Colonial High School boys’ basketball team is off to a hot start to the season. The program that’s seen a lot of turnover, is finding success in its first three games and that has a lot to do with junior guard Earvin Rivera.

He’s not always the most vocal one but he makes sure he is one of the most hardworking guys in the gym.

“Earvin has come in very hungry and that has been evident in every game he’s played so far,” Colonial Head Coach Josh Pavelicek explained. “He’s been shooting the lights out and it’s bleeding into everybody else’s play so far.”

Colonial guard Earvin Rivera… who didn’t get a lot of playing time last year-- wants to be a key contributor for the grenadiers this year.  

Rivera showing early promise as he erupted for 27 points and helped his team edge out Wekiva in a big 9A showdown last week.

“When I hit the first shot, like I felt it and then my team mates were all looking for me they kept telling me to keep going and keep going,” Rivera said of the game against Wekiva.

In the first two games of the season Rivera has averaged over 25 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2 steals –he’s proving to be the early catalyst for the Grenadiers.

“He just loves the game, he studies the game well, watches film, watches everything,” teammate and Colonial captain Jonathan Berrios said. “He just loves the game. He doesn’t speak –that’s one thing I am trying to get out of him because he will be the leader next year but he is going to be big.”

But Rivera is ready to be big for his team now—as Colonial has their eyes on reaching the post season this year.  

“We push each other every day at practice, we fight and get each other tougher and whatever we do at practice we do it to the other teams too,” Rivera added.

Colonial opened up the season with a 3-0 run.