MBB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[formerd3db]

Yes, Willie Dawkins was indeed a great player.  Don't forget Dan Stolz of Alma either, current Okemos H.S. Head Coach who's team may be headed for a State Class A championship this weekend.

[hope1]

how about john  klunder on the list and jim klunder 

[almcguirejr]

how about john  klunder on the list and jim klunder 

I can't find either of these guys on any all conference team.

[wiz]

Lurking before lurking was a chat room term, first time poster.  Don't forget about the full court passer from 1995, Jeff Overweg, there's a reason J. Veenstra was proud to wear #34

Great post, MaroonKnighty!!!

[sac]

Don't forget Dan Stolz of Alma either, current Okemos H.S. Head Coach who's team may be headed for a State Class A championship this weekend.

Dan Stolz..........wasn't he the guy  coaching Okemos when I was 11.    He's been there awhile.........if I'm not mistaken he was at the helm when Okemos won a couple back to back titles in the early 80's.  They've always been good.

For those who don't know, Okemos is the East Grand Rapids of the Lansing area, dominant in just about everything......untill the old Capital Circuit and Capital Area Conferences realigned themselves.  Now they compete against schools their own size.

For years Okemos competed as a Class A school against Charlotte, Mason, Eaton Rapids, Lakewood, DeWitt and Lansing Catholic Central.

DeWitt floated between Class C and B, LCC was almost always Class C, while the others were almost always Class B.

The leagues have changed quite a bit since my days in the Capital Circuit and the school sizes have changed some.......but Okemos is still one of the best Athletic and Academic schools in Lansing.

I can remember seeing former Hope'er Greg Mitchell when he played at Okemos in our gym.  I'm sure we lost.

[almcguirejr]

Don't forget Dan Stolz of Alma either, current Okemos H.S. Head Coach who's team may be headed for a State Class A championship this weekend.

Dan Stolz..........wasn't he the guy  coaching Okemos when I was 11.    He's been there awhile.........if I'm not mistaken he was at the helm when Okemos won a couple back to back titles in the early 80's.  They've always been good.

Stan Stolz was the coach at Okemos back in the 80's if my memory serves me correctly.
I think Stan's brother Denny was the football coach at MSU in the seventy's before some recruiting irregularities cropped up.

I don't know if Dan is related to either Stan or Denny.

[oldknight]

Don't forget Dan Stolz of Alma either, current Okemos H.S. Head Coach who's team may be headed for a State Class A championship this weekend.

Dan Stolz..........wasn't he the guy  coaching Okemos when I was 11.    He's been there awhile.........if I'm not mistaken he was at the helm when Okemos won a couple back to back titles in the early 80's.  They've always been good.

Stan Stolz was the coach at Okemos back in the 80's if my memory serves me correctly.
I think Stan's brother Denny was the football coach at MSU in the seventy's before some recruiting irregularities cropped up.

I don't know if Dan is related to either Stan or Denny.

The Stolz family had a father-son tandem at Alma in the 70's with Dan (an Okemos grad) playing for his dad in the MIAA. I believe that Stan came to Alma after coaching at Okemos HS.  Stan was an excellent coach--his teams were always competitive--and Dan was a solid point guard for the Scots. If my memory serves me correctly, it was the Stolz led Alma team that broke Calvin's 34 game winning streak in the MIAA (which is still the conference record) in a game played at Alma during Mark Veenstra's junior year. I didn't find out until reading the papers during tournament time the last few days that Dan was the head coach at Okemos now. And yes, his Uncle Denny was head FB coach for the Spartans for a time, I believe during the time Kirk Gibson was playing the wideout in East Lansing. Now there was one great college football player.

[Outnthewoodsman]

Did Stan coach at Alma.  I think that Bill (Colonel) Klenk was the hoops coach when Dan was there....or Chris Ragsdale....maybe Stan DID in fact coach.  I have always known him to be the coach/AD at Okemos. 

