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BAY CITY, Mich. - Michigan Technological University junior forward Ali Haidar (Windsor, Ont./Forster) and Hillsdale College senior guard Brad Guinane (St. Joseph, Mich.) have been chosen as the GLIAC Men's Basketball North and South Division "Players of the Week", respectively.
GLIAC North Division Player
of the Week:
Ali Haidar
Michigan Tech
6-7, Junior, Forward
Windsor, Ont./Forster
Junior forward Ali Haidar led
Michigan Tech to a share of the North Division title with a pair of
home wins last week. Haider averaged 27.5 points, 8.0
rebounds, 2.0 blocks and 1.5 assists in wins over Saginaw Valley
State and Northwood. He posted his 13th double-double of the
season with 25 points and 10 rebounds in the win over SVSU on
Thursday. Haidar then recorded his fourth 30-point
performance this year when poured in 30 points to go with six
rebounds and three blocks in the win over Northwood on
Saturday.
North Division Weekly Honor Roll: Jerrell Sanders - FS, Tyrone Lee - GV, Derek Billing - LS, DeAndre Taylor - NM, Wes Wilcox - NU, Bret Beland - SV.
2011-12 North Division "Players of the Week":
(11/15) B. Lewis - NU; (11/21) C. Webb - SV; (11/28) K. Brown
- FS; (12/5) J. Thomas - GV; (12/12) A. Haidar - MT; (12/20) N.
Waddell - GV; (1/3) B. Hogan - GV; (1/9) K. Hunt - LS; (1/17) M.
Schaaf - SV; (1/23) B. Lewis - NU; (1/30) D. Billing - LS;
(2/6) J. Thomas - GV; (2/13) B. Lewis - NU; (2/20) B.
Lewis - NU; (2/27) A. Haidar - MT.
GLIAC South Division Player
of the Week:
Brad Guinane
Hillsdale
6-6, Senior, Forward
St. Joseph, Mich.
Senior forward Brad Guinane hit the game-winning shot with nine seconds to play in Hillsdale’s 84-83 overtime win at Ferris State Wednesday. He led the Chargers with 20 points and 11 rebounds, while adding two assists and two steals in the victory. Guinane, who collects his second GLIAC South “Player of the Week” award, currently ranks sixth in the GLIAC in 3-point field goal percentage (.448), is seventh in free throw percentage (.827), is tied for eighth in rebounding (6.5 rpg) and ranks 14th in scoring (13.5 ppg).
South Division Weekly Honor Roll: Kyle Caiola - UF, Brandon Smith - LE, Aaron Gibbs - OD, Brandon Harris - TU, Ian Larkin - WS.
2011-12 South Division
"Players of the Week": (11/15) T.Spahr - TU; (11/21) K.
Finley - TU; (11/28) I. Udanoh - WS;
(12/5) N. Washburn - HC; (12/12) E. Yates - AU; (12/20) C. Prophet
- WS; (1/3) B. Guinane - HC; (1/9) R. Steward - AU; (1/17) I.
Udanoh - WS; (1/23) E. Yates - AU; (1/30) T. Gerber - HC; (1/17) I.
Udanoh - WS; (2/13) J. Graessle - TU; (2/20) K. Caiola - UF; (2/27)
B. Guinane - HC.
Ashland Eagles
The Eagles dropped their regular
season finale at Lake Erie on Saturday, 84-76. The Eagles finished
the regular season with 15 wins and 10 GLIAC wins, both are the
most under third-year coach John Ellenwood. AU also advanced to its
first GLIAC Tournament since 2010. On Saturday, junior forward Evan
Yates (Cincinnati, Ohio/Walnut Hills) recorded his 16th
double-double with 23 points and 13 rebounds. He shot 8-for-9 from
the field and was 7-for-10 at the line. He ended the regular season
as the conference leader in scoring (20.8), rebounding (11.4),
field goal percentage (.608) and double-doubles. Yates has the
highest scoring season (519 points) for Ashland since the 2000-01
season when Isaac Kincaid scored 540 points. The Eagles finished
the regular season with a 12-2 mark at Kates Gymnasium, winning
their last 11 on their home floor. They are 31-11 at home under
Ellenwood. The Eagles travel to Hillsdale on Wednesday for the
GLIAC Tournament opener. AU dropped a pair of games to the Chargers
in the regular season, including an 81-78 overtime decision at
Hillsdale on Dec. 17.
Ferris State Bulldogs
FSU claimed a share of the GLIAC North Division Championship with an exciting 63-56 win over rival Grand Valley State on Saturday (Feb. 25) night in the regular-season finale at the GVSU Fieldhouse Arena... With the win, the Bulldogs finished tied atop the GLIAC North with both Michigan Tech and Northwood as all three teams finished with 13-6 league records. The title is the second-straight for the Bulldogs, who won the GLIAC North outright a year ago en route to the NCAA Division II Sweet Sixteen... In the league’s tiebreaker formula, Michigan Tech will earn the fourth seed for next week’s GLIAC Tournament and host the fifth-seeded Bulldogs on Wednesday (Feb. 29) night in quarterfinal-round play at Houghton... Senior forward Jerrell Sanders (Grand Rapids/Creston) ed the Bulldogs with 16 points and 11 rebounds in the game while junior forward Daniel Sutherlin (Detroit/Renaissance) chipped in with 13 points. Both players had big nights inside against a bigger Laker lineup.
