GREAT FALLS — The Great Falls Electric basketball team of The Basketball League are off to a 7-0 start this season, and one of the players on the team who's been a key contributor is RayQuan Evans of Billings.
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"To play basketball again in Montana, it's been so long," Evans said at Monday night's practice. "I have nothing but love for these guys in this program so far, and we've had such a great experience."
Evans played collegiate basketball at North Idaho College and then at Florida State, and started his professional career overseas in Sweden before returning to the Treasure State.
At Florida State, Evans was a part of the 2019-20 team which saw the Seminoles win the ACC regular season conference championship, and he said it was amazing to be a part of that group.
"To see those guys be so professional about everything, you get to be with them every single day, especially the coaches," Evans said. "It was just a moment I'll never forget and I'm thankful I was a part of it."
He then said it was a great experience to play in Sweden, but was also a culture shock.
"My wife loved it, and to be able to, you know see a new way of life and basketball on a different type of level, I mean it was great to see," Evans said. "It was great to be a part of. The atmosphere was amazing, and the coaching staff and the players were great as well. So everything about it was just awesome."
He's now brought that Division I and overseas experience to Great Falls, and Electric head coach Steve Keller — a Montana Coaches Association hall of famer — said that aforementioned experience shows on the court.
"He's a D-I player, he started at Florida State at the highest level — and we haven't had him for all seven games — but he's been here the last two games and you know he does his role," Keller said. "He does all the little things. He's a great defender and he's improved his shot at the three."
The last couple years has seen Evans help out on the sidelines as a coach, with stops at Huntley Project and Montana State Billings. He said he was staying in basketball shape which helped him adjust to once again becoming a professional basketball player.
"I play in a lot of tournaments in the summers, and I'm surrounded by a lot of basketball," Evans said. "I think the only adjustment as far as conditioning wise was just getting in the mindset of being a professional athlete again."
While at Skyview, Evans played many times in the Electric's home of Swarthout Fieldhouse when facing off against Great Falls High. He and assistant coach Brendan Howard — a former Bison — talk about all the close contests the two shared with each other frequently, Evans said.
He also said it's different playing in the Electric City now.
"(Howard and I) joke about it just the battles that we've had in here," Evans said. "But I mean, to be able to come together now and just, you know play in front of ... the people of Great Falls and younger kids who may not have seen me play — or seen a professional team play before — it's just an awesome feeling."
Evans and the unbeaten Electric look to ride the hot streak in to this weekend where they'll play three road games. The team will return to Great Falls April 11-12 against Vancouver (Wash.) at Swarthout Fieldhouse.
For more information and tickets to games, click here.
