My Two Cents: For One Night, Roles Reversed For Anthony Leal and Best Friend Trey Galloway
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — Trey Galloway and Anthony Leal have been the best of friends for years now. They grew up hooping as kids, made names for themselves as Indiana high school stars and have spent the last four years together at Indiana, basketball teammates, roommates and best friends.
Their college careers have been disparate. Galloway has had a major role from the beginning, Leal not so much. Leal, who won the 2020 Indiana Mr. Basketball award after a stellar career at Bloomington South, only scored 67 points during his first three years at IU.
And even though he didn't play much at all — he only scored two points his entire junior year — he was called the perfect teammate by coaches and fellow players alike. He'd show up every day for practice, giving it his all. And on the bench during games, he was always cheering on his teammates and giving advice in their ears in timeouts or while sitting side by side.
Galloway has been an important part of Indiana's backcourt, and he's started 56 games the past two years. Injuries large and small — Xavier Johnson and Jalen Hood-Schifino — have forced Galloway into an expanded role, often as an out-of-place point guard.
But this year, when Johnson got hurt twice again, Leal has had to step up to fill the void. He's been averaging 15 minutes a game, hit a game-winner at Ohio State, is shooting 47 percent from three, and scoring the winning points Thursday night in the 61-59 win over Penn State in the Big Ten Tournament.
There was some serious role reversal going on, too. Galloway was in street clothes, out with a knee injury. Leal was on the floor for 24 minutes, scored eight points and had four big rebounds, including that big one with five seconds left.
Galloway was in his ear all game, helping and cajoling and pushing his friend into one good play after another.
It was just the best. For both of them. Galloway helped Leal on the floor, and Leal's been there for him too as he misses time with this injury at the worst possible time
"He's my roommate on road trips and back on campus, and he's one of my best friends,'' Leal said. "He knows that this is just a road bump, and we've both got faith. What's meant to happen happens, and it's just something that he has to overcome, which he does. He's tough as nails.
"He just said congrats (about the putback) and that he knew what I was capable of. He's happy for me. For me, it's important to be that teammate, whether you're not playing at all or only playing five minutes or 20 minutes, you've got to be that same guy every day. When I'm not playing, I'm always in his ear, telling him what I see. He did the same for me tonight. It was great.''
The Penn State game was tight throughout, producing 10 lead changes and nine ties. Only two points separated the two teams in the final 4:23, and every possession mattered.
And the Hoosiers really needed this one. Penn State beat them twice during the regular season, and made them look bad in the process. Things had to change, and they did, especially defensively.
They smothered point guard Ace Baldwin Jr., who only made one of his first 12 shots. And they held the Nittany Lions to 59 points after giving up 85 and 83 in the two losses.
It was their fifth straight win, and they are finding their way at the right time. March is a good time to get hot. It's also a good time to close out tight games, and Indiana did that.
"We all were collectively giving out words of encouragement (in the final minutes). It's winning time, it's time to win this game,'' Leal said. "We're going to get this done. We kept talking about different coverages and what we're executing.
"I think tha as a team, we're leading together, and there's not just one person who's taking everything, but everyone kind of pushes off each other, and I think that's a great quality that we've started to develop.
Woodson understands — and expects — the value of senior leadership. Not having Johnson, a sixth-year point guard, for 13 game has really hurt. Since he's returned from a wrist injury, the Hoosiers are a perfect 5-0. Leal has helped too, and they were huge with no Galloway on the floor
"I expect X and Anthony to lead. They're seniors,'' Woodson said. "That's what seniors should do after going through a program or playing college basketball for a number of years. X is not fully there because he just hasn't played a whole lot. Hell, we played him 37 minutes tonight, and I just think his presence on the floor changes our team. But I thought tonight overall defensively what we set out to do was really, really good tonight for 40 minutes, I thought.''
To the Hoosiers' credit, they are used to playing shorthanded. They've done it, it seems, for two straight years now.
"Even with one guy out, we've always got to come together as a team, just play together and lock in on defense,'' Ware said. "We just have to be able to execute the offense well to be able to come out with a W.''
The Hoosiers are 9-2 in games decided by six points or less this season, tops in the Big Ten. Making plays late is big, and that success has come from a lot of new faces getting more and more comfortable over time.
"I think it's kind of a culmination of just the whole season, becoming more familiar with each other as players and learning how to win together,'' Leal said. "Sometimes it doesn't work out. For example, coming down the stretch at Illinois earlier in the season, we really felt like we could win that one, but we didn't make the right plays.
"From that point forward, I feel like we've had the right mindset going into the final six, eight minutes of the game that it's winning time. And we're confident in each other to make plays and trust in each other to continue to execute the game plan.''
Making stops has helped. Leal had a huge play at the end of the 65-64 win over Michigan State last Sunday, leaving his man to force a tough shot from Tyson Walker. He missed, and Indiana ended the regular season in style in front of their Assembly Hall fans.
A few minutes later, during Senior Night ceremonies, but Leal and Galloway said they'd be back next year for season No. 5.
Winning the tight ones lately has been nice.
"There's been a number of games (where we finished well),'' Woodson said. "The Michigan State game, (Tom) Izzo's team took us right to the end, and we didn't buckle. We made winning plays to secure the game.
"Defensively, we were very solid in that game as well. We just, I don't know. It's taken us a while, man, to really put it together. Unfortunately, losing Gallo hurts, man, but we can't stop here and complain. We've got to just next man up. Whoever plays has got to give us something while he's out there to help us win. (Leal) has come in and given us a hell of a lift, and tonight he hits the biggest shot of his college career, the putback. So that's beautiful for him, I think, in terms of the hard work that he's put in. I couldn't be more proud of him.''
His teammates see it all too, and they're happy to see Leal have some success — and have lots of smiles on his face. They're still winning, still playing. And they'll hope to keep it going Friday night (9 p.m. ET) in the Big Ten quarterfinals against Nebraska.
"It's an amazing feeling. I'm super happy for him,'' freshman forward Mackenzie Mgbako said in the open Indiana locker room after the game. "I'm just excited that he can show off what he could do. He's helping us, helping us win. I'm so happy for him.''
