Matthew Forbes

Huskies men’s basketball forward Matthew Forbes was anything but eager to bask in the limelight after scoring 70 points in a weekend series against the visiting Winnipeg Wesmen Feb. 1 and 2.

“We got two [wins] and that’s what we wanted to do on the weekend,” Forbes said, putting the team’s goals ahead of his outstanding personal accomplishments.

“I’m not big on individual stuff but it’s a good feeling,” he said of his performance that garnered him Canada West athlete of the week honours.

Now in his second year with the team, Forbes has started in every game for the Dogs this year and averages 18.2 points per game. He also has made the most free throws in the conference this year with 88.

Forbes is in arts and science but plans to transfer into kinesiology next year. He wants to complete a combined kinesiology-education degree.

The youngest of four boys, Forbes said playing against each other in sports was always a competitive atmosphere.

“When I played with my brother I dislocated his jaw in basketball practice,” Forbes said with a slight grin. “A couple elbows might have been thrown here and there, and his face might have been somewhere it shouldn’t have been… but who’s counting?”

And standing at 6-6 and 229 pounds, even though he was younger he could still keep up with his brothers .

Forbes said his siblings were all very athletic, but that each seemed to enjoy different sports. Likewise, he found his own way into basketball.

“Everyone played their own sport,” Forbes said of his brothers. “The oldest one played hockey, the next one was a speed skater and the next one played football.”

Forbes also played hockey and football during high school, but after being named Saskatchewan’s top high school basketball prospect in 2011, and leading his high school team, the Lumsden Devils, to a 4A provincial championship in his senior year, he knew he was destined to play basketball.

The power forward from Regina Beach, Sask. signed a letter of intent to play at the University of Saskatchewan while he was still in grade 12.

Forbes said that while leaving Regina Beach behind for Saskatoon was the best decision for his career, he loves where he grew up and is a self-proclaimed “beach boy for life.”

Forbes enjoys getting to play against the Regina Cougars in the season, because the history he has with some of the guys makes it fun to banter back and forth on the court.

He doesn’t consider himself superstitious, but rather a creature of routine.

“I tie my shoes probably four times every time I play basketball. I just like my shoes tight, even if I’m cutting off my circulation.

“Before every game I eat supper, then I have a nap, then leave the girl’s [basketball] game three minutes before halftime and go shower to wake myself up,” Forbes said.

With such a hectic schedule, Forbes says sleep is crucial for him and that when the team goes on the road, he and his roommate Patrick Burns are always asleep early in the hotels. Forbes said his favourite perk of being a second-year is the full-size bed he gets on road trips.

“The veteran players get more room and the rookies have to sleep on the cots. About halfway through last year I graduated from the cots,” Forbes laughed.

Despite his scheduled routine on the court, he is much more lax when it comes to his social life.

“Wherever the wind takes me I go. If I have time, the wind blows me somewhere,” he said. “I have fun doing whatever.”

Your next chance to see Forbes play is Feb. 15 when the Huskies men’s basketball squad hosts Alberta in the final weekend of the regular season.

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Photo: Calvin So