Second in a series.
12/9/15 - New Faces: Cierra Lamey, MSUB Women's Basketball

MSUB SPORTS – As the Montana State University Billings men's basketball team prepares to make the turn into the new year and the start of 18 straight Great Northwest Athletic Conference games, no player has begun to find his stride quite like Yellowjacket freshman forward Preston Beverly.
 
Over his last six games, Beverly is averaging 13.0 points and 8.2 rebounds, while also contributing eight assists, seven blocks, and four steals.
 
"I have shown myself that I have the ability to play at this level, and it makes me want to strive for more," Beverly commented on his early success on the court. "I just want to give it my all every night, and my goal is to stay close to averaging a double-double."
 
Beverly is coming off his most impressive performance to date – a 26-point, 13-rebound effort in MSUB's 85-83 victory over Northwest University in the team's final game before the holiday break on Dec. 12. Although it was Beverly's second double-double in the last three games, the start to the season had been a slow one.

Scoring just 11 total points in his first four collegiate games, it appeared Beverly had some major adjustments to make transitioning from the high-school level. His first true breakout performance came in the form of 16 points and eight rebounds in an 85-82 win over Rocky Mountain College on Nov. 18, but the numbers didn't count towards his season ledger as the game was an exhibition contest.
 
A 12-point game against Dominican University on Nov. 27 helped Beverly break out of a scoring slump, and kicked off his red-hot six-game stretch.
 
"With any freshman, the number one thing is the adjustment to the speed and level of play," commented MSUB head coach Jamie Stevens. "Preston is still in that adjustment period, but he already does so many things well."
 
Beverly first surfaced on MSUB's recruiting radar prior to the 2014-15 season, when assistant coach Brad Schmit contacted the Wildomar, Calif., native the summer before his senior season at Elsinore High School. After visiting MSUB in the fall of 2014, Beverly made up his mind quickly and committed to becoming a Yellowjacket verbally before leaving campus.
 
"What really got me was how welcoming and nice all of the people were, and I also felt like I clicked automatically with the coaches," Beverly said. "It felt like a family relationship, and my family and I really thought Coach Stevens and Coach Schmit could help me through the process of playing in college."
 
Experiencing growth spurts throughout high school, Beverly currently stands at 6-foot-7 and has a unique, instinctual ability to rebound. "What we didn't realize was how good of a rebounder he was," Stevens said on Beverly's breakout play as of late. "He really has a nose for the ball. Add the fact that he is six-foot-seven and long, and he always seems to be around the basketball."
 
Entering high school at 6-foot, Beverly added a consistent clip of two inches per year as he filled into his frame and developed into a college-level player. In the final Sunbelt League game of his sophomore season, 22 points, 10 rebounds, and four blocks from the 16-year-old gave him the first hint that his talent on the court could pave the way for his future beyond high school.
 
"That was my first start on varsity, and it sort of woke me up," Beverly said. "It helped me realize that I could be efficient at a young age in high school, but also that I had a chance to produce in college."
 
A far cry from his fitting birthplace of Beverly Hills and his grandmother's Nerf-ball hoop in the living room he honed his skill on as a four-year-old, the Californian is beginning to find his home in Billings. Easing the transition has been the leadership of the Yellowjackets' upperclassmen, as Beverly commented on the positive role models he has surrounding him in MSUB's program.
 
"Jace (Anderson) and Kendall (Denham) have been big leaders," Beverly said. "They want to win just as bad as anybody, and you can tell that by the effort level they give. A big part of why I play so hard is that I see how hard they work."
 
While Beverly has received guidance from MSUB's more seasoned players, he is not the lone freshman on the roster who hails from California. Cade Alcorn, a 6-foot-6 forward from Fresno, Calif., has had a major

impact starting all but two games and averaging 20.2 minutes.
 
Both Alcorn and Beverly had a chance to start their first two games of the season in their home state, as the 'Jackets opened the year in a tournament hosted by Cal State East Bay in Hayward, Calif.
 
"I had seen Cade play at tournaments in high school, but I didn't really know who he was until I signed," Beverly said. "It was exciting to play in California, and we just felt at home. My family went down to the game and that put a little bit of pressure on me to perform, but I wasn't too nervous."
 
Off to a 4-6 record and a 1-1 start in GNAC play, the Yellowjackets are well on pace to improve upon last season's 5-23 mark. Beverly is determined to capitalize on the potential to have a turn-around season this year. Among his goals are to have a record above .500 and help the Yellowjackets earn a berth into the GNAC Championships by virtue of a top-six finish during the regular season.
 
"We have already won four games, and that opens up a lot of guys' eyes to show we have the ability to do better than last year," Beverly said. "Especially for Emmanuel (Johnson) being our only senior, we want to have a good year as a team for him. He has helped bring us to a different level so we have to keep working our way up."
 
MSUB is next in action on New Year's Eve, as the 'Jackets kick off their trek towards the GNAC tournament with a home game against Simon Fraser University on Beverly's 19th birthday. His goal to average in the neighborhood of a double-double in conference games is supported by a 19-point, 13-rebound evening on the road against undefeated and nationally-ranked No. 4 Western Oregon University on Dec. 5 in Monmouth, Ore.
 
"It is a long season, and Preston has yet to go through the rigors of a GNAC schedule," Stevens said. "He just needs to continue to play harder every day in practice and games, and realize that he can play at this level and have success."
 
Beverly's standout game against Northwest University came on the heels of a nine-point, five-rebound performance against Azusa Pacific University at the Oak Harbor Freight Lines Classic hosted by Seattle Pacific University. He was the lone underclassman picked to the all-tournament team, as he joined three seniors and a junior who highlighted themselves at the four-team event.
 
"I just want to try to keep my numbers up, and one of my personal goals is to be a defensive presence," Beverly said. "I want to lead the team a bit on defense, and try my hardest to be the best freshman in the conference."