Jason Caesar Consolacion
Staff Writer
Treva Crosby could have done a lot worse when UH basketball head coach Alvin Brooks inserted him into the starting lineup in late November.
A freshman guard from the heart of Louisiana, Crosby was given an early opportunity to showcase his skills for not only Brooks, but for his peers and the rest of Conference USA. Considering his youth, he did not disappoint anyone.
Crosby started 10 games at point guard for the Cougars while averaging 7.3 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.4 assists. Houston is 5-5 with Crosby in the starting lineup.
His season averages include 5.9 points a game, 1.3 assists and a three-point shooting percentage of 34 percent. He has shown a knack for knocking down the open jumper from the three-point arc, a skill coach Brooks believes is only going to get better.
"I'm very happy with what Treva has done for us this season," Brooks said. "He knocks down his shot, he takes care of the ball, and he's already an important part of our team.
"He's been on and off as far as his shooting goes, but that's expected. He's only a freshman, but he's made great strides at trying to improve his game. He's without a doubt the best shooter we have healthy on the team right now. He'll be a big part of our future."
"I really like coach Brooks," Crosby said. "Especially for the position I play because he was a point guard in college. He has taught me a lot of things that I never knew before.
"When I'm on the court, he has given me the role of running the team, knowing where everyone is supposed to be at all times, taking care of the ball and just knocking down my shot whenever I get the chance."
Crosby has not started for the Cougars since Jan. 4. Since then, coach Brooks has used the combination of senior Shamahn McBride and Willie Moore in the backcourt.
But Crosby has no preference when it comes to how he starts the game. Whether it's with the first unit or off the bench, he knows what his coach expects from him.
"I was playing well before," he said, "and when coach put me in the starting lineup, I was playing pretty well, but coach thought that I was probably putting a little too much pressure on myself as a starter.
"I was very tentative, and I felt that I wasn't where I should have been. I really wasn't being the leader on the court that I should have been.
"Coming off the bench is probably better for me right now. I'm very confident on the court, and I feel like this is my team to lead."
Coming from a family where football was more apparent in the genes, Crosby excelled in basketball for most of his life. The most valuable player for South Lafourche High School of Gallinao, La., he averaged 16.6 points and 4.3 assists as senior. His team was 28-5 overall and boasted a 10-0 district record that led Lafourche to the District 7-5A championship.
He also holds his high school's records in scoring (1,717 career points) and free-throw percentage (.869 in the 1995-96 season).
But playing for the University of Houston has been nothing but fun for him.
"(Playing for UH) is very different (than playing for South Lafourche HS)," he said. "Everybody at this level is bigger, stronger and quicker. You have to know what your assets are, and you have to use them wisely.
"My assets are my shooting and my ball handling, and I just try to spot up as much as I can. It's very different, and you've got to play a lot harder at this level.
"This whole year has pretty much been a learning experience for me, but I'm getting a lot of playing time and that should help me out in the future."
Coach Brooks has thoughts about what he expects from Crosby in the future as he continues to blossom into a great collegiate player.
"I expect him to be a player that can handle the ball with minimal turnovers, create some shots for himself and spot up to hit the open three-pointer," Brooks said. "He'll be a lot like a Matt Maloney (of the Houston Rockets) player."
There's a big future for Crosby should he continue to progress at the rate he has this year. His shooting is accurate, his passing is efficient and he has made a solid attempt at reducing his turnovers.
"My goal for the rest of this season is to hopefully win the rest of our games and do well in the conference tournament. As for the rest of my collegiate career, I'd like to come back next year, get my starting role back and hopefully lead this team to a national championship."
Instead of looking up to NBA stars like Michael Jordan and Clyde Drexler to influence his play, Crosby leans more toward players closer to home.
"Shamahn has been a great leader for us on the court. He's very vocal, and he gets everyone involved in the game. That's the type of leader I'd like to eventually become."