Vikings’ junior Austin called to lead
Coach wants to trim scoring leader’s minutes to remain fresh down the stretch
If Coeur d’Alene boys basketball coach Kent Leiss had his way, his top player, junior guard Devon Austin, wouldn’t be playing as much as he is this year.
Not that Leiss dislikes Austin’s 19 points-per-game average, which leads all 5A Inland Empire League players. No, Leiss would take fewer points and play Austin less if he had a choice because he knows it would make him and the team better.
Leiss doesn’t have a choice. With no seniors on the team and just as few consistent scorers, Austin must play as many minutes as possible.
The 6-foot Austin, a streaky shooter, is making 3-point shots at a frigid 27 percent clip. Leiss knows why the percentage is low.
“I really think what drops his shooting percentage about 10 points is we have to play him too much,” Leiss said. “If he could be fresher later in the games, his percentage would be much better.”
Austin agrees.
“At the start of the season I was shooting well, but I haven’t been shooting as well in conference,” Austin said. “I’ve been getting tired in the games. I’m playing too many minutes.”
Leiss figures Austin plays all but two or three minutes every game. Ideally, Leiss would like to get Austin out of games for six to seven minutes.
Austin, who averaged nine points per game last season, played a big role as the team’s sixth man as the Vikings finished second in state. He came off the bench in the Vikings’ state opener to score a team-high 17 points in 20 minutes. In a semifinal win, Austin scored a team-high 18 points in 23 minutes.
Without those contributions, Coeur d’Alene wouldn’t have advanced to the championship game.
“If he doesn’t score the points we probably don’t win,” Leiss said.
All the starters from the team and most reserves graduated. With Austin and junior Connor Williams as the only returners, Leiss knew his young team could have some growing pains.
It became obvious early this season that Austin would be the defensive focus of every team.
“He’s a phenomenal shooter,” Lake City coach Jim Winger said. “He’s a very good basketball player all the way around. When we’ve played them, we’ve changed game plans because of his abilities. He’s a talent. You better know where he’s at on the court at all times.”
To deal with the anticipated extra attention, Austin hit the weights this year.
“You could tell it was making a difference first semester,” Coeur d’Alene weights teacher and football coach Shawn Amos said.
Austin had classes with Amos his freshman and sophomore years, but didn’t apply himself until this year.
“I was pretty much a goof off in weights my freshman and sophomore years,” Austin admitted. “I knew I needed to get stronger because I saw the difference it made for Nate Clinton and Andrew Prohaska (three-year starters who graduated last year).”
Leiss has seen the difference in Austin, too.
“He’s done some work, but he still has to get stronger,” Leiss said.
Austin is considering turning out for football in the fall.
“He’d be a good cornerback,” Amos said.
It’s obvious which college basketball team is Austin’s favorite. His daily wardrobe consists of something Duke related.
“This Christmas I got all Duke stuff – sweatshirts, shirts, shorts, hats,” Austin said, smiling as he took off a knitted Duke beanie.
Austin’s other athletic passion is baseball. He didn’t play for the Vikings last spring, but was a starter at catcher on the Coeur d’Alene American Legion AA team.
During a Legion game at a tournament in Omaha, Neb., site of the College World Series, last summer, Austin hit a grand slam.
“He’s got a flair for the dramatic,” Leiss said. “He’s got something that a lot of players don’t have. He’s a gamer.”
Austin plans to turn out for the high school team this spring. First-year coach Nick Rook expects Austin to have a big impact at catcher and as an occasional pitcher.
“We’re going to have a really good team,” Austin said. “I really like Coach Rook.”
Austin doesn’t have a favorite sport.
“It’s really whatever the season is,” he said.
Until he reached high school, Austin had the same coach in AAU basketball and baseball – his father, Tim.
“He had a big impact on me,” Austin said. “He was really hard on me. He didn’t cut me any slack.”
Looking ahead to college, he believes his future could be baseball.
“A lot of people have told me that baseball can probably take me farther,” he said.
In basketball, the Vikings have lacked a leader this year, and that’s largely due to the fact they have no seniors. Austin said it’s difficult for underclassmen to be leaders.
“I think we’ll have four or five leaders next year,” he said.
Austin wants to share in the leadership, but he doesn’t see himself as one to head up the leadership because he’s admittedly not the vocal type.
However, Leiss has seen maturity in Austin this year.
“He drove me crazy at times last year,” Leiss said. “He’s growing up in a lot of ways.”
Austin believes he can take his game up another level or two by next year.
“What he’s doing as a junior – when everybody knows he’s our main weapon – that’s impressive right there,” Leiss said.
Although the Vikings have had an up-and-down season, Austin believes his team can finish the year strong.
“There are games we haven’t shown up to play. We need to play well our last two games and build our confidence up (for regionals),” he said. “We have a lot of skill on our team and a lot of potential. I really want to go back to state as a junior and senior. I want to prove to everyone that state last year wasn’t a fluke for me personally or for the team.”