Michael Taylor Profile

Meet Montana Grizzly transfer Michael Taylor, who was the runnerup for Big Sky Conference Freshman of the Year last year behind Montana sophomore Cameron  Rundles.

Taylor, who will be eligible to play next autumn as a sophomore, transferred to Montana after a promising 2006-07 freshman campaign for coach Mike Burns at Eastern Washington.

Taylor said his decision to transfer to Montana did not involve the transition in Cheney between Burns, who was dismissed in May,  and new Eagle head coach Kirk Earlywine.

“I got to play a lot last year,” said Taylor, who started 25 of 29 games for the Eagles. “So my move had nothing to do with basketball.

“I just think Montana has a great program and I just thought I wanted to be a part of it here.”

Taylor averaged 24.4 minutes per game for the Eagles last year, made 53 of 118 field goal attempts for a 44% average, and was successful on 32 of 80 (40 %) from 3-point range. Taylor scored a total of 165 points on the season for a 5.7 per game average.

The 6-foot-4 swingman has a broad and ready smile and a gently self-effacing sense of humor. He joked that he had always thought the Big Sky Conference had “only one freshman of the year,” and was unaware that he was the runnerup to Rundles.

“I actually didn’t even know that there were two “freshman of the year” players  at Montana until I got here and coach told me,” he laughed. “So I thought: ‘Cool!’ ”

How is Taylor faring on the bench?

“I do enjoy wearing ties,” he quipped, “But I’d much rather be playing on the floor.”

He quickly added that he’s working on several aspects of his game and “doing his best” to push the starters with top-quality practice competition.

“Personally I’ll work on whatever the coaches say in practice,” said Taylor. “If they want me to play point guard, whatever. I like to come early and stay later.

“I need to push the guys on the team because every practice is actually my game.

“That’s because I have no game,” joked Taylor, and then quickly said seriously: “So I need to treat every practice like a game.”

“I do get to work on some stuff in practice because I don’t get the reps in games right now,” he added.

Taylor was a celebrated multi-sport prep athlete at Brewster, a small 2000-resident community 70 Miles north of Wenatchee that’s nestled onto the western point of Lake Pateros in the heart of Washington’s apple country.

At Brewster High School, Taylor played basketball for his father, Tim Taylor, who is still coaching at the small 2000-resident rural community.

“This is going to be my father’s last year as a coach, most likely. But he’s been in it for quite a while... about 13 years,” he said.

Taylor said his parents have been very important to his development as a person and a player, commenting that his father has “always,” been his coach.

“I grew up playing as many sports as I could,” he said, adding that one cousin in particular had a huge impact on him.

“Johnnie Gebbers,” said Taylor. “He played basketball and baseball at Gonzaga (1999-2003).” Gebbers scored 61 points for Brewster High in a 1998 game against Cashmere, Washington.

Taylor was himself no prep slouch. While at Brewster, he played in four straight Washington State high school basketball championship games, and was a member of the Brewster baseball team which won two Washington State championships.

“I was a part of a lot of winning programs,” said Taylor, pausing. “And I think we’ve got that here.”

Despite the Grizzlies’ struggles so far, Taylor said he’s fit in quite well with his teammates.

“This team is a lot like my high school team. We had a ton of cohesiveness and I think we’ve got that here at Montana. It’s way easier to play when a team works together.”

The formula for Montana’s future success?

“This team needs to work on playing how to win instead of playing not to lose, no matter who we’re playing,” said Taylor.

Though he hails from an large rural family, “with lots of cousins,” and is native to a region of Washington that’s “big on hunting,” Taylor said he takes more pride in his sewing skills, which he learned from his mother, Sonja Taylor.

“I’ve actually taken a sewing class,” said Taylor. “I can make a quilt if anybody wants one. If someone says they like a certain type, I can find a pattern for the quilt and figure it out,” he said, hesitating briefly.

“I’d probably like to have my mom help me though,” he said.

“But I started working on quilts when I was about six years old. My mom has a big quilting room and I’ve always enjoyed doing that.”

Taylor said his extended Brewster-area family is very important to him. “I have a huge family. I’m the oldest of six and I have about 20 cousins in Brewster, so I love going home,” he said, rapidly running through the names of his younger siblings: “Martha, Stockton, Becky Mae, Timbo and Joe,” he said, grinning broadly.

Taylor’s summers at Brewster are spent working in his family business.

“My family owns a bunch of apple and cherry orchards, over 5000 acres,” said Taylor. “I grew up doing that with everyone in the family.”

These days you can usually see Taylor at game-time, seated at the south end of the Grizzly bench, neatly dressed in slacks, a pullover sweater and the obligatory tie.

Next fall, if everything goes as planned, you’ll see him on the floor.

