“I got elbowed in the head on that last dunk,” Holden said.
Ten minutes later the fifth-year guard was back in the hall.
“I’m fine,” he said quietly.
While he was referring to his medical exam, he just as well could have been talking about the test he’d just had on the court.
He scored a game-high 27 points on 13 for 14 shooting.
He made his first 10 shots and with one more bucket he would have tied the program record for single-game perfection by a Raiders player.
In 1972, Bill Fogt went 11-for-11 against Cumberland and then, 18 years later, Sean Hammonds tied that mark in a 1990 game against Ashland.
Now after another 33 years, Holden was about to join the pair when he went up for a lay-up with 5:15 left in the game. That’s when Miami’s massive 6-foot-8 Anderson Mirambeaux — playing in just his first game this season and limited as he regains stamina — blocked his shot from behind.
Undeterred, Holden then made his next three shots to finish the night shooting 92.8 percent from the floor. He also had six rebounds, three assists, a steal and a blocked shot of his own.
This was one of the first times this season that he reminded you of the old Tanner Holden, who night in and night out for three years, was the darling of the program.
In that time, he started 91 of 92 games, won All-Horizon League honors each season and scored 1,461 points. With two seasons left, thanks to the NCAA’s added COVID year, he was on pace to become the Raiders’ all-time leading scorer, leap-frogging the 2,303 points Bill “Dollar Bill” Edwards scored from 1989-1993.
Following the 2021-22 season —and a 37-point performance against Bryant that lifted Wright State to its first NCAA Division Tournament victory ever — he transferred to Ohio State, the school that had recruited him as a football player out of Wheelersburg High School.
As he told me earlier this year, he thought the jump to OSU was “the right decision” to expand his game and play against some of the best competition.
Although in that 2022-23 season, the Buckeyes did play all across the country — from the Maui Invitational to Madison Square Garden, Duke’s Cameron Indoor and across the Big Ten — his moments in the spotlight were few.
He played in 27 games, never started, and averaged 13.6 minutes and 3.6 points a game.
He did have one highlight-reel outing when he buried a three-pointer at the buzzer to beat Rutgers.
Credit: David A. Moodie
Credit: David A. Moodie
That game was last Dec. 8, but when asked about it Tuesday night both Holden and his dad, Rodney, who once starred at Marshall, both just gave it passing reference.
“It seems like a long time ago,” Rodney said as he stood courtside after the game with Tanner’s mom, Tammy, and a few other family members and friends. “I guess we can sit back and look what happened in the past and enjoy those moments, but at the end of the day, it’s just one accomplishment, one thing that’s behind us.”
Back in the hallway, Tanner said much the same thing: “Yeah, I still remember those times, but I’m here now and I’ve really bought in Wright State basketball. I really don’t think about all that stuff from a long time ago.”
Actually, it was just earlier this year — about nine months ago— that he was in a Buckeyes uniform.
But when the disappointing 16-19 season ended, he sought to return to Wriight State and Raiders’ coach, Scott Nagy, went against his usual practice and agreed to take him back.
Holden also had sought the approval of the team’s leader, guard Trey Calvin, who had come into WSU with him and had remained a Raider when he and Grant Basile both left for bigger name programs.
Although everybody said they were on board with Hoden’s return, it took the NCAA until October to grant him a waiver that allowed him to play this season.
The delay weighed on him, Holden said: “Nothing’s for sure in life 100 percent and I think you always (consider) the worst outcome.”
Once he got past the NCAA hurdle, Holden had to find his place again with the Raiders.
“I told him when he came back, ‘It won’t be the same,’” Nagy said. “He averaged 20 points a game when he left us and I told him he can’t just think it’s going to be the same and it hasn’t been. He’s had some struggles, but he’s had some tremendous games, too.”
Holden’s dad said it took a while for Tanner to hit his stride here again: “At first it was not necessarily his comfort zone. It was about knowing you belong, knowing your role.
“And his role is different now.”
Calvin, a first team all Horizon League pick last season, was named the league’s preseason player of the year in October and now, more than averaging a team-leading 19.4 points per game, he is recognized as the heart and soul of the Raiders.
Holden, who is averaging 15.9 points per game this season, has had some impressive outings this season — scoring 24 points and grabbing eight rebounds in a loss at Indiana; having 26 points. six rebounds and four steals against IUPUI — but there have been a couple of underwhelming games, as well.
As Nagy put it: “When he left, he was ‘The Guy,’ and when he came back, all a sudden there’s a different guy that’s ‘The Guy.’ And he’s tried to mesh with that.”
With a pause, Nagy decided to amend that thought:
“But why does anybody have to be the guy? Just be a good basketball player. We’re trying to win games.”
Nagy went into a discussion about players being judged more by their defense and rebounding than just scoring: “We don’t need for somebody to lead the league in scoring, and we finish fifth.”
The Raiders are 5-6 going into Friday afternoon’s matchup with Division III Muskingum.
Against Miami, WSU got a standout performance from 6-foot-8 Brandon Noel, who had 25 points, 12 rebounds and four steals. If he continues with impact games like that and Calvin keeps providing the leadership and Holden settles into his new role, the Raiders could start showing their real selves.
They have the potential to be far better team than their current record.
As he looked at the box score sheet in front of him, Nagy seemed pleased when he focused on Holden’s line. And yet he wouldn’t say his veteran guard has fully made the transition.
“I still don’t know if he’s found (his role.) We need it to be guarding and redounding. He’s going to score naturally, he’s a tremendous cutter. But when he’s not thinking about scoring — when he’s thinking about staying active and offensive rebounding — that’s when he’s good.”
Nagy glanced again at the stat sheet: “Let’s see, he had six rebounds tonight. That’s what we need him, to do….That’s good.”
And that’s why, on this night, Tanner Holden could stand in the hallway and say:
“I’m fine.”
About the Author