Notebook: All three GR Mr. Basketball winners under the same roof
The only three Michigan Mr. Basketball winners from Grand Rapids pose together at halftime of a basketball game at South Christian on Friday, Jan. 5, 2024. From left, David Kool, Matt Steigenga and Drew Neitzel. (Photo | Lenny Padilla).
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - There’s only been three Michigan Mr. Basketball Award winners in Grand Rapids history.
And for the first time, all three were under the same roof.
On Friday, Jan. 5, Matt Steigenga, David Kool and Drew Neitzel were at South Christian High School for a game between the Sailors and Grand Rapids Catholic Central.
Steigenga and the 1988 South Christian boys basketball team were being honored for winning the school’s first basketball state championship. Steigenga would win the area’s first Mr. Basketball Award that season and go on to have a nice career at Michigan State University.
Neitzel won Mr. Basketball in 2004 at Wyoming Park High School. He also would go on to a standout career at MSU. He was broadcasting the South Christian-Catholic Central game on the radio with Bret Bakita on ESPN FM-96.1.
Kool helped South Christian to state championships in 2003 and 2005 and would win Mr. Basketball in 2006. He would go on to play at Western Michigan University, where he is the school’s all-time leading scorer. He was the MAC Player of the Year in his senior year. He would later coach on the WMU staff and then at Jenison and Holland Christian. He now is the athletic director at South Christian.
A future Mr. Basketball might also have been in the building. Catholic Central senior Durral Brooks is on the mlive.com's Mr. Basketball watch list. The senior guard has committed to play at Michigan. South Christian junior Carson Vis might also be a candidate next season.
EAST KENTWOOD: The Falcons will host the GottaGetIt Classic on Saturday, Jan. 20. The area teams in that event are Wyoming Lee, South Christian, Northview, Grand Rapids Christian, Zeeland West and East Kentwood.
GREENVILLE: The Jackets started the season on a 7-1 run, which is the best record they’ve had in a long time. Pretty impressive since they lost two of their best players before the season started. Senior Trevor Zamarron tore up his knee and likely will miss the season and Jaxson Ingles broke his neck in a trampoline and also likely is done.
OTTAWA HILLS: Craig Hureskin is having a monster senior season. The guard had nine 3-pointers and 51 points in a 92-59 win over Wayland on Friday, Jan. 5. The next day, he scored 30 in a 78-71 loss to Lansing Waverly. He was named as West Michigan Ballers Player of the Week for his efforts.
OTTAWA HILLS: The Bengals are hosting their annual MLK Day Classic on Saturday, Jan. 13. Local teams in that event are Northview and Ottawa Hills.
SOUTH CHRISTIAN: Charlie DeHaan played his first game of the season on Jan. 3 against Covenant Christian. The junior missed the entire season last year and his football season after a severe knee injury during football his sophomore year. He is the younger brother of Jake DeHaan, who graduated last spring.
Members of the 1988 South Christian state championship team pose at halftime of a basketball game at South Christian on Friday, Jan. 5, 2024. (Photo | Lenny Padilla).
