"When RaeQuan Battle first arrived at the University of Washington, he was billed as a sharpshooting 3-point specialist.
With the Huskies, Battle landed in a program that wanted to keep him as a shooter.
Make no mistake, he can shoot. But after growing up on the Tulalip Reservation about 40 miles north of Seattle and excelling with a high-tempo style of play, Battle rarely felt comfortable with the role.
“Where I grew up ... there ain’t no plays,” Battle said. “I like to be fast. I don’t like to slow it down. I don’t like to be coached every possession. I want to run. I want to be free.”
In two seasons at UW, Battle averaged 4.7 points per game and shot 30.1% from the field and 24.4% from 3-point range.
Then he entered the transfer portal in March. He went searching for a program with a philosophy he could be more successful in.
He said he also received strong interest from UNLV and fellow Big Sky teams Idaho State and Weber State. Battle will arrive at MSU with three years of eligibility — an extra year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Battle said he would be lighting up practices with outside shots, dunks and drives into the lane. During games, “they kind of used me for one thing, and that was shooting,” he said.
Battle takes pride in his ability to score at every level. But Sprinkle said the 6-foot-5 shooting guard comes with some “unbelievable” athleticism.
“Growing up playing in Indian tournaments and in regular tournaments out here, I drove to the hoop. I would pump-fake, one-dribble pull-up and I got to the rim a lot. I was kind of an and-one guy,” he said. “And I played a lot inside. Catch it in the post, turn around and shoot. My midrange is not broken. My midrange is nice.”
But, ultimately, he wanted to keep playing basketball so he could put himself in a position to return to the Tulalip Reservation as a force for good.
He’s seen unfathomable loss as a result of suicide and drug and alcohol addiction. He wants to study anthropology so he can better understand indigenous cultures around the world and start to make a difference where he grew up. He hopes to run basketball camps and make resources more available on the reservation.
“I want to start giving back to the community,” he said."
https://missoulian.com/sports/college/big-sky-conference/montana-state-university/raequan-battle-wants-to-showcase-creativity-not-just-jump-shot-in-transfer-to-montana-state/article_b57f06b6-ded5-57a9-8fb9-185bbffc27b3.html
With the Huskies, Battle landed in a program that wanted to keep him as a shooter.
Make no mistake, he can shoot. But after growing up on the Tulalip Reservation about 40 miles north of Seattle and excelling with a high-tempo style of play, Battle rarely felt comfortable with the role.
“Where I grew up ... there ain’t no plays,” Battle said. “I like to be fast. I don’t like to slow it down. I don’t like to be coached every possession. I want to run. I want to be free.”
In two seasons at UW, Battle averaged 4.7 points per game and shot 30.1% from the field and 24.4% from 3-point range.
Then he entered the transfer portal in March. He went searching for a program with a philosophy he could be more successful in.
He said he also received strong interest from UNLV and fellow Big Sky teams Idaho State and Weber State. Battle will arrive at MSU with three years of eligibility — an extra year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Battle said he would be lighting up practices with outside shots, dunks and drives into the lane. During games, “they kind of used me for one thing, and that was shooting,” he said.
Battle takes pride in his ability to score at every level. But Sprinkle said the 6-foot-5 shooting guard comes with some “unbelievable” athleticism.
“Growing up playing in Indian tournaments and in regular tournaments out here, I drove to the hoop. I would pump-fake, one-dribble pull-up and I got to the rim a lot. I was kind of an and-one guy,” he said. “And I played a lot inside. Catch it in the post, turn around and shoot. My midrange is not broken. My midrange is nice.”
But, ultimately, he wanted to keep playing basketball so he could put himself in a position to return to the Tulalip Reservation as a force for good.
He’s seen unfathomable loss as a result of suicide and drug and alcohol addiction. He wants to study anthropology so he can better understand indigenous cultures around the world and start to make a difference where he grew up. He hopes to run basketball camps and make resources more available on the reservation.
“I want to start giving back to the community,” he said."
https://missoulian.com/sports/college/big-sky-conference/montana-state-university/raequan-battle-wants-to-showcase-creativity-not-just-jump-shot-in-transfer-to-montana-state/article_b57f06b6-ded5-57a9-8fb9-185bbffc27b3.html