Transfer point guard fits in for Puget Sound

Natural-born leaders don’t worry about the sometimes-long odds of immediately fitting in with new college basketball teammates.

Rex Holmes transferred to Puget Sound last summer from Butte Junior College in Oroville, Calif. He was a point guard – a position the Loggers desperately needed for depth and the future. But he needed to go the extra mile to prove himself to team captains Kaleb Shelton-Johnson and Edric Egberuare – both fourth-year seniors.

“It took me some time to get into the rhythm of the team, because I came in late,” the 5-foot-11 junior said. “The thing about being a transfer, I knew that was coming. I knew I would have to fight for respect, which is normal. They did not shun me away. They brought me in, and respected the fact I could play.”

After a slow start, Holmes has become a key reserve – averaging 7.2 points per game in 22.4 minutes. He also boasts the team’s best 3-point shooting percentage (.387).

“Rex … is such a good teammate, it took him a while to start playing,” UPS coach Justin Lunt said. “Now he is comfortable. He is just playing and not thinking so much.”

Lunt has often indicated getting Holmes into the program was a steal. Out of Chico High School, he was recruited by North Dakota, an NCAA Division I program, as well as a few California NCAA Division II schools.

One fateful night changed all of that.

As a senior, Holmes and a few of his basketball teammates attended a New Year’s Eve party at the home of a classmate in 2009. Alcohol was served.

“It was nothing too crazy,” Holmes said.

Early the next morning, classmate Nicholas Garber, a popular football player who also attended the party, began vomiting and went into seizures at home. His family rushed him to the local hospital where he later died.

A school-led investigation discovered 20 student-athletes from both basketball teams and the ski team attended the party. They were suspended 20 days from all athletics-related activity.

Toxicology reports later determined that Garber had swallowed ibuprofen, Benadryl and isopropanol, which is commonly known as rubbing alcohol. The cause of the teenager’s death was ruled a suicide, not alcohol poisoning.

“That was tough,” Holmes said. “He was always so nice and joyful.”

The incident had its impact on Holmes’ recruitment to four-year schools.

“Things kind of fell through after that happened,” he said.

Holmes enrolled at Butte JC, which is 10 miles down the road from where he lived.

Holmes ended up loving his two seasons there playing for coach Russ Critchfield, a former California All-American who was a former assistant coach at the University of Washington.

At the end of last season, Holmes began taking a serious look at Northwest Conference schools. Academics were a priority.

Critchfield suggested that the guard look at UPS – a reputable academic institution with a fun, high-tempo basketball team.

“It was perfect,” Holmes said.

Lunt could not agree more.

“He has already stepped in,” Lunt said. “He leads by example. He leads vocally.”

Todd Milles: 253-597-8442 todd.milles@thenewstribune.com

UPS-PLU WOMEN’s GAMEDAY

PACIFIC LUTHERAN (7-14 OVERALL, 4-8 NWC) AT PUGET SOUND (11-10, 7-5)

6 p.m., Memorial Fieldhouse

Radio: 1180-AM

Series: UPS leads, 42-24, and has won six games in a row, including a 65-58 overtime win over the Lutes on Jan. 10 in Parkland.

PROBABLE STARTERS

Pacific Lutheran

NamePosPPGRPGAPGFG%FT%

Shelly KilcupG12.85.82.2.339.702

Sara BackstromG5.83.12.8.278.643

Mackenzie BiekerG5.53.42.7.297.870

Katelyn SmithF9.05.32.3.435.544

Samantha PotterF16.910.51.2.526.640

Puget sound

NamePosPPGRPGAPGFG%FT%

Ashley AgcaioiliG6.73.01.5.362.545

Kelsey McKinnisG14.23.02.8.383.811

Jocelyn RiordanG10.23.71.4.364.528

Amanda ForshayF9.65.81.5.461.667

Lindsay LaylandF8.36.31.3.496.699

Scouting report: Things have not changed much since the first meeting. PLU has to find Potter and Smith inside, especially against the Loggers’ undersized frontline, to keep up. Of course, it is not as if McKinnis and Riordan – the UPS standouts – are lighting the world on fire with their shooting. Last weekend in losses to Whitworth and Whitman, the pair combined for 32 points on 11-for-46 shooting. UPS has a two-game lead over Whitworth for the final NWC playoff spot.

Todd Milles, staff writer

UPS-PLU MEN’s GAMEDAY

PACIFIC LUTHERAN (10-11 OVERALL, 7-5 NWC) AT PUGET SOUND (16-5, 8-4)

8 p.m., Memorial Fieldhouse

Radio: 1180-AM

Series: PLU leads, 67-60, and has won four of the past five meetings, including an 80-62 win over the Loggers on Jan. 10 in Parkland.

PROBABLE STARTERS

Pacific Lutheran

NamePosPPGRPGAPGFG%FT%

James ContiG13.63.74.4.469 .792

Andrew EarnestG12.43.51.7.435.795

Cameron ReisterF6.81.60.3.370.308

Kai HoytF10.6 4.71.5.579.565

Cameron Schilling F13.3 6.83.0 .476.727

Puget sound

NamePosPPGRPGAPGFG%FT%

Julian FernandezG5.8 2.31.5 .388.831

Ryan RogersG5.6 3.0 2.2 .374.649

Edric EgberuareG8.0 4.72.0 .439.698

Kaleb Shelton-JohnsonF11.0 5.42.0.455.687

Anthony GittensC12.2 8.30.5.614.590

Scouting report: As far as late regular-season games go, this is as important as they get for NWC playoff positioning. The Loggers hold a one-game lead over PLU, which as of today would miss out on the postseason. But the Lutes seem to save their best for this rivalry game, and will need big contributions from Conti, Schilling and Earnest if they want to snap their two-game skid. UPS has a big size advantage inside – one it could not take advantage of in the first meeting – with Gittens, who if he gets rolling early, is difficult to slow down. Loggers freshman Derek Jobe (head) will miss tonight’s game.

Todd Milles, staff writer