Aviation junior has become one of the area’s top shooters

West Michigan Aviation Academy’s Luke Riebel shoots a 3-pointer against Wyoming Lee on Jan. 2, 2023. He set the school record for 3-pointers this season. (Photo | Lenny Padilla).

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Luke Riebel hasn’t always been a good basketball player. He’ll admit it. But the junior at West Michigan Aviation Academy has worked to turn himself into a really good shooter who now is setting school records.

“The summer going into 6th grade, I was a terrible basketball player. I’ll admit that,” he said. “But the next two summers, I starting working hard and shooting a lot.”

It’s paid off. Riebel, a junior guard, finished this season with 82 3-pointers, which is one of the top marks in West Michigan history.

According to the MHSAA record book, Drew Zuidema has the area record with 84 3-pointers in 2012-13. But there are several players with top marks that were never reported to the state.

Menalito McGee had a stunning 103 3-pointers for Wyoming High School in 2019-20 and had 83 the year before that. Ethan Erickson, of Forest Hills Northern, had 84 threes in 2019-20. And just this season, NorthPointe Christian’s Kayden Bird had 83.

Either way, Riebel’s 82 likely would be in the Top 10.

“I wasn’t even keeping track,” he said. “I know I had eight threes a couple of times.” 

His father, Austin Riebel, who is his coach at WMAA, reminded him that he was starting to pile up big numbers.

“After the Allegan game, my dad said that I was at like 75,” Riebel said. “He coached Ty George at (Forest Hills) Central and (George) had 62 in a year and 10 in a game. And I thought that was a ton.”

West Michigan Aviation Academy’s Luke Riebel dribbles the ball against Wyoming Lee on Jan. 2, 2023. (Photo | Lenny Padilla).

Riebel, who averaged 16 points per game this season, had nine 3-pointers in a game last year, which is the WMAA record. Against Allegan, he set the school record with 32 points against Allegan on Feb. 28. WMAA has only had basketball for about 10 years. 

The Avaitors finished 13-9 while playing in the Alliance League.

“Our record doesn’t reflect what kind of team we were,” Riebel said. “We only had two games where we got blown out. Hart only beat us by five (64-59) and they went on to like a 22-0 (23-1). Against Covenant (Christian), we were up by 20 at halftime and lost by four points (56-52).”

For the Aviators, Ethan Dyksterhouse, a 6-foot-6 forward, averaged 14.5 points per game and guard Joseph May averaged 13 per game. WMAA were bounced in districts by Forest Hills Eastern.  

So does Riebel think he can top 82 3-pointers next year?

“Yes I do,” he said confidently. “Next year we’re losing a lot of seniors. So a lot of the scoring will fall on me.”

The 6-foot, 160-pound Riebel plays his travel ball with the West Michigan Lakers.