Bond Between Wieland and Keeslar Will Last Beyond Their Time At UTC

They both arrived in Chattanooga last summer as basketball nomads, a couple of guys looking to close out injury-riddled college careers by scripting a final chapter to bookend a solid résumé from their previous stop.

They both called Ohio home – Bash Wieland from the southern part of the state in Cincinnati, while Garrison Keeslar hailed from outside of Akron in the northeast corner. They had each signed with Division II schools out of high school, with Keeslar spending four seasons at nearby Walsh University while Wieland was at Bellarmine University in Louisville five years when the school transitioned to D-I.

Wieland and Keeslar were cautiously optimistic when casting their lot with the Mocs after going through the transfer portal. They determined that this last hurrah was less about showcasing their individual skills and more about bringing their years of experience to become part of something larger than themselves.

Nine months later as their journey together both as roommates and teammates nears its conclusion, there’s a whiff of sentimentality how this season together has fulfilled their grandest hopes.

“I'd say this year has exceeded expectations in all facets,” Keeslar said. “When I was in the portal, I was nervous about picking a place because I didn't know if it would meet all my wants and needs in terms of the type of team that's there, the type of community I could form. I thought I was just going to find a place for a year and then leave. But Chattanooga has really turned into another place that I can call home because of the people that are here and the memories I've made.”

Wieland had already earned two degrees during his time at Bellarmine that saw two seasons interrupted by injuries. He debated whether chasing another season at a new school even made sense at this stage. But he’s now glad he made the decision to come to Chattanooga.

“I remember speaking with Garrison in June saying I didn't really have to play basketball again,” Wieland said. “I was kind of doubting if this is where God was calling me to be. And then just to see how it's unfolded, it's been such an incredible year of basketball. Also, just the people I've met outside of basketball through FCA and how much that's helped me, I can honestly say it’s one of the best decisions I’ve made.”

As part of a roster overhaul that featured fellow fifth-year transfers Jack Kostel and Frank Champion, Keeslar and Wieland have been instrumental in Chattanooga winning the Southern Conference regular season title and entering Saturday’s National Invitation Tournament second-round contest against Dayton with a 25-9 record.

The 6-foot-6 Wieland is coming off a career-high 31 points in Tuesday’s NIT opener at MTSU, and is averaging 14.5 points and 4.3 rebounds per contest while shooting 56% from the floor and 84% on his free throw attempts. He also is only six points shy of hitting the 1,000-career point total.

Keeslar has taken on a different role with the Mocs than he played at Walsh, where he scored 1,209 points and averaged 15.5 points last season. He has been a defensive and rebounding nemesis for opponents, using his basketball instincts to provide contributions that often don’t show up on a stat sheet. He’s averaged 6.4 points a game with a high of 19 in the SoCon tournament win over Mercer, while pulling down 4.5 boards per game. The 6-foot-7 wing has also handed out 102 assists against only 20 turnovers for the year.

It's somewhat ironic that the Ohio natives face in-state foe Dayton as they near the end of their season at UTC.

“My grandparents live 20 minutes away from UD campus, so absolutely I was a fan growing up,” Wieland said. “Plus, that's where the state tournament always was so it means a lot for me to play against a school like that.”

Keeslar has no worries about childhood sentiments creeping in when the Mocs take on the Flyers.

“I've never been a Dayton fan. I'm actually a Michigan fan,” Keeslar said.

Their common pursuit to encourage each other in their Christian faith is something that has helped deepen the bond between Wieland and Keeslar.

“This week I've told Garrison, ‘Man, I'm going to miss you when I don't get to see you every day.’ It's a blessing to be a teammate with a guy like this, and he's pushed me a lot in my faith journey as well as in wanting to learn more about Jesus. It's a very special bond that continues throughout all the teammates we have, really.”

Keeslar echoed Wieland’s perspective on how close they have grown over the course of this season, and how their connection will last beyond their time at UTC.

“I think one big aspect that I've learned throughout my life is that Christ-centered friendships are much deeper,” Keeslar said. “There's just a deeper connection to it, and I think that's what we have. It’s what makes our bond so close and so special and it will continue for life.”

While the duo has become inseparable both on and off the court, they also know each other’s imperfections and how to push each other’s buttons.

“Garrison gets under my skin when he's being overly nosy,” Wieland said.” He does it in a genuinely caring way when he's just being curious, but he wants to know every little detail that he could possibly figure out when others are talking.”

“I am extremely nosy,” Keeslar admitted. “Even if I’m not involved in a conversation, I want to know what it’s about.”

Wieland’s propensity to tune out others while immersed in his smart phone is something that agitates Keeslar when they’re together.

“If Bash is on his phone, I've learned to stop talking to him,” Keeslar said. “He cannot hear what's going on when he's on his phone. Once I realize he’s off his phone, then I can start talking to him again.”

“That’s 100-percent true, but I don’t mean to do it on purpose,” Wieland confessed.

They are both able to laugh at each other’s petty annoyances because they understand the bigger picture of their friendship and the impact they have made during their lone season together.

Keeslar and Wieland both rolled the dice in coming to Chattanooga for their farewell tour, uncertain of how the season might unfold. As successful as this year has been on the hardwood, it is safe to say their greater accomplishment has been how their lives have been enriched by each other’s influence.

Paul Payne can be emailed at paulpayne6249@gmail.com