By Jason Pugh, Northwestern State Assistant Athletic Director for Media Relations
NATCHITOCHES – For those who are wondering exactly what the new-look Northwestern State men’s basketball team will do in the 2023-24 season, please allow junior guard Braelon Bush to explain.
“We’re going to defend,” Bush said. “We’re going to get buckets in transition. We’ll excel at what we do best.”
The first chance for the Demons to show what they do best comes Monday night when they host Dallas Christian at 6:30 p.m. in Prather Coliseum in the first game of the Rick Cabrera era. The game will air on ESPN+.
Cabrera was named Northwestern State’s 11th head men’s basketball coach in March, calling it a “dream job.” Come Monday night, the dream becomes more of a reality.
“The nerves are kicking in,” Cabrera said. “It’s extremely exciting. Like I said, the honeymoon phase is over, and it’s time to get to work and enjoy this process.”
While the Demons are playing their season opener, visiting Dallas Christian (1-2) has played four total games, including an exhibition game against Division II Dallas Baptist.
The Crusaders feature a trio of players who average double-figure points per game – Ny’gel Boozer (12.3 points per game), Nico Matheus (11.3) and Yuot Gai (10.3).
Meanwhile, Northwestern State does not return a player who scored a point for the Demons in 2022-23. Instead, NSU features a roster that includes 14 new faces – 12 of whom transferred to Northwestern State.
Not all of the newcomers are unfamiliar to Cabrera, who arrived in Natchitoches following a stirring run with Tallahassee Community College to the Final Four of the National Junior College Athletic Association’s national tournament in March.
One of Cabrera’s Tallahassee players – center J.C. Riley Jr. – came with him to Northwestern State while four other players – guards Cliff Davis, Chase Forte and John Wilson and forward JT Warren – all played against Cabrera at other Panhandle Conference schools.
Davis, Warren and Wilson all played at Chipola College while Forte dueled with Tallahassee while at Gulf Coast State.
“That made the recruiting process a little bit easier for me,” Cabrera said. “In evaluating those guys in two years, they checked a lot of boxes in what I was looking for when I got this job. They’re tough and they are talented. Those are the two Ts we have to have. They also played for some really good coaches, so I know they’re coachable.”
They are hungry, too.
Bush exemplifies that hunger.
A 5-foot-8 product of Silsbee, Texas, Bush spent two seasons at Southland Conference rival McNeese before playing the 2022-23 season at Navarro College in Corsicana, Texas.
Monday’s season opener marks a return to the Division I level for Bush, who averaged 5.7 points and 3.3 assists per game as a freshman at McNeese. Included in that stat line was an 11-assist game in Prather Coliseum against Northwestern State in February 2021.
“It means everything,” Bush said. “I’m blessed to have an opportunity to come back and play D-I. Coach gave me an opportunity. Going from D-I to JUCO, I had my doubts about it, but I learned a lot. It will make or break you. I was made for it. At this heigh, not many people have a chance to play D-I ball. I’m ready to go out and give it my all every day and thank God.”