Category: Local News
News and updates on players, coaches and more from Grand Rapids, MI #BeerCityUSA
Allen Durham wins back-to-back Best Import award in Philippines Basketball
For the second straight season, Allen Durham has taken home the award for Best Import in the Philippines Basketball Association.
After taking home the award last season, the former Grace Bible College standout returned to the islands this year and averaged 27.8 points, 19.4 rebounds and 7.1 assists while helping the Meralco Bolts back to the PBA Finals. Durham shot 49% from the field, 45% from behind the 3-point arc and 70% from the free throw line in nearly 40 minutes per game during conference play.
Meralco returned to the PBA Finals against rival Ginabray but find themselves in a 2-0 deficit heading into Game 3 on Wednesday.
Durham is the first player since Gabe Freeman, the winner of the Best Import in 2009 and 2010, to win back-to-back awards.
Nikki Thompkins named head coach of Grand Rapids Galaxy
When the Grand Rapids Galaxy open the 2018 Women’s Blue Chip Basketball League (WBCBL) season there will be a new voice in charge of the sidelines. Nikki Thompkins, a 1990 graduate of Creston High School in Grand Rapids, will take over the reigns as head coach.
When asked about the future of the Galaxy, Thompkins hopes to “build on the success of our inaugural season last year. We have revamped the staff but still bring a winning attitude to the new season. We look forward to a new style of play, increased sponsorship, great attendance and more community involvement.”
New GM/VP of Operations for the team, Darnell Hollis, made the move official today, announcing it on social media. Hollis, also a Creston HS graduate, spent last season as an assistant coach with the Galaxy.
“I loved playing for Creston High School. I’m a proud Polar Bear!!”
Thompkins starred for the Polar Bears before heading off to Central Michigan University (1991-1994). She ranks 12th on the Chippewa’s all-time scoring list with 1,258 points, averaging 12.0 points per game. The Galaxy will surely be practicing their shooting and rebounding early and often this season. Thompkins still ranks at the top of the list on CMU’s field-goal percentage rankings at 54.3% for her career. She holds the 10th place spot for rebounds at 780, or 7.4 boards per game.
Thompkins played alongside Grand Rapids Sports Hall of Fame recent inductee, Carla Sterk, during her time at CMU.
She then spent eight years as a professional player in Isreal, Portugal, Switzerland and Turkey. After her experiences working out with WNBA teams and training with UTS Sports Training, her passion for the game shows she is ready to lead the team to a successful season.
During last year’s City League Pride Weekend, an event put together by former Union High School All-Stater Michael “Pops” Sims (Marquette University), Thompkins led the Polar Bears squad to a tourney championship and was named MVP. When asked about the weekend, Thompkins showed her inner spirit and competitiveness, “That was awesome. It was great to represent my school and win. Bragging rights!!! I loved being the only female and dominating the guys! haha”
Hollis knew he wanted Thompkins to coach this team from the very start. “I wanted Nikki to be the coach when I was offered the job. My number one goal was to bring a coach that has passion and love for this game. When you want a team to win and have the passion it starts with the coach. I couldn’t think of a better person than Nikki,” Hollis told us in an interview. “I watched her in practice last year and listened to her talk about the game. I new she could lead a team and help develop a team to continue their career of playing professional basketball. Not to mention both of us being Polar Bears (Creston High School) helped a lot.”
The Galaxy are in good hands on the floor and in the office. Maybe a WBCBL championship isn’t so far, far away after all.
The 3-Point Turn: The Legacy of Michael Sanders
Finding a way through the world after the loss of a loved one is quite possibly the most difficult task to take on. Elizabeth Sanders has accepted that challenge and excelled at making sure her late husband’s legacy lives on.
Michael Sanders was an avid basketball player who grew up in the Wilcox Park neighborhood. His love for the game was only matched by his devotion to his family. After his cancer diagnosis in 2014, Michael fought the good fight and made sure that Elizabeth knew she was loved and would be taken care of. That fight lasted 18 months. On July 26, 2016, this world lost that fighter. But his legacy lives on.
Elizabeth set up a Patronicity campaign aimed at raising $12,500 in Michael’s name to be donated to update and reinvent the basketball courts at Wilcox Park, a place Mike was known to trash-talk the best of the trash-talkers. On September 11th, the campaign went live. Within three days, the goal had been reached and the Michigan Economic Development Coalition had agreed to match the $12,500 for a grand total of $25,000. But, the campaign was not over yet. With an closing fundraising date of November 10, 2017, we still have the opportunity to help raise funds for even more projects at Wilcox Park. While the original goal was to honor Mike and update the courts, there’s possibility of upgrading the bathroom facilities, the lighting and more. Oh yeah, there’s going to be a bench for us old fogies.
