‘HOMEGROWN TALENT’

One look at the Nicholls State men’s basketball roster, and something stands out—five players are from the other side of the world. The Colonels’ roster includes five players from Australia, including standout guard Stefan Blaszczynski.

But on the other side of the spectrum, the Colonels also have three players who prepped at local high schools. Those players—Adonis Gray, Aaron Scott and Gil Verner—have helped the Colonels remain competitive in their season-opening nine game road stretch.

While the Colonels record stands at 0-9, they have played some of the nation’s top competition including No. 10 LSU, No. 13 Washington and then No. 25 Texas. They also took SEC competitor Auburn to overtime.

Gray, a Thibodaux High product, is second on the team in points per game (16.1) and rebounds (5.3). Early in the season, the junior led the Colonels in scoring in five-consecutive games, including 20-, 29-, 32- and 26-point performances. “I think I am having my best season,” said Gray. “But then again, it’s all due to the players that are around me. It goes back to them knowing me, and how well I know them.”

Scott, a junior transfer from East Tennessee State, prepped at H.L. Bourgeois. Scott is third on the Colonels, averaging 11.7 points. He also leads the team in blocks (8), and is second in assists (21). Scott sat out last season after transferring and said he is still adjusting to playing in the team’s offense, but expects to be at full tilt by the time conference play starts on Dec. 28. “Actually, I’m still trying to find myself in this offense, right now,” said Scott. “Everybody else has that experience, and it’s my first year in the offense, playing against other teams. By the time we get to conference play, I should be alright.”

The youngest of the three is Verner, a sophomore from Assumption High in Napoleonville. As a freshman, Verner got significant playing time, appearing in 27 games and starting in one, averaging 3.9 points per game, up to 4.4 points per game this year.

Verner said playing on a team with guys he faced in high school has helped him adjust to the college game. “It was good, in a way,” said Verner. “In high school, I had to learn how to defend them, and know how their game. Now, that makes it easier to play with them and be on the same team.”

Head coach J.P. Piper says Gray and Scott are two of the Colonels top leaders. “Those are two juniors that we’re going to rely on heavily,” said Piper. “(Along with Blaszczynski) those are the older guys that are going to have to step up. Aaron and Adonis are so athletic and so strong that I think they’re really going to cause fits for people in the league this year.”

Still, beyond the performance of the players, Piper says he is proud of having three local players getting significant playing time for his squad. “I’m excited about the fact that you could see us a lot with a kid from H.L. Bourgeois, a kid from Thibodaux and a kid from Assumption out on that floor playing,” said Piper. “Those are local, homegrown guys that have a lot of pride in the community and in Nicholls, and they are very good basketball players.”

And the players agree.

“It’s good,” said Gray. “People know you. You have a lot of fans, and a lot of respect. You earn the respect of a lot of people by staying home, because they want to see people from their hometown on their home court. They want to have somebody they can recognize.”

Gray said he initially came to Nicholls because of his familiarity with former coach Ricky Blanton. “I just felt comfortable,” said Gray. “It’s a better program that I’m in now than what I would have been in. It just turned out well.”

As for Scott, two years at East Tennessee State made him miss home. “Just Nicholls, and family and stuff,” Scott said as to why he transferred back into the Tri-Parish area. “It was real far away from home, and I think I had a better chance to do some things here at Nicholls. I was kind of playing the wrong position at East Tennessee State.”

Already this season, Scott is averaging nine points more than his 2.4 points per game at East Tennessee State.

Verner said playing on a home court was a draw because of the support. “It feels good to have real good support,” he said. Verner added that having teammates he faced in high school is also nice. “We get to reminisce on back in the day, and things like that.”

“It’s people that you’ve known for a long time,” Scott said of playing with Gray and Verner. “It helps in trying to get into the offense and makes things more comfortable.”

Adonis Gray, a junior, is one of three local players on the Nicholls State Colonels this season. Gray prepped at Thibodaux High, while junior Aaron Scott prepped at H.L. Bourgeois and sophomore Gil Verner prepped at Assumption High. Photo by Doug Keese/NSU