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Brandonite Sterling Nostedt of the Regina Cougars hauls down a rebound Saturday night at the BU gym. (TIM SMITH/BRANDON SUN)
Sterling Nostedt has bided his time at the University of Regina with the Cougars men’s basketball team and it’s paying off this season.
For three seasons, the Neelin graduate came off the bench as a role player. The 6-foot-1, 190-pound guard didn’t start any games until last season, his third with the Canada West squad, and averaged 13.4 minutes of playing time, 4.2 points and 1.5 rebounds per game during those first three seasons.
Due to graduations, Nostedt joined the Cougars’ starting lineup this season and is taking advantage of it. In his first nine games, including Saturday night’s 83-74 win over the Bobcats at Brandon University, Nostedt is putting up a career high 10.1 points and 3.2 rebounds per game. Despite the success he’s having, Nostedt credits his teammates for making his job easier.
"Paul Gareau and the rest of the our team have done a really good of sharing the ball this year and that allowed myself to get easier shots and better looks and that just brings confidence that makes people better," said Nostedt, who enjoyed playing in front of family and friends in Brandon on the weekend.
Cougars coach James Hillis has been impressed with Nostedt’s play and development, including how the only Brandonite on the Cougars’ roster continues to evolve his game from being a three-point specialist. Of Nostedt’s 104 shots this season, 72 of them have been from beyond the arc, and he has made 30.6 per cent of those.
"He’s really filling it up and had some games for us where he shot the ball really well," Hillis said. "(Saturday) he had a couple layups and runners. As a three-point shooter, people are going to run at him and sometimes you have to go by … He’s working at it and I think he’ll be not that far off. He has another year yet and we’re looking for more of the same."
Nostedt is just happy to contribute.
"(I just want to) go out there every time and make my team better, share the ball and not turn it over and hit those open threes that I know I can," he said.
» cjaster@brandonsun.com
Republished from the Brandon Sun print edition January 11, 2012
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