Collier turning into big producer for U of R Cougars

Hayden Collier is saving his best for last with the University of Regina Cougars men’s basketball team.

The fifth-year forward has been playing an average of 30 minutes per game for the Cougars, a jump from the 8.8 minutes he averaged in 13 games last season.

“(I’m) just playing with confidence. Over the summer, I did a lot of reflection and then coaches and teammates worked with me over the summer and pushed me and provided me with that confidence and allowed me to start playing better,” said the 6-foot-10 product of Rangoria, New Zealand.

“(I’m) just staying with it mentally and not worrying about mistakes. Mistakes do happen and when they do, you just have to move on and move onto the next play.

“I think I put in a bit of work in the off-season, which helped me now.”

Cougars head coach Steve Burrows also praised the work Collier put in during the off-season.

“Credit goes to him. He has worked really hard through the spring and the summer and put himself in a situation. It’s always nice for people to get some success after all the hard work you put in and that’s what he has done. He has worked real hard and credit to him – he’s deserved it and I’m happy for him,” Burrows said.

Collier has helped the Cougars start their Canada West season 4-0 after a pair of wins over each of the Trinity Western Spartans and Thompson Rivers Wolfpack. Regina’s home opener is set for Friday, when it hosts the Fraser Valley Cascades at the Centre for Kinesiology, Health and Sport. Tipoff for the game is set for 8 p.m.

“When you looked at the schedule, you had the first-week bye, which was awful, and then back-to-back in B.C. It was difficult just from a logistical standpoint, but credit to these guys — they have given themselves the opportunity and competed really hard to give them a chance. We got on the right side of a couple of close ones last weekend but good for those guys and a good start,” Burrows said.

Collier is averaging 10.3 rebounds per game to go along with 12 points to start the season.

While he has played basketball in Canada and the U.S., like many other New Zealanders, his athletic career started on the rugby field.

“I just started going to the kids (basketball) camps and stuff like that and kind of enjoyed that. I was playing rugby at the time as well and then shot up in height and had a growth spurt. I stopped playing rugby and focused on basketball and it brought me here,” Collier said.

He decided to leave his home country and head to the States to play at Laramie County Community College in Cheyenne, Wyo.

“I wanted to go to the States to experience college and that kind of lifestyle,” Collier said.

“It was good. It was an adjustment with a different playing style and something like that. They play college rules and up in Canada it’s FIBA (rules). We play FIBA in New Zealand so adjusting from FIBA to college rules was a bit of an adjustment.

“The players are a lot more faster and athletic. It definitely helped and was a great experience and made me a different player.”

While there, he appeared on the radar for the Cougars – though Burrow admitted he didn’t play a major role in that.

“I’d love to take credit but it wasn’t me. There was a friend of the program and a tie to a Saskatchewan kid – he was down in Wyoming – and that’s where we first heard of (Collier). A guy from here – one of the local coaches – brought him up and the rest was history. I’d love to say it was me but it wasn’t me,” Burrows said.

“I came up here on a visit and I ran with the team for a couple days and it was really good. Coach showed me around the campus and I just enjoyed the experience. The guys were all very welcoming when I came up here and it was all really good and I thought I fit in pretty well,” Collier added.

In 2019, Collier joined the Cougars and has dressed for 34 games since then.

Not only has he adjusted to yet another country, but he feels like he has been able to handle Regina winters as well

“It definitely doesn’t get this cold. Being in Wyoming, it acclimatized me a bit because it does get a little bit colder down there but the winters were definitely a shock coming from New Zealand to Wyoming. I think I’m used to it now,” Collier said.

In his final year of U Sports eligibility, Collier will try to keep up his current pace for the rest of the season.

“It feels good. I think I just need to try and stay consistent with it and use the opportunity and hopefully have a positive impact on the game and help my team get some wins,” Collier said.