Campaign raises over $12500 in 3 days in honor of Michael Sanders
While Elizabeth is doing all she can to keep Mike’s legacy alive, she’s also jumping at the chance to chase her dreams, something her husband was adamant about. She’s currently researching and schooling herself in Thai Massage and Yoga (you’ll see her soon at Yoga Fever in GR), running and writing the flyoverwidow blog and looking to self-publish her new book (yet to be titled).
Listen to the podcast to hear her real emotions and the love that she has in her heart.
Maybe you’ll join us at the dedication on the basketball court at Wilcox Park and trash-talk the writer of this article. Hopefully, you’ll join us on the brick roads of Eastown to raise a glass and cheers Michael. We hope to see you there.
(photo courtesy of Abbey Moore Photography)
Happy Birthday, Steve Scheffler!
Happy Birthday to Steve Scheffler!
Scheffler starred at Forest Hills Northern during the mid-1980’s and made the All-State team in both basketball, as a center, and football, as a defensive tackle.
The 6-foot-9, 240-pound Scheffler was recruited in both sports, including interest from Michigan’s Bo Schembechler. Despite not playing much during his first two years at Purdue, Scheffler’s determination and grit led to his rise as a Boilermaker. After making the Sweet Sixteen as a sophomore, Purdue went 15-16 during Scheffler’s junior season, one that coach Gene Keady leaned heavily on the center. Senior season stats of 16.8 points and 6.1 rebounds, Purdue made it to the NCAA Tournament, losing in the second round to Texas.
Scheffler was drafted by the Charlotte Hornets in the 2nd round (39th overall) in the 1990 NBA Draft. He spent one season with Charlotte before the parties split ways. Scheffler would have stints with both the Denver Nuggets and Sacramento Kings before finding a home in Seattle.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5601200-tales-for-boilermaker-country
Joining the Supersonics for the 1992-92 season, Scheffler was on board for the Gary Payton and Shawn Kemp years. The Sonics lost to in the Western Conference Finals that year to the Phoenix Suns, but would stay afloat in the title chase for the next 4 seasons.
Scheffler made 4 appearances during the 1996 NBA Finals against Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls. The Bulls won the series 4-2.
For the Sonics’ 35th anniversary, a poll conducted found that Scheffler was their favorite 12th man.
Scheffler now owns and operates his own marketing business in Grand Rapids, MI.
Rex Reed Roundball Ruckus honors late teacher from Kenowa Hills
Samuel Reed is a local hip-hop musician who not only preaches, but teaches his love of God, family and friends.
Every summer since 2010, he’s put on an annual 3-on-3 basketball tournament, the Roundball Ruckus, honoring his late father, Rex Reed, a former educator and coach in the Kenowa Hills school district. This year’s tournament was held at his “International Office of Creativity” near Walker Ave. and 4 Mile Road on July 16th.
“It all started with my dad, Rex J Reed, who inspired me in and through the game of basketball (among other things), as well as many of my friends.”
After his dad’s passing in 2009, the younger Reed wanted to honor the man who taught him so much about life through the basketball court. So he decided to start this annual tournament to remember him by, as well as keep some of the close friends “in touch”.
Samuel told us that many of the people who loved to be out on the court with Rex had stopped playing as much since then. He also noticed a decline in outdoor play as a whole, which he blames more on the internet, generational changes and the availability of cost-efficient indoor courts.
Reed spoke of his desire to “be all about REAL outdoor three on three backyard basketball.”
A jack of many trades, Samuel makes most of the trophy hardware by hand and prints the t-shirts in his own shop.
“We have always given at least $100 to the winners, and two years ago we gave $200, since we had a better turn out.” 2016 saw the rains come in early in the day and wash out most of the competition. This year was much different with the clouds opening up and the sun shining down on the court.
Classic podcast: Steve Scheffler interview on The 3-Point Turn
This week’s The 3-Point Turn podcast is a re-airing of a classic interview with Grand Rapids’ own Steve Scheffler, who played in the NBA with the Seattle Supersonics and Boston Celtics among others.
Scheffler and GC talk about the NBA Finals, going 1-on-1 with Larry Bird and more.
Subscribe to the podcast free on iTunes!Â
Scheffler starred at Forest Hills Northern HS here in Beer City, USA before a stellar collegiate career playing for the legendary Gene Keady at Purdue University.
Scheffler was named #6 in GR’s Top 10 Hoopers from Beer City, put together by our staff.
Grand Rapids Galaxy join ranks as Beer City USA’s first women’s semi-pro hoops team
There’s a new basketball team coming to Grand Rapids!
