The move of a former Grizzly roundballer involved more than a change in his first name illustrates if you get into the right situation with the right team it increases your chance of blossoming.
And for Jacob, not Jake, Wiley it took a couple of transfers from the University of Montana to find his sea legs and with a bounce here and there what he lends in the post season might well make a difference in the results of the Big Sky Tournament Championship and eventual NCAA Championships representative.
.[1]
The now-senior Wiley is not only claiming league prominence but is also gaining national recognition.
But first how about from the top.
Jake’s Dad relocated to Newport, Wash, a tiny town that shares the Pend OReille River across a bridge with Idaho.
A less than a month later Jake followed because his Dad was concerned with the poor influences of the sometimes dangerous California city and his son’s poor performance.
He immediately prospered academically and athletically, becoming at honor student and first-rate three-sport athlete.
And talk about night and day – from a bustling California city to a burg with as I remember when I spent summer months on the river with a single blinking light and maybe two stoplights.
But it certainly wasn’t all gravy with not only the death of his grandmother was also his father.
Liking Wiley’s versatility after seeing him play AAU against a Missoula school with his son, Wayne Tinkle came calling with a scholarship offer.
But UM was a talent-laden NCAA-bound team, although he saw substantial court time as a freshman, after running track his sophomore season he transferred to Lewis-Clark State where he prospered, eventually being named an NAIA All American.
Then came Eastern Washington where he has led the Eagles currently to a 10-4 league record by pacing the circuit in both scoring, (25.9) rebounding, (9.6) and blocks m(2.6) while connecting on two-thirds of his shots.
Named Mid-Major National Player of the Week, he recently went off for 51 points against Weber State, the 16th best-ever league performance.
Just goes to show..rest place for the right guy
Just sayin’
M[1] On co
