No quit in his game
Prairie grad Uskoski transitions to world of pro basketball
Sunday, May 9, 2010
While the Vancouver Volcanoes are willing to search all over the country for basketball talent, one of their biggest finds came from right in their back yard.
Prairie High School graduate Devin Uskoski is playing his first season for the semi-pro team, and his impact was evident Friday in the club’s home opener.
Uskoski, who graduated in May 2009 from Rocky Mountain College in Billings, Mont., had 26 points and a game-high 15 rebounds in a 135-110 victory over the Yamhill HighFlyers.
The Uskoski file
Who: Devin Uskoski
What: Power forward for the Vancouver Volcanoes of the International Basketball League.
Local connection: Uskoski is a 2004 graduate of Prairie High School.
Of note: He graduated from Rocky Mountain College with degrees in both business management and economics.
That’s the kind of production coach/co-owner Bryan Hunter had hoped for when he signed the 24-year-old.
“I was told that even though he’s a little undersized for his position, he’ll get every rebound and never quit,” Hunter said of the scouting report on Uskoski, a 6-foot-7 power forward.
That report came from former Volcanoes forward Jake Carlisle, who met Uskoski through pickup games in Vancouver last summer.
“Jake said he’s one of the hardest workers on the court,” Hunter recalled.
Uskoski said: “I’ll pray to God and work my butt off. I try to work hard; I’m definitely not the most athletic guy or the quickest guy.”
For Uskoski, spending a season in the International Basketball League will serve as training for his stint with Augsburg in Germany’s second-tier league.
After completing his college career by helping Rocky Mountain win the NAIA national championship, Uskoski spent last winter helping Augsburg win its league with a 24-2 record. He then joined the Volcanoes, one week into their season.
And while Germany might not be the NBA, Uskoski is grateful for the opportunity to play professionally.
“That’s been a dream of mine since I was little,” he said. “A lot of teams over there, from what I hear, they don’t pay you on time or don’t pay you what they promised. I walked into a great situation.”
Now, apparently, he has walked into another one with the Volcanoes. Vancouver was 3-3 and took a three-game winning streak into Saturday’s game at Central Oregon. Uskoski was averaging 15.3 points and 11.3 rebounds while shooting 67 percent from the field.
In Friday’s victory, he combined with 6-foot-11 center Bryson McKenzie to control the middle, going 8 of 11 from the field and making 9 of 10 free throws.
And, according to Hunter, Uskoski has been a linchpin in the Volcanoes’ cohesiveness.
“He has one of the best personalities on the team,” Hunter said. “I’ve always strived to build chemistry; that’s one of the biggest things for me. Devin fit in almost from Day 1.”
Volcanoes pick up first road win
The Vancouver Volcanoes picked up their first road win of the season, defeating the Central Oregon Hotshots 121-94 Saturday night at Redmond, Ore.
Andre Murray led the Volcanoes (4-3) with 37 points and seven assists.
Devin Uskoski had 15 points and 12 rebounds, and Damon King added 12 points, 10 assists, five rebounds and two blocks.
The Volcanoes, who have won their last four games, are next scheduled to play the Yamhill HighFlyers on Wednesday at McMinnville, Ore. Vancouver’s next home game is Friday.
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