I know that Hope has recruited tons of Okemos kids, only to lose them to scholarship schools or state schools with cheaper tuition. 

With all that said, Dan is one of the finest coaches in the state, blessed with players who work hard and happen to have some talent.

[almcguirejr]

Did Stan coach at Alma.  I think that Bill (Colonel) Klenk was the hoops coach when Dan was there....or Chris Ragsdale....maybe Stan DID in fact coach.  I have always known him to be the coach/AD at Okemos. 

Stan Stolz is a member of the Alma College Hall of Fame.  In his bio, it does not say that he coached at Alma. 

[oldknight]

Did Stan coach at Alma.  I think that Bill (Colonel) Klenk was the hoops coach when Dan was there....or Chris Ragsdale....maybe Stan DID in fact coach.  I have always known him to be the coach/AD at Okemos. 

Stan Stolz is a member of the Alma College Hall of Fame.  In his bio, it does not say that he coached at Alma. 

Now I'm questioning my own memory --I am an oldknight after all. Maybe Stan only played at Alma and never coached. Can someone else with a better memory than mine enlighten us?

[hopefan]

John and Jim Klunder - both good names  - John played with the group I mentioned - a spectacular leaper at about 6'3" - but a bit "enigmatic" compared to Schuilling, Beckman, Henry - he was not an all conference player, but still probably averaged 10 or 11 ppg.  Younger brother Jim was not as athletic as John, but was a very good perimeter shooter - his teams were not quite as successful - he was definitely a double figure scorer.

[realist]

Going back several pages to the sites of tournament games not sure you can build a case the deck is stacked against MIAA.  OO Calvin hosts with Wooster coming up to MI. Next year Calvin goes to ONU.  In 05 Albion hosts, and Ohio travels.  This year Hope goes to Witt.  A bigger factor may be both OH conferences are larger than MIAA, and law of averages would seem to favor OH as host.
Sac:  I agree on the all MIAA type teams.  Almost need to go by decade or era.  The late 80's early 90's were such good years it is hard for earlier or even more recent players to get a fair shot.  Even if you try to match up by positions it is a difficult exercise.  It is fun to hear some of the old names come up, and then you say, yup, sort of forgot how good the player was.

[Outnthewoodsman]

Realist,

I tend to agree....just seems like the playing of Witt has been in Springfield more often than not.

Regarding the former players.....great to hear of Shu, Neil, Henry, Benson, Heerdt, etc.  That group of '80 and on who helped put Hope back on the map of championships is fun to remember.  Ending the run of the tighty knighties comes to mind in 1980, beating the Knights at Calvin for the first time since the Vietnam War...ok, not that long.....but, nevertheless, beating them at Knollcrest.  Those were the days in which the Civ was rather empty to start the season in 1979 and full at the end.

Great times to be a fan that's for sure....just as it is now.  The league hadn't separated quite so much then I don't think.  Anyway....thanks for kickstarting my tired brain.

I see that Neil is and assistant.....has he always been one?

[oldknight]

The Klunders were good players but there have been dozens of good players over the years and I don't think they did anything to separate themselves from the rest of the pack as did players like Brady, Mark Veenstra, et. al. One player who really hasn't gotten much mention is John Nibert, a fine 6'8" post player for Albion during the late 70's. He came into the league just as Veenstra was departing, was a dominating player in the post, a two-time league MVP, and he led the Brits to a Final Four appearance in either 78 or 79. Those are pretty good credentials. I can't quite put him on my All-time MIAA first team but he is definately worthy of second team consideration. Randy Morrison of Olivet was mentioned but no one seems to remember Mike Masciaz who led the Comets to 3 straight league championships in the early 70's. He was a large presence in the post and he also was a league MVP.

[hopefan]

We left Holland in 1987, and Matt had been an assistant for 1 or 2 years at that point  -  I believe he has taught at Holland Christian and worked with Glen since back then.  I would imagine he will be Glen's replacement when retirement time comes.....