North by Northwestern

Gavin Skelly has been one of the surprises of the season for Northwestern. His energy off the bench has manifested itself in scoring, rebounding and blocks, and he has developed into a premier sixth man. Now all he needs is a nickname, so NBN Sports took care of that.

Peanut Butter and Skelly – Max Goodman

Everybody knows that peanut butter and jelly is a staple in any lunchbox. With PB and J, you know exactly what you’re getting, every single time. The everlasting reliability of this delicious sandwich is no different than Gavin “Peanut Butter and Skelly” and what he brings to the Northwestern Wildcats each and every time he touches the floor.

The slather of fruity jam? Skelly’s defensive awareness, his presence on the boards and his commanding ability to block shots. The spread of smooth peanut butter? Skelly’s dynamism, his ability to energize the entire arena coming off the bench and provide that extra surge that the team needs down the stretch in close games. And Gavin Skelly’s three-point shooting – what part of the sandwich is that, you may ask? Well lets just say that only comes around when Mom cuts off the crust and slices the sandwich across diagonally – just a little extra to make the sandwich even better.

Irate Ninja – Hayden W. King

Television fans may know Donald Glover as a writer for NBC’s 30 Rock or as an actor on Community and more recently Atlanta. Comedy fans may know Glover from his #donald4spiderman standup bit in 2010. But Glover is perhaps most famous for his music, which he releases under a stage-name: Childish Gambino.

You may have heard that Glover chose this name using an online Wu-Tang name generator, which is exactly how Gavin Skelly earned this brilliant moniker.

It’s only fitting that the Irate Ninja, as versatile as he is on the court, gets his nickname from the same source as ‘Bino, the king of versatility in the entertainment industry. Plus Skelly’s energy and controlled recklessness make Irate Ninja not only catchy, but perfectly fitting.

Skellyton in the Closet – Tim Hackett

Bryant McIntosh, Vic Law and Scottie Lindsey log some serious minutes – over 30 a game. So who does Chris Collins turn to when he needs to spell his starters? He opens the door to his bench and out jumps the Skellyton in the Closet – super sixth man Gavin Skelly. He hasn’t started in any of the ‘Cats’ 17 games this year, but he’s still fifth on the team in total minutes, and makes an impact whenever he emerges.

What’s that you say? “Skeleton in the closet” is supposed to be used when someone has something to hide or secrets to conceal? Maybe, but for Northwestern, there’s no secret about what Skelly can bring – he ranks third on the team in field goal percentage, fourth in 3-point percentage, third in rebounding, first in blocks, and fourth in scoring, all from a guy who averages 21 minutes a game. No bones about it – the Skellyton in the Closet can be a scary presence.

Northwestern’s Troy Bolton – Meg Pisarczyk

Over winter break, a video was posted on the men’s basketball Instagram account of Skelly playing a famous Beethoven song on the piano (and it was impressive). The night before the Penn State game he shared his musical talents with the Internet, and after a friend showed me the video all I can think about when I see him is “High School Musical.” Skelly’s flow easily tops Zac Efron’s, and he’s a Wildcat who is a beast both on the court and with his tunes. This one’s easy: Gavin Skelly is NU’s Troy Bolton.

The Energizer Bunny – Evan Denton

Fact: next to the word “energy” in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary is a picture of Gavin Skelly making this face.

If official scorers kept track of high fives and chest bumps, Skelly would be averaging a double-double for the season. Whether a teammate has missed 10 consecutive shots or the team manager passes out timeout towels in record time, Skelly’s excitement for all aspects of basketball flows as majestically as his Troy Bolton-like hair.

Constant hustle, diving for balls out of bounds and relentless rebounding have turned this rambunctious junior into an essential Northwestern role player. And just like the Energizer Bunny, Skelly seems to find an extra gear right as others begin to waver down the stretch of a game. He just keeps going. And going. And going.

The Comedian – Will Fischer

Gavin Skelly: great basketball player, and an even better comedian. It’s true that Skelly’s offensive improvements this season are a huge reason for NU’s success. But it’s also true that Skelly has a real future in stand-up comedy. With jokes like this (and this), it’s really only a matter of time before Skelly realizes his true destiny.