Men's Basketball: Season-in-Review
UNIVERSITY PARK, IL — The 2020-21 men's basketball season at Governors State tested the esprit de corps of players and coaches alike, but in the end, the Jaguars found themselves in a familiar position, contending for a postseason conference title.
Finishing fifth out of 14 teams in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference standings, Governors State won a pair of games in the CCAC Tournament before its season ended with a loss to Olivet Nazarene in the semifinals. The team produced a final record of 11-11.
A strong finish to the season seemed unlikely in the fall when the Jaguars struggled to gain momentum as COVID-19 forced stoppages to team activities. At one point, the Jaguars went 76 days between wins and entered conference play with a 2-6 record. A truncated CCAC schedule however allowed GSU the chance for a fresh start and the team responded by winning seven of 11 conference games. GSU finished with the No. 1 scoring defense in the CCAC, holding teams to 64.8 points per game. Additionally, GSU posted a 69.7 scoring defense for all games, the lowest figure in program history. Five times the Jaguars held teams to less than 56 points (the previous record for fewest points allowed in a game). Defense spurred a turnaround that began January 9 with a home win over Trinity International and resulted in a five-game win streak in which the Jaguars averaged 76.0 points per game.
The offensive explosion mirrored the season's opening weekend when GSU put 77 points on the board against East-West and thumped Waldorf by 32 points (88-53) to capture the Jaguars Tip-Off Classic for the second year in a row. Senior forward DeAndrey Robinson was named the tournament's named Most Valuable Player and went on to lead the team in scoring (11.7 ppg) and rebounding (8.0 rpg)—a first for the Orange and Black. The only player to start all 22 games, Robinson was named to the All-CCAC Second Team.
"DeAndrey was the glue that held our team together," said GSU Head Coach Tony Bates. "He did the little things that sometimes didn't get noticed, yet at the end of the night was the guy with a double-double. We feel fortunate to have him returning for another season." Robinson will be back next year due to an NAIA rule granting extra eligibility during the pandemic.
Joining Robinson on the All-CCAC Team was senior point guard Lamar Crenshaw, who achieved Honorable Mention status. Crenshaw emerged as a reliable court leader, turning in a career season by averaging a team-best 11.1 points in conference play. His play was indicative of the Jaguars' strong guard rotation.
Rookie point guard Tariq Deere finished second in team scoring (11.0 ppg) while sharing the team lead with 25 three-pointers. The South Suburban Community College transfer also protected the ball, committing just 28 turnovers in 551 minutes and placing second in CCAC assists to turnover ratio. Fellow guard Payton Harley turned in a strong sophomore season, punctuated by the finest shooting performance in school history. In the CCAC Quarterfinals, Harley dropped a school-record 42 points at Saint Xavier to lead GSU to a 81-80 overtime win. He scored the game-winning bucket with 1.7 left, finishing 15-for-27 in field goals attempts and 9-of-12 at the free throw line. It was the second-buzzer beater of the season for Harley, who drained a 10-footer with no time left in a 76-75 triumph of Judson on February 13.
GSU also received solid backcourt play from seniors Gerald Duckworth and Sterling Fields. Duckworth provided a spark off the bench, leading the team in assists (71) and steals (34) while appearing in every game. Fields completed his fourth season in University Park with his third selection to the CCAC All-Academic Team. His 116 games played ranks second on GSU's all-time list.
"The game has changed to guard-dominated play, if you don't have strong guard play, you can't win," stated Bates. "We did it by committee and that was a big part of our success."
GSU's resurgence was made possible with the maturation of first-year players Glenn Rhone and Travis Hogan. A New Orleans native, Rhone was named to the Jaguars Tip-Off Classic All-Tournament Team and led GSU freshmen in scoring with 130 points. The 6-foot-8 Hogan converted five three-pointers in a 21-point performance at Cardinal Stritch. Another rookie, 6-foot-6 forward Trenten Nadolski, showed promise in 11 game appearances before his season ended prematurely.
"Our freshmen were able to get a taste of the college game, the physicality and speed. They got more playing time than we had originally planned and they all stepped up and did some nice things," said Bates.
Aside from outstanding individual play, two team performances stood out. In a 31-point win over Holy Cross, the Jaguars shoot .648 from the floor (35-for-54), 0.1 percent shy of the school record. In a home game against Calumet St. Joseph, GSU held the Crimson Wave to a record-low 49 points.
In a season filled with uncertainty, Bates thought his team showed great resolve.
"I'm very proud of how our team responded, COVID definitely had a lot to do with our early struggles but we weathered the storm. Having no fans in the stands was an adjustment and we didn't find our rhythm until later in the year. But the guys showed grit and mental toughness and came within a game of reaching the conference championship."
