| Alexa Charles has steadily upped her game this year, shooting a career-best 51 percent from the floor, 32 percent from three-point range and 81 percent from the foul line. Hunter athletics photo |
By Brian Lester
D3sports.com
Alexa Charles is a talented basketball player. No one can deny it. The fact that she’s the leading scorer in NCAA Division III this season (31.2) and ranks top five in points in Division III history (2,669) speaks for itself.
But what doesn’t show through on the stat sheet for the Hunter women’s hoops star is the time and effort she puts in day after day to prepare herself to be at her best on the court.
“I work extremely hard to be better, and people that know me know I’m never content with anything,” Charles said. “I’m always working to get better and doing something that is going to help me become a better player.”
Her coach, John Garrett, will tell you Charles speaks the truth.
“Anyone that does the things she does, your work ethic has to be incredible, and she has it,” Garrett said. “She loves basketball. She loves training. She loves playing. She loves pickup games. She loves talking about basketball. She loves watching film and lifting weights.
“There isn’t one part of her game where she has to motivate herself to do it. She knows all of it will make her better,” Garrett added.
It’s a big reason why Charles and the Hawks are headed to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2019 after winning the CUNYAC championship this past weekend. They face fifth-ranked Johns Hopkins, a No. 2 seed, in an opening round game in Baltimore.
Hunter (20-7) defeated Brooklyn 77-69 behind 31 points, four rebounds, four assists and three steals from Charles, the tournament MVP.
“We are very excited. It’s something the team and I have worked extremely hard for,” Charles said. “Winning the conference championship means we get to keep playing and we are going in (to the NCAA tourney) with the intention of playing well.”
The win was a big deal for the Hawks after they lost to Brooklyn twice in the regular season, including right before the conference tournament.
“The mindset was it’s hard to beat a team three times, and every single one of us wanted to win. It showed in the way we played. Everyone excelled in their role.”
Charles only had six points at halftime, but her teammates rose to the occasion, including Mia Fuller, who scored 15 points, and Gianna Henriques, who finished with a double-double of 12 points and 12 rebounds.
“Winning is the only thing Alexa cares about. It was evident in the championship game,” Garrett said. “At halftime, she was hyped even though she had struggled. She was happy for her teammates.
“I don’t think there has been a game where she has not scored in double figures, but I know if I had told her she was only going to score eight and we’d win, she wouldn’t care,” Garrett added.
The conference championship comes a year later than expected. Hunter was the regular season champion a year ago and lost to Brooklyn 59-54 in the title game on its own floor.
“I thought it was going to be a storybook ending for those seniors. It was a heartbreaking ending,” Garrett said.
This year’s story still has at least one more chapter left.
“Determination and hard work. Everyone wants this opportunity,” Charles said.
Charles has played her entire career at Hunter and never imagined she would rise to the level she has as a collegiate athlete.
“I knew I could be good, but I had no idea anything like this would happen,” Charles said. “I am tremendously grateful. It comes down to determination and dedication, and the will to get better. That’s why I am successful.”
Charles is a numbers person. As an accounting major with a job already lined up once school is done, she is big into the stock market and even shares advice on it with teammates.
Her stock has risen throughout her career, and she entered this year as a D3hoops.com preseason All-American.
A former conference rookie of the year, Charles is the all-time leader in points and steals at Hunter. Charles has scored more than 700 points in each of the last two seasons and has racked up 567 steals as well as grabbing 650 rebounds in her career.
She has also become a bigger threat from 3-point range, knocking down 50 shots from distance after making 37 total in her first three seasons combined. She is shooting a career-best percentage from the floor, from the line and beyond the arc.
“With the scoring aspect, I see what opportunities are there and take them,” Charles said. “I don’t think much about it during a game. When I’m playing, I’m in the zone. I’m in the moment.”
Of course, as good as Charles is, she isn’t about to take all the credit.
“My teammates are extremely talented, and I can’t have any of this success without them,” Charles said. “I show up for them just like they show up for me.”
Garrett talked about how this team has meshed well, even with the addition of a couple of transfers in Fuller and Ali Drake this year. Henriques transferred in last season.
“We knew we could be good, but it was a matter of how quickly we could gel,” Garrett said.
Having a veteran like Charles to lead the way doesn’t hurt.
“It’s easy to play with her. Everyone has confidence in her,” Garrett said.
Charles said the chance to be a leader will benefit her beyond her college career.
“It’s taught me different ways to communicate and will definitely help me in the workforce,” Charles said. “Even though I’m going to be an accountant and I won’t be on a basketball team, my leadership and communication skills will still help me in my job.”
Garrett likes the way the Hawks match up with the Blue Jays (25-1), noting on paper that it seems like a great pairing. Meanwhile, Charles is ready for the moment.
“The mindset is to play the best we can and put up a fight. We are all excited about the chance to play and are ready for the moment,” Charles said.