Coming off a 21-10 season and a berth in the NAIA national championship tournament last year, Shawnee State University mens basketball coach Michael Hunter is eager to return to the national tournament this season. Five players are back from last year’s team, and they are joined by seven transfers and four freshmen. The Bears open the season Oct. 29 at the University of Northwestern Ohio, and the cohort of incoming freshmen could be a key to making a run at another championship banner in Waller Gymnasium.
Freshman guard Donnovan Breech is a local kid who attended Portsmouth High School before signing with SSU. Breech is a jack-of-all-trades type of player who brings a little bit of everything to his game and can really knock it down from deep.
“The biggest adjustment in the classroom, it would be how long I have to study and be prepared for quizzes and exams, and turning homework in on time,” Breech said of the transition from high school to college. “And on the basketball court, it would be the speed of the game because it’s a lot faster than high school.”
While this is a very common experience for a freshman, Breech listens well and pays attention and should have no problem getting up to speed. Breech has also established goals for himself on both the academic and athletic sides of his career at SSU.
“In the classroom, I want to pass all my classes,” he said, “and on the basketball court I want to get better myself, but I also want to push my teammates to get better too since I’m coming in as a freshman.”
Another member of the incoming class, Amaury Hawes, is a 6-foot-1 guard from Dayton, Ohio. Hawes attended Dayton Stivers High School and is an aggressive player who takes pride in his defense and getting downhill for layups.
“My biggest adjustment coming from high school to college was learning to balance sports and schoolwork,” Hawes said. “College sports being stricter and not having a set schedule for a lot of my classes made me be more disciplined with how I handle my time.”
Hawes’ goals also entail both the classroom and the basketball court.
“Two goals I hope to accomplish for myself is being on honor roll with having over a 3.5 GPA and also getting more acclimated to college basketball and becoming the best player and teammate I can be,” he said.
Another freshman, Jaleel Edwards, is a 6-foot-2 guard from Indianapolis, Indiana. Edwards attended Beech Grove High School and is a very electric scoring guard with the ability to score from all three levels. Edwards’ goals involve maintaining focus and keeping up his conditioning.
“Honestly, just limiting the distractions off the court and passing all of my classes,” he said, “and, basketball-wise, staying healthy and getting stronger and keep pushing my teammates to make us better.”
Preston Saia, a 6-foot-6 guard/forward from Merrillville, Indiana, rounds out the freshman class. Saia is an elite sharpshooter from Merrillville High School who, like the rest of his cohort, is focused on a successful transition to college.
“My biggest adjustment coming from high to college academically was managing my time wisely,” he said. “I learned you can’t procrastinate and need to just get it done as soon as possible. My biggest adjustment coming from high school to college on the basketball court was the physicality and the pace of play.”
His goals are in line with those of his teammates.
“Two goals I have for myself academically is to make the dean’s list and pass all tests with an A or higher,” he said, “and two goals on the basketball court would be to develop my body and earn minutes on the court as a freshman and do whatever to get myself and teammates better and win.”
The consistency shown among the goals of all four freshman reflect the culture Hunter is trying to establish for the program. With the support and mentorship of their coaches and more experienced teammates, these players have the potential to keep the Bears in contention for national titles well into the future. Local fans will get their first look at the Bears’ home opener at 7 p.m. Nov. 6 against Simmons University.
