Valentine’s Day has long been about expressing romance through heart-shaped boxes of chocolates and flowers. In recent years, however, there’s been a push to celebrate different forms of love — familial, friendship (see: Galentine’s Day), self love and even the passion people have for what they do.
Both Northern Colorado basketball teams feature standouts who regularly receive attention. They score the points and block the shots, but they can’t succeed alone. In fact, each team features a select group of players who put in long hours with little to no external credit. This is done in hopes of helping the team win.
These are the scout team members. They may be freshmen, transfers or injured players, and they encourage, share tactical insight and perform smaller tasks. It’s not a glamorous role, but it’s impactful. And they do it because they love their team and love the game.
“I think it really helped me. We’re on the scout team every week,” said men’s basketball freshman guard Jalen Page. “That’s kind of our own team away from the team. It’s not the same, but it really gave me confidence. It was like, ‘If we’re on the scout team, let’s be the best scout team we can be.’”
Everyone has a role
Players want to play. They want to make a big impact on the court, but there have to be supporting players on a roster of 16.
Page, a Boulder native, knew he wouldn’t receive much playing time considering UNC returned most of its roster from last season. To date, he’s only played three minutes, and yet his position on the team is special.
UNC men’s head coach Steve Smiley said the scout team, on which Page and fellow freshman Connor Creech have been all year, is as vital as any other group.
“They’ve done a great job, buying into their roles and helping the team out in so many ways with practice, being on the scout team, energy during the game,” Smiley said. “(They’re) very valuable roles in a year where you’re not really sure what your role should be. They’ve done a tremendous job in embracing their role and performing it to the fullest.”
Smiley said Page and Creech’s willingness to work hard, learn from others and support the on-court guys shows the highest form of leadership — being a servant.
This doesn’t mean they’re less important or subject to poor treatment. Rather, they are willing to do smaller, unseen tasks for the betterment of the group. Page found a sense of pride in this and the trust placed in him. His actions in practice and on the bench can make the difference between a win and a loss, whether others realize it or not.
“It’s really important that we have scout guys, the guys on the bench who get the starters ready for the game. It’s nice to have that role cut out for you,” Page said. “I think Connor and I have done a good job embracing it. It really is an important role that we need on the team.”
What makes a good scout team player?
Relationships
Jaiden Galloway, junior guard on the women’s team, transferred this year from Metro State in Denver. NCAA rules indicated she would need to sit out this season, so she accepted her spot as a non-traveling scout team member.
Unlike Creech and Page, however, Galloway’s age and experience put her in a different position. She has playing time already and can balance academics and athletics. It’s tough to be a leader, though, when the team has established its core group.
Athletes who play with a program their entire career spend the first two getting to know everyone and learning the system. Then, they slide into a vocal leader role. Galloway is doing both at once.
“It started by just making connections outside of basketball, that way (leading) would be easier and my teammates would trust me more on the court,” Galloway said. “It was harder to lead when I wasn’t playing, because I was like, ‘How am I supposed to lead when I’m not in the games?’ But now that I’m playing, it’s a lot easier.”
She started by getting coffee and meals with her teammates. The women’s team also pairs players up in buddy groups — they help each other finish travel paperwork, arrive to practice on time and build friendships. Galloway was paired with sophomore guard Mele Finau in the fall and is currently paired with junior guard Brooklyn Evans. These opportunities have helped her bond with the others.
“Off the court, Jaiden is really fun to be around,” said Alisha Davis, UNC sophomore forward and Galloway’s former high school teammate at Grandview in Aurora. “She’s a great friend and somebody you can always talk to.”
The NCAA approved a waiver after Christmas to allow Galloway to play and travel with the team. Previously, she stayed in Greeley during road trips.
Since then, the in-state transfer worked her way into the regular rotation and was praised for her growth and leadership skills.
“She definitely understands the big picture of what’s best for the team and she’s going to make sure that her teammates are in the best position they can be, and she’s going to put herself in the best position,” said Josh Ulitzky, Galloway’s high school coach.
A willingness to take on smaller tasks
For players who love basketball — which is typically all collegiate players — it’s difficult to see teammates getting playing time while they’re not.
