BASKETBALL

COLLEGE

By TOM HAYES

 

HEADING to the golden state of the US is Traralgon basketballer Ben Waller, when he sets off on his college journey.

The 18-year-old has been offered, and has accepted a full scholarship at the University of California, Riverside (UCR), a college that offers a Division 1 basketball program.

Waller is set to take on the states of the US in 2025, giving him about seven to eight months to prepare for the move next June when he begins his summer program.

In early October, Waller was lucky enough to travel to UCR to tour the campus, talk to coaches and players, and see what California had in store for him.

“I had a great time seeing the campus, experiencing an American college and what the environment’s like… but it was really good to experience the college that I’m going to and kind of get an insight on what my life is going to look like next year,” he said.

Having no comparisons to an Australian university, this was Waller’s first chance to see what life after high school was all about.

“I got to form a few connections with some of the guys there,” he said on players and staff within the basketball program.

Despite this, he said he won’t know for sure who will actually be there when he arrives next June, as students can transfer to different colleges and seniors will graduate.

Upon meeting the coaches, Waller was impressed with the depths they go to for development.

“They have a handful of player development coaches, obviously they work as the coaches in general, but they prioritise working on players individually and make sure everyone’s progressing,” he said.

Waller also spoke to the head coach Mike Magpayo who was really excited to bring him to the college.

“They had a very loving culture, and they were all getting around me. It was really good to meet them in person because I’ve only ever spoken to them online,” Waller added.

While conversing with coaches, Waller got some more insight into training schedules, and more of what to expect, including their plans for him going forward.

Playing as both a shooting guard and point guard, the coaching staff at the UCR want to start Waller off as a shooting guard, while developing his point guard skills such as shooting and being a floor general, hopefully transitioning him into a point guard in the future.

Head coach Magpayo explained to the Express why they pursued Waller.

“We currently have two Aussies on the team now and look forward to adding Ben to the program next year. He is a dynamic athlete at the perimeter position, a very good shooter, and has great size for a guard,” he said.

“Ben has an ability to score the ball in a variety of ways and with his most recent time playing for his U17 National Team, we look forward to major growth before he steps foot on our campus.

“Being a high academic university in the Big West Conference of D1, we were also attracted to Ben’s academic background and commitment to getting a world class degree.

“Ben truly fits our program and UCR will benefit from such a high character future player!”

Like most college sport stories, another highlight was the facilities, which basically have everything that the student athletes need.

Waller mentioned that the university has two basketball courts: the training facility and their home court.

“We obviously prioritise use of the training facility, but when it gets close to a home game, we’ll train in the games facility to get adjusted to being in that environment,” he said.

On top of this, he will have access to the multiple weight rooms around campus, as well as recovery facilities and food.

“They’ve really got everything I need and more,” Waller said.

The education system in America runs quite differently to that in Australia, where students can choose their degree major in their third year, opposed to doing so upfront.

Despite this, heading into his first year of study, Waller said he hopes to travel down the psychology route.

Waller has spent weeks away from his family before, but has never experienced an extended period away for most of the year.

“Like everyone, there will be an adjustment period. International student would be prone to homesickness, but I think it’s all about adjusting to the new lifestyle,” he said.

Until he takes off, Waller will focus on NBL1 commitments with Casey Cavaliers in the meantime, where he hopes to pick up an abundance of minutes.

Also on his radar is the Under 19 World Cup, and Waller hopes he will make an appearance for Australia.

Looking ahead to his move to California, Waller says he is excited for the warm weather and positive vibes that it offers.

“I’m very fortunate and grateful to have that as the next chapter in my life,” he said.