Colonels revamp roster, but still enjoy success

District play begins for local basketball teams
January 9, 2019
Football is awesome, but we need to fix it
January 9, 2019
District play begins for local basketball teams
January 9, 2019
Football is awesome, but we need to fix it
January 9, 2019

The faces on the floor are mostly different.

The coach making the decisions is different, as well.


But the results — victories — are the same now as last year. And that’s all that matters right now for the Nicholls State University men’s basketball team.

No one expected the Colonels to compete favorably in 2018-19. Why should they? The team replaced its young, star coach and its top 5 scorers off a group that won 21 games last year and ignited new life into the program.

But with coach Austin Claunch now at the controls, the Colonels are again making waves this season, sporting an almost brand-new roster of transfer players and a cool, 9-6 record at press-time, which features a 1-1 mark in Southland Conference play.


The Colonels beat both Northwestern State and lost close to Incarnate Word last week to open up league play — both on the road.

Claunch said the grit of his team is apparent — a source of pride for those in the program.

The Colonels play their first home conference game tonight against always-tough Stephen F. Austin.


“Those guys earned it,” Claunch said of the fast start. “I just told them that’s a culmination of months of work. It’s a group of guys that came together — only three returners, a couple of fifth-year guys, a couple of JUCO guys — and have just really bought in to what it’s going to take to be a successful team.”

The Colonels have some high-end standout talent — some familiar faces, but others who are new to the team.

The returnees in the starting lineup are sophomore Kevin Johnson and senior post Daniel Regis — players who do the little things to help the Colonels win.


Johnson averages 9.8 points and 4.3 assists per game, while playing a team-high 33.1 minutes per game — often drawing the defensive assignment of guarding the opponent’s top offensive player.

Regis is a rim protector and efficient scorer, averaging 6.2 points per game with 30 blocks on the season.

Also back in 2018-19 is sophomore post Ryghe Lyons, who plays 10.1 minutes per game.


But surrounding the three returnees is a wealth of new talent that Claunch and former coach Richie Riley have helped to recruit to the program.

Graduate transfer Jeremiah Jefferson landed in Thibodaux in the offseason after a playing career at Jackson State.

With the Colonels, Jefferson has been a weapon, averaging a team-high 17.4 points per game, while shooting 43 percent from behind the 3-point line.


Fellow graduate transfer Gavin Peppers landed with the Colonels from Central Michigan. He, too, has come in with the mindset to make an instant impact.

The 6-foot, 3-inch guard averages 13.7 points per game and had a season-high 24 points in a victory over Northwestern State to open the Southland Conference schedule.

Also factoring into Nicholls’ rotation are JUCO transfers Brandon Moore, Danny Garrick and Elvis Harvey — all who have their own unique skillsets to help the team.


Moore is a versatile guard/forward who can defend multiple positions, averaging 7.4 points and 7.1 rebounds per game.

Garrick is a shooter with 79 of his first 95 field goal attempts on the season coming from behind the 3-point line.

Harvey is a tall, lanky post who is disruptive in the paint, but who also has soft touch from behind the 3-point line.


But for all the weapons the Colonels have, the key has been their willingness to come together and play as one — especially in close, hard-fought games.

At Preseason Media Day, Claunch said the team’s chemistry would be the No. 1 storyline to follow entering the season, adding that the group was mostly new and was still coming into its own.

But so far this season, that inexperience hasn’t shown up much in pressure situations.


The Colonels are a perfect 3-0 in games decided by 10 points or less.

Against Northwestern State in the Southland opener, the Colonels trailed by 4 with 10 minutes to play before dominating both offensively and defensively down the stretch to secure the win.

Now, the Colonels are expected will have to raise their play to another level in the coming weeks.


Tonight’s game with Stephen F. Austin will be tough. The Lumberjacks are always one of the best teams in the league.

After that, the Colonels host Houston Baptist before traveling to face McNeese and Central Arkansas — two of the most difficult places to play in the league.

Nicholls basketball


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