Long Beach State senior Sterling Byrd likes flying below the radar. It’s this exact strategy that has helped him use the element of surprise against his opponents as a member of the men’s basketball team this season.
Byrd, 22, is a returning player who has earned a starting forward position for the 49ers this year, but until recently, he was virtually unknown by opposing teams.
Designated as a role player who came off of the bench last season, Byrd was forced to spend most of his time watching from the sidelines. As with most team sports, seniority was a factor, playing time was scarce and Byrd had to patiently wait his turn. He ended last season averaging a rather civilian 3.2 points and 1.7 rebounds per game.
Something happened while Byrd waited in the wings, however. Rather than getting discouraged, he was mindful of all of the words of advice and encouragement he received throughout the year.
“My teammates have always had faith in me. They were trying to get the coaches to play me more last year,” Byrd said. “But I just know we had two seniors, and if it were my senior year, I wouldn’t want anybody to play in front of me either.”
Byrd absorbed all he could, watched intently and learned some nuances of the game he hadn’t yet applied to his own skill set.
“I learned a lot. Just little things – like when I get under the basket – come to a jump stop. I was always trying to run and I was rushing it,” Byrd said. “I also learned our defense and offense. It was a new offense to everybody, so I didn’t think I was ready to go out there last year and play as many minutes as I am this year.”
Head coach Larry Reynolds attributes much of Byrd’s success to his increase in playing time.
“That’s a lot of it – playing time he was allotted last year as opposed to this year. His playing time has almost doubled, if not a little more than that,” Reynolds said. “He’s always been a scorer, and he has a knack for being around the ball. He does a good job of following the ball to the offensive boards, getting offensive rebounds and laying the ball back in.”
Things have certainly changed for Byrd this season. While most opposing teams had expectedly focused on returning starters and standouts, Byrd has been able to put up some impressive numbers.
As a starter, he now boasts the second highest scoring and rebounding average on his team, with 13 points per game and 7.2 rebounds per game, respectively.
Due to his dedication and perseverance, Byrd has undoubtedly seen his hard work come to fruition on the court. True to character, he has also applied the same work ethic to his studies, carrying a total of 15 units this semester. “I’m in the Horn Center almost every night until 12,” Byrd said. “And then we have Study Hall, so that helps.”
The entire men’s basketball program is required to attend mandatory study sessions called “Study Hall” three times a week, which gathers at the Bickerstaff Academic Center (BAC) on campus. Intended to assist student-athletes like Byrd, the BAC is staffed with professional academic counselors and peer advisers.
“The Bickerstaff Center does a great job with helping student-athletes,” Reynolds said. “They even have an exam preparation seminar for at-risk students.”
Although he admits he wouldn’t mind if his basketball career were to continue after college, he is dedicated to making his education the main priority and has clear-cut goals to prepare himself for a career outside of basketball.
Approaching his studies with the same tenacity as his basketball game, Byrd is planning to graduate in May with a degree in sociology.
