Skyler Bowlin, former Missouri Southern point guard, is used to success on the basketball court. His style of play and gutsy attitude propelled him from the college game into the pros, where he played first in Germany, then Australia.

It’s down under where Bowlin has achieved some of his biggest success to date. The Lion alumnus was recently named Grand Final MVP during his team’s league championship run.

“I knew I’d played well those games, but when they said my name [as the MVP], it was just the cherry on top of it all,” Bowlin said.

Bowlin, who signed to play with the Ringwood Hawks just days after leaving his German team, scored 24 points in the final game of the series. He also had five assists.

The Hawks jumped out to an early lead thanks to a couple of Bowlin three pointers, a common occurrence for Southern’s all time leader in the category. By half time, though, the Eltham Wildcats had pulled back into the game, leading the Hawks by seven at the break.

Ringwood head coach Ken Harrington wasn’t concerned.

“We just needed to increase the tempo of the game and grind them down,” he said in an interview on the team’s website last week.

“Seven down is OK; we are explosive and can score in a hurry.”

The explosive, up tempo style plays into Bowlin’s strengths.

Lion fans may remember any of a handful of games in which Bowlin took over, wearing defenses down further with his every move. That style has stayed essentially the same throughout the young pro’s career.

“Basketball is basketball,” he said. “It hasn’t been that big of an adjustment … it’s just about how [your] coach wants you to play and gelling with yout teammates.”

Those games and that style led Bowlin to fifth place on the all-time scoring list at Southern. Right behind him? Last year’s MIAA Player of the Year, Keane Thomann, a player he gelled with maybe better than any other.

Thomann and Bowlin will reunite in a few weeks.

Both players will suit up for Horsens IC in Denmark this season, Thomann’s first professionally.

The former teammates hope their familiarity with one another can lead to even more success on the hardwood.

“We’re like brothers,” Bowlin said. “It’s just a blessing that it happened.”

The two combined for over 3,000 points in their respective careers, a sure sign that a winning season is coming for a Horsens team that finished just 12-15 a year ago.

“We’ll bring chemistry and leadership (to the team),” Bowlin said. “We’ll work hard. There won’t be a practice or a game where we aren’t going 110 percent.”

Bowlin starts his third professional season September 22 in Denmark.