Hlas: Wes Washpun’s Cowboy dad is all-UNI today

SEATTLE - Troy Washpun of Cedar Rapids is attending a college reunion of sorts here Friday in KeyArena, but his school pals will understand him wanting his old school to lose.

Washpun saw the name 'Wyoming” come up opposite 'Northern Iowa” Sunday during the NCAA tournament selection show, and knew he'd be hearing from a lot of friends from his past.

'It's kind of weird that 30 years that your son ends up playing his dad's alma mater,” he said.

Wes Washpun of Cedar Rapids Washington is a junior mainstay on Northern Iowa's team, the point guard who played well enough off the bench this season to be named the Missouri Valley Conference's Sixth Man of the Year.

He is second on the team in scoring, assists and steals, and third in blocked shots. The latter is especially impressive for a 6-foot-1 guard.

His father was no slouch at Wyoming. He played there in the 1982-83 and 1983-84 seasons after transferring there from an Illinois junior college. Troy Washpun was second in scoring (12.2 points per game) and assists and first in steals his senior season for the 17-13 Cowboys.

'I got all kinds of phone calls, texts and emails from friends I played ball with (after Wyoming was matched against UNI).” Troy Washpun said. 'Most of them are in California or on the West Coast. A couple are still in Wyoming. I guess it'll be somewhat of a reunion. Some of them plan on making it out there.”

Troy grew up in Alton, Ill. He moved to Iowa City after college. He had been there a few times to attend basketball camps run by former Iowa coach Lute Olson. His older sister, Eula Davis, went to Iowa and stayed in Iowa City after college. She is the mother of former Hawkeye football wide receiver Calvin Davis.

'My dad met my mom (Angie) in an Iowa City mall,” Wes Washpun said here Thursday. 'He stayed after that. My mom was from Cedar Rapids.”

Troy played in the initial Prime Time League summer basketball league in Iowa City in 1987. He was still playing in it in the early 2000s as what he called 'a 40-plus.”

'I've seen them all come up through the Hawkeye system,” he said. 'Ryan Bowen used to run the floor like a deer. I used to throw long passes over the top, and he'd catch them for easy layups.”

Troy still is playing ball, at the Central YMCA in Cedar Rapids.

'They call me ‘Pops.' I'm the old man. I do more talking than playing.”

'He can still play a little bit,” Wes said. 'He's a little older, a little slower, but he's still got it.”

Troy played at places like Kentucky and Indiana against the likes of Sam Bowie and Steve Alford when he was a Wyoming Cowboy, and once scored 20 points in a loss at 10th-ranked UTEP that he sent into overtime with a late basket. But he never got to taste the NCAA tourney. So his son goes one better in that department, which is fine with the father.

'He told me to go out there and play my heart out and try to get a win against those guys (Wyoming),” Wes said.

'He's a great kid, a great son,” said Troy. 'He's caused his mom and I no problems, no issues.

'UNI is just special this year. Win, lose or draw in this tournament, it's been a very special year.”

His former Wyoming teammates will forgive one old Cowboy for wearing purple Friday.

Comments: (319) 368-8840; mike.hlas@thegazette.com

Facebook: 'Mike Hlas - The Gazette”

Twitter: @Hlas