SEWARD, Neb. – It will be time to refocus on GPAC play when the Concordia University men’s basketball team makes its way back from Phoenix, Ariz., where it went 1-1 at the Arizona Christian Holiday Classic. The holiday event ended a stretch of 12-straight days without a game for sixth-year head coach Ben Limback’s squad. A more typical week will feature GPAC contests on Wednesday and Saturday.
This Week
Limback’s group ended its two-game swing in Arizona by holding off MacEwan University of Canada, 70-64, on Dec. 29. Brevin Sloup carried the Bulldogs (8-8) in the first half by draining his first five 3-point attempts on his way to a game and career high 24 points. His six made 3-point field goals also represented a career best. Then in the second half, Concordia got the help it needed from its bench on an afternoon when three different players were sidelined by injuries. Freshman Justin Wiersema put up a career high 13 points – eight of which came during a 15-2 second half spurt. A day earlier, the Bulldogs were tripped up by No. 12 Arizona Christian University (NAIA Division I).
The frontcourt had a different look to it in Phoenix. With Zach Auguste and Chuol Biel out, San Diego Miramar College transfer Sammy Adjei made his Concordia debut. Adjei started both contests in Phoenix. In the matchup with Arizona Christian, Adjei notched 10 points and five rebounds. The next day Adjei was limited to six minutes due to injury. Fellow frontcourt starter Ryan Holt also made an early exit. The key absences in the frontcourt forced the Bulldogs to go with a smaller lineup.
Sloup’s performance from the perimeter was a welcome sight for a Concordia team that had gone 25-for-108 from beyond the arc over the four-game losing streak. The Bulldogs made 11-of-27 (.407) 3-point tries in the win over MacEwan. Entering the week, Concordia sports GPAC rankings of ninth in scoring (73.1) and 10th in field goal percentage offense (.444). A hot streak could be near for Tanner Shuck, who has totaled 955 career points.
The Bulldogs will attempt to put an end to a five-game GPAC skid at Dordt on Wednesday. The Defenders are off to a solid 11-6 start under new head coach Brian Van Haaften. Dordt made a big splash early in the season with a come-from-behind win at then 17th-ranked Dakota Wesleyan on Nov. 14. Four Defenders average in double figures, led by 13.5 per game from Jesse Jansma. Among GPAC squads, Dordt ranks No. 1 in field goal percentage defense (.432) and ninth in field goal percentage offense (.450).
Northwestern is a much different team after graduating stars Colton Kooima and Nathan Wedel from last season’s squad. Those departures have opened the door for the emergence of Trent Hilbrands, who ranks fourth among GPAC players with an average of 20.1 points per game. The Red Raiders remain an efficient offensive team, rating in the top 10 nationally in field goal percentage and 3-point field goal percentage. Head coach Kris Korver’s squad has been up and down having not won more than three in row or lost more than back-to-back contests.
Projected lineups
(Scoring average in parentheses)
Concordia (8-8, 1-7 GPAC)
G – Brevin Sloup, Jr., 5-9 (16.1)
G – Carter Kent, Fr., 6-2 (8.9)
G – Tanner Shuck, Jr., 6-4 (15.6)
F – Sammy Adjei, Jr. (6.0)
F – Ryan Holt, So., 6-5 (5.6)
Dordt (11-6, 4-4 GPAC)
G – Chandler Brunsting, Jr., 6-1 (5.7)
G – Jesse Jansma, So., 6-4 (13.5)
F – Chad Barkema, Jr., 6-5 (11.6)
F – Garrett Franken, So., 6-7 (12.5)
F – Josh Van Lingen, Jr., 6-6 (11.3)
Northwestern (9-8, 3-5 GPAC)
G – Isaac Heyer, So., 6-3 (4.8)
G – Trent Hilbrands, So., 6-0 (20.1)
G – Parker Mulder, Sr., 6-2 (10.2)
G – Jay Small, So., 6-2 (15.0)
F – Steven Kragt, Sr., 6-7 (10.4)