Former Greenwood player Gavin Dowling drives the ball earlier this season for Anderson.
Submitted photo
Anderson University’s men’s basketball team has won three of four games this season, features a promising core of talented underclassmen and entertains dreams of a deep tournament run in March.
Junior forward Gavin Dowling, his role somewhat reduced compared to past seasons, is glad to be along for the proceedings.
The former Greenwood big man, the Daily Journal’s Player of the Year as a senior in 2020, has put together a college basketball career that continues to steer clear of conventional thinking.
With the COVID-19 pandemic impacting how athletic events were organized, the 6-foot-6 Dowling made the most of AU’s 14 games in 2020-21 season, averaging 10.1 points, 5.8 rebounds and two assists as a true freshman.
He then chose to not attend Anderson as a sophomore, but he returned in time for the 2022-23 school year and has been part of the Ravens’ men’s basketball universe ever since.
“Unique is definitely the word I would use,” said Dowling, who is coming off the bench to average 5.2 points and 2.2 rebounds for the 4-1 Ravens this season going into today’s 3 p.m. game at Franklin College. “Just not your typical college experience. But ultimately, it’s been great.”
Dowling, who turns 22 later this month, likely wouldn’t have incorporated such an adjective during the early stages of his time at AU.
The belief was that Dowling would come back as a sophomore, build on all that had been accomplished the previous season and make the step forward as one of the better interior presences at both ends of the court in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference.
Instead, he returned to Johnson County.
“I was just dealing with some mental health stuff, and I knew I had to step away and just kind of get my mental health in check,” Dowling explained. “I was kind of in a low place. I was dealing with the passing of a couple of friends, one by suicide and one by overdose.
“And it was a COVID year, so I was feeling isolated and away from family.”
While at home, Dowling — who aspires to one day coach boys basketball at the high school or collegiate level — took on a role as one of the assistant coaches at Franklin under head coach Adrian Moss.
Dowling worked with the Grizzly Cubs’ big men, was a varsity and junior varsity assistant and even coached the Franklin freshman squad.
Coincidentally or not, it turned out to be a special season for Moss’ team, which won a Class 4A sectional, defeated Floyd Central in a regional semifinal at Seymour, and came up short against Bloomington North in the final, 75-69, despite a gutsy performance that saw the Cubs hang with the Cougars until well into the second half.
“It kind of grounded me, being around family and friends and being part of a team again,” Dowling said. “I allowed myself to heal and then get back to school.”
Dowling’s weight typically was anywhere between 255 to 295 pounds in high school. He tipped the scales at around 350 during his year away from playing basketball.
Once he returned for the 2022-23 season, his statistical output dropped. Dowling finished with per-game norms of 6.1 points and 4.5 boards.
“It’s been a battle, but everybody has their struggles, their highs and lows,” said Dowling, who is back down to about 275 pounds. “I’m in a much better place now. I have great people around me. A really good support system. I just feel a sense of home and belonging.”
Last season, the Ravens put together one of the best seasons in school history, tying for the HCAC regular-season championship with a 14-4 record and then winning the conference tournament.
Anderson’s season ended with a 73-65 loss to third-ranked Mt. Union in the first round of the Division III national tournament.
Second-year AU coach Carter Collins, a former Ravens assistant, has had a close-up view of every minute of Dowling’s disjointed career and can’t help but be impressed.
No, the young man isn’t putting up numbers reminiscent of his freshman season. His overall role, however, has never been more important.
“We have a very deep and talented roster this year, and I asked all of the guys to be willing to sacrifice individual things like minutes, shot attempts and points for the betterment of the team when necessary,” Collins said. “Nobody does that better than Gavin.
“As we speak, I think Gavin is in the best place he’s been in since he stepped foot on campus three years ago, both academically and athletically.”
Best of all, Dowling looks, acts and sounds the part.
