Making his mark
LH grad DeShields had strong freshman year with Vulcans
California University coach Danny Sancomb knew he had picked up a talented player when his Vulcans welcomed Laurel Highlands graduate Keondre DeShields to the team before the 2024-25 season.
Sancomb just wasn鈥檛 sure how much of an immediate impact DeShields would make his freshman year after transferring from Saint Francis where he was a member of the Red Flash鈥檚 football team.
鈥淲e鈥檙e obviously looking forward to see how he picks up things and how he鈥檚 able to adjust to the college game,鈥� Sancomb said in September. 鈥淏ut he鈥檚 going to add value to our program and we鈥檙e always looking for guys like that.鈥�
Turns out DeShields, a 1,000-point scorer and two-time All-State player for the Mustangs, played a much bigger role than at first anticipated for the Vulcans.
DeShields played in 26 of Cal鈥檚 30 games and averaged 9.2 points per game as a valuable sixth man for Sancomb.
鈥淢y coach came up to me at the beginning and said be ready, you鈥檙e going to play a lot,鈥� DeShields said. 鈥淚 told him I鈥檓 going to always be ready.鈥�
DeShields was one of the Vulcans leaders in field goal percentage at 48 percent, including 36 percent from the 3-point line, and shot 76 percent at the foul line. He averaged 19.2 minutes, 4.3 rebounds and 1 assist per game, was third on the team in offensive rebounds with 33 and wound up with 16 steals (sixth) and six blocked shots (tied for third).
鈥淚 was happy with my season,鈥� DeShields said. 鈥淚 just had to get comfortable with playing with so many good players and fitting into the team. I just came in, played hard and did what I could do on the court for the team.鈥�
Adjusting from football back to basketball wasn鈥檛 all that difficult despite taking a year off from the latter sport, according to DeShields.
鈥淚t was pretty easy to get back into basketball shape really, maybe about two weeks,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 was just a little rusty with my handles and stuff but it all came back pretty quick.鈥�
DeShields felt he picked up Sancomb鈥檚 system fairly well.
鈥淲e just had a whole bunch of plays that I had to learn and get used to but it wasn鈥檛 that hard, I picked it all up pretty good,鈥� DeShields said.
Despite being listed as a 6-foot-3 guard, DeShields was a valuable asset for Sancomb who played every position except point guard his freshman year.
鈥淓ach game he would just throw me in and give me an opportunity and if I was doing well he鈥檇 keep me in there a little longer,鈥� DeShields said. 鈥淚 felt like I was contributing. I was usually the first sub, it didn鈥檛 matter what position. I鈥檇 go in at two (shooting guard), three (small forward), four (power forward) or five (center).
鈥淔rom the plays standpoint, at the four or five it was a little harder because I was used to running like two and three and had all those plays down. That was the only part that was a little confusing at times for me when he put me at the four or five. And I had to go guard the big dudes there of course, but I鈥檓 used to that.鈥�
The Vulcans went 18-12 overall and 12-8 in the PSAC West, finishing second. They defeated Seton Hill at the Convocation Center in the PSAC tournament, 87-75, before losing at Shepherd, 84-74. DeShields had 14 points, third on the team, in his final game of the season.
鈥淚 felt like overall it was a good season for the team but I do think we could鈥檝e won it all, we were good enough to,鈥� said DeShields, who teamed up with Rodney Gallagher to help Laurel Highlands win the 2022 WPIAL Class 5A championship.
DeShields earned three starts on the season and two of those wound up being his top-scoring games. He had a season-high 24 points in a loss to East Stroudsburg, hitting 10 of 13 shots, including 4 of 5 3-point attempts, with six rebounds and two assists. In a loss to West Chester, DeShields scored 18 points on 5-of-8 shooting, making 3 of 4 3-point tries, while also contributing seven rebounds, one assist, one steal and one blocked shot.
鈥淚t felt good to be out there as a starter when I got the chance,鈥� said DeShields, who is already looking forward to his sophomore year where he鈥檒l be given an opportunity to earn a starting role.
鈥淲e lost a few of our starters so we鈥檙e going to have to get used to a new lineup and I feel like I鈥檓 going to have to be more of a leader this year,鈥� DeShields said. 鈥淐oach told me my role is going to get even bigger.鈥