MBB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[AndersDY]

If we're not concerned about going for players who played their full careers in that decade, Holstege graduated 10 years ago. Two Final Four all tourney teams, what did he put up, 39 in a losing effort against the "D3" champs? I think I'd put him on over Phillips.

[thealmascots]

Holstege is obviously over Phillips, but I didn't think he was in the discussion.  I figured the last ten seasons being 1999-2008.

[sac]

Ron Barczak was a tough player for Kazoo, but he was an off guard.  The big guy you are thinking of was Mike Buss.  I believe he was closer to 6'11"  Not a ton of talent, but definitely a difference maker in the MIAA, which doesn't see many 6'11" guys.

I never was very good at remembering former Kzoo players.   You're correct.

[sac]

MIAA team of the decade, or D3hoops era.  I suppose Joel Holstege technically qualifies. 

But I'd like to see Brandon Crawford and Michael Thomas from Albion fit in there somewhere along with Chad Kahle from Defiance.  Kahle and Crawford might be the best big men the league's seen since the Honderd, Gugino, Bosma era.


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Some other notable MIAA players................

Dirk Rhinehart from Kzoo was a 3 time First Team All-MIAA, Brad Phillips was a two time First Teamer.

Another forgotten former Briton who's teams weren't quite as successful as DePree, Thomas and Crawford would be Tim Czarnecki.  That guy just went out and played hard every single game I ever saw.  He was a First Team All-MIAA selection in 98, 99 and 00.

Big Bruce Lawrence of Olivet, along with Jeff Bell, who once dropped about 45 on the Dutchmen one afternoon. 

Adrian had Steve Brooks and Brian Schaefer.......both were multiple first teamers.

We had Anthony Jones from Alma, who was on his way to leading the MIAA in scoring for 4 years before running into trouble.

Off the current rosters I don't think its too early to mention Caleb Veldhouse, Calvin and Tony Benford, Tri-State.

A couple others who had great Sr. seasons were Dan Aultman, Calvin and Don Overbeek, Hope.

I think we could make two pretty good rosters, from the past decade.

[MWKnight]

Great Topic!!
But I will take:
Winkle
Veenstra
DePree
Holstege
VanderHeide

VS any 5 combo

[MWKnight]

I just think that those 5 players were the most valuable in the most accurate definition of the word.  Their respective teams would have lost multiple games without their all-around games...I know KVS would take Winkle over any player, and I would also think that Turner and GVW would choose both DePree and Holstege as their MVP's as well

[MWKnight]

In my biased opinion, I would come off the bench with Aultman, Veldhouse, Prins, Meulenberg, A. Jones

HM:
Meckes
Crawford
Cramer
Immink
Kroschell

[MWKnight]

championship players on championship teams

...minus Jones

[hope1]

you have to put eric elliot  on the all decade team to i think

[goodknight]

you have to put eric elliot  on the all decade team to i think

If you're a faithful follower of Scandinavian hoops.

[HopeConvert]

I'll stick to players I've seen (which would be only the last 4 years). The guard positions are pretty easy:

Caleb Veldhouse - Calvin
Stephen Cramer - Hope

As is the center:

Brandon Crawford - Albion

The forward positions I find difficult. No one has really stood out to me in terms of consistent play. Still, I suppose I would have to go with:

Marcus VanderHeide - Hope
Dan Aultman - Calvin (not sure if that's the right spot for him, but I think it would work).

Two players who get honorable mention: Isaac Smith from Alma, though I'm not quite sure how to evaluate him because that team was so bad, and Kyle Trewhella from Calvin, who wasn't the prettiest player to watch, but was gutty and knew how to win. I like guys who leave it all on the floor, and Kyle was one of those.

My MVP would be Cramer. Too bad we waited until the NCAA Tourney his senior year to unleash him.

[ChicagoHopeNut]

My MVP would be Cramer. Too bad we waited until the NCAA Tourney his senior year to unleash him.

Amen. I have always wished GVW would allow his best player to be more of a go to guy from day one of the season. Unfortunately, due to so much all around talent and many blow out games the starters historically never played much and like this year's team anyone of the starters was capable of a big night. I think that is great but when you have a player like Cramer I would have liked to see him establish himself as the go to guy, can't be stopped guy from day one. (He started to play like that in the MIAA tourney and it was just a pleasure to listen to, I imagine it was even more fun to watch).

[hope_hoops1]

Picking the team of the decade is tough.  I've got too many players running through my head and I could argue for any of the players below.  All of the players were excellent on both ends of the court and seemed to be team-first guys as well.

Winkle - His senior year might be the single best year of the group as he lead the Knights to a national championship.
Veenstra - Outstanding freshman year put him on the map from day 1 and was able to maintain a high level for the next three years while being #1, 2 and 3 focus for opposition.
Crawford - Once out of DePree's shadow, we all saw what he was capable of doing, and that was dominating inside.
DePree - Excellent all around player that filled up a stat sheet, plus many more intangibles.
Aultman - Short MIAA career, but he solidified that Calvin group that made it to the final four.
Cramer - Capable of putting up huge numbers (as seen by his final games) with an outstanding all-around offensive game.
D. Overbeek - Didn't blossom until his senior year, but no one wanted to match up with him.
A. Jones - Great scorer and part of the "Oh what could have been" at Alma with Barnes.
Schaefer - Gritty competitor with a solid body of work at Adrian.

The last spot of the top 10 could go to many players...Phillips (Hope), Thomas (Albion), Immink (Hope) or Veldhouse (Calvin) but I'll go with Immink since we need someone to pass the rest of these guys the ball.

[ChicagoHopeNut]

I am really starting to get excited about tonight's two big MIAA games. The battle at Kresge ought to be excellent. I also think tonight's game at Adrian may be Hope's most important to date. Adrian played Hope very tough at DeVos and its athleticism can present a challenge. A loss tonight and Hope will be tied for first against either Albion or Calvin and still face a difficult home game against Calvin next Wednesday. The more I think about it the more I realize this game is huge!

[Erm Schmigget]

My MVP would be Cramer. Too bad we waited until the NCAA Tourney his senior year to unleash him.

Amen. I have always wished GVW would allow his best player to be more of a go to guy from day one of the season. Unfortunately, due to so much all around talent and many blow out games the starters historically never played much and like this year's team anyone of the starters was capable of a big night. I think that is great but when you have a player like Cramer I would have liked to see him establish himself as the go to guy, can't be stopped guy from day one. (He started to play like that in the MIAA tourney and it was just a pleasure to listen to, I imagine it was even more fun to watch).

I've had these thoughts about Cramer, too.  He has the most athletic player I've seen on Hope's team in the past several years.  For someone not particularly tall, he was able to get up for dunks, blocks and rebounds with more ease and grace than you typically see in DIII.  I'm not sure what triggered the fantastic performances in last year's tourneys, but that was the kind of play I was hoping to see from him in Wittenburg a year earlier.  That was a disappointing game, but not just for Stephen...the whole team played the ugliest offense I'd seen that whole year.  They only had a chance in that game because of some great defense.  I wasn't at the Wash U game last year, but it sounds like it was about the same (except for Cramer's offensive effort, of course).