MBB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[tartanpride2016]

Grand Rapids West Catholic High School senior forward Michael Morris (6-4, 20.5 ppg) announced on his Twitter feed he's committed to Calvin. #sallballhaul

Another 20 ppg big guard, to complement the huge post player recruits? I had wondered if Calvin BB fortunes might be descending after the graduation of so much of its talent. But Bill Sall looks to have a recruiting class that must be the envy of other MIAA coaches (though Greg Mitchell, I suspect, is happy with his recruits). Calvin fans must be smiling at the rebuilding possibilities.

It feels like Sall is bringing in a plethora of high-impact guards. Are there really enough minutes out there for these guys to all play/stay more than this year? I just don't see how they all remain happy. Perhaps existing players hit the portal or stop playing? Interested in how this all shakes out...this class has to be about done now right? So many guys...

That being said, I love Michael Morris' game. Followed him all year at WC, one heck of a ball player. Had a knack on the glass too, just a great ball player. Will be a great addition for Calvin.

[KnightSlappy]

Grand Rapids West Catholic High School senior forward Michael Morris (6-4, 20.5 ppg) announced on his Twitter feed he's committed to Calvin. #sallballhaul

Another 20 ppg big guard, to complement the huge post player recruits? I had wondered if Calvin BB fortunes might be descending after the graduation of so much of its talent. But Bill Sall looks to have a recruiting class that must be the envy of other MIAA coaches (though Greg Mitchell, I suspect, is happy with his recruits). Calvin fans must be smiling at the rebuilding possibilities.

It feels like Sall is bringing in a plethora of high-impact guards. Are there really enough minutes out there for these guys to all play/stay more than this year? I just don't see how they all remain happy. Perhaps existing players hit the portal or stop playing? Interested in how this all shakes out...this class has to be about done now right? So many guys...

That being said, I love Michael Morris' game. Followed him all year at WC, one heck of a ball player. Had a knack on the glass too, just a great ball player. Will be a great addition for Calvin.

I actually think it's a fairly balanced class, but it is heavier on the 2-guard spot. Depends on who you want to call a guard or forward or wing player, or if positions even matter that much. I don't know these players a ton but maybe they're only missing a true PG type.

C , Jalen Overway, 6-9, Holland Christian
F/C, Sam Leppien, 6-10, Alma
F, Brady Ewing, 6-7, Petoskey
F/G, Michael Morris, 6-4, West Catholic
F/G, Trevin Winkle, 6-4, Northern MI Christian
G, Owen Varnado, 6-6, Western MI Christian
G, DJ Potts-Heard, 6-3, Cookeville (TN)
G, Luka Ressler, 6-3, GR Catholic Central
G, Brock Broderick, 6-3, Traverse City Christian

These players all had pretty good HS careers, most were named to All-State lists, but the way things go several probably won't work out at the college level. Calvin is only returning 3 players who got significant rotation minutes next year (one SR, two JRs by class) so there are plenty of minutes available in the next few years for players to establish themselves (along with the rising SO class).

In theory Calvin has enough minutes to give 5-6 of these players PT next season. 6-7 players the following year, and 8-9 players when this class hits their JR and SR years. That's if they all work out and that many are ready to play the college game from the off, which is highly unlikely. I would set the over/under at 2.5 players on this list being in the rotation for conference play next season.

[Flying Dutch Fan]

Love all the recruit discussion - which got me thinking about looking back at the last two years (how long I've been tracking it) and seeing how those recruits impacted their schools duiring their first year on campus.  There are certainly lots of variables that enter into whether a recruit sees the floor in year 1 or not.  Some of it is about the recruit, including their skillset and ability to adapt to the college game and college life.  It's also about the makeup of the team and availability of playing time.

So here is what I found  for the last 2 years of recruits.:
(NOTE: This is based just on who we knew had "signed/committed" to a given school - including transfers.  I am not including the freshmen who played but were "unknown" as a recruit)

SCHOOL -- TOTAL RECRUITS -- # WHO PLAYED VARSITY -- TOTAL VARSITY MIN -- % OF VARSITY MIN

20-21 Season
Adrian -- 4 -- 2 -- 112 -- 3.5%
Albion -- 9 -- 6 -- 154 -- 5.4%
Alma -- 9 -- 4 -- 598 -- 21.4%
Calvin -- 15 -- 5 -- 917 -- 38.2%
Hope -- 17 -- 5 -- 57 -- 2.3%
Kazoo -- 4 -- 4 -- 378 -- 23.7%
Olivet -- 10 -- 2 -- 174 -- 4.8%
Trine -- 9 -- 2 -- 54 --- 1.5%

