Eric SorensonYou could say Arizona Christian University senior forward Steven Loucks knows his A, B, C’s.
Academics. Basketball. Coffee.
Coffee?
“I’m definitely a home-brewed type-of-guy,” Loucks confidently said with a wide smile to Sports360AZ.com earlier this week. “I’m 35 in a 21-year-old body.”
When setting up for Firestorm Chat and you learn just how resourceful your athletes are @SdotLoucks ?? pic.twitter.com/mDBqWeqrly
— ACU Firestorm (@ACUFirestorm) December 13, 2016
The caffeine kick has helped the former Yuma Cibola High School standout, who made his way to ACU after three seasons at Division II Western New Mexico University. A lack of team success and a coaching change at WNM created a path back to Arizona where the 6-foot-7 Loucks is now one of the starting forwards for the 12-2 Firestorm who opened the week ranked 14th in NAIA play.
His homecoming so-to-speak has been a success on and off the court.
“I absolutely love it,” Loucks said of ACU. “I love everything about this school. The people really make it. My only regret is that I didn’t come here earlier.”
Loucks was set to play junior college ball out of state when he was noticed by Western New Mexico at a showcase tournament in Las Vegas after averaging 14 points and eight rebounds his senior year for the Raiders.
Now back in Arizona the well-studied secondary education major is finding his balance at ACU.
How do you start a game?! A thunderous dunk by @SdotLoucks sounds about right!
— ACU Men’s Basketball (@ACUMBB) January 4, 2017
“We knew we’d get a really skilled player with some size,” Firestorm head coach Jeff Rutter told Sports360AZ.com after Loucks team-high 16 points against Westmont (CA) Tuesday. “I think I’ve been pleasantly surprised with his leadership ability. He’s got a gift of encouragement. The guys like to be around him.”
When Loucks isn’t studying, shooting or sipping coffee he enjoys reading and letting the chaotic life of a student-athlete slow down a little bit.
“I love to be outdoors,” he said. “Fishing. Hunting. Anything where I can get outdoors and see some trees is always nice.”
Sometimes change is good.
Loucks sure thinks so and ACU couldn’t be happier.
