By Tyler Olsen, Cooper Wild, Elliot Kwitek, Zach Glander & Sam Drake
The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay (UWGB) Phoenix Men’s Basketball team is coming off the worst season in school history, according to statistics compiled by GB Athletics. Living up to their name, the Phoenix have managed to rise from the ashes of last season. In the 2022-23 season, the team finished 2-18 in conference play and 3-29 overall. The Phoenix struggled with many things last season, including a lack of identity and finding a playing strategy that suited them. The team struggled to find a way to play that best suited them. But that wasn’t the end of it.
The Phoenix have improved in many ways. They have gone from a negative 17.2-point differential last season to a positive 2.3-point differential on average with their given opponent. The Phoenix have also improved both their offense and defense. Last season, the Phoenix shot 39 percent from the field, which they have drastically improved, jumping to 45 percent from the field this season. Along with that, they’ve found ways to rebound the ball more efficiently going from 28 per game last season to 33 per game this season. The team has improved in every single major statistical category except for blocks which stayed the same at two per game.
The Phoenix Men have seen improvements in multiple areas, one of which is the coaching staff. The new coach, Sundance Wicks, has brought structure and culture to Phoenix basketball. “I think the most obvious thing is the roster, good players win you games. Secondly, I would say our team is really connected this year and they are all committed [to] the goal. And also, Coach Wicks is a tremendous coach not just on the floor, but off the floor.” Adam Owens, the UWGB Director of Basketball Operations, said about the change in atmosphere Wicks has brought to the team. It seems that this year the players have found their identity which was missing from last year’s season. This could be thanks to Coach Wicks and the wisdom he brings to the team.
The team’s attitude also played a part in the team’s success this season. Marcus Hall, a forward, talked about what makes this team special. “I would say the lack of ego. And I think it starts with the best player. I’ve never seen a player as good as Noah be so caring about the team and not about individual accomplishments. But just overall, everyone is about winning and that allows there to be really no drama about playing time, ego, or other teammates.” It’s apparent that everyone on the team has a lot of respect for one another and wants what is best for the team.
Throughout the interviews, Wicks’ name came up a lot with the players. Guard Ryan Wade was asked why he decided to return to the Phoenix even after testing his name in the transfer portal. “Ultimately there was a lot of me that cared for this program, and seeing the vision Sunny had coming in, I’d rather be a part of building something and turning this thing around than transferring,” Wade said.
His name also came up when speaking with Center Jacob Antchak. When he was asked about why he decided to play for the Phoenix, Antchak said “I chose it because Sunny has a ton of energy and I thought that would reflect on the whole program. I thought the guys he was bringing in would have similar mindsets, which was a big part of it, and so I just thought we were gonna completely flip the program around.” Coach Wicks has inspired his players and given them hope that this season could be a whole different story. Fans of Phoenix basketball are also now realizing the impact of this mindset, and are seeing the result and the hard work that these men have put into the game.
While the team rivaled Southern Mississippi for holding the record of pulling the biggest turnaround in Division 1 history, their season came to an early end on March 7. The Phoenix lost against Milwaukee and did not secure a postseason bid for March Madness, the NIT, or the CBI tournaments. The Phoenix finished their season with a record of 18-14. There’s no doubt that this season has paved the way for the future of men’s basketball at UW-Green Bay, and it looks Sunny.
