Former Nic Standout Wiltjer Finds Home Away From Hoops
In his words, Greg Wiltjer came to North Idaho College in 1979 as a skinny freshman from Canada trying to get a taste of “American basketball.”
Seventeen years later, Wiltjer, no longer skinny, has tasted basketball in America, the Olympic Games and many countries around the world.
Apparently, he’s full.
“I finished playing about a year ago in France,” said Wiltjer, one of NIC’s all-time best players, who went on to play at Oregon State and now lives in Portland. “I’ve pretty much retired and started a business of buying, fixing up and selling old houses.
“I had a lot of fun playing ball and I’m still healthy. My agent is talking to a few people, but I really want to just sink my teeth into my business.”
Wiltjer, 6-foot-11 and 275 pounds, played against Washington State last Saturday in Pullman. He scored six points in a limited role with Brewster Heights Packing.
He played two games with Brewster. “They called about three or four days before and asked if I wanted to take a run at the young guys. I said, ‘Sure, why not.’ This isn’t a comeback. I’ll just play here and there.”
Wiltjer, who ranks among NIC’s top five in career rebounds and fieldgoal percentage, has happy memories of NIC.
“It was wonderful, especially after we went to nationals (in 1980),” Wiltjer said. “We didn’t do great. I think we finished eighth, but people were fantastic.”
Wiltjer played for the Canadian Olympic team in the 1984 Olympics. His stops overseas included France, Barcelona and Greece.
Wiltjer’s lone regret was not playing in the NBA.
“I was drafted by the (Chicago) Bulls in the second round, but I never went to camp until after five years in Europe. I tried out (in NBA camps) a couple of times, with Denver and Indiana, but I was always fighting against guys with three or four years (of NBA) experience.”
Jones joins Cornell
Former Idaho men’s basketball assistant coach Ray Jones has joined Cornell University as an assistant.
Jones was at UI for three years when Joe Cravens was head coach.
Jones, 47, has 25 years of coaching experience. His other stops included Wyoming, Minnesota, South Carolina, Furman, Duke and Cincinnati.
NIC home opener
North Idaho College, coming off a wrestling loss to Ricks, will try to rebound against Yakima Valley tonight at 7:30 at Christianson Gym.
Losing to Ricks “is something that I’m not used to and neither are the guys,” said NIC coach John Owen, whose team is 1-1 in duals. “We’re all kind of frustrated.”
, DataTimes