Akron’s Castaneda making an impression in first year
University of Akron basketball coach John Groce’s ties to Illinois in general and Chicago in particular continue to pay dividends for the program.
Although former point guard Loren Cristian Jackson played high school in Bradenton, Florida, the Windy City native was known to Groce when he coached at Illinois. Current Zips point guard Xavier Castaneda, also a Chicago native, knew Jackson and Groce in high school.
Groce has had his share of successful players at the position come out of that area. Add D.J. Cooper, a UA nemesis who played for Ohio when Groce coached there, to the mix.
“We’ve had a lot of success with those guys,” Groce said. “I think all of those things were all factors.”
But now Castaneda walks the same path as Cristian Jackson, having transferred from the South Florida last year.
“Obviously, if they had a chance to talk, that would have been helpful as well,” Groce said.
It apparently did.
“I know Loren being who he is, being a great player here, knowing Loren in addition to that, played a role,”
Castaneda said. “Me and Loren talked about everything — how Akron is overall, the school, education wise.”
Ultimately, a talk does not a decision make. Castaneda visited Akron, even after receiving looks from Power 5 programs, for one reason.
“I wanted to win,” he said.
And the 6-foot-1, 188-pound Castaneda is taking advantage of being a Zip. The winning has come, sometimes in challenging fashion, and he’s shaping up as a key member of Groce’s starting lineup to be part of that, averaging 13.2 points and 2.8 assists per game.
“I think being more comfortable and my teammates putting me in the right position,” said Castaneda, who plays video games and watches other sports and the Netflix series “Ozark,” in his spare time. “Other guys get hot, that opens up the floor as far as assists …They spread the floor tremendously and gaps open up.”
Groce agreed with Castaneda’s selfassessment.
“Comfortability … I think that’s been helpful. He’s found where his opportunities come up in our offense,” Groce said. “It’s one thing for your scoring to go up, it’s another for it to go up and be efficient.”
That’s where Groce sees the improvement for which he gives assistant coach Rob Fulford credit.
“His 2-point percentage, his 3-point percentage, his free-throw percentage, not only is he going up in his scoring, but he’s shooting efficient numbers in all three areas,” Groce said.
Coupled with the fact that Castaneda’s assist-to-turnover ratio is respectable and he grades out as the team’s best defender most nights, and he’s close to a complete player.
“I think his impact overall certainly is even more than scoring,” Groce said.
The comfort level didn’t come all at once for Castaneda. There were challenges.
“I’d say getting used to a new culture as far as players, things like that,” he said. “My teammates, getting used to them. I’m just starting to get to know these guys when I first came here. Developing good relationships … before I came here and now that I’m here, just getting to know everybody, everybody’s personality.”
It’s all a process, but Castaneda clearly has impacted his teammates positively, and they’re responded. Point guards tend to be de facto leaders on basketball teams. Castaneda doesn’t appear to be as fiery as some of his UA predecessors at the position, but he’s comfortable with that fact.
“I’m fine with my leadership role on the team and I’m embracing it,” he said. “I could be more vocal, but I definitely lead by example. It’s not a preference. It’s just my personality. It’s who I am.”