Men’s basketball’s backcourt is stocked with size, shooting capability and Treys.
Guards junior Trey Autry, redshirt senior Trey Moss and graduate student Tre Dinkins III share more than just a name — they each bring a unique skill set to this year’s backcourt, contributing on both ends of the floor. With high team expectations and a star big man in forward Rafael Castro, guard play could be the team’s make-or-break at what’s a deep and diverse position for the team.
Last year, Autry was a significant piece to the team, starting 19 of 34 games and averaging 10.4 points per game. Moss, who started 15 games, was a key contributor in the beginning of the year before taking more of a reserved role later in the season due to his declining scoring. While Autry looks to be a day-one starter for the team, Moss is pegged as a bench contributor after losing his starting spot midway through last season.
Dinkins is a new addition to this year’s roster, transferring from Atlantic 10 foe Duquesne this spring, where he averaged 12.9 points per game last year. That stat line last year would’ve made him the Revolutionaries’ highest scorer, behind only Castro.
These three, combined with a crowded group that includes redshirt sophomore Christian Jones and junior Jean Aranguren, make up a talented group of pure guards that Head Coach Chris Caputo has at his disposal to deploy.
For a team with a dominant big man in Castro and a solidified forward room with Bubu Benjamin, Tyrone Marshall Jr. and Garrett Johnson, returning after missing last season with a torn ACL, consistent guard play from the trio of Treys — or Tres — is crucial if the Revs are going to make noise in the A-10 this season.
Caputo said the team spent the offseason experimenting with lineup combinations and integrating the new talent and thinks of his roster with different “pods” of players, including Castro and graduate student forward Luke Hunger as the team’s big men and a group that he describes as the “big wings,” including Johnson and Benjamin.
“You got the Trey, Trey, Tre, Christian and Jean in the backcourt,” Caputo said. “So, trying to find the right mix of those guys, I think it will be a challenge for me and the staff. But obviously, that’s what we’re working toward.”
Autry, entering his third year with the team, is the only player to have been on the court that long without interruption. That experience has him thinking seriously about his role as a leader, prompting him to take on a more intentional mentorship role for the younger players.
“I’m still that fun guy,” Autry said. “But now that you’re a vet, you’ve got to be more serious, help the newer guys out, older or younger, because at the end of the day, we’ve all got the same agenda.”
Moss, a redshirt senior who previously played at the University of South Florida and the College of William and Mary, is entering his second season with the Revs, following a year in which he started 15 games and played in 29. Moss said he feels more confident entering his second season in the Atlantic 10 after having one year at GW under his belt.
“Being in it for a season, you get to see what it contains, players, different coaches, different play styles,” Moss said. “So to be able to see that, you feel established.”
Before joining Duquesne, Dinkins played at Harcum College from 2020 to 2022 and Canisius University from 2022 to 2024. Of this year’s squad, the former Duke noted that the team has all the pieces of a winning team — they just need to come together on the court.
“We’ve got all the pieces,” Dinkins said. “We’ve got the ability to guard, the ability to shoot, drive, pass, things like that. I think we gel together well and complement each other’s games.”
With the addition of Dinkins this season, Autry and Moss said the nicknames that used to differentiate them have morphed. They said they used to share the epithet “two-time” but that Dinkins’ arrival sailed its departure.
Autry said the Revs are a strong shooting team, but described the differences in his play style from Moss and Dinkins, describing Moss as “super fast” and super twitchy” with athleticism leading to exciting plays.
“If you watched last year, he caught a lot of crazy dunks,” Autry said of Moss. Autry said Dinkins, during his time at Duquesne, would take the shots that “everybody wants to take.”
The trio said that they all wanted to improve their defensive abilities, which they said would take the team’s play to the next level.
“At the end of the day, the beauty of this team is we have all offensive weapons everywhere,” Autry said. “So if we’re able to guard, nobody will really be able to have a lot of answers for us.”
Dinkins and Moss said they share the same objective — they’re both looking to be dependable and aggressive on defense. That was a positive area from the Revs’ last season as they led the conference in steals with 302.
“Just being a hound on the ball and proving my defensive abilities and just being that reliable player, that trustworthy player, whether it be in any aspect,” Moss said, regarding defense. “Just someone you can depend on and off the court.”
With redshirt senior forward Rafael Castro returning for his second season with the Revs, consistent guard play will help create openings for him in the paint, leading to a more productive offense. A versatile offense capable of operating both inside and out starts with strong guard play — a strength the trio looks to provide.
“You watched last year, you saw how dominant [Castro] was, probably a preseason Player of the Year type of guy,” Autry said. “We all know that he’s capable of that. So, that’s gonna draw a lot of attention to him. We’re only going to make his job easier.”