21-22 Season (NOTE: Not sure why but I/we never captured the GS transfers to Calvin for this season)
Adrian -- 3-- 2 -- 263 -- 5.1%
Albion -- 6 -- 2 -- 31 -- 0.6%
Alma -- 8 -- 3 -- 287 -- 5.9%
Calvin -- 10 -- 6 -- 172 -- 2.8%
Hope -- 5 -- 2 -- 140 -- 2.4%
Kazoo -- 3 -- 3 -- 1920 -- 36.9%
Olivet -- 5 -- 2 -- 387 -- 7.4%
Trine -- 6 -- 3 -- 335 --- 6.2%

[Flying Dutch Fan]

Updated recruit list - corrections/additions appreciated:

[EDIT] - never fails, I post the list and sure enough an hour later a new recruit on twitter   6-5 F Blake Pistro - New Albany OH to Hope (and added below)

Player	Height	Position	High School	College
Jake Slezinger	6-3	SG	Gibraltar Carlson (MI)	Adrian
Andrew Tiemeyer	6-3	G	Allendale (MI)	Adrian
Ethan Krueger	6-7	PF/C	Mona Shores (MI)	Adrian
Nate Childers	6-2	PG	Benzie Central (MI)	Albion
Nathan Steinman	6-2	G	Clarkston (MI)	Albion
Cooper Bright	6-3	G	Alpena (MI)	Albion
Jerod "Beck" Willems	6-3	G	Bethany Christian (Goshen IN)	Albion
Michael Calhoun	6-6	F	Riverview Gabriel Tichard (MI)	Albion
Dray Chase	6-0	PG	Okemos (MI)	Alma
Dylan Cragg	6-4	G	Grayling (MI)	Alma
Brock Broderick	6-3	G	Traverse City Christian (MI)	Calvin
DeJuan Potts-Heard	6-3	G	Cookeville HS (Cookeville TN)	Calvin
Luka Ressler	6-3	G	GR Catholic Central (MI)	Calvin
Michael Morris	6-4	F	West Catholic (MI)	Calvin
Trevin Winkle	6-4	G	Northern MI Christian (MI)	Calvin
Owen Varnado	6-6	F	Western MI Christian (MI)	Calvin
Brady Ewing	6-7	PF	Petoskey (MI)	Calvin
Jalen Overway	6-9	PF/C	Holland Christian (MI)	Calvin
Sam Leppien	6-10	C	Alma (MI)	Calvin
Justice Mims	6-2	PG/SG	Rochester Adams (MI)	Hope
Ethan Crabtree	6-5	PG/SG	Coldwater (MI)	Hope
Blake Pistro	6-5	F	New Albany (OH)	Hope
Carson Sanders	6-5	SG	Hanover-Horton (MI)	Hope
Nic Stump	6-5	SF	Grand Haven (MI)	Hope
Andrew Leeper	6-6	PF	Homestead (Ft Wayne IN)	Hope
Carter Bandemer	6-2	G	Howell (MI)	Kalamazoo
Caleb Caul	6-2	G	Grayling (MI)	Kalamazoo
Hayden Garrison	6-8	C	Gull Lake (MI)	Olivet
Drew Cwik	6-1	G	South Elgin HS (Elgin IL)	Trine
Mason Gladieux	6-2	G	Crossroads Christian (Henderson NC)	Trine
Ryan Schroeder	6-3	G	Central Noble  (Albion IN)	Trine
Nate Tucker	6-5	G/F	Marshall (MI)	Trine
Logan Gard	6-7	PF	Central Noble  (Albion IN)	Trine
Logan McKenzie	6-7	F	Byron Center (MI)	Trine

[sac]

Josh Elliot  6-5 G/F Freeland will attend Alma

[Dutchman17]

Grand Rapids West Catholic High School senior forward Michael Morris (6-4, 20.5 ppg) announced on his Twitter feed he's committed to Calvin. #sallballhaul

Another 20 ppg big guard, to complement the huge post player recruits? I had wondered if Calvin BB fortunes might be descending after the graduation of so much of its talent. But Bill Sall looks to have a recruiting class that must be the envy of other MIAA coaches (though Greg Mitchell, I suspect, is happy with his recruits). Calvin fans must be smiling at the rebuilding possibilities.

It feels like Sall is bringing in a plethora of high-impact guards. Are there really enough minutes out there for these guys to all play/stay more than this year? I just don't see how they all remain happy. Perhaps existing players hit the portal or stop playing? Interested in how this all shakes out...this class has to be about done now right? So many guys...

That being said, I love Michael Morris' game. Followed him all year at WC, one heck of a ball player. Had a knack on the glass too, just a great ball player. Will be a great addition for Calvin.

