Jump to D-III smooth for Celts
Men and women are enjoying their best seasons ever
The move from NAIA to NCAA Division III seems to be going well for St. Thomas, with the men’s and women’s basketball teams amid their most successful seasons in program history.
The men (22-2, 15-2) have secured the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference regular-season title in their first year as league members. The women (19-5, 14-3) are enjoying their best 24game start.
A former standout player for the Celts, Anthony Medina is in his fifth season coaching the men. This year’s seniors are from one of Medina’s early recruiting classes.
The senior group, which includes twin guards Kennard and Lennard Robinson (Sam Houston), and forwards Nathan Thormaehlen (Katy), Keaton Shaw (Barbers Hill) and Nicholas Perez (Pope John XXIII), each have played more than 100 games for the Celts.
“When I came in, my focus in recruiting was not overall talent, it was personality and character,” Medina said. “We wanted to make sure they were the right character who fits to what we wanted to see the program become.
“That’s what happened. We’ve seen tremendous growth in the last four years, and that’s because we have the right people in the room.”
The men finished 10-16 in 2015-16, then went 13-17 the next season. After going 1216 in 2015-16, the women went 14-14 and 12-15 the next two seasons.
“I’ve been here five years. Seeing both programs transition from where we were five years ago to now is rewarding to watch, and both teams have fought hard to get there,” Shaw said. “It’s exciting. Every game day they support us; we support them.”
The men and women host Austin College at UST’s Jerabeck Center in the regular-season finale for both. The men tip off at noon, the women at 2 p.m.
Sophomore guard Freddie Ricks (Cypress Springs) tops the Celts in scoring at 12.6 points per game. Sophomore guard Cameron Gims (Cy-Fair) averages 10.6 points and 5.7 rebounds. The team’s top rebounder is Thormaehlen (7.2).
Kennard Robinson, who was been the SCAC Player of the Week twice in February, averages 11.7 points.
Seniors Sheridan Hopkins (Galveston Ball) and Briana De Los Santos are two of the leaders for the women, who would finish second in the SCAC with a win Sunday. UST and Austin College are now tied for second behind Trinity.
“Individually, we want to get better, and as a team we come together in practice,” said Hopkins, the team’s leading scorer at 23 points per game. “We’ve been mentally tough. There’s instances we’ve had close games and pulled it out because of that fight we have in us. We got all the tools.”
Hopkins, De Los Santos and senior Abilene Christian transfer Jazz Taylor have been setting the right example by arriving early in practice and installing the team’s work ethic, women’s coach Jae Cross said.
“To have the senior group we have has set us up this year for the success we’ve had,” Cross said. “They’ve been able to make sure people understood what it meant to work hard.”
The teams aren’t eligible to play this season in the NCAA Division III Tournament, but the men have qualified for the USCAA national tournament in Uniontown, Pa., for transitioning teams, and the women are closing in on a berth.
“It was a big change for everyone, but we’ve adapted well and competed well with these new schools we’ve faced,” De Los Santos said. “Overall it’s been a smooth transition and we’ve been successful.”
Medina and Cross said NCAA Division III is the right fit for St. Thomas, academically and athletically, under the leadership of school president Richard Ludwick and athletic director Todd Smith. St. Thomas is a private Catholic university in Houston’s museum district.
“There’s a big misconception on the divisions. Basketball is basketball,” Cross said. “There’s some amazing players in Division III. The transition has been fun, but you still have to recruit, to do the work.”
Fourteen of the 17 men’s players and 11 of the 15 women are from the Houston area.
“We want to represent the city,” Medina said. “We want our kids to take pride in being from the city and the city to take pride in us representing them as well.”