Findlay
Oilers
The Oilers secured the #2 seed in
the GLIAC Tournament with a 75-62 win at Lake Superior State
University on Saturday. The win also gave the Oilers a 20-6
record on the year, their tenth straight season with at least 20
wins. Senior guard Kyle Caiola led the way with 24 points,
six rebounds and five assists. On the year, Caiola is
averaging 14.5 points, 3.8 assists and 2.7 rebounds per game.
Freshman forward Jake Heagen added 11 points while sophomore
forward Greg Kahlig and junior forward Jack Smith had ten points
apiece.
Grand Valley State Lakers
GVSU dropped its final regular
season game of the season, a 63-56 home decision to Ferris State on
Saturday night. The loss snapped the Lakers’ four-game home
winning streak…Grand Valley State heads to Findlay for a
GLIAC Tournament Quarterfinal game on Wednesday night. It will be
the 18th time the two teams have met since 2004-05 and will be the
seventh game these teams have played in the postseason during that
time. Since 2004-05, (which was head coach Ric Wesley’s first
season in Allendale) UF leads the series by a 9-8 margin. The
Oilers defeated GVSU by a 68-57 margin on Feb. 16 in
Findlay…Grand Valley State has won a league-best six GLIAC
Tournament titles (1991, 1992, 1997, 2001, 2006, 2008) and owns a
21-8 all-time record in the tournament.
Hillsdale Chargers
The Hillsdale College men’s basketball team enters the 2012 GLIAC Men’s Basketball Tournament as the number one seed for the first time in school history…The Chargers will host Ashland University in Wednesday’s quarterfinal game at Hillsdale…This is the first-ever meeting between these South Division rivals in the conference tournament…Hillsdale finished the season with a 22-4 overall record, its most wins in a season since 2000-01, and a school-record 16 GLIAC wins…The Chargers are 5-13 all-time in the conference tournament…After not ever playing a home conference tournament game from 1991-2008, the Chargers have now hosted a quarterfinal game in three of the past four years under coach John Tharp…Hillsdale finished the regular season leading the GLIAC in average points allowed per game, scoring margin and lowest opponents’ field goal percentage.
Lake Erie Storm
Lake Erie College finished its season 10-16 overall and 5-14 in GLIAC play. The five conference victories mark a two-game improvement in its second season as a GLIAC member. This past weekend, the Storm fell at Tiffin University, 80-67, before closing its season with a 84-76 win over Ashland University on Senior Day. Senior guard Brandon Smith (Bedford, Ohio/Bedford/Cuyahoga Community College) matched his career-high with 16 points and senior forward Matt Grendel (Independence, Ohio/Independence) scored a season-high 12 points, in their final games as members of the Storm. Smith shared top scoring honors for Lake Erie with sophomore center Rich Austin (Cleveland, Ohio/St. Ignatius) who had 16 points and a game-high seven rebounds. Austin finished the season as Lake Erie’s leader in scoring (12.2 ppg.) and rebounding (6.2 ppg) while Thomas also averaged double figure scoring (10.3 ppg.).
Lake Superior State Lakers
GVSU dropped its final regular season game of the season, a 63-56 home decision to Ferris State on Saturday night. The loss snapped the Lakers’ four-game home winning streak…Grand Valley State heads to Findlay for a GLIAC Tournament Quarterfinal game on Wednesday night. It will be the 18th time the two teams have met since 2004-05 and will be the seventh game these teams have played in the postseason during that time. Since 2004-05, (which was head coach Ric Wesley’s first season in Allendale) UF leads the series by a 9-8 margin. The Oilers defeated GVSU by a 68-57 margin on Feb. 16 in Findlay…Grand Valley State has won a league-best six GLIAC Tournament titles (1991, 1992, 1997, 2001, 2006, 2008) and owns a 21-8 all-time record in the tournament.
Michigan Tech Huskies
TMichigan Tech won the GLIAC North Division with a 77-67 win over Northwood. The Huskies avenged an early loss to Saginaw Valley this year with a 85-58 win over the Cardinals. Junior Ali Haidar scored 30 points against Northwood, this fourth game this season over 30 points. He recorded his 13th double-double of the season with 25 points and 10 rebounds against Saginaw Valley. Tech tied a school record with three turnovers against Northwood. Tech will host Ferris State Wednesday in the first round of the GLIAC Tournament.
Northern Michigan Wildcats
The Northern Michigan men’s basketball team concluded its season at 9-17 overall and 5-14 in the conference…NMU finishes in seventh place in the north division…The Wildcats dropped an 81-53 decision at home on Feb. 23 to eventual north division champion Northwood and picked up a thrilling 76-74 win over Saginaw Valley State on Feb. 25…The win against SVSU snapped a nine game losing streak for NMU…Senior guard DeAndre Taylor scored a career-high 23 points, including a buzzer beating layup as time expired…Senior center Jared Benson became the 29th player in NMU men’s basketball history to reach the 1,000 point mark, doing so in the loss to Northwood…Benson and Taylor were honored before the game against SVSU as the only two graduating seniors on the team.
