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| Kennard Robinson, a Houston-area native, has helped lead St. Thomas (Texas) to an unbeaten start in their first year in Dvision III. St. Thomas (Texas) athletics photo |
By Brian Lester
D3sports.com
St. Thomas (Texas) head coach Anthony Medina wasn’t sure what to expect as his team prepared to make the jump from NAIA to NCAA Division III this season. His team had played only a handful of games against D-III competition leading up to it.
But what Medina did know was that little would change internally. The Celts planned to stick to their usual course, a course that led it to 23 wins and a berth in the NAIA national tournament during the 2018-19 campaign.
So far, it’s worked pretty well. The Celts are unbeaten through 13 games, sporting a 6-0 mark in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference, which is good enough for sole possession of first place.
“It’s really nice to go this far without a loss, but we aren’t doing anything different,” Medina said. “When we transitioned over, it was about us staying the course and being true to who we are.”
Having a stable senior class hasn’t hurt. Six are on the roster.
“Lucky for us, the transition came at the perfect time,” Medina said. “These guys know how to play together and they know my expectations. That’s all played a role in our success so far.”
One of those seniors is Kennard Robinson, who is in his fourth year with the school, which is based in his hometown of Houston.
Prior to a phone interview Wednesday afternoon, Robinson, one of the top scoring threats for the Celts, was in the gym getting shots off. Medina said he was probably headed back to the gym after the interview to continue to put in work.
It’s that work ethic, combined with his skill, of course, -- he is averaging 10.5 points and has recorded 64 assists and 25 steals -- that has allowed Robinson to play an instrumental role in making the Celts’ transition to D-III a smooth one.
“His track record speaks for itself,” Medina said. “He was the freshman of the year in our league and has been all-conference each season, and he’s started every game since he’s been here. He is confident helps make sure our offense is in control and that our defense is intense. He sets the pace on both ends for us.”
Robinson said leadership has been one of his biggest improvements and he never stops working on his game.
“I’ve become a great leader and continue to grow as a player and individual to help my team,” Robinson said. “I’ve improved my shot, my ability to finish and my handles. I work on my game a lot and it’s paid off.”
Basketball has always been his passion and he loves playing in front of family and friends. He hoped this season would be a good one, but even he wasn’t sure how it would all play out in the Celts’ first season as a D-III program.
“It’s been a lot of fun,” Robinson said. “We didn’t know what to expect but we knew what our expectations were coming from NAIA. We knew on any given night we could have a tough game. But we put our goals and expectations in front of us and have accomplished each one.”
A glance at the stat sheet indicates this team is indeed focused. Cameron Gims is the top scorer at 11.2 points per outing while Freddie Ricks III (10.6) and Nathan Thormaehlen (10.5) boast double-figure scoring averages as well. Gims leads the team in 3-pointers made with 31.
As a team, the Celts are pouring in better than 90 points per game (91.8) and allowing just 68.8. They have reached the century mark four times.
“I would say our team chemistry and work ethic have been a big part of it,” Robinson said. “We have a group of guys that are dedicated and that want the same things. We are all competitors and all on the same page. We’re buying into what coach is preaching and doing our jobs.”
Medina said having a team with that kind of mindset as well as experience on the roster has been a difference maker, especially for a team that is playing a schedule it has never had to navigate before.
“It’s a big-time help,” Medina said. “These guys are on the same page and understand what it takes to win. Our seniors, especially, have done a great job of handling all of the unknowns we’ve faced this season.”
Medina said the offseason consisted of learning the rules and getting a grasp on what the calendar looks like at the D-III level.
But when it came time to talk with his team about what to expect in the season ahead, he kept it simple.
“We didn’t have any goals written down,” Medina said. “We didn’t say how many games we wanted to win or that we wanted to be conference champions. We just focused on what we wanted to accomplish each game and how we were going to get there. We have small goals. Our long-term goal is to compete for a championship.”
Ultimately, Medina would love to see his team compete for a championship at the D-III level. But because of the probationary period teams must go through before becoming full-fledged members of Division III, that championship will have to be won in the USCAA tourney this season.
The Celts are on track to be eligible for the NCAA Tournament in the 2022-23 season, or possibly earlier if they meet certain milestones early. Down the road, Medina believes the Celts can be a contender for the NCAA Tournament and the 2019-20 season has helped lay the groundwork for what this program will be going forward.
“The most beneficial thing for this season is that we have set the expectation of a high level of success. That’s going to help with recruiting and player development in the long run.”
As for the present, the Celts have every intention of continuing to find ways to win.
“We just have to keep buying into what coach is preaching,” Robinson said. “We have to continue to work hard and continue to execute. As long as we do that, we’ll have the kind of season we want to have.”
And while it’s been great to win 13 consecutive games to start the season, no one is content.
“We know any team can come out and smack us in the mouth. We can’t let that happen,” Robinson said. “We are always pushing to do better. We can’t be content. We know there is more work to be done.”
