Men's Basketball Channels Talent From Down Under

“Aussie, Aussie, Aussie!” 

“Oi Oi Oi!”

The popular Australian cheer rings out on January 26 – Australia Day, the country’s official national holiday recognized by all states and territories. 

In 1788, the First Fleet of British ships anchored at Port Jackson, New South Wales and the flag of Great Britain was raised, marking the founding of the colony. 

The day is honored as friends and families gather to showcase their Australian spirit and pride. People congregate all over Australia to reflect on the nation’s past, pay their respects to the founding of the country, and celebrate the unique and rich culture of the Land Down Under. 

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January 26 hits close to home for the UC San Diego men’s basketball program. Three scholar-athletes on the team are Australian, born and raised, including seniors Gabe Hadley and Hugh Baxter and redshirt sophomore Matt Gray. 

Additionally, seventh year assistant coach Brendan Clowry hails from Australia as well. 

The four Aussies not only came to the U.S. to obtain a top-notch education but to continue playing the game they love at the next highest level. They each agreed that opportunities following high school ball in Australia, do not compare to the collegiate basketball or education offered in the States.

“After high school, you either go straight into the professional league in Australia, if you are good enough to play against grown men with a lot of experience. If you choose that route, you don’t have the opportunity to get the education,” Clowry said. 

“Whereas, on the other side, if you chose to go to the U.S., you get the best of both worlds – you can travel a little bit, experience another culture, get a world class education, and prepare yourself athletically on the court to potentially one day transition to the professional league back home.”

It’s actually quite common for an aspiring young Aussie basketball player to pursue the same path as the four Tritons. A handful of other Division I programs have adjusted their recruiting strategies, becoming Aussie powerhouses over the years, such as Saint Mary’s, Cal Baptist, and Big West foe UC Riverside. 

Over the last seven years, with help from his experiences abroad, Clowry, alongside eighth year Head Coach Eric Olen, have added three Aussies to the UC San Diego men’s basketball roster. 

“From a recruiting aspect, we are just looking for the best players that we can identify and that fit the university and the program,” said Olen. “[The Australian connection] all starts with having Coach Clowry on staff and the relationships that he has built. He’s helped us land different guys that fit our culture and they have all been great additions to the program.”

UC San Diego wasn’t the starting place for any three of the current Tritons. Hadley, who has been here the longest, began his collegiate career at New Mexico State for a season (2017-18), while Baxter spent two years at Colgate (2017-19). Gray began at Drake (2018-19) and spent last season at Salt Lake Community College (2019-20) before settling on the blue and gold. 

“We became aware of all three guys coming out of high school,” Clowry recalled. “They all went to other schools initially and gained Division I experience. When we see guys transferring, it’s part of my job to contact players from Australia and of course, when we see names we recognize, we try to jump on them.”

Where one Aussie lands, another is bound to follow. Having other teammates in addition to an Aussie coach provides a piece of home and comfort upon being so far away from family and friends. 

“It’s nice to know that there are two other Aussies going through the same process as you and it’s great to be able to compare things that are different and similar between countries,” said Gray who derives from a small town in New South Wales. “The most enjoyable thing is to reference things from Australia and have other people have no idea what you are talking about or why you find it amusing!”

“Since we are all from different parts of Australia, we have playful bickering amongst ourselves,” Baxter mentioned. “At first, I don’t think our teammates wanted to get in on it, but they have grown more comfortable and, in some cases, have become part of that banter that we like to throw around.”

“I think we help each other keep our Australian accents,” Hadley chipped in. “If I wasn’t surrounded by Australians, I am afraid I might lose it.”

As far as basketball goes, it became apparent that the speed and pace of the game, and the athletic brilliance in America, are the biggest differences from back home. 

“In Australia, the game is more fundamental and based on skill rather than athleticism,” said Gray.

“In America, there are a lot more X’s and O’s, more scouting, planning, drawing up offense, etc. that goes into it,” Hadley, the six-four guard added. “In Australia, it’s a less athletic focused game and a bit slower. It is very technique based.”

In fact, Olen believes his style of coaching actually caters to what the threes Aussies bring to the table from Down Under. 

“There is some synergy in the way the game is played internationally to the way we instruct the game of basketball at UC San Diego. With an emphasis on three-point shooting, skill level, and ball movement, it makes it a nice transition for these three guys who played like that growing up.”

Although, it’s not just the game itself that differs, but the mentality around the game. 

“College basketball is taken very seriously in America; it’s basically treated like a professional sport,” Baxter said. 

“[In Australia], we would train as a team maybe three times a week, but here, every single day we are in the gym. Back home, you had to make an extra effort to get shots up and weight lift in random locations. [In the U.S.], everything from our facilities to our schedules are tailored towards setting us up for success, on the court and in the classroom.”

The work out equipment and amenities and department members and staff were also acknowledged as considerable advantages in the States. 

“The facilities, the coaching staff, the athletic performance staff, and the department are all unbelievable, as well as the resources available for the student-athletes,” Clowry mentioned. 

“There are so many people working really hard to prepare for game days and so many things happening behind the scenes just for the benefit of the athletic programs and the student-athletes.”

Though there were a handful of adjustments to make upon arriving to the U.S., the entire coaching staff and teammates have done their best to help the Aussies become accustomed to life nearly 10,000 miles away from home.  

“The coaches and our teammates have done a great job at making us feel comfortable from the beginning,” Baxter expressed. “When some of the guys go home for dinner on weekends or during holiday breaks, I have gotten plenty of invites to join them.

