When discussing basketball dominance at Carleton, one hears a lot about veterans Phil and Thomas Scrubb, Victor Raso, and Connor Wood, but there is another name that has been quietly making its way onto that list.
Fourth-year guard Gavin Resch was mainly a bench player in his first three seasons at Carleton, but has made his name known after having a notable season for the Ravens.
“I feel like it being my fourth year has given me more confidence, and I understand the game a lot better at this point, like where guys will be,” Resch said.
Resch first began playing for Carleton in 2011-12. In his first season he averaged 7.4 minutes per game and just 3.6 points per game (ppg).
In his second year, Resch saw his minutes almost double, as he averaged 13.6 minutes, but his point production remained similar at 4.9 per game.
It was Resch’s third season that saw the least improvement. He averaged almost the exact same minutes per game with 13.7 and almost identical ppg at 4.8.
Come 2014-15 with critical players like Kevin Churchill and Tyson Hinz leaving the Ravens, there were roles to be filled. Resch said in the off-season he didn’t change his approach to offence, but that it was defence he worked at.
Right off the bat, Resch became a critical sixth man for the Ravens.
“I guess I try to find ways to get on the floor a little more, and defensively I’ve improved,” he said. “I’ve still got a ways to go, but offensively I haven’t really changed much.”
It was an injury to Ravens fifth-year guard and regular starter Victor Raso on Jan. 31 against the Algoma Thunderbirds that made the coaches begin to rely on Resch. They began to have confidence in him and he found confidence in himself.
“When Vic got injured and I had to play more minutes, you know, that’s when they gained a little more confidence in me because they needed a player who could fill in the role, and we were able to sustain without one of our starters,” Resch said.
Resch’s numbers almost doubled this season as his mpg increased to 25.7 and his ppg hit 8.6.
Over the five-game stretch where Raso was injured, Resch averaged 12.8 ppg and 31.8 minutes per game at guard alongside Phil Scrubb, twice leading the Ravens in scoring with 22 points vs. Queen’s and Laurentian.
Even when Raso returned, Resch still saw his role remain important. He was no longer a starter, but still a very critical sixth man, averaging 20.3 minutes per game in the playoffs.
Resch had plenty of great moments to choose from this season, but said his favourite was the Capital Hoops Classic.
“The Capital Hoops game this year was a lot of fun, that record-setting,” he said. “I got to play some good minutes, we got the win, so that’s always exciting especially after losing to them earlier in the season.”
With both Scrubbs and Raso graduating, the Ravens may need more from Resch in his final season at Carleton. Resch said he will work in the off-season on whatever his team needs from him.
“You know, I’m going to have a bigger voice and stuff like that, but also I’m going to have to play better, too,” he said. “You know to backup that role, so I guess I’m going to work a lot more on some different stuff on the off-season, probably try and figure out what’s best for our team and go from there.”
