Trey Townsend arrived at Oakland University in 2020. Raised in Oxford, Michigan by two former OU basketball players, Townsend was destined for greatness on the court. Townsend’s deep OU basketball lineage and his strong work ethic as a player have allowed the Golden Grizzly forward to make a name for himself on the blacktop.
On Jan. 8, Townsend was named the Horizon League Men’s Basketball Player of the Week. This was Townsend’s first time holding the prestigious title.
Townsend posted averages of 28 PPG, 9.5 RPG and 3 APG prior to receiving the award. Townsend’s performance catapulted the Golden Grizzlies to a six-game winning streak.
Greg Kampe spoke of Townsend’s resolve and the steadiness he displayed on the last Greg Kampe Show.
“Trey talked to them about that [leadership], and we went into that game as focused as could be,” Kampe said.
“That game” took place on Jan. 13, serving as the fifth game in Oakland’s six-game win streak. It was this resolve and leadership that saw Thompson post 28 points in back-to-back games.
For Townsend, stardom was never a guarantee early. During his sophomore year, however, the page began to turn. Thompson went from an 8 PPG scorer as a freshman to 16.5 PPG in his sophomore season.
It all comes down to development for the combo-forward. In 2021, he had to adapt his game for the core Oakland had that season. Now, he is doing everything that Coach Kampe and the rest of the program envisioned he’d become.
“Trey Townsend stepped out and made a couple of threes, I’m sure their coach is over there going ‘What the hell is that?’ We recruited Trey as a three-point shooter, not as a post player, but we’ve turned him into that because that’s what we need from this group. But his future here is going to be more perimeter-oriented,” Kampe said in a 2021 GrizzVision.
That future Kampe spoke of is now, and the perimeter-centric offense needed from Townsend has been delivered. Coaches are no longer surprised when the forward hoists threes, as he shoots 38% from 3-point range.
Townsend’s steady upward trajectory and basketball lineage at the university are everything the men’s basketball program and the university aspire for.
“You’ve got to stay old,” Kampe said in the team’s 2023 preview presser. “It’s been a while since we’ve gotten guys in the program who are 3- and 4-year players, now we’ve got a multitude of that [in players like Townsend].”
Townsend and the Golden Grizzlies are looking to take the momentum from their six-game winning streak and Townsend’s award into February. Perhaps the most crucial month in all of college basketball, February is a month that has not been of prestige for Oakland in the past two seasons.
“We’ve got leadership in these two guys [Townsend and Blake Lampman]. The last two February’s haven’t gone our way,” Kampe said.
The future is uncertain for the Golden Grizzlies men’s basketball team as they head into their February schedule. However, the team and coaches feel lucky to have Townsend on their side.