Northwood Timberwolves
Northwood earned a share of the third GLIAC North Division title in program history last week, going 1-1 overall … NU won 81-53 at Northern Michigan before falling at Michigan Tech 77-67 … Northwood had won a school-record eight straight game prior to the loss at Michigan Tech … the Timberwolves also matched the school record for Division II victories in a season with 16 … Northwood shared the North title with Michigan Tech and Ferris State … NU last two North titles came in the 1997-98 and 1998-99 seasons … the Timberwolves featured a balanced attack last week – nine players averaged between 5.5 and 13.5 points per game … Northwood was led by Wes Wilcox (Roselle, Ill./Harper), who averaged 13.5 points per game … NU, who would have been the No. 2 seed in the GLIAC tournament with a win at Michigan Tech, is now the No. 6 seed in the event … Northwood will travel to Wayne State Wednesday night (February 29) … NU defeated WSU in Detroit earlier this season 70-63.
Ohio Dominican Panthers
After suffering an 86-72 setback to Notre Dame College on Wednesday, Ohio Dominican’s men’s basketball team bounced back with a 70-66 comeback win over Tiffin in Saturday’s season finale…ODU trailed by as many as 14 in the first half but outscored the Dragons 41-30 in the final 20 minutes…The Panthers were a perfect 16-for-16 at the free throw line, setting a school-record for most makes without a miss at the line, and it was also the best mark in the GLIAC this year…Senior forward Aaron Gibbs (Oberlin, Ohio) scored his 1,000th career point at Notre Dame and finished with 1,023 in his career…Junior guard Morgan Jones (Oberlin, Ohio) had his fifth 20-point game of the year with 22 against Tiffin, hitting 8-of-10 shots. He closed the year as one of five GLIAC players to be in the top 20 in scoring (12.7, 19th) and top 15 in assists (3.0, T-12th) and steals (2.1, T-1st) per game…Jones’ 55 steals were the most by a Panther since Mike Lee had 65 in the 2001-02 season…ODU finished the regular season fourth in the GLIAC in steals (7.2/game) and fifth in blocked shots (3.3/game).
Saginaw Valley State Cardinals
SVSU dropped both contests last week with losses at Michigan Tech on Thursday (Feb. 23), 85-58, and at Northern Michigan on Saturday (Feb. 25), 76-74. The Cardinals finished the season with a 10-16 overall record and 6-13 in the conference. Brett Beland led the Cardinals in scoring both games after posting 11 points against the Huskies and a career-high 29 points against the Wildcats. Chris Webb led SVSU in scoring this season at 14.2 points per game and ranks 11th in the conference. SVSU was fifth in the conference in free throw percentage at 74.9% and ranked in the top 40 nationally. Brett Beland finished the year second in the GLIAC and in the top ten nationally in free throw percentage going 72-for-79 (91.1). Redman finished 11th in the conference from the charity stripe at 81.9%. Greg Foster led the team and ranked third in the GLIAC in assists (4.5), seventh in steals (1.7) and 17th in rebounds (5.6) per game.
Tiffin Dragons
The Dragons went 1-1 on the week…On Feb. 23, Tiffin beat Lake Erie 80-67 to guarantee its first winning season in six years … Brandon Harris had 13 points, 10 rebounds and blocked 10 shots, the second triple double in school history, first at the NCAA DII level … On Feb. 25, Karl Finley had 18 and Travis Spahr scored 17 as TU lost 70-66 to Ohio Dominican … The Dragons are 9-4 over the last 13 games … Career, Joe Graessle is fourth with 166 3-pointers made and fifth with 444 3-point attempts … Graessle hit 91 triples this season, breaking the season record of 89 by Ricky Spencer (1992-93) … As a team, the Dragons have blocked a school record 160 shots and are second in 3-pointers made and attempted (210, 604).
Wayne State Warriors
Wayne State will be making its fourth consecutive GLIAC tournament appearance this Wednesday and ninth in head coach David Greer’s 11 seasons at the helm of the Warriors. WSU has won both home playoff games under Greer. This is Wayne State’s 14th GLIAC tournament appearance, tied for third most with Hillsdale behind Michigan Tech (16) and Grand Valley (15). GVSU leads with six tournament titles, while Findlay has five. WSU is third winning its fourth last year. Senior guard Dale Brundidge (Southfield, Mich./Detroit Country Day) will become the 19th player in school history with 100 games played on Wednesday. Senior center Ike Udanoh (Detroit, Mich./Warren Woods Tower) is approaching 1,000 collegiate points having scored 35 at Long Island and 956 at WSU. Junior forward Ian Larkin (Detroit, Mich./Renaissance) is shooting 56 percent from the field (121-of-216) this season, which is 11th all-time of those with at least 120 made. He also has the highest three-point percentage (53.6) of those with 30 made in a year. Larkin is 10th in blocks in a year with 40 and 12th in free throw percentage (82.5%, 47-of-57).