Owner/CEO William Kelly is bringing the Grand Rapids Galaxy, the first women’s semi-professional basketball team from West Michigan, right here to Beer City, USA in May.
Kelly is looking to expand the area’s interest in women’s basketball past the high school and colleges games and believes there is a market for his team. Kelly has reached an agreement with the DeltaPlex, home of the Grand Rapids Drive, to host the Galaxy for the upcoming 2017 season.
After experiencing setbacks while an account executive with the Kalamazoo Pure, a semi-pro men’s team in the American Basketball Association, Kelly set his sights on becoming a team owner. The Pure team was disbanded in 2016 just days before the ABA championship when owner Rico White abruptly left West Michigan for Las Vegas amid swirling rumors and questions about the authenticity of his organization. At the time, Kelly told Fox17 news they were “told the direction was to become the development team of the [Chicago] Bulls, which you know we found that was just, you know, one of many lies.”
Kelly knows the challenge is an uphill battle, but continues to strive toward making this dream into a successful reality. Co-owner of Joy Consulting and a partner with the WBCBL’s Battle Creek Blazers, Kelly hired Dan Thornton to coach the team. Thornton, a veteran AAU coach and assistant at Kalamazoo College, formerly coached girls basketball at Kalamazoo Central HS.
This past Saturday, Galaxy players, coaches and staff, along with members of the dance team, held a meet and greet for fans at Polished Nail & Spa, 4301 Kalamazoo SE, from 1-3 p.m. There was even a dance competition between players Dakiya Johnson and Jamilya Hardley, two of the Galaxy Girls dance team, and a group of young fans.
“It was great to see a group of ladies all different ages, sizes and races come together and have a great time. This is just a small display of what we are about by providing positive female role models in the community.” -Galaxy Facebook post.
Tryouts took place in June of 2016 at the Courthouse Athletic Center in Byron Center, MI. Players must be over 18 years old with two years of college playing experience preferred. Transportation, meals and insurance will all be provided on game days for players.
The 2017 season will run from April to August with the Galaxy open their schedule on May 6, 2017 on the road against the Detroit Dodgers. The home schedule opens June 4, 2017 when the Dodgers come to town. The game starts at 3 p.m. and doors open at 2 p.m.
Tickets will start at $10 for General Admission. Courtside seats are $20 and Suite table packages for six people are $210 ($260 with food packages).
Bobby Kozminski charity basketball game to benefit KCSD’s Pavlovic family
GRAND RAPIDS, MI – On Saturday night at Kenowa Hills High School, the 10th Annual Robert Kozminski Memorial Games took place to benefit Hayden Pavlovic and his family with Childrens’ Hospital bills.
In 2007, GRPD Officer Robert “Bobby” Kozminski was killed in the line of duty. Every year since, a basketball game between the Kenowa Hills school’s teachers and local law enforcement to celebrate his life while raising money for a great cause.
Hayden, the son of Kent County Sheriff’s Department deputy Jeff Pavlovic, was born with Cri du Chat Syndrome and Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome. Both syndromes are rare. Hayden is the only child known to have both.
The first game was between
 local police and Kenowa Hills teachers.  The KHHS staff took an early lead behind Ross Hillock and Ken Fustian and never looked back. Kozminski’s son even got in on the action, scoring for the Kenowa Hills team in the second half, helping the KHHS team to a decisive win.
The KCSD had their K-9 Units, handlers and dogs both, in house meeting and greeting friends and family of both the Kozminski’s and Pavlov’s, as well as all local fans in attendance from throughout West Michigan. 
The second game was 
between Grand Rapids Police Department and KCSD. Local radio icon Bill “Huge” Simonson, who has been a big part of the Koz Classic Annual Golf Outing, threw on his basketball gear and played with the GRPD squad in the second game, promising to limit his game to only ten threes in the game.
It’s about Robert Kozminski, honoring his legacy. It’s about law enforcement, first responders…Kenowa giving back. Looks like one of the bigger crowds we’ve ever had nine years in on it. So, it’s for a great cause, a Kent County Sheriff’s Deputy’s family…It’s about West Michigan..so we respect law enforcement.
-Bill “HUGE” Simonsson, who promised to only take 10 three-point shots on the night
Cri du chat syndrome gets its name from the characteristic cry of affected infants, which is similar to that of a meowing kitten, due to problems with the larynx and nervous system. Wolf–Hirschhorn syndrome characteristics include a distinct craniofacial phenotype (microcephaly, micrognathia, short philtrum, prominent glabella, ocular hypertelorism, dysplastic ears and periauricular tags), growth restriction, intellectual disability, muscle hypotonia, seizures, and congenital heart defects.