As a child, there was no tree Jevonte Hughes wouldn't climb and no branch on a tree that was too high.
"I was a wild kid, climbing on stuff," he said. "I guess you could say my athleticism started early. Some kids were sports kids, some were video game kids. I just liked exploring."
Life at high elevation eventually moved to the basketball court, where Hughes' physical prowess made him an integral member of the University of Charleston men's team. As the Golden Eagles (12-10, 9-7 Mountain East) prepare for their 7:30 p.m. Thursday game versus West Virginia Wesleyan at the Charleston Catholic Athletic Complex, Hughes will continue his mission of balancing that athleticism with technique.
Hughes' athleticism can reveal itself in some unique ways. During the Golden Eagles' Jan. 6 loss at West Liberty, there was a pileup of UC players and Hilltoppers in the middle of the floor as Hughes was running back up the court. He noticed the pile at the last second and, as he fell over top of it, he planted his hands on the floor, hit a perfect cartwheel, landed on his feet and kept running.
Those feats aren't just reserved for competition, UC coach Dwaine Osborne said.
"I'd say one about every two weeks, he does something in practice that makes you go, 'Golly,'" Osborne said. "It's amazing."
Osborne said that, when the 6-foot-5 Hughes arrived from Kalamazoo Community College, he already was one of the two or three most athletic players in the Mountain East. He averaged 11.3 points and 6.8 rebounds last season and was the only returning double-figure scorer from last season's roster. Osborne also said that, when the senior from Kalamazoo, Michigan, is dialed in, he's also one of the league's best defenders.
But the crazy athleticism that allows players to dominate high school and junior college courts only goes so far at the four-year level, especially in a conference like the Mountain East, where three of the 12 teams sit in Division II's top eight.
"The higher level you go, the more that gap closes," he said.
The key, according to Osborne, is keeping Hughes dialed in and keeping him from leaning solely on his physical skills.
"His physical abilities are off the charts," Osborne said. "Trying to get that mixed and matched with understanding the system, understanding how to play the game, basketball IQ development and how that fits within our system, that's been what we've spent the most time on. When he's locked in and engaged ... he just has to learn to be disciplined enough to be engaged all the time."
Hughes understands that, too. It's been something he's been told since high school and something he continues to work on even now.
"I remember specifically, Central Michigan came to see me play," he said. "And an assistant coach said to me, 'You're a backyard dog, all raw ability.'
"I took that personally and really started working on some things," he added. "Obviously, I have some more stuff to work on, but that's the grind every day, trying to get better and trying to reach the next level."
That work has been paying off, especially in UC's last few games. Hughes has scored at least 19 points in four of the Golden Eagles' last five games, including 25 points on 8-of-11 shooting in a win Saturday over Urbana. He shot 64.4 percent from the floor in those games. Both his scoring and rebounding averages are up from last year, now at 12.5 points and 7.2 rebounds per game.
Hughes wants to keep developing his game. He has focused on his role in the low post, improving his positioning for rebounds, offense and defense. He also wants to get better in some intangible areas.
"I really want to work on being patient and making the right decisions," Hughes said. "I feel like, lately, I've been doing the right things."