When James Sapp is on the court, there's no doubt he's going full-speed. Photo courtesy Centenary Sports Information

James Sapp didn't start out his college career as a basketball player.

A former state champion in high school in the 400-meter dash, he ran track at Division I Louisiana-Monroe his freshman year. He soon decided it wasn't the sport for him at the next level.

"In high school I wasn't sure about my options so I went with running track," Sapp said. "I've always loved basketball and I felt like that is what I wanted to do after that first year. I called up the coaches here and it worked out for me to be on the team."

It turned out to be the perfect fit. In fact, last season, the junior forward was named the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Player of the Year. He was third third consecutive Centenary player to earn the honor and just the second sophomore to earn it.

Hard work led to that success.

"That first year I got here I played some pickup games in the summer with guys on the team and I saw right away that those guys were good. I knew I had to step up," Sapp said. "I had a good work ethic and just grinded every day. It paid off for me."

Sapp scored in double figures 23 times last season and finished the year with seven double-doubles. He led the conference in scoring (16.3 points per game) and ranked second in the league in rebounds per game (8.0).

He hasn't missed a beat this year, putting up 14.2 points per outing and grabbing 11.9 rebounds per game. Has nine double-doubles, including an 18-point, 18-rebound effort against Austin in a 79-71 win on Jan. 15.

Sapp admits he isn't maybe as efficient as he wants to be when it comes to shooting the ball but he can't complain about the effort he has put forth night in and night out.

"I play hard every night. That sums up how the season has gone," Sapp said. "I wanted to average double digits in rebounds this year and I've been able to do that. Scoring comes and goes but I can always do a good job of rebounding the ball. It's a testament to my effort and will."

And while Sapp may not always shoot the ball as well as he would like to, he said he has made strides in that area. He has knocked down nine three-pointers this season.

"My jump shot has gotten a lot better. A lot of the opposing coaches I've talked with have even mentioned that to me," Sapp said. "I've done my best to not be a one-dimensional player. I've been able to expand my range and hit some outside shots."

Sapp is doing what he can each day to play at a high level, and with a little over a month left in the regular season, his focus is on helping the Gents contend for a conference title. Centenary, the defending league champ, is 10-8 overall and 3-5 in the league.

"It's easier being the hunter than the hunted and that is something we have learned how to handle better as the season has gone on," Sapp said. "We have the talent to be a great team and just have to go out and be focused for each game."

While it remains to be seen how the rest of the year plays out for the Gents, Sapp can say with certainty that he is enjoying his experience as a college basketball player.

"I take a lot of pride in being able to represent my family and community and the school," Sapp said. "I make the most of each moment and I love the bond that I've formed with my teammates. It's been a great experience so far."

Alexander rises to occasion

Taylee Alexander of East Texas Baptist came through with her second consecutive double-double Saturday afternoon in a 58-54 loss to Ozarks. It was her sixth double-double of the year overall.

Alexander lit up the scoreboard for 15 points and grabbed 14 rebounds against Ozarks. Two days earlier, she scored 15 points and pulled down 12 rebounds as the Tigers defeated Dallas 59-56 for only their third win over the Comets since 2009.

The Tigers are 12-5 overall and 5-3 in the American Southwest Conference. They are on pace for their first winning season since the 2012-13 campaign when they finished 16-10.

Alexander has played a key role, ranking second on the team in scoring (13.3 points per game) and first in rebounds (8.7). She has led the Tigers in scoring six times this year.

Panthers still perfect

It wasn't easy but Birmingham-Southern remained unbeaten in the Southern Athletic Association with a 74-73 win over Sewanee Saturday.

Once a team below .500, the Panthers are rolling, winning seven consecutive games, and now sit at 11-6 overall and 6-0 in the SAA. Birmingham-Southern is 7-0 on its home floor this year and is 79-5 at home over the last five years.

Mateusz Rudak paved the way with 14 points off the bench. He also grabbed seven rebounds.

Rudak has played in all 17 games this season and is averaging 6.2 points per outing. The Panthers are led in scoring by Alex Avery, who is putting up 13.2 points per outing.

The Panthers lost five of their first six but have lost only once since Dec. 12. They have thrived in tight games during their current win streak, winning twice in overtime and two other times in regulation by only a point.

Streak ends for Scotties

Agnes Scott ended an 11-game losing streak Saturday afternoon with a 56-50 non-conference win over Rust. It's only the second win of the year for the Scotties, who are 2-13 overall.

Laniqua Collins paved the way as she scored 23 points and grabbed 17 rebounds.

Collins, who is only a sophomore, has been playing well all year despite the team's struggles. She has scored in double figures nine times this season, including in the last five games. Collins averages 12.6 points and 7.6 rebounds.

Agnes Scott will look to build momentum off the win as it will close the regular season with four of its final six games being played at home.

Balanced attack key for Eagles

Jonathan Terry had the hot hand for Emory Sunday, pouring in a career-high 24 points as the Eagles held off Case Western Reserve 86-82 in a thrilling University Athletic Association game.

Terry scored 17 of his points in the final half of action, including three on a 3-pointer with 26 seconds left that put the Eagles in front 84-82. He hit on nine of his 14 attempts from the field and tied his career-high in 3-pointers made with five.

Adam Gigax wasn't bad either as he scored in double figures for the 10th consecutive game. He lit up the scoreboard for 21 points, knocking down 10 of his 18 attempts from the field.

Will Trawick also scored in double figures, finishing with 15 points. He also pulled down 10 rebounds to record his first double-double of the year.

Emory is 11-5 overall and 4-1 in the UAA. The Eagles have won two in a row and feature four players averaging 10 or more points per game. Trawick (14.1) leads the way while Gigax (12.2), Terry (11.6) and Davis Rao (11.5) also own double-digit scoring averages.

Contact me

If you have a great story idea or notable accomplishments that deserve a mention in this column, feel free to reach out to me at brian.lester@d3sports.com. You can also follow on Twitter @BLester1993.