“We are all part of a family and one unit and do a great job at keeping it close knit. We might have different backgrounds and come from different places, but when we are in San Diego, we feel like one family.”

“The coaches have been extremely supportive given the pandemic that we are in,” Gray agreed. “They have made returning to the U.S. smooth and provided a safe place for us to play basketball. With this being my first year, they have really taken the time to adapt me to the system and allowed me to fit into their style of play.”

The lifestyle in Australia is actually very much like Southern California and the guys seem to have adapted quite naturally. 

“As Australians, we have these laid-back personalities, but we have several other guys on the team that also have chill and relaxed traits,” Baxter claimed. “I think a lot of the guys would fit in well with the culture in Australia. I keep begging them to come visit because I think they would realize it’s really not all that different.”

Hadley, Baxter and Gray all provide unique characteristics from Down Under that have benefited the Tritons on and off the hardwood. 

“I think all three of them bring a sense of maturity,” Olen stated. “Being thousands and thousands of miles away from home, you have to be a little more self-sufficient in the process. They are all low maintenance guys, take care of business, and work hard in all aspects of being a scholar-athlete.

“They also have great personalities and keep things light. They are team-first guys, unselfish, and help build our culture and chemistry. With them being from an entirely different place, it exposes the other guys to different things, and there is a lot of value in that as well.”

Now that UC San Diego has entered Division I and the Big West, there’s no doubt that the three Aussies will help elevate the Tritons in this new chapter. 

“[Gabe, Hugh, and Matt] are part of our first team in Division I,” Olen said. “The three of them, along with everyone else on the team, will be a big part of setting the tone and helping us establish a program in the Big West. Their approach to basketball and the way they balance athletics and academics is a great example of what we want guys to follow at UC San Diego.”

“It’s a really exciting time,” Clowry said. “With Hugh and Gabe being seniors, I think they have opportunities to take on bigger roles than what they have played in previous years. Gabe is a quiet leader and one of our most experienced players right now. We can see Hugh becoming more comfortable with our system and teaching the other guys in his own quiet way as well.”

All three Aussies have already played at the Division I level and believe the current team is ready to perform. 

 “To be part of the excitement of UC San Diego joining Division I has been an awesome experience,” Baxter said. “This year we are able to get our feet wet and get comfortable with the style of play. I think we are only going to get better each year and I am excited for what’s to come.”

“We are all ready to compete at the Division I level,” Hadley agreed. “We have a Division I caliber team. It’s going to be a matter of coming in everyday, competing and trying to get better.”

As seniors Hadley and Baxter reflected on their time at UC San Diego, they also revealed possible steppingstones for their futures. 

“My time at UC San Diego has been great,” Hadley conveyed. “It’s been a roller coaster with all the ups and downs, highs and lows, but I wouldn’t trade my experience here for anything else. This is exactly where I wanted to be, and I had a great time.

“I would love to stick around, but I think the safest bet for me is to get back to Australia, given the current circumstances,” the public health major continued. “I think my best plan is to try to get in the mix with the NBL (National Basketball League) and NBL1 back home and potentially work my way up.”

Baxter is contemplating a couple options. The sociology major plans to either head home and pursue opportunities to continue to play basketball or stay in America to try to find a job or another place to play. 

“My experience with UC San Diego, as strange as it has been, especially in the past year, has been incredible,” Baxter said. “I have met so many great people that I probably would have never gotten the chance to otherwise that I will be friends with for the rest of my life.”

As for Gray, his time at UC San Diego is just getting started. The six-eight forward is majoring in education studies and has made an immediate impact off the bench. He hopes his time in a Triton uniform will prep him to play professionally one day. 

Moving forward, as long as Clowry is around, UC San Diego’s connection to Aussieland is far from over. 

“I’m sure there will be other opportunities over there because of Clowry’s relationships,” Olen said. “It’s also helpful to have guys from Australia who come and have success here. I think having Gabe here helped Hugh choose UC San Diego, and having Gabe and Hugh helped Matt choose UC San Diego. That’s how things continue and grow so there’s definitely some potential.”

“I am always on the lookout in Australia for highly academic and highly skilled Division I prospects,” Clowry explained. “When we find the right combinations, we try to get them out here. Hopefully we can keep it going. The fact that we already have some, I think it makes it a little easier.”

And for Australia Day, you can be sure Hadley, Baxter and Gray will be celebrating the only way they know how.

"Back home on Australia Day, we'll all get together, sit out in the sun, throw a few snags on the barbie and have a good time with family and friends. This year I figure Hugh, Matt and I will get together and hang out in honor of the holiday.”

About UC San Diego Athletics
After two decades as one of the most successful programs in NCAA Division II, the UC San Diego intercollegiate athletics program has begun a new era as a member of the Big West Conference in NCAA Division I. The 23-sport Tritons earned 30 team and nearly 150 individual national championships during its time in Divisions II and III and helped guide 1,400 scholar-athletes to All-America honors. A total of 83 Tritons have earned Academic All-America honors, while 37 have garnered prestigious NCAA Post Graduate Scholarships. UC San Diego scholar-athletes exemplify the academic ideals of one of the world's preeminent institutions, graduating at an average rate of 91 percent, one of the highest rates among institutions at all divisions. For more information on the Tritons, visit UCSDTritons.com or follow UC San Diego Athletics on social media @UCSDtritons.