It’s the little things
With a humble-heart and great talent, junior Ben Aird takes the men’s basketball team to the next level as the Wolverines continue their season with high hopes and expectations to finish out with.
Aird received the Great West Conference Player of the Week after the GWC home game opener against NJIT a couple weeks ago. With 26 points, 13 rebounds and 10 blocks, Aird matched his career-high with 26 points despite the 57-52 loss that night.
“It’s always an honor to be recognized but it’s something, personal recognition can’t be gained without your teammates and the things they do for you,” Aird said. “It was ultimately a result of my teammates who did the little things and put me in positions where I could be successful.”
Bringing nothing but a positive and modest attitude on and off the court, Aird whole-heartedly feels he wouldn’t be where he is today if not for his teammates. The trust he has in his teammates goes beyond that of an average athlete. He recognizing their own successes, putting his in the right position.
“There are so many people on our team who are so good at passing and putting other people in great scoring positions,” Aird said.
The men’s basketball team has something different than any other team in the league. Despite the ups and downs with wins and losses, nothing can beat the brotherhood that these Wolverines share.
“You really feel like a family,” Aird said. “You’re brothers and you’re going out to war together every other time you play. It’s nice that you can rely on each other.”
As the season continues, with a few bumps along the way, the Wolverines have been picking up the slack and starting stronger than ever.
With an immense amount of confidence, proving themselves even more and more every game played, Aird believes little things are what will take the Wolverines to the next level.
“Overall, everyone’s been doing the little things that have been necessary in order to win games and taking charge, getting rebounds and playing well together,” Aird said. “We’re playing unselfish basketball. We’re looking out for our teammates, which are such a big thing in our success.”
There’s always room for improvement, but Utah Valley is playing up to their potential, working on the “little things” in order to enhance not only their playing skills but their number of wins.
As the court continues to heat up for the Wolverines, Utah Valley hits the road with an overall stat of 9-10 with more games underway. Aird shares his focus for the rest of the season in hopes to bring his teammates to a successful victory.
“It’s good to see everybody work as a team and really play well together,” Aird said. “Because of that, we result in wins, and ultimately it’s our goal to win games and make our way to the championships.”
Rachel Anderson, assistant sports editor
@rachach3x