There is something brewing in Raleigh, North Carolina, and anyone stepping into one of HBCU basketball’s most intimate atmospheres —C.C. Spaulding Gymnasium — can feel it. The atmosphere has changed, expectations have grown, and Shaw men’s basketball is announcing itself loudly. Under head coach Bobby Collins – hired in 2020 – this is the strongest opening stretch Shaw has seen. You’d have to dig all the way back to 2002-03 season to find a comparable undefeated start, and this year marks the best start since that time.
At 6-0, the Bears are no longer a pleasant early-season surprise. They are the last undefeated team in the CIAA, a designation that instantly evaluates them from intriguing to legit. Their resume includes wins over Clinton College, the University of Mount Olive, Barton College, Paine College, Ferrum College and most recently UNC Pembroke. Each contest has reinforced that this team is more disciplined, balanced and confident than in recent seasons.
But the true test is approaching. Conference play looms, and Shaw will first face defending CIAA champion Virginia State in a non-conference showdown on Wednesday, December 3rd, 2025 – a measuring stick and a pressure gauge all in one. Though the matchup won’t count toward the CIAA standings, the implications are unavoidable: this is the kind of game that reveals whether early promise can be sustained, whether momentum can become identity, and whether Shaw is truly entering a new era within the CIAA. It’s been about 15 years since Shaw claimed the CIAA title, a championship they captured in the 2010-11 season.
This seems to be a payoff of slow rebuilding, steady culture-setting and belief that finding the right guys matters for this veteran HBCU coaching staff. One of the most meaningful additions to help fuel the rise is 6’7 forward Avery Huggins, an intraconference transfer from Johnson C. Smith University who now leads Shaw with 18.3 points and 7.2 rebounds per game. His path back to Shaw is a story of loyalty and unfinished business.
“Shaw was the first team to offer me coming out of JUCO,” he said, noting that Shaw University was also “the only school to still support and show him consistent love after committing to attend another school.”
When asked about Shaw’s 6-0 start and how he feels returning to the court, Huggins delivered a quote that encapsulates the internal mindset fueling this run: “A great feeling for me being back doing what I love. I’ve heard a few people say we are just winning right now and not playing together yet, but I feel we are a lot closer than what outsiders looking in may see. We are happy about the excellent start, but not satisfied.”
That last phrase – not satisfied – matched the tenor humming through Shaw’s locker room.
With 10 active new players, roster construction wasn’t just about talent. It was about relationships, toughness and fit. Shaw University has leaned on its network of JUCO, college and high school coaches for players and the staff’s genuine approach to relationship-building with recruits has become a defining part of how they bring talent to Downtown Raleigh’s HBCU. One thing different about this team is they have displayed toughness, no-quit attitudes and a lot grit through these early games. The Bears don’t need to be perfect every night now; they simply need to stay connected. That’s the thread Collins and his staff keep pulling through Shaw’s identity as the CIAA season approaches.
New additions such as Avery Huggins, Isaiah Buckley, Alijah England, and Avion Pinner, mix with key returners like Dreveon Scott and Darius Abraham. The staff expected talent, but chemistry was the true priority. While the expectation is to win with the group the coaching staff brought in, the main focus is just keeping the team together. Through six games, five players are averaging double-figures.
Among the newcomers, Isaiah Buckley, a 6’2 guard from Davis & Elkins, has already made his mark – including a game-winning shot against Barton. When asked why he chose Shaw, he said: “I chose Shaw because of the great coaching staff and it being a great opportunity while having the chance to win with a great team and great group of guys.” Buckley’s early comfort is unmistakable. “I feel I’m doing well.. everything is flowing and I’m feeling very confident in my team and myself this year.” His read on team chemistry reflects a maturing group: “The team is coming together well.. that just comes with being a brotherhood, taking accountability and the culture Coach Collins, Coach Spence, and Coach Baze are building here at Shaw.”
So yes – something is brewing in Raleigh. And now the question in the HBCU world isn’t whether Shaw’s start is real. It is whether the 6-0 team can turn momentum into a season-long statement within an extremely competitive and tough CIAA landscape.