Category: Local News

News and updates on players, coaches and more from Grand Rapids, MI #BeerCityUSA

Michael "Pops" Sims

Happy Birthday, Michael “Pops” Sims!

Happy Birthday, Pops!

 

So, who is this legend of Grand Rapids? Well…

Union Red Hawk All-Area & All-State guard during the ’83-84 season.

 

Marquette University legend.

Hoops Boss “Pops”!

Thanks for being a great mentor and wonderful person!

 

Happy Birthday, Dominic Shannon!

Happy Birthday to Beer City’s own Dominic Shannon, Founder of All-In Sports Training.

A graduate of East Kentwood High School, Shannon went on to play hoops at Saginaw Valley State University and the Grand Rapids Danger as a guard.

All-In Sports provides individual and group training for players age 5 and older at the Seidman Boys And Girls Club on Crofton SE every Saturday.

ALL-IN SPORTS

All-In Sports

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.

Nikki Thompkins Galaxy
Galaxy owner William Kelly, head coach Nikki Thompkins and GM/VP Darnell Hollis

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.