 

Meet Montana Grizzly transfer Michael Taylor, who was the runnerup for Big Sky Conference Freshman of the Year last year behind Montana sophomore Cameron  Rundles.

Taylor, who will be eligible to play next autumn as a sophomore, transferred to Montana after a promising 2006-07 freshman campaign for coach Mike Burns at Eastern Washington.

Taylor said his decision to transfer to Montana did not involve the transition in Cheney between Burns, who was dismissed in May,  and new Eagle head coach Kirk Earlywine.

“I got to play a lot last year,” said Taylor, who started 25 of 29 games for the Eagles. “So my move had nothing to do with basketball.

“I just think Montana has a great program and I just thought I wanted to be a part of it here.”

Taylor averaged 24.4 minutes per game for the Eagles last year, made 53 of 118 field goal attempts for a 44% average, and was successful on 32 of 80 (40 %) from 3-point range. Taylor scored a total of 165 points on the season for a 5.7 per game average.

The 6-foot-4 swingman has a broad and ready smile and a gently self-effacing sense of humor. He joked that he had always thought the Big Sky Conference had “only one freshman of the year,” and was unaware that he was the runnerup to Rundles.

“I actually didn’t even know that there were two “freshman of the year” players  at Montana until I got here and coach told me,” he laughed. “So I thought: ‘Cool!’ ”

How is Taylor faring on the bench?

“I do enjoy wearing ties,” he quipped, “But I’d much rather be playing on the floor.”

He quickly added that he’s working on several aspects of his game and “doing his best” to push the starters with top-quality practice competition.

“Personally I’ll work on whatever the coaches say in practice,” said Taylor. “If they want me to play point guard, whatever. I like to come early and stay later.

“I need to push the guys on the team because every practice is actually my game.

“That’s because I have no game,” joked Taylor, and then quickly said seriously: “So I need to treat every practice like a game.”

“I do get to work on some stuff in practice because I don’t get the reps in games right now,” he added.

Taylor was a celebrated multi-sport prep athlete at Brewster, a small 2000-resident community 70 Miles north of Wenatchee that’s nestled onto the western point of Lake Pateros in the heart of Washington’s apple country.

At Brewster High School, Taylor played basketball for his father, Tim Taylor, who is still coaching at the small 2000-resident rural community.

“This is going to be my father’s last year as a coach, most likely. But he’s been in it for quite a while... about 13 years,” he said.

Taylor said his parents have been very important to his development as a person and a player, commenting that his father has “always,” been his coach.

“I grew up playing as many sports as I could,” he said, adding that one cousin in particular had a huge impact on him.

“Johnnie Gebbers,” said Taylor. “He played basketball and baseball at Gonzaga (1999-2003).” Gebbers scored 61 points for Brewster High in a 1998 game against Cashmere, Washington.

Taylor was himself no prep slouch. While at Brewster, he played in four straight Washington State high school basketball championship games, and was a member of the Brewster baseball team which won two Washington State championships.

“I was a part of a lot of winning programs,” said Taylor, pausing. “And I think we’ve got that here.”

Despite the Grizzlies’ struggles so far, Taylor said he’s fit in quite well with his teammates.

“This team is a lot like my high school team. We had a ton of cohesiveness and I think we’ve got that here at Montana. It’s way easier to play when a team works together.”

The formula for Montana’s future success?

“This team needs to work on playing how to win instead of playing not to lose, no matter who we’re playing,” said Taylor.

Though he hails from an large rural family, “with lots of cousins,” and is native to a region of Washington that’s “big on hunting,” Taylor said he takes more pride in his sewing skills, which he learned from his mother, Sonja Taylor.

“I’ve actually taken a sewing class,” said Taylor. “I can make a quilt if anybody wants one. If someone says they like a certain type, I can find a pattern for the quilt and figure it out,” he said, hesitating briefly.

“I’d probably like to have my mom help me though,” he said.

“But I started working on quilts when I was about six years old. My mom has a big quilting room and I’ve always enjoyed doing that.”

Taylor said his extended Brewster-area family is very important to him. “I have a huge family. I’m the oldest of six and I have about 20 cousins in Brewster, so I love going home,” he said, rapidly running through the names of his younger siblings: “Martha, Stockton, Becky Mae, Timbo and Joe,” he said, grinning broadly.

Taylor’s summers at Brewster are spent working in his family business.

“My family owns a bunch of apple and cherry orchards, over 5000 acres,” said Taylor. “I grew up doing that with everyone in the family.”

These days you can usually see Taylor at game-time, seated at the south end of the Grizzly bench, neatly dressed in slacks, a pullover sweater and the obligatory tie.

Next fall, if everything goes as planned, you’ll see him on the floor.