CHENEY, Wash. — Spokane natives Tanner and Jacob Groves are about to embark on a dream journey of theirs to play basketball in a Power Five conference.
The Shadle Park graduates announced on Sunday they are transferring from Eastern Washington to Oklahoma to continue their college basketball playing days.
"I'm really excited," Tanner said. "It's always been a dream of mine to play college basketball on the highest level."
Jacob echoed those thoughts.
"Obviously we're just some Spokane kids dreaming of playing basketball at the highest level and it's just an unbelievable opportunity," he said.
Oklahoma, a Big 12 school, recently just hired head coach Porter Moser, who led Loyola Chicago to a Final Four in 2018 and a Sweet 16 appearance this past season. That was a big selling point for the Spokane natives.
"He knows how to turn mid-major guys into high level players who can compete against the best talent in the nation," Tanner said.
Both brothers weren't heavily recruited at the Division I level out of Shadle Park High School at all. Both showed what they could do against Kansas in the NCAA Tournament this past season as each set scoring career highs.
They want to prove they can keep doing that consistently at the highest level.
"You know there's a lot of people saying that we can't play in the Big 12," Jacob said. "So now it is a matter of us going out there, putting in the work and proving them wrong."
As they take their next step, they know they are prepared for it because of their playing days here in the Spokane area. They're grateful for the support and the experience as they embark on that dream journey.
"From Eastern Washington, from Spokane, to Washington in general, the fan base, It's been so col and I'll always be a Spokane kid, Tanner said. "That's something I'll always rep and be proud of."
Jacob said much of the same.
"We're definitely going to carry that with us to Oklahoma," he said. "It's where our home is and where we started playing the game we love."
