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From Billings Skyview to Florida State, RayQuan Evans balancing fatherhood, assisting Huntley Project boys

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WORDEN — RayQuan Evans has about as decorated a basketball resume as anyone in Montana.

Evans won a high school state championship at Billings Skyview, then a Junior College National Championship at North Idaho College before playing in the NCAA Tournament with Florida State.

This year, Evans was initially going to be on the Lockwood coaching staff, but after that fell through he didn't really have intentions of coaching this season. Then he got a phone call from another of Montana's greats on the hardwood, Buddy Windy Boy.

"I love it here so much. Everybody is so welcoming and the guys are great," said Evans, who is now an assistant boys basketball coach at Huntley Project. "I've known Buddy since I was in high school. Playing in a lot of tournaments, he's kind of a legend, so I've known him since high school. "

Evans spent time under one of the most successful coaches in college basketball in Leonard Hamilton, who has over 600 career wins. Evans is trying to pass just a bit of that knowledge on to the next generation.

"A lot of the young players may get caught up in statistics and things like that," Evans said. "But really trying to teach that any given night you can shoot the ball great or have a terrible shooting night. The things you can control are playing hard, having good body language, being a good teammate and things like that. That's one thing Buddy and I try to teach, is control what you can control."

Speaking of the next generation, Evans has his hands full at home with two young kids of his own.

"I'm pretty drained. They keep me young, so when I get home, as drained as I am, I've got to play with my 1-year-old and tend the baby and things like that, so it's just constant energy even when I'm tired," said Evans.