SICILY ISLAND — Sicily Island head coach Curtis Shavers wasn’t surprised following a 35-point performance from freshman Devion Dunbar.

“Not at all,” he said. “I saw him in the gym and he was always in there shooting hoops. It surprised me he developed into the player that he is, but now that he is that player, it doesn’t surprise me at all that he is doing what he is doing.”

Dunbar is averaging 25.7 points per game and has helped Sicily Island to a 9-1 record so far this year.

“I’ve been playing with older guys in the street and in the gym,” Dunbar said. “That has just made me tougher.”

But even though he is racking up points, Shavers said Dunbar is a team player through and through.

“He is a player with a lot of individual skills, but a team mindset,” Shavers said. “His game shows that and we try to do that every game. He controls the offense, looks to score, but also passes the ball off and sets up other players.”

Dunbar appears to be next in line of Sicily Island studs, featuring most recently Larry Plummer, who recorded a 50-plus point game last season.

“He is the next name and we’ve had some names come through,” Shavers said. “Every so often, we get a player that comes through that has that mindset and skil set.”

Although his game can already rival some of the best in the state, Dunbar is still looking to continuously improve.

“If I continue to get in the gym, I will get better each and every day,” he said.

In Shavers’ eyes, the ability to play at the next level is already showing.

“He is very special,” he said. “He can play Division 1 ball. He is that good of a player.”

Dunbar will be back in action next week when Sicily Island hosts a tournament which includes teams like Vidalia and Ferriday.