Demons changing gears to make strides

NATCHITOCHES — The top players haven’t changed, but the identity of Northwestern State’s basketball team seems to be making a quantum shift so far in 2016-17.

After lighting up scoreboards over the past four years, the Demons have made defense and rebounding priorities. Early-season trends are encouraging to veteran coach Mike McConathy, whose team doesn’t play again until Dec. 17 against UL Monroe in the Shreveport-Bossier Holiday Classic.

NSU (4-4) is in an extended break from action after playing five times in 11 days, nearly winning at Mississippi State last Monday, putting away LSU Shreveport 88-74 at home last Thursday, and wrapping up the hectic stretch by posting a 79-67 victory Saturday night at Texas-El Paso, leading the Miners for the game’s final 36 minutes.

“We got better and better as the week went on,” said McConathy this week. “I saw great improvement, particularly in rebounding and defense, staying in front of people. We’ve really concentrated on being a better defensive team.”

NSU returned 88 percent of its scoring from last season, so offensive firepower wasn’t a major issue while preparing for this year. The Demons’ ineffective defense was a glaring weakness in last season’s 8-20 outcome. Few teams could slow down NSU, but the Demons didn’t present much of an obstacle, being outscored by seven points a contest and allowing an average of 86.

Philosophic and strategic changes were planned and put in place, then put to work during a four-game exhibition tour of the Toronto area in August, then honed in preseason practice.

Also during August, McConathy took some good natured jabs about his team’s defense during the “Burke Bash” roast of 20-year NSU athletics director Greg Burke. Southland Conference commissioner Tom Burnett threw a few barbs toward McConathy, who was also one of the roasters, and other speakers, including Southeastern Conference commissioner and former NSU compliance director Greg Sankey, joined in.

“Mr. Burnett wanted me to do a better job. He was joking, but the best humor is rooted in the truth. I listened to him and the others. Me and everybody there was laughing that night, but he was right. We needed to do a much better job in that area,” said McConathy. “That commitment began last spring. So far it seems to be paying dividends.

“A lot of that has to do with our shot selection. Because we’re taking much better shots, we’re in better position to shift into a defensive mode make or miss and we’re not giving up a bunch of transition baskets any longer,” he said.

“We’ve created probably a half-dozen shot-clock violations by other teams with this group, and I’m excited about that.”

In last week’s games, NSU outscored the three foes by an average of 75-69. It was the first time in two seasons, a stretch of 45 games dating back to January 2015, the Demons held three straight teams to under 80 points.

Part of the formula, said McConathy, is better offensive execution.

“We’ve learned we do need to play within ourselves. That is a broad statement, but it’s understanding what we each do well, and playing to our strengths depending on the situation,” he said. “For example, we’re much better at recognizing who needs to get the ball in certain situations. Obviously you always want the ball in Zeek Woodley’s hands, but I saw some growth this week in our ability to move the ball.

“In the Mississippi State game, it seemed a lot of times everybody was standing around watching Zeek doing great things (in a 28-point performance), but at the end of the week at UTEP, people stepped up and took shots, and made a lot of them, when they came to them out of what we were doing.”

Woodley, the senior swingman who is 101 points away from breaking NSU’s career scoring record, has averaged 22.2 points per game in each of the past two seasons. So far his scoring rate is 18.1 this year, an indication that other Demons are sharing the load. Already, nine have scored in double figures. At UTEP, 11 scored with seven knocking down at least one 3-pointer.

Sophomore center Ishmael Lane is contributing 11 points and 5.4 rebounds, and providing more of a presence inside than in his rookie season.

“Ishmael Lane is going to be a really good player. We saw flashes of this a year ago, but he seems to be sustaining it, and rebounding the ball better, able to get the ball down low,” said McConathy.

“The only thing he’s not doing well is making free throws, which he did pretty well last year. That may have to do with conditioning and wear and tear, because he is playing very physical defense inside. We’re hopeful he’ll continue to improve and we’ll have other guys step up.”

Senior swingman Tra’von Joseph is NSU’s top rebounder with a 7.4 average and already has a pair of double-double games. Another senior, guard Sabri Thompson, has doubled his career rebounding average (grabbing 5.3 per game so far) and has hit 42 percent of his 3-pointers in the last four games.

“Tra’von Joseph is back where he was when he was a sophomore, and he was our glue guy, our fuel guy who would make things happen in all phases of the game,” said McConathy. “Sabri has been so tough, so determined, and has found his shot again.”

Although NSU’s all-time assists leader, Jalan West, is again sitting out his senior season after knee surgery, the Demons are settled in at that key spot.

“Our point guard play is continuing to improve and get better. Devonte Hall did a good job last year but he had to play way too many minutes due to us losing Jalan for the season,” said McConathy.

“This year he’s a year older and wiser, and we have Josh Boyd, a talented freshman who has done a real good job at times, and he’ll continue to grow and by conference time, he’ll be a well-rounded player.”

The Demons won’t be back in Prather Coliseum until Dec. 28. After the ULM game in Bossier City, they play at Rice before Christmas.