After two difficult years playing Division II basketball at Texas A&M Kingsville, Micah Weaver transferred to the University of Texas at San Antonio, thinking she would never play again. It was her first year without the game since age five.
“Last year was really difficult for me,” Weaver said. “[Giving up basketball] made me realize how much I loved the game.”
On Dec. 5, 2015, a Saturday like any other Saturday, Weaver sat in Sam’s Gym.
“I was there to watch Incarnate Word and by the end I was watching Trinity,” Weaver said. “I just fell in love with the way Cam [Hill] coached the girls.”
During one of countless daily commutes home from UTSA, Weaver passed Trinity. Weaver had probably driven by the red brick campus a hundred times, but on that January day, something stirred inside her.
“A light bulb kind of went off,” Weaver said. “I called my dad immediately and said, “˜What if I transferred to Trinity?'”
Long story short, she did.
What’s your favorite basketball team?
The San Antonio Spurs have been my favorite team growing up and now and they always will be my favorite team.
What’s your favorite basketball movie?
“Just Wright.”
How do you think basketball relates to real life?
I think [basketball] sets you up for life. It has a lot of structure in it. You get to be around other people and you have to work on teamwork.
If you could be anyone at Trinity, who would you be?
As far as students … Monica [Holguin] on our team. I absolutely adore her. She’s an amazing person and on top of that she’s amazing at basketball … A step back 3 pointer for a girl is unheard of … and she does it consistently.
For faculty?
Coach Cam. He’s a great guy. He’s a great coach. He’s a great dad and he can dunk the ball.
What’s a word or phrase for each teammate?
Jillian Cready. Pie.
Ashley Alexander. Smize.
Victoria Trabysh. Ronda Rousey.
Grace Horn. Hilarious and Witty.
Rebecca Gordon. British.
Abby Holland. Brave.
Monica Holguin. Money Mo.
Alex Duncan. Die Antwoord.
Rachel Chavez. Cha-cha.
Kelsi Ballard. Toughest.
Kate Irvin. Quiet funny.
Mollie Hughes. Smile.
Elizabeth Balido. Bully.
Allison Staley. Threes.
Emily Reed. Quiet funny.
Matt Jones has played basketball since he was four or five in Kinderhoops. Something about the game always drew the 5-foot-10 junior back. Jones played baseball, basketball and football growing up, but after his freshmen year of high school at Austin High, with a larger population than Trinity, he decided to focus on basketball alone. This decision paid off, as this year the point guard has started in every single game. A finance and communication major, who counts reading as a big hobby “” his favorite book is “Ivanhoe” “”Jones hopes to one day become a basketball coach.
“I don’t know what I’d do without basketball everyday,” Jones said.
Jones reflects a calm energy both on and off the court. As he speaks he considers his options much like he considers his options as he brings the ball down the court, then choosing a path, he shows no hesitation in executing his play, nor shyness in expressing his thoughts.
What’s it like being the best leprechaun basketball player in the world?
I don’t know if I’m the best leprechaun basketball player in the world though. You’ve got Brian Scalabrine, Matt Bonner.
You can’t be a leprechaun if you’re over 6 foot.
It’s definitely a challenge being a smaller player.
What’s your favorite basketball team?
My favorite college team is North Carolina.
Wrong it’s Trinity.
Well besides us. I like to watch North Carolina, and then professionally I like the Spurs. I like the University of Texas too, but that’s cause I’m from [Austin].
What’s your favorite basketball movie?
“Space Jam.”
Not “High School Musical 3?”
In high school I was in a male beauty pageant and I modeled everything after Troy Bolton from High School Musical. I actually won. For my talent I performed “Getcha Head In the Game” with the basketball. I dressed like him. I wore a jacket, pants and converse like he always does, and then for swimsuit I dressed like he did when he was a lifeguard in the second [movie].
How does basketball relate to real life?
In real life you are constantly working on teams, whether it be with your family, in class projects, you’re always working with other people and basketball teaches you how to do that. It also teaches you how to lead, how to follow, how to take constructive criticism, how to deal with different types of people, how to deal with adversity.
If you could spend a day as anyone at Trinity, who would you be?
Javan Stalls. He’s pretty cool, or I’d be [assistant women’s basketball coach] Joe Shotland. Joe has the life. He just does whatever [head women’s basketball coach] Cam [Hill] tells him to do, which mainly is play him in tennis or horse or home run derby or lifting or pool.
What’s a word or phrase for each teammate?
Nik Oakes. Ears
Taylor Kim. Cali Swag.
Colin Jones. Oouah.
Brooks Mays. Ah hell yeah.
Tyler Sawyer. Sauce.
Matt Jones. Leprechaun.
Tyler Peavy. Soft.
Danny Rivera. Angry.
A.J. Puliam. Look out!
Aaron Knopp. Goofball.
Isaiah Specks. Target.
Kevin Owens. (laughs).
Jayden Holden. Hercules.
Karthik Reddy. Ready?
Matthew Colliflower. Broccoli.
Josh Ingram. Big Chief.
