What if I told you that one of the top scorers in Division I HBCU basketball averaged just over 10 points at the Division II level only a season ago?
Meet KC Shaw
Charlotte, NC native Kentron “KC” Shaw is averaging 18.5 points per game in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore after transferring from Division II HBCU Winston-Salem State. The Junior guard followed his head coach, Cleo Hill Jr., who took over in the same capacity at UMES in June of 2024.
Despite limited shots during his freshman season, he provided the Rams with energy, starting every game, which paid off with the WSSU winning the 2023 CIAA Championship.
Shaw averaged 10 points a game as a sophomore and had multiple games with over 15 points while also being a great defender and rebounder. The Rams came up short of being back-to-back CIAA champs and once coach Hill decided to take the head job at the UMES, so did KC.
Now, KC Shaw has followed his coach to a new home and is one of the top players in the conference. With his profile growing in the MEAC. I sat down to interview KC Shaw before the Hawks game in Durham against North Carolina Central about his journey from DII to DI HBCU basketball.
“It’s been a great experience so far actually. Great strength and conditioning coaches, Great teammates, great basketball, with a lot of focus and a lot of resources… It was a great transition, I definitely give credit to all my coaches. Coach B and them for always working with me from Day One and seeing something that I didn’t see within myself.”
I also got a chance to speak to his younger brother and teammate freshman guard Kyrell “Ky” Shaw and asked him how about his transition from high school to Division I basketball.
“It’s a big turnaround for real. Coming from high school to going to college you not the man no more,” Shaw said. “Everybody that’s on your team was the man at the school so you just gotta adjust for real.”
KC spoke about traveling to different states and playing in different arenas with his younger brother.
“It’s definitely been great, definitely tougher than high school. From running around, throwing alleys to each other but now it’s through a system with harder teams.”
While the Shaw brothers are enjoying being teammates again, the elder KC understands where his brother is as a freshman and both have their eyes set on a different set of goals.
“Win player of the year and win the MEAC.”
“Keep progressing as a player and keep finding out my role,” Ky Shaw said.
KC and Ky are still getting their feet wet as Coach Hill and the Shaw brothers navigate their first season in the MEAC.
With conference play in full swing, HBCU basketball has taken notice of KC’s scoring abilities and the former DII hooper is no longer flying under the radar, as he and the new regime at UMES look to establish themselves as we get into the thick of the conference schedule.