Reece Chamberlain receives the inbound pass, drives to the lane and kicks it out with a no-look pass at the last second.
He finds a wide-open teammate behind the arc, who drains the 3-pointer.
It’s a play Chamberlain makes every game for the Belmont men’s basketball team.
It was the senior point guard’s uncoachable knack to predict the ball’s movement that first struck Belmont coach Rick Byrd about Chamberlain.
“He’s a winner and sort of gets it. I’m not even sure I can define it yet. He’s always around the basketball and extremely competitive. He doesn’t like to lose. His teammates know that,” Byrd said.
But while he showcases his natural instinct to win, what really shines on the court is Chamberlain’s assisting, unselfish personality.
“He doesn’t care about points. He doesn’t care about credit. He just wants to do whatever he can to make Belmont a better team and win more games,” said Byrd.
Chamberlain’s dependability is something that hasn’t gone unnoticed by his teammates, including fellow fifth-year senior Holden Mobley.
“He’s not a flashy player, not necessarily looking for himself or trying to do things for his stats. He’s an elite-level competitor and that’s one of the best things about him,” Mobley said.
After playing a supporting role his first few years, Chamberlain has taken the reins of the team the last two seasons. Currently, the point guard leads the team in assists and also ranks top-25 in the nation in assists per game.
While his assists reflect the characteristics of a true point guard, Byrd said Chamberlain is a better athlete than people would expect in terms of his quickness and strength.
“It surprises people his burst of speed, quick first step and hesitation moves. He’s a strong point guard. He can take a lick, finish a basket and draw fouls. So there are a lot of things about him that other point guards don’t have. They often can’t finish like Reece can.”
Chamberlain credits the physical aspect of his game to growing up with three brothers and appreciates how they prepared him for competition.
“Just being around them all the time, you get used to getting roughed up. It’s something that doesn’t really bother me, and I enjoy being physical and think it’s a big part of my game.”
Not only is Chamberlain passionate on the court, but he continues to be altruistic and hardworking outside of basketball.
Off the court, Chamberlain displays the same selfless nature in the local community and donates his time to charities such as Best Buddies, Special Olympics and Nashville Rescue Mission and serves on athletic mission trips.
“I think it’s just a huge part of who I am as a person. I’m a big believer and think I’ve been very blessed throughout my life,” he said. “I grew up in a comfortable environment and just realized that everyone doesn’t have it as well as me and just trying to give back and help out in any way I can.”
Byrd said Chamberlain follows a long line of Belmont players who do more than just play basketball and he knows Chamberlain is unaffected by the attention usually focused on college basketball players.
And in following the tradition set by former players, Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award nominated Chamberlain as a finalist for his efforts in the community and the classroom.
“He’s a regular college student who’s looking to help people whenever he can. And he uses the basketball side of things to do more. Anytime we need somebody to do something, represent us as a student-athlete, he’s always willing to do that.”
Not only does he always lend a helping hand to those in the community, Chamberlain’s teammates know they can always look to their point guard for support.
“He’s very selfless and off the court he is the exact same way. I injured my ankle the other day and he texted me, ‘Hey let me know if you need a ride,’” said senior Spencer Turner. “And if you ever ask him for anything, he’s always going to be there for you.”
For Chamberlain, the feeling is mutual and represents the impact his teammates have had on him throughout his career.
“The friendships I have come to have through Belmont basketball is huge for me. I just know that I have a lot of guys who I can turn to when I’m feeling down on myself or having a tough situation,” he said.