SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. - The Lake Superior State men's basketball team will continue Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) play this week as the team travels across the Upper Peninsula to take on the Michigan Tech Huskies and Northern Michigan Wildcats. The game against the Huskies is scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 9 at 7:30 p.m. at the SDC Gymnasium in Houghton, Mich. while the contest with the Wildcats is set for a 3:15 p.m. tipoff at the Berry Events Center in Marquette, Mich. on Saturday, Dec. 11.
Last Time Out
Last weekend, the Lakers opened their GLIAC season, hosting Wisconsin Parkside and Purdue Northwest in the Bud Cooper Gymnasium. The Lakers four game win streak was snapped by the Parkside Rangers on Thursday, Dec. 2 as the visitors earned an 84-62 win. Xander Okerlund led the team with 17 points in the game, as he went 6-for-11 including 3-for-6 from three. Malek Adams (12 points) and Justin Fischer (10 points) rounded out the team's top three scorers against the Rangers.
On Saturday afternoon, the Lakers responded with a 91-83 win over the Purdue Northwest Pride to get back in the win column and post the team's first conference victory of the season. Adams led the team with 26 points, including a team-high five three-pointers. All five starters for Lake State posted double-digit point totals in the win including David Wren (13 points), Okerlund (12 points), Kingsley Perkins (11 points) and Fischer (10 points). Fischer finished the game with a double-double as he added 10 assists in addition to his 10 points in the game.
The Lakers
The Lakers are led by Steve Hettinga, the all-time winningest coach in Laker Basketball history, who enters his 15th season in the role. Assistant coach Ted Stowe returns for his fifth season in the role on Hettinga's staff while assistant coach Hugh Clarke joins the staff for his first season. Through the first six games of the season, the Lakers have averaged 86.7 points per game, which ranks second in the GLIAC, on a 47.5 shooting percentage and 30.3 rebounds per game.
Lake Superior State will be led by a strong senior class which includes returners Kemon Bassett, Malek Adams, C.J. Robinson, David Wren, Justin Fischer and transfer Caden Ebeling, who joins the Lakers after a solid career at Albion College. Hettinga will look to this group's leadership on-and-off the court this season. Bassett, who was recently named to the All-GLIAC North Preseason Team.
For their play during the 2020-21 season, junior forward Kemon Bassett was named First Team All-GLIAC, redshirt senior guard Malek Adams was named Second Team All-GLIAC and junior guard C.J. Robinson was named to the All-GLIAC Defensive Team.
Lake Superior State will also be returning a junior class of Dan Few and Xander Okerlund as well as sophomores Blake Cassidy and Andy Soma.
Hettinga's squad will welcome a large freshman class this season with seven student-athletes joining the Lakers. The freshman class includes three players from Ann Arbor Huron High School (Tyson Edmondson, Kingsley Perkins and Devin Womack) who will look to build on their chemistry and success from their high school careers at the collegiate level. The remaining first-year players include Drew Hess, a 6-2 guard from Oscoda, Mich., Ben Patrick, a 6-2 guard from Oklahoma City, Okla., Kendall Smith, a 6-8 forward from Muskegon, Mich., and Hunter Soper, a 6-6 forward/guard from Lexington, Mich.
Leading the Lakers
Through the first six games of the 2021-22 season, four Lakers have averaged double-digit point per game totals. Adams leads the team with 17.0 points per game which ranks seventh in the conference. Ebeling follows with 14.8 points per game while Xander Okerlund (12.2) and Justin Fischer (10.7) round out the team's double-digit scorers. Freshman Tyson Edmondson's 75.0 shooting percentage from three this season leads all GLIAC players.
In addition to their offensive play, Ebeling (5.3) and Fischer (5.2) rank first and second on the team in rebounds. Fischer, who is averaging 25.8 minutes on the floor per game, ranks first on the Lakers and second in the conference in assists per game with 6.5. Adams ranks fourth among all GLIAC players in assists per game (4.7) and second in the conference in steals per game (2.3).
The Michigan Tech Huskies
The Huskies will look to extend their GLIAC winning streak against the Lakers as Michigan Tech holds a 2-0 conference record following the first weekend of play. Michigan Tech has combined for a 5-2 overall record this season and is coming off a one-point victory over Northern Michigan on Monday night (77-76). Through seven games this season, the Huskies average 73.3 points per game on a 48.8 shooting percentage while adding 30.6 rebounds per game. Michigan Tech is led by senior guard Owen White, who averages 19.0 points per game this season, which ranks fifth in the GLIAC. The Huskies are coached by Josh Buettner, who is in his first season in the role.
The Northern Michigan Wildcats
The Wildcats have compiled a 3-5 overall record through eight games this season, and an 0-2 mark to open GLIAC play this year. Northern Michigan opened its conference schedule last weekend against Northwood and Michigan Tech, falling in both games including a one-point loss to the Huskies (77-76). Through eight games this year, the Wildcats have averaged 72.6 points per game on a 41.4 shooting percentage and 34.8 rebounds per game. NMU is led by senior guard Max Bjorklund, who is averaging a team-leading 16.4 points per game. The Wildcats are led by Matt Majkrzak, who is in his third season in the role at Northern Michigan.
Up Next
The Lakers will take part in a holiday tournament in Melbourne, Fla. on Sunday, Dec. 19 and Monday, Dec. 20. The first game will be played against Lynn University at 4:30 p.m. and the Lakers will play the tournament host, Florida Tech, on Monday at 7:00 p.m.
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