Injuries have hindered men’s basketball so rampantly that even head coach Shantay Legans tore a tendon filling in for sidelined players during a practice scrimmage.
Notably, senior point guard Riley Parker injured his ankle in preseason. As a senior, Parker held a lot of knowledge from previous college experience and was thought to make a huge impact on the court.
To fill Parker’s void, the Pilots looked to freshman point guard Joel Foxwell to lead the team, and he’s risen to the challenge.
Foxwell leads the squad in point average, assists and minutes, and has received West Coast Conference (WCC) Freshman of the Week honors six times this season. He’s also received conference player of the week and Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week honors.
Recently, the freshman cemented his place in the UP history books by leading the team with 27 points in their 87-80 win over No. 6 Gonzaga on Feb. 4, which was their first win against the Bulldogs since 2014.
Senior forward Matúš Hronský sprays water on Foxwell after leading the team against Gonzaga.
Before his dazzling play with the Pilots, Foxwell, a Melbourne, Australia native, was originally committed to Samford before committing to UP because there were other Australians at UP like Parker, James O’Donnell and Carlin Briggs.
In Australia, Foxwell played elite-level basketball for Melbourne United of the National Basketball League (NBL) and for the Sandringham Sabres NBL1 South Division.
Foxwell sees his experience playing in the NBL as a leg up, and so does Legans.
“We brought a guy in that has played at the highest levels in Australia,” Legans said. “We know how good Australian players are, everything else we pretty much put to bed.”
Along with Foxwell’s professional experience, Legans also values Foxwell’s versatility, being able to simultaneously score and facilitate the offense as an advantage.
Foxwell has taken a leadership role on the court with the team’s open positions because of his ability to communicate on the court.
“Being able to be on the floor so much and starting to understand how important he is. How important his voice is, it's really starting to hit home for him,” said Legans.
The amount of Australian players on the Pilots' roster has allowed Foxwell to feel more comfortable in Portland. He was well-prepared for collegiate ball by the competitive climate in Australia.
“We all grew up in the Australian system, so I think it's been easier to play with [Australian Pilots] because they kind of get me, and I get them a little bit more,“ Foxwell said. “It's [gets me] one step ahead.”
Foxwell looks to family, particularly his dad and brother, for advice. His older brother, Owen Foxwell, currently plays in the NBL for the South East Melbourne Phoenix.
“[My brother] plays professionally back home, he's been able to do the whole pro thing for a little bit,” Foxwell said. “So [I like] picking his brain about different pro habits and how he goes about that and how he really focuses on the little things.”
Foxwell’s dad has been critical in his journey. He started as Foxwell’s coach, but as Foxwell’s career progressed, he became more of a guide.
“[My dad has] been the one that's kind of taught me everything that I know,” Foxwell said. “He's definitely one that I call every day, and he obviously tunes into every game.”
Foxwell recognizes that the game is a huge part of his life, but not all of it. In his free time, Foxwell enjoys dining with his girlfriend and hanging out with basketball friends.
Once Foxwell gets back on the court, however, he’s constantly trying to improve his game.
“I’m obviously really happy with how I'm doing, but I'm kind of looking [for] what's next?” Foxwell said. “How can I get another one? I like to build off that.”
Fellow teammates, like senior center Jermaine Ballisager Webb, have seen Foxwell’s passion firsthand, and Webb sees a different side of Foxwell on the court.
“He's not really the emotional guy off the court, but when he plays basketball, his emotions are on his sleeves,” Webb said. “There's multiple times where I have to just grab him like, ‘Yo, Joe chill,’ because he gets all up in his emotions.”
With Foxwell leading the charge, the Pilots’ goal is to win the WCC Championship and continue on to the NCAA Tournament. Moving forward, Foxwell is prepared to continue working hard as the team grows.
“I want us to be known as a team who competes,” Foxwell said. “That's if we're down 20, we're always competing. We're never going to take our foot off the gas.”
Audrey Day is a sports reporter for The Beacon. She can be reached at daya28@up.edu.
