Difference maker

As time ticked away in the fourth quarter, Rian Shields planted his feet and prepared to absorb contact. He knew what was coming. A moment later, he felt it. 

Shields tumbled to the hardwood after an opponent crashed into him, prompting the referee to blow his whistle. Shields had drawn a charge. Possession belonged to Vestavia Hills High School. 

The defensive stop proved critical in helping the Rebels boys basketball team hold on for a two-point victory over Wenonah at December’s Steel City Invitational. Yet Shields didn’t receive tangible credit because charges aren’t tracked as an official statistic.

And Shields, a senior guard, could live with that. He had logged nearly 30 minutes, and his team had won. 

Besides, the strength of his game resides outside the box score. 

“There are so many things that don’t show up on the stat sheet,” Vestavia Hills head coach Patrick Davis said. “He practices really hard every day. He’s not a real outspoken guy, but he’s one of those who just does things right all the time.” 

That’s what makes Shields such a valuable piece of this year’s squad, which has state title aspirations. He takes care of the little things and lets the big things take care of themselves. 

He has employed that approach since Davis arrived at Vestavia Hills prior to last season, Shields’ first on varsity. It didn’t take long for the Rebels’ new coach to realize that one of his reserve guards possessed a natural feel for the game. 

“Rian has a really high basketball IQ,” Davis said. “He’s probably got the best basketball instincts of anybody I’ve ever coached in 14 years.”

But Shields played sparingly last winter as the Rebels, who had senior depth at guard, made their run to the Final Four. Typically, Shields came off the bench and earned a few minutes of action in each game. 

His role has expanded immensely this season. Now, Shields rarely is not on the court. He has risen to the occasion. 

“I feel like I’m playing pretty well,” he said. 

Davis clarified, swapping the word “pretty” for “very.” 

Shields’ preparation for his senior year began months ago, well before the 2017-18 campaign tipped off. 

In the offseason, he worked to improve his long-range shooting, ball-handling and overall strength. He lifted weights with his teammates frequently as he sought to add bulk to his frame. 

The extra muscle has made collisions like the one he absorbed against Wenonah a bit more bearable. 

“Our offseason program is amazing,” Shields said. “We go so hard, all the guys.”

Shields’ improvement revealed itself in the preseason, and coaches took notice. Davis saw a player ready to shoulder an increased load. He has rewarded Shields accordingly. 

“He’s a warrior in the weight room and in the conditioning stuff to where he can log the minutes that he’s logging,” Davis said. “He worked really, really hard in the offseason to be able to do that.”

In the game against Wenonah, Shields finished with three points. That’s not an atypical stat line. Most of the time his numbers won’t jump off the page. 

But without him, the Rebels wouldn’t be the same.