Team defense remains work in progress for X-Men

ANTIGONISH, N.S. — ANTIGONISH - One might describe the St. F.X. X-Men basketball team as a work in progress.
"We are improving from week to week," veteran head coach Steve Konchalski said.
After posting a 3-4 mark in early regular season action, the White and Blue are fourth in the Atlantic University Sport (AUS) standings.
Although there has been improvement, he noted there remains work to do.     
“We have not been as effective as we need to be,” Konchalski said of the team's performance defensively.
The X-Men are surrendering an average of 85 points per game.
“That's not good enough,” he added.
Konchalski said the "time and effort" has been there, but the on-court results haven't materialized.
He added, in certain games, there have been signs of improvement, but defense has been "our biggest weakness.”
Konchalski noted there have been defensive lapses, on an "individual basis,” along with issues related to "help 'D'."
"We need to make better rotations," he said.
When it comes to rebounding, Konchalski said the X-Men have been “holding their own.”
On the offensive side, Konchalski said, at times, “our shot selection leaves something to be desired.”
He expects some players to improve their scoring numbers as they, more and more, take better shots.
“There are times where we have not made that extra pass,” Konchalski said.
He noted the X-Men have been getting to the free-throw line more than their opponents.
“I think we are going to have enough offense but, again, we are going to have to start making those defensive stands if we want to compete for a championship,” Konchalski said.
On both ends of the court, senior forward Azaro Roker has led the way, averaging a double-double - 17.9 points (fifth in the AUS) and a conference-best 13.1 rebounds.
“Azaro has been terrific. He has worked so, so hard over the past three-plus years,” Konchalski said, adding the Nassau, Bahamas native was “pretty raw,” when he joined the X program.
Noting he only starting playing “major minutes" last season, he added Roker has been “phenomenal,” particularly in the last handful of games heading into the break.
In two games, Roker corralled more than 20 rebounds.
“He has been dominant,” Konchalski said, noting he couldn't recall any X-Men player reaching that rebounding milestone in consecutive games.
He added Roker will be a “force to be reckoned with” in the second half of regular season.
Konchalski also credited the highly-touted freshman duo of Avan Nava and Antigonish native Dondre Reddick for their performances.
“They are off to tremendous starts, which augurs well not only this season, but for years to come,” he said of what the duo brings to the program.
Nava is averaging 14.7 points per game - 10th in the AUS - while shooting 42 per cent from the field.
Reddick, who boasts an 88.9 per cent free-throw percentage, is also scoring in double figures, averaging 11.7 per contest.
“Dondre has been selective,” Konchalski said of his shot selection from three-point range; his 61.5 per cent accuracy from beyond the arc tops U Sports.
He added the coaches have also given Reddick the “toughest defensive assignment” on most nights.
"They have been our biggest pluses," Konchalski said of the Roker-Nava-Reddick trio.     
For the first time in more than a decade, the X-Men will not play in the Rod and Joan Shoveller Memorial hosted by the Dalhousie Tigers, which takes place between Christmas and New Year's.
“I decided to take a different approach,” Konchalski said of the decision not to participate.
He explained the X-Men traditionally have come back to campus Dec. 26, practiced a couple times and then headed to Halifax for the tournament.
This season, the team will have a five or six-day training camp, of sorts, when the players return to campus, including a scrimmage game against the Mount Saint Vincent Mystics in Truro.
Konchalski agreed the AUS will be competitive. Each team, including the X-Men, have three to five losses, other than the defending conference champion Dalhousie Tigers, who lead the league with a pristine 6-0 record.
"They have been the cream of the crop so far this season," Konchalski said, noting the Tigers are "deserving" of the their #2 spot in the U Sports rankings.
The X-Men and Tigers will clash three more times this campaign.
“We will be able to test ourselves and gauge our improvement,” Konchalski said of the matchups.
The White and Blue will return to AUS regular season action Saturday, Jan. 4 when they visit the UNB Reds in Fredericton.
Tip-off is set for 8 p.m.