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Missouri Valley Basketball: Biggest “glue guy” players of 2021-22 season

By Harry Schroeder

Mar 6, 2021; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Drake Bulldogs guard Joseph Yesufu (1) celebrates with guard D.J. Wilkins (0) and guard Garrett Sturtz (3) and teammates after scoring the game winning points during the second half against the Missouri State Bears in the semifinals of the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 6, 2021; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Drake Bulldogs guard Joseph Yesufu (1) celebrates with guard D.J. Wilkins (0) and guard Garrett Sturtz (3) and teammates after scoring the game winning points during the second half against the Missouri State Bears in the semifinals of the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports /
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Missouri Valley Basketball Northern Iowa Panthers guard Tywhon Pickford Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Missouri Valley Basketball Northern Iowa Panthers guard Tywhon Pickford Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports /

Who are the ‘Glue Guys’ Holding Their Teams Together?

We hear this phrase in every basketball broadcast. “He’s a real glue guy”. Or, “he’s like a coach on the floor”. We think we know it when we see it and we admire those players that seem to be selfless, going all out and doing the little things for the team. Missouri Valley Basketball Conference glue guys are doing those sometimes unnoticed things, to help their teams win.

Finding ‘glue guys’ can be difficult. There isn’t one high school basketball player in America watching games on the four-letter-network saying, “I want to go to State U and be a ‘glue guy’.” During the signing period you never hear a coach say, “we were looking for a guy to do the little things that will help us win. We don’t care if he can shoot that well, but if he could just dive on the floor and take a charge, that would be awesome.”

In honor of ‘glue guys’ everywhere we are naming our Missouri Valley Conference All-Elmer’s Glue Team. Valley coaches want these players on their teams and they are essential to winning and that’s why you often find ‘glue guys’ on winning teams. Missouri State coach Dana Ford says they hold things together.

"“By definition, it holds things together,” said Ford. “Most teams in our league there are some tremendous glue guys. Their doing a lot of the dirty work and making it possible for things to look like they are in order and intact.”"