Southern ConferenceDevin Sibley arrived on the Furman University campus as a scorer, having averaged 25.7 points per game as a senior basketball player at Karns High School in Knoxville. Although growing pains were expected, it didn't take long for the 6-foot-2 guard to get accustomed to the college game.
Sibley is part of a five-man freshman class that has been huge for the Paladins this season. He averaged 13.3 points per game in January, when he was 15-for-36 (41.7 percent) from 3-point range.
"He's always been a kid that's been able to score," Furman coach Niko Medved said Tuesday. "It took a while, but the game has finally slowed down. Now he's having to adjust again; he came from a guy being unknown to a guy that's on top of other teams' scouting reports. People come at him harder and he's now a more focal point of the defense, but he's working harder and learning to be more patient and wait for his opportunities on offense."
Sibley and classmates Geoff Beans, John Davis III, Daniel Fowler and Gene Langan have averaged 27.9 points, 9.6 rebounds and 5.3 assists a game. They account for 43 percent of the offensive production for the Paladins (7-14, 4-6), who host the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (15-8, 8-2) on Thursday in Timmons Arena.
"I think in our case, it goes both ways," Medved said. "Playing freshmen, there's a major adjustment: There's the basketball piece, but there's also a social piece and, in our case, academic. It moves so fast, but the season's long and you know you're going to have some bumps. The only way to get experience is to get experience.
"I'm excited for the future, but we're trying to focus on the present and get better today. We think that Furman basketball is on the rise, but just getting a year older doesn't guarantee success. It requires hard work and commitment, but this is a really resilient group that's always responded and has a great attitude."
Mocs sweep POW picks
UTC's Casey Jones and Chelsey Shumpert swept the Southern Conference player of the week awards Tuesday.
Both set career highs during the week. Jones, a junior forward, had 24 points and a career-high 15 rebounds in a 75-72 loss to Mercer, and Shumpert's 22 points against ETSU set a new mark for the sophomore.
Jones averaged 23.5 points and 8.5 rebounds as the Mocs men went 1-1 last week. He followed up his career night with 23 points -- 19 in the first half -- when UTC defeated The Citadel 78-73 on Saturday.
Shumpert, a sophomore guard, helped the 23rd-ranked Mocs women to two wins, which brings their current streak to 16. She had 19 points and six assists with no turnovers in a win over Mercer.
It is both players' second time being honored this season.
Western Carolina's Tucker Thompson (8.5 points, 7.5 rebounds) and Mercer's Kahlia Lawrence (13.5 points) were named the freshmen of the week.
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him at twitter.com/genehenleytfp.