Senior guard James Contreras Jr. provides a steadying force for a young and talented Averett squad. Photo by Averett College athletics

James Contreras Jr. has had to take his leadership skills to another level this season.

Averett’s senior guard is one of a handful of veteran players on a team with 14 freshmen and sophomores on the roster.

“It’s been an eye opener,” Contreras said. “It’s tested my leadership on and off the court.

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The Cougars opened the season 5-1 with all five wins against foes from the ODAC, which is traditionally the strongest conference in the South Region. Then Averett dropped its first two games to conference foes Pfeiffer, which is transitioning to Division III and doesn't count in the USA South Athletic Conference standings, and Ferrum. Last night the Cougars got back on track by edging North Carolina Wesleyan, 91-88.

A lot of credit goes to Contreras for providing a steadying presence on the early rollercoaster ride.

“I just lead by example,” Contreras said. “If I bring it every day in practice and in games, and have that fight and heart every day, it shows them that you can do anything.”

Averett head coach David Doino can’t say enough about how valuable Contreras’ presence is on the team, which lost Charles Bryant, the USA South Athletic Conference Player of the Year, to graduation. Contreras is the lone returning all-conference pick.

"Having a guy like James, who has been through a lot of ups and downs early in his career, is a great thing,” Doino said. “He has good mental toughness and is such a competitor. He brings it every day. His leadership off the floor determines the type of player he is on the floor. He shows guys how to do the right thing every day.”

If there is a benefit to the number of young players on the team, the Cougars have developed a great deal of depth. Averett has the ability to go at least 10-11 deep, sometimes more, and that depth keeps everyone on their toes. The Cougars played 12 guys in a close game last night.

“We can play 14 or 15 if needed, and that’s make practices competitive,” Doino said. “You see guys who aren’t getting a lot of minutes come out very hungry in practice. A player knows if he doesn’t bring it, someone will get the best of you and take your spot. But that’s how our league is too. If you don’t play with a high energy level and you aren’t focused, you won’t be successful.”

Contreras will attest to to that. Even he knows his job isn’t safe if he doesn’t bring his best day in and day out.

“The depth is big for us and the next person up can take my place if I don’t play at a high level."

Contreras has led the Cougars in scoring seven times this season and is putting up 22.9 points per game.  He is averaging just over five points more than a year ago and has already knocked down three more three-pointers (10) than he did all of last season. Hitting outside shots is one of his biggest improvements as a player.

“I’ve improved my three-point shooting, and I’m shooting with a lot more confidence,” Contreras said. “I’m also more confident with my dribble pull-up. I think playing with Charles last year really gave me a lot more confidence.”

Averett has shown promise on both ends of the floor. The Cougars are averaging 84.0 points per game and allowing 83.8. But it's a work in progress and the Cougars allowed 123, 100 and 88 points in their last three contests. Doino would like to see his team get back to playing harder on the defensive end of the floor.

“Within our offense, we have different options we can go to, but I think defensively we’ve taken a step back energy-wise,” Doinso said. “We’re looking re-establish that chip-on-our-shoulder intensity that we had earlier in the season.”

Improvements are part of the game and Doino knows that with a young team, it’s a process in getting the team to where he wants it to ultimately be.

“As a coach, you always want more, and I want us to look sharper, but I like the effort we are giving,” Doino said. “Anytime you have 14 guys who are freshmen or sophomores, every day is a new adventure to be the same type of person in a game every night. But we’re working and striving to do that. That’s all you can ask for as a coach.”

The ultimate goal for Averett is to be playing its best basketball late in the year, and Doino is confident this team is capable of doing it.

“We want to play our best late in the season and have that sense of urgency to the details of the game, the little things,” Doino said. “We hope that propels us to something we haven’t done yet, and that’s get to the NCAA tournament.”

Contreras believes this team has that potential, in part because every player on the roster, be it a veteran or a young guy, are all in as a group.

“Everyone has bought in and we all want to compete for a championship,” Contreras said. “We don’t have anyone on the team who is selfish. Everyone is pushing toward a common goal, and that is going to help us have success the success we want and do something special here.”

Regional Notes

It was an historic day for Alicia Blackwell of Mary Hardin-Baylor. The sophomore guard recorded just the eighth triple-double in ASC history in the Cru’s 83-59 win over Ozarks last Thursday. She scored 11 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and dished out 10 assists as the Cru picked up its sixth win of the season.

Blackwell is averaging 8.4 points and 8.1 rebounds per game and leads the team in assists with 52. She has also been solid defensively, racking up 20 steals. Blackwell has improved quite a bit from her freshman year when she averaged 5.9 points and 4.0 rebounds per outing. She already has 21 more assists than she did last season.

Alic Wynn recorded a double-double for Emory and Henry in its impressive 104-86 win over Berry on the road. Wynn lit up the scoreboard for 20 points and also pulled down 11 rebounds as he helped the Wasps reach the century mark for the sixth time in the last three seasons. The win was the seventh in a row for Emory & Henry.

Wynn wasn’t the only one with a double-double. Colin Molden accomplished the feat in interesting fashion, scoring 11 points and dishing out 12 assists. He came really close to having a triple-double as he pulled down eight rebounds as well. Molden also added five steals to his stat line.

Abby Holland and Micah Weaver both hit the 20-point mark and helped Trinity (Texas) win its game over Louisiana College Monday night. Playing for the first time in more than three weeks, the Tigers jumped on top 25-10 and never looked back as they stretched their winning streak to three games.

Holland and Weaver rose to the occasion, with Holland scoring 21 points thanks in part to a 6-of-11 showing from the field. Weaver put in 18 of her 20 points in the opening half on the strength of three 3-pointers in the first two quarters of action. She also snagged 10 rebounds to record the first double-double of her career.

Weaver and Holland are a dynamic duo for the Tigers, who are 4-1 overall. Weaver is putting up 19.2 points per outing and Holland is averaging 17.8.

Rhodes was feeling it from beyond the arc in its 106-91 win over Piedmont in its holiday tournament Monday night. The Lynx drilled seven consecutive three-pointers during one stretch of the game to take control. Will McIntyre and Jake Nestlehutt both connected three times from beyond the arc and finished with 12 and 10 points, respectively.  The two have combined for 28 3-pointers in all, with Nestlehutt hitting 17.

With their Grinnell-like offense, outside shooting is a must for Rhodes. The Lynx have hit 117 shots from beyond the arc. Andrew Evans has made 15 3-pointers this year and ranks third on the team in that category. In Tuesday night's 120-110 loss to Covenant, Rhodes shot just 10 for 27 from the three-point line.