At the same time, good teammates understand small things can have a positive impact.
“The scout team has tremendous respect from our (older) guys,” Smiley said. “Everyone is part of the team and on an equal playing field in terms of pecking order in the program. We don’t pick favorites. Their role is just as important as our guys playing 35 minutes a game.”
Galloway helps others improve skills they’re struggling with and relays messages from the coaching staff. If she’s on the bench during a game, she’s not afraid to point out trends and make recommendations.
Lance Creech, Connor Creech’s father and high school coach, said his son used to spend hours with teammates to work on drills or shooting. Other times, he’d sweep the floor and drive underclassmen to practice.
It was estimated that Creech filled up more than 30,000 cups as a water boy during his father’s time at the collegiate level, coaching at Hastings College in Nebraska.
Now, Creech and Page are busy analyzing film, learning from the older players and working out daily. They’re committed to school, eating right, sleeping well and not recklessly exposing themselves to COVID-19.
They also embrace every practice, even if they’re mimicking an opponent’s playbook or cheering on the starters.
“We just want to prove ourselves — that we do belong here, coming to practice, coming to weights and showing up every day,” Page said. “That’s the biggest thing for me, just showing up and learning as much as I can from the guys who have been there. I will work twice as hard. I will do whatever it takes to help us get better, whether it’s on the scout team. I want to prove that I can help them win.”
Patience
Since only five players take the court at a time, and it’s impossible for everyone to be a star, some have to wait for their big opportunity.
Many redshirt a year to develop their skills and increase their physical strength and stamina. While Creech and Page are not technically redshirts, they might as well be.
“I think I’ve matured a lot, because I don’t think the old me could’ve handled not playing every minute of every game,” Creech said. “Obviously, I’d be lying (if I said) it’s not frustrating to not be playing all the time — that’s what you want to do — but I think it humbles you and makes you work harder, because you know how much better you have to get to play.”
Thankfully, UNC has several examples of former scout team members who ended up with successful careers.
Jonah Radebaugh walked on in 2015 and redshirted his true freshman season. He earned a scholarship spot and brought home three Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year awards before graduation. Radebaugh is now a professional player in Europe.
Kai Edwards came off the bench and started just 28 games. He was named Big Sky Sixth Man of the Year last season and is also playing overseas.
The team currently boasts a former bench man in junior Matt Johnson.
Johnson spent his first two years on the scout team and didn’t work his way into the regular rotation until last year, averaging single digits in scoring.
This year, the junior is recording 15 points per game overall and 20.3 points in the last seven. He is another example of waiting his turn and now he’s making a statement.
“Matt is playing unbelievable. It sucks that we’re in this little quarantine, but he’s playing his ass off,” Page said. “That just gives me so much confidence that if I stick with it, I can get to that level. It really helps me.”
Smiley, once a scout team guy himself, bragged about his players and how proud he is. Society has created a microwave culture, or one that demands instant gratification, he said. The Bears don’t fall for that. They look to those who have gone before them and believe in the process.
“These are not microwave kind of guys,” Smiley said. “They’re the kind of guys that can understand that the greatest things take time.”
True character
How a person handles adversity and waiting says a lot about their character. Do they become hard and bitter? Or do they accept molding and instruction?
Galloway, Creech and Page have done the latter, because team success comes before their own. Their time to shine will come, but until then, they will continue being good teammates in practice and on the bench. They will wait to show everyone the fruits of their labor — a labor of love.
“It means he was listening all those years that I was talking in the locker room or film room that the best teams have great benches, the best teams have great practice players,” Lance Creech said. “That impact has been felt and he’s putting it to use in his role at Northern Colorado. I’m proud of him for it.”
The UNC men’s basketball team suspended activities last week due to Smiley testing positive for COVID-19. Its next scheduled game is against Portland State on Feb. 25.
The women’s basketball team swept its series against Sacramento State on Saturday. It has a week off until it plays at Portland State, also on Feb. 25.
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For the love of the game: UNC scout teams impact basketball programs beyond the court - Greeley Tribune
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