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Mayes brings energy to Griz despite a rough start to the season
Story by Bill Oram | Feb. 21, 2006
Montana Kaimin
A year ago, the University of Montana men’s basketball team was in the middle of a magical run that culminated with a trip to the NCAA Tournament. Wallowing on the bench, unhappy and unsure of himself, was Stuart Mayes, then a junior swingman in his first year with the Griz.
Mayes didn’t feel he had a clearly defined role on the team. Having averaged 18 points per game a year earlier at Grand Rapids (Mich.) Community College, Mayes was anticipating a larger role with the Griz in 2005-06.
“My first year was just not as I planned it to be,” he said.
After the rough season in which he averaged less than 10 minutes per game, Mayes considered quitting.
“I was on the verge of like, ‘I’m done with this. I hate Montana, I’m homesick,’” the Elkhart, Ind., native said.
Those feelings became even stronger when the two men that had recruited him to UM, head coach Larry Krystkowiak and assistant Brad Huse, left for other coaching jobs.
“I didn’t feel like I had anybody on my side anymore,” Mayes said.
Then last summer, new head coach Wayne Tinkle informed Mayes that he would have an opportunity to compete for major minutes as a shooting guard this season.
“We were hoping for him to be our sixth man and change the tempo offensively; knock down some shots and get us going defensively,” Tinkle said. “We were expecting him just to be that energizer.”
However, Mayes’ senior campaign got off on the wrong foot. At Tinkle’s discretion, Mayes missed the first eight games of the season due to an in-house suspension and Tinkle’s decision to leave him on the bench after the suspension was lifted.
Mayes wouldn’t disclose the exact reasons for the suspension, and Tinkle just characterized it as “conduct detrimental to the team.”
“He was one of those guys that wasn’t always on time for meetings and didn’t always work hardest in preseason workouts,” Tinkle said.
Mayes agreed with his coach.
“I was taking basketball for granted, just doing whatever I wanted to do,” Mayes said. “I wasn’t worrying about the team rules or nothing about that, and coach Tinks taught me a lesson.”
Senior guard Bryan Ellis, Mayes’ closest friend on the team, said Mayes was bound to get in trouble if he didn’t change.
“He was toeing on the line a bit and everybody kept seeing Stu toeing on the line,” Ellis said.
Mayes signed a contract – which he is still under – saying that he would straighten out or else be dismissed from the program.
As the season has progressed, Mayes has slowly picked up more and more minutes, providing energy off the bench – averaging 20 minutes and eight points in the team’s last seven contests – earning back the respect of his coaches and teammates.
“He realized the situation he was in and if he was going to keep moping, nothing was going to change,” Ellis said. “The question was never his talent or his abilities. It was those other things.”
Mayes’ increase in minutes of as of late has been somewhat symbolic of his rise through the junior college ranks, which ended in a scholarship offer from the Griz.
Mayes captained Grand Rapids Community College to a top-five ranking nationally, but wasn’t recruited by any Division I programs. He said he would call his mother, Angela Neal, crying, afraid he wouldn’t make it to the next level. His last shot to impress recruiters came at a camp in Indianapolis that showcased junior college players. There, Mayes shone, earning high praise.
Suddenly, offers started pouring in from mid-major programs, but the efforts of Krystkowiak and Huse led him to choose the Griz.
Krystkowiak flew in personally to recruit Mayes after Huse discovered the lanky wing player in Indianapolis.
Mayes agreed to come to Missoula without ever visiting.
“My mom, she was so proud of me,” he said.
Though things digressed quickly for him at UM, Mayes knew he didn’t want to go down the path of his father, Stuart Mayes, Sr., who is in jail on drug charges and hasn’t seen his son play since he was a high school freshman.
“I wasn’t being a good teammate earlier in the year because I let the team down,” Mayes said. “I was pouting on the bench, and now I’ve started being more positive.”
Freshman point guard Cameron Rundles said he’s learned a lot from the senior.
“He responded (to the suspension) in a way that shows he has a lot of character,” Rundles said. “He’s set examples in both good ways and bad ways, and I’ve drawn positives from both.”
On Saturday, as his tumultuous career with the Grizzlies nears an end, Mayes will play his final game at Dahlberg Arena. His mother will be there. It will be her first trip “anywhere she could see mountains,” Mayes said, and the first time she’ll see him play as a Griz.
“It’s going to be pretty exciting,” Mayes said. “Hopefully I don’t get too emotional.”
He’s finally comfortable with his role on the team, knowing what he needs to do to help Montana win.
“My role is to provide energy off the bench,” Mayes said. “I really don’t care if I start, because I mean, I’d rather be in the game at the end than in the beginning.”
Those sentiments are representative of Mayes’ senior season. He didn’t start it, but thanks to his revamped attitude, he’s making sure he finishes it.
