PITTSBURGH — As sophomore basketball players at La Roche University, Tyler Frederick and Austin Hannes did just fine, thank you.

As juniors, they've been explosive.

The Redhawks are exploding right along with them.

La Roche (7-5) has won six straight games, including Wednesday night's 75-62 win at Alfred State. The Redhawks are 7-0 in Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference play.

“There's a long way to go yet, but I believe we can win the league,” La Roche coach Hermie Carmichael said.

Frederick and Hannes have a lot to do with such aspirations.

Frederick, a Butler graduate, is averaging 21.4 points and 12.3 rebounds per game as the team's center. Hannes, a Knoch grad, is averaging 15.1 points and 2.7 assists per contest at guard. He's hit approximately 30 treys, leading the team in that category.

Frederick averaged 14 points and 10 rebounds a game last year while Hannes averaged nine points and two assists.

“Players transition well from sophomore to junior year at this level, especially when they put in the work,” Carmichael said. “Those two guys are prime examples.”

Frederick's journey has been particularly radical. He was declared academically ineligible after nine games of his freshman season and looked on while the Redhawks won the AMCC Tournament and played Johns Hopkins in the NCAA Division III Tournament.

Last week, the 6-foot-4 junior became the first La Roche men's basketball player ever named Division III National Player of the Week by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association.

Frederick produced three double-doubles in a week's time. He had 23 points and 12 rebounds in a 78-62 win over Mt. Aloysius, a career-high 34 points, 12 boards and three steals in an 89-73 win over Pitt-Greensburg and 30 points and 19 rebounds in a 90-79 triumph over D'Youville.

All three games were conference wins.

“If someone would have told me three years ago I'd be receiving an honor like this, I'd have said that was crazy,” Frederick said. “This is beyond amazing.”

The last La Roche athlete to receive this award was women's basketball player TiChina Mitchell in 2015.

Frederick ranks eighth in all of Division III with 12.3 rebounds per game.

“Rebounding is definitely the strongest part of my game,” he said. “I'm probably getting six to eight points per game off offensive rebounds.

“I remember Coach (Matt) Clement telling me in high school, clean up the boards and the points will follow.”

A marketing major, Frederick's grade point average has not slipped below 3.0 since his freshman season.

“I learned a lesson that year,” he said.

He's learned to become a leader as well.

“Tyler's not a captain, but he clearly leads by his actions,” Carmichael said. “During practice, he dives after loose balls on the floor, sprints up and down the court, he's full go all the time.

“When your top player is doing that, it goes a long way in terms of team attitude.”

Since La Roche does not employ a true point guard, all of its guards bring the ball up the floor at times.

Hannes is among them.

“Austin spreads the court. He opens it up a lot,” Frederick said. “Defenses have to keep their heads on a swivel with him out there.”

Hannes missed a full season at Knoch due to injury, but enjoys his role at La Roche.

“I'm able to do a lot of things in this offense,” he said. “I handle the ball some, create, shoot a lot of three's.

“We have each other's backs and we play together.”

Carmichael said Hannes “had a bit of hesitance” in his game last season.

But no more.

“Now he just comes out and plays. He's got so much more confidence and he's helped us jell as a team,” the coach said.

A marketing/business management major with a minor in criminal justice, Hannes figures the Redhawks will be playing for a while.

“My goal is to get a ring on my finger here and we can make that happen this year,” he said. “We can have a long NCAA Tournament run, too. That's what I'm playing for.”