The OC Register's Mirin Fader profiles Cal State Fullerton's Tre' Coggins, who is the Titans' leading scorer.
Titans sharpshooter Tre' Coggins scores points with his winning attitude
Tre' Coggins was determined to get his shot off. But against a brother three years his senior, who was more physical in the paint and more poised on the perimeter, the sixth-grader had to get creative.
He taught himself to shoot with a high rainbow arc from long distance. He mastered the step-back jumpshot, creating space once his brother impeded his path to the basket.
But the most important thing he learned? Don't back down.
"He wouldn't give up until he beat his older brother," said his father, Sanford Coggins, who played football for the University of Texas.
When Tre' would lose, he'd become angry. He'd go back outside and shoot and shoot and shoot. And when his arms grew heavy and his legs turned to jelly, he shot some more until he was ready to call for a rematch. He would not accept losing.
"Competitiveness is something that at Tre's level, that's inborn," Sanford said. "I think it's part of his temperament."
The San Juan Capistrano native has brought that mindset to Cal State Fullerton's men's basketball team. With his team down by 22 points against Cal State Northridge on Jan. 9, Coggins ignited a comeback that cut the Matadors' lead to five with 1:24 remaining.
Coggins scored 29 points in the second half and finished with a career-best 41 points (he was 9-of-19 from the field, including 6-of-12 on three-pointers, and 17-of-17 on free throws). The performance ranks second in Titans history for single-game points.
"He wants to win at all costs," said Fullerton coach Dedrique Taylor, whose team ultimately fell, 85-75, to Northridge that night. "He's going to mentally challenge himself and those around him to give everything they can to deliver him to the ultimate result, which is winning. That to me is one of the most important assets that you can have as an athlete."
That competitiveness rubs off on teammates. "When he goes out there and is competing, everyone wants to compete," said senior Malcolm Brooks, the Titans' second-leading scorer at 13.4 points per game.
Coggins, majoring in business, leads Fullerton (8-8 overall, 1-2 Big West) in scoring with 18.2 points per game (to go along with 4.3 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game). He's shooting 40.6 percent from three-point range and 85 percent on free throws.
"I've really been an underdog my entire life," Coggins said. "So it's one of those things I'm constantly fighting to make a statement."
Coggins never envisioned himself playing college basketball. The sport was fun and it rewarded his competitive streak. But breakout junior and senior seasons for JSerra Catholic High School changed his plans.
He was twice named team MVP and was named first-team all-conference and second-team all-CIF as a senior. He scored 43 points in a CIF playoff game to lead his team to victory in overtime.
Coggins became motivated to work even harder at his game with the hopes of playing at the next level. Though he had the talent and the athleticism, the 6-foot-2 sharpshooter didn't get a college offer until his senior year, from Air Force. He accepted the opportunity – and also kept in mind the schools that had passed on him for fuel.
"That's one of the things I wanted to show when I was at Air Force, that I could play with the high-major Division I players and be one of the best," Coggins said. "I was really dedicated to showing everybody that I could play."
After playing a reserve role his freshman season, he became a focal point for the Air Force Academy as a sophomore in 2013-14. That season he averaged 16 points per game (shooting 42.2 percent from the field) while leading the team in three-pointers (72) and steals (32). He also dished out 71 assists.
The adjustment to the academy wasn't easy. Coggins had always been a motivated person – but he learned discipline on an entirely new level. "Almost every moment of your day is planned out for you," he said.
In the morning, students march during military formations. Then they march to breakfast, then to class, then to lunch, then to instructors, if needed. Then Coggins would attend practice, eat dinner and complete his homework. Then he would repeat the schedule the next day.
Ultimately, Coggins said he left Air Force because he desired to play professionally after college, which would have conflicted with the academy's military commitment. He also wanted to be closer to home.
He transferred to Fullerton and utilized his redshirt year in 2014-15. Now able to play, the junior is flourishing as the Titans' go-to guy. His 18.2 points per game ranks second in the Big West.
Posting 20 or more points in six games, he's also flourishing from long range. He's made four or more three-pointers in games against Pacific, Southern Utah, Nevada, Oregon State, Portland, Portland State, UC Riverside and Cal State Northridge.
Coggins' offensive versatility fits well within the Titans' free-flowing offense. Equally capable of shooting off the dribble and off the catch (both in midrange and long distance) and able to post up inside, Coggins has the tools to create opportunities on the offensive end from virtually anywhere on the floor. That gives the Titans more options offensively as a group.
"We probably have less rules than most systems, particularly the one that he came from, a stringent system, which is very good, but for us we like a lot more freedom, especially when you have a skilled guy like that," Taylor said.
"And I think the most important skill Tre' has is he's very intellectual," Taylor continued.
"He sees and reads the game differently than most guys, and so having those components, it gives you a different feel and allows you to do things differently offensively that you typically couldn't do."
Taylor is challenging Coggins to become more of a well-rounded player both offensively and defensively. Like any challenge, Coggins has taken it to heart. He leads the team in steals this season with 17.
"He's always been competitive in wanting to reach his full capability," his dad said. "So when it comes to working hard, all he needs is for someone to point out that he needs to work at a certain area, or if he sees himself not being able to get by a guy who has a certain skill set."
"It just immediately triggers him into getting back in the gym to work on his foot mechanics or working on his shot," he continued. "Whatever is necessary to overcome that obstacle."