From a roster balance perspective, probably only a max of 6 or 7 from this class will be on the varsity roster after their freshman year.  The 2-3 lowest performers will move on - a good problem to have

[TUAngola]

Trine to play in next season's Great Lakes Invitational D3 MBB tournament at Wabash College. 

Schedule as follows:

Friday, November 18 - at Wabash College
1:00 p.m. – Trine vs. Benedictine
3:00 p.m. – Baldwin Wallace vs. Rose-Hulman
5:30 p.m. – Keene State vs. Maryville
7:30 p.m. – Marietta vs. Wabash

Saturday, November 19 - at Wabash College
1:00 p.m. – Trine vs. Rose-Hulman
3:00 p.m. – Benedictine vs. Baldwin Wallace
5:30 p.m. – Marietta vs. Keene State
7:30 p.m. – Maryville vs. Wabash

[HOPEful]

I stand by my previous critique that the Great Lakes Invitational really needs a new name. With the exception of Baldwin Wallace (and Lake Erie is definitely the worst Great Lake) and Benedictine (kinda, Lisle is pretty far west and straight through downtown Chicago to get to Lake Michigan), none of these schools are really anywhere near a Great Lake.

But it's still a cool tournament that I hope continued to happen year after year.

[ziggy]

I stand by my previous critique that the Great Lakes Invitational really needs a new name. With the exception of Baldwin Wallace (and Lake Erie is definitely the worst Great Lake) and Benedictine (kinda, Lisle is pretty far west and straight through downtown Chicago to get to Lake Michigan), none of these schools are really anywhere near a Great Lake.

But it's still a cool tournament that I hope continued to happen year after year.

I don't know, I think Great Lakes Invitational still works better than Region 7 Invitational.

[Gregory Sager]

(and Lake Erie is definitely the worst Great Lake)

Gordon Lightfoot begs to differ.

Besides, Lake Erie is quite lovely when it freezes over -- which it does vastly more often than its four sisters, since it's so ridiculously shallow for a lake its size. The icescapes created by freeze-and-thaw cycles on a frozen Lake Erie are often otherworldly:

I don't know, I think Great Lakes Invitational still works better than Region 7 Invitational.

Agreed.

[WUPHF]

I understand the point about the Great Lakes Invitational, but the name does have a certain cachet to it.  It feels like it has been around forever and always will be around.  I cannot think of anything else to name it that would do that to be honest.

I'll leave it at that, lest I bore you all again about how the Great Lakes Conference is the worst name for a conference that has its geographical center around St. Louis.

[Flying Dutch Fan]

Josh Elliot  6-5 G/F Freeland will attend Alma

The overall size of this recruiting class (thus far) seems to be pointing to a potential shift in the league.  Now maybe it's too early to make that kind of statement, but just comparing the recruits from last year to this year is pretty telling.

2021 recruits - 36 total - avg height 6 ft 1.6 in - 5 recruits > 6-4 - 7 recruits < 6-0

2022 recruits - 35 total - avg height 6 ft 4.3 in - 16 recruits > 6-4 - 0 recruits < 6-0

[oldknight]

I stand by my previous critique that the Great Lakes Invitational really needs a new name. With the exception of Baldwin Wallace (and Lake Erie is definitely the worst Great Lake) and Benedictine (kinda, Lisle is pretty far west and straight through downtown Chicago to get to Lake Michigan), none of these schools are really anywhere near a Great Lake.

But it's still a cool tournament that I hope continued to happen year after year.

By general definition, the Great Lakes Region is comprised of any US state and Canadian province that at least partly borders one or more of the Great Lakes. Using that definition, I believe 6 of the 8 teams competing in the invitational are within the Great Lakes Region. Keene State and Maryville are the only competing institutions outside of a Great Lakes state.

[HOPEful]

By general definition, the Great Lakes Region is comprised of any US state and Canadian province that at least partly borders one or more of the Great Lakes....

General definition? By that definition, New York City and Philidelphia are both in the Great Lakes region.

Here's a map of the GL region from the USDA based on conservational activity.


Here's a map of the GL region from the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence cities initiative...


Here's one based on infrastructure management...

[oldknight]

By general definition, the Great Lakes Region is comprised of any US state and Canadian province that at least partly borders one or more of the Great Lakes....

General definition? By that definition, New York City and Philidelphia are both in the Great Lakes region.

You are correct as the map in this link shows: https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Great_Lakes_region_(North_America)

The maps you show are basically the area comprising the Great Lakes Basin. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Lakes_Basin 

Your objection to the D3 invitational name would resonate better if the tournament host would label it as the Great Lakes Basin Invitational. But in the spirit of diversity and inclusiveness--a high value on any college campus these days--they left it open-ended.