Story by Bill Oram | Feb. 21, 2006
Montana Kaimin
A year ago, the University of Montana men’s basketball team was in the middle of a magical run that culminated with a trip to the NCAA Tournament. Wallowing on the bench, unhappy and unsure of himself, was Stuart Mayes, then a junior swingman in his first year with the Griz.
Mayes didn’t feel he had a clearly defined role on the team. Having averaged 18 points per game a year earlier at Grand Rapids (Mich.) Community College, Mayes was anticipating a larger role with the Griz in 2005-06.
“My first year was just not as I planned it to be,” he said.
After the rough season in which he averaged less than 10 minutes per game, Mayes considered quitting.
“I was on the verge of like, ‘I’m done with this. I hate Montana, I’m homesick,’” the Elkhart, Ind., native said.
Those feelings became even stronger when the two men that had recruited him to UM, head coach Larry Krystkowiak and assistant Brad Huse, left for other coaching jobs.
“I didn’t feel like I had anybody on my side anymore,” Mayes said.
Then last summer, new head coach Wayne Tinkle informed Mayes that he would have an opportunity to compete for major minutes as a shooting guard this season.
“We were hoping for him to be our sixth man and change the tempo offensively; knock down some shots and get us going defensively,” Tinkle said. “We were expecting him just to be that energizer.”
However, Mayes’ senior campaign got off on the wrong foot. At Tinkle’s discretion, Mayes missed the first eight games of the season due to an in-house suspension and Tinkle’s decision to leave him on the bench after the suspension was lifted.
Mayes wouldn’t disclose the exact reasons for the suspension, and Tinkle just characterized it as “conduct detrimental to the team.”
“He was one of those guys that wasn’t always on time for meetings and didn’t always work hardest in preseason workouts,” Tinkle said.
Mayes agreed with his coach.
“I was taking basketball for granted, just doing whatever I wanted to do,” Mayes said. “I wasn’t worrying about the team rules or nothing about that, and coach Tinks taught me a lesson.”
Senior guard Bryan Ellis, Mayes’ closest friend on the team, said Mayes was bound to get in trouble if he didn’t change.
“He was toeing on the line a bit and everybody kept seeing Stu toeing on the line,” Ellis said.
Mayes signed a contract – which he is still under – saying that he would straighten out or else be dismissed from the program.
As the season has progressed, Mayes has slowly picked up more and more minutes, providing energy off the bench – averaging 20 minutes and eight points in the team’s last seven contests – earning back the respect of his coaches and teammates.
“He realized the situation he was in and if he was going to keep moping, nothing was going to change,” Ellis said. “The question was never his talent or his abilities. It was those other things.”
Mayes’ increase in minutes of as of late has been somewhat symbolic of his rise through the junior college ranks, which ended in a scholarship offer from the Griz.
Mayes captained Grand Rapids Community College to a top-five ranking nationally, but wasn’t recruited by any Division I programs. He said he would call his mother, Angela Neal, crying, afraid he wouldn’t make it to the next level. His last shot to impress recruiters came at a camp in Indianapolis that showcased junior college players. There, Mayes shone, earning high praise.
Suddenly, offers started pouring in from mid-major programs, but the efforts of Krystkowiak and Huse led him to choose the Griz.
Krystkowiak flew in personally to recruit Mayes after Huse discovered the lanky wing player in Indianapolis.
Mayes agreed to come to Missoula without ever visiting.
“My mom, she was so proud of me,” he said.
Though things digressed quickly for him at UM, Mayes knew he didn’t want to go down the path of his father, Stuart Mayes, Sr., who is in jail on drug charges and hasn’t seen his son play since he was a high school freshman.
“I wasn’t being a good teammate earlier in the year because I let the team down,” Mayes said. “I was pouting on the bench, and now I’ve started being more positive.”
Freshman point guard Cameron Rundles said he’s learned a lot from the senior.
“He responded (to the suspension) in a way that shows he has a lot of character,” Rundles said. “He’s set examples in both good ways and bad ways, and I’ve drawn positives from both.”
On Saturday, as his tumultuous career with the Grizzlies nears an end, Mayes will play his final game at Dahlberg Arena. His mother will be there. It will be her first trip “anywhere she could see mountains,” Mayes said, and the first time she’ll see him play as a Griz.
“It’s going to be pretty exciting,” Mayes said. “Hopefully I don’t get too emotional.”
He’s finally comfortable with his role on the team, knowing what he needs to do to help Montana win.
“My role is to provide energy off the bench,” Mayes said. “I really don’t care if I start, because I mean, I’d rather be in the game at the end than in the beginning.”
Those sentiments are representative of Mayes’ senior season. He didn’t start it, but thanks to his revamped attitude, he’s making sure he finishes it.
