation. He has inspired hundreds of area youths at camps and clinics and stays after every home game to meet with school-age fans, pose for photos, and sign autographs. He lost his father in 2023 and wears a locket that carries a photo of his dad and himself as a young boy together. His autograph is O.B. JR. #3.

Perhaps Keene State President Melinda Treadwell said it best when she wrote today about Octavio’s national award:

“We are deeply proud of Octavio Brito. He has brought great recognition to Keene State during his tenure here, and this is a wonderful culmination. Octavio, his teammates, and the coaches have been exceptional collaborators. All of us are on our feet and cheering Octavio on as he inspires Division III student-athletes everywhere.”

All of Owl Nation would do well to say “Ditto!”