Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2010
Edwards settling into role as leader for Coastal Carolina
JUCO transfer shaking habits of slower game
E-Mail
Print
tool name
closeCONWAY -- Coastal Carolina's Mario Edwards has officially earned a diploma as a Division I basketball player.
It took Edwards a little longer than expected to shake the unpredictable habits that many athletes pick up in the junior college ranks, but he's become a dependable Division I player and Coastal's hottest player over the last month. The 6-foot-3 guard is averaging a team-high 15.9 points per game, while shooting 55.1 percent from the field in those seven games.
It typically takes junior college players half of a season to transition to the Division I game, Coastal coach Cliff Ellis said. Edwards wasn't expecting such a steep learning curve, but he's finally caught on.
-
Follow and banter all your favorite CCU sports with Josh Hoke on his blog "The Roost" at TheSunNews.com.
-
Next game
Who | CCU at High Point
When | 7 p.m. Thursday
Where | High Point, N.C.
Video | Streaming at BigSouthSports.com
Radio | The Team 93.7-FM, 93.9-FM, 1050-AM
"I don't think I played totally bad last year, but I can tell the difference," Edwards said. "I just needed a [learning] year to have a season like this.
"Last year I came into a new situation from JUCO. The game was different. It was a faster pace and better competition. That had a lot to do with it, but I think I'm just more comfortable this year."
The former Chipola Junior College (Fla.) standout has made significant statistical improvements in scoring, shooting, 3-point shooting, free throw shooting, rebounding and assist-to-turnover ratio. He is averaging 12 points and 4.3 rebounds this season.
"He's played well offensively in all areas - the outside shot, taking it to the hole, rebounding," Ellis said. "It's helped us in so many ways."
Those numbers are solid, but Edwards has been a different player since Coastal's loss to Radford on Jan. 14. Sporting a newfound confidence, he's shooting 48.3 percent from behind the 3-point arc, providing a capable perimeter threat for a team that desperately needed it.
His emergence has sparked his teammates as well, with several players showing a greater outside proficiency since the Chants struggled to strike from range in the loss to the Highlanders. Their growth has helped open space in the paint for Joseph Harris and Co. to operate.
Edwards' ascension into a consistent threat could have happened earlier, but he was forced to fill in at point guard last season after an injury to Mario Sisinni, who was then Coastal's only lead guard.
"I get to focus now on one position instead of not knowing where I was going to play each night," Edwards said. "Coach needed me to play the point, but sometimes I didn't even practice the point. They would just throw me in there and I would do the best I could."
Now that he's back in his customary position on the wing, Edwards is thriving.
"He's definitely found his way," Coastal forward Logan Johnson said. "He's playing with a lot of confidence right now. That's a good thing for us coming down to the end."
To view Hoke's CCU sports blog, "The Roost," go to TheSunNews.com.
@Nyx.CommentBody@