Cougs’ Hebert happy handing out helpers
Dishing out assists isn’t just a passing fad for Brendan Hebert.
The University of Regina Cougars guard enters the weekend ranked second in Canada West with an average of 5.6 assists during the 2012-13 men’s basketball season.
The 20-year-old Regina product is proving to be exactly the kind of point guard Cougars head coach James Hillis envisioned when he recruited Hebert out of Riffel High School — an unselfish playmaker who’s willing to give up the ball to his teammates.
“You’ve got to be willing to pass it more than shoot it and I think most of the time I’m willing to do that,” Hebert said before travelling to Calgary, where the Cougars are to face the Dinos tonight and Saturday.
“I know when I need to be aggressive (and keep the ball) and when I can be a little more passive and get the ball to guys when they need it.”
Hebert has been more active with his passes in recent weeks.
The 6-foot-0 guard averaged 3.5 assists through Regina’s first eight games this season, but has averaged 7.8 helpers over the Cougars’ past eight games.
That eight-game run started with an 11-assist outing Nov. 30 against the Trinity Western Spartans and ended with a 12-assist effort Saturday versus the Alberta Golden Bears.
In the Cougars’ 76-75 upset of then-fourth-ranked Alberta, Hebert became only the third men’s player in U of R history to have at least 12 assists in a game — joining Paul Schubach (with 14) and Dale Holmes (12) in the Cougars’ record book.
“I thought I put a good effort on the court and I think a stat like that is one that shows you’re getting your teammates involved,” Hebert said. “I was happy with it.”
Hebert also led the Cougars in assists last season with 78 in 20 games, a 3.9 average that tied him for sixth in Canada West.
In his rookie season of 2010-11, he was third among Regina players with 43 assists in 24 conference games.
Both Hebert and Hillis suggested the guard’s assist numbers have grown this season because his teammates are converting his passes into points at a higher rate.
Forward Paul Gareau, for example, leads the CIS with a shooting percentage of 65.5.
Post Connor Burns and guard Frank Brown also are averaging double-digits in points, often scoring off Hebert feeds.
But there’s also something different about Hebert’s game.
Hillis admitted that the Cougars put too much of a load on Hebert’s shoulders in previous seasons because he didn’t have a proven backup, especially after veteran Darius Mole suffered a knee injury.
For Hillis, that meant Hebert faced too much pressure too early and tried to do too much himself.
This season, Hebert is being more patient and more confident with the ball — and it’s paying off.
“A lot of it comes with being in his third year,” Hillis said.
“He’s able to make reads faster, see where guys are and know where the good passes are.
“This is what he was very good at when he was younger, too — showing the ability to run the offence and distribute the ball. He’s much more comfortable.”
Hebert agreed, suggesting the game has slowed down for him which in turn has increased his comfort level.
“I’d definitely say that with age comes wisdom,” he said with a grin.
While the assist is Hebert’s bread and butter, he also has been a factor for the Cougars from threepoint territory.
He was 7-for-14 from downtown through Regina’s first five regular-season games before cooling off. A 3-for-5 performance from beyond the arc against Alberta hiked his three-point percentage this season to 31.9.
As it turns out, Hebert believes his shooting and his passing go hand in hand.
“In the last couple of games, I was a little more confident calling my own number and taking more shots,” said Hebert, who’s fourth among Cougars in scoring this season with an average of 6.9 points per game.
“That definitely takes the heat off me passing-wise.
“The more you shoot, the more passing lanes open up and the more guys have to respect your ability to get into the paint and to shoot the ball.”
ihamilton@leaderpost.com