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DOWAGIAC — The Lansing Community College men’s basketball team has been selected by the Michigan Community College Athletic Association Western Conference coaches to repeat as conference champions.

The Stars won the title last year with a 14-4 conference record before falling in the National Junior College Athletic Association’s Great Lakes District A Championship. Lansing garnered four first place votes.

Kalamazoo Valley Community College is picked to finish second in the realigned Western Conference. The Cougars finished second last year a game behind Lansing. They were upset in the first round of the Great Lakes District A tournament by Lake Michigan College. They picked up the other three first place votes.
Kellogg Community College, with new coach Steve Proefrock is picked to finish third. The Bruins tied for seventh place last season and lost in the first round of the NJCAA Great Lakes District A Tournament.

Selected for third place is Lake Michigan College. The Red Hawks finished tied for sixth in the Western Conference but upset Kalamazoo Valley to reach the semi-finals of the NJCAA Great Lakes District A Tournament.

Marian University’s Ancilla College is picked to tie for fifth place. The Chargers finished fourth last year under Brian Pearison, who has step aside to concentrate on his Athletic Director position.  New coach Jeremy Herring will field a roster that features no returning players.

Glen Oaks Community College is also picked to tie for fifth place. The Vikings finished eighth last season under first year coach Mike Elliott. Elliott looks to improve this year with a roster that features four returning starters

Picked for seventh is Southwestern Michigan College, The Roadrunners are returning to the MCCAA hardwood after a 26-year hiatus from the MCCAA.

 

LANSING COMMUNITY COLLEGE
HEAD COACH: Mike Ingram
COACHING RECORD: 646-281 (31 Years)
LAST SEASON: 23-9, 14-4 MCCAA WESTERN
RETURNING PLAYERS: Players 5, Starters 2
TOP RETURNERS:
F: Cole Krause (1st Team All-Conference/Freshman of the Year)
G: Tyshan Kelly (Honorable Mention All-Conference)
F:  Dawson Lott
F: Hunter Woolston
TOP NEWCOMERS:
F: Conner Bush (All-Conference)
F: Andre Taylor
G: Nate Lott
KEY LOSSES:
G: Drew Lowder (Conference Player of the Year/1st Team All-American)
C: Sean Cobb (All Freshman Team/2nd Team All-Conference)
TOP NON-CONF OPPONENTS:
Mott CC
Niagara County CC
Erie CC
OUTLOOK:
We are young but experienced with two sophomore transfers in Bush and Freddie Johnson. My freshmen are really good as they get better during the non-conference schedule we should be ready when the conference starts to defend our conference championship.one big drawback is our gym is under construction and we might not play any home games until January.

KALAMAZOO VALLEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE
HEAD COACH: Jim Horn
COACHING RECORD: 77-103 (7 Years)
LAST SEASON: 22-9, 13-5 MCCAA Western
RETURNING PLAYERS: Players 6, Starters 2
TOP RETURNERS:
W: Myles Johnson (First Team All-Region)
PG: Kobe Clark (Honorable Mention All-Conference)
TOP NEWCOMERS
W: Ramere Draper (First Team All-State Class A)
KEY LOSSES
PG: Devin Marshall (All-Region)
C: Jordan Ross (Honorable Mention All-Conference)
TOP NON-CONF OPPONENTS:
South Suburban College
Henry Ford College
Muskegon CC
OUTLOOK:
Solid core returning and increased depth.

 

KELLOGG COMMUNITY COLLEGE
HEAD COACH: Steve Proefrock
COACHING RECORD: 467-154 (29 years)
LAST SEASON: 8-18  8-10 MCCAA Western
RETURNING PLAYERS: Returners: 6, Starters: 3
TOP RETURNERS:
F/G: Brett White (First Team All-MCCAA, First Team All-Region XII, First Team MCCAA West)
F/G: Rasheed Dyson (Second Team MCCAA West)
F/C: Quentin Jones
TOP NEWCOMERS:
G: Michael Cover (All-State in high school in Colorado)
F: London Gillery (Varsity player at Sienna Heights)
G: Jordan Hogans
KEY LOSSES
G: Alika Edwards
F:  Brendan Brown (transferred to Sienna Heights)
TOP NON-CONF OPPONENTS:
Macomb Community College
Milwaukee Area Technical College
Niagara County Community College
OUTLOOK:
Excited about the returners that we are bringing back this year. Pair that with the transfers we have brought in and a talented freshman class, and our team has a lot of depth. We’re going to be very competitive in the West, and otherwise. We can’t wait to start competing in a few weeks. Our scrimmages have been promising so far.

 

LAKE MICHIGAN COLLEGE
HEAD COACH: Rickey Hampton
COACHING RECORD: 11-18 (1 year)
LAST SEASON: 11-18, 8-10 Western Conference
RETURING PLAYERS: 5 Players, 0 Starters
TOP RETURNERS:
G: Brian Hunter Jr (Third Team All-Conference)
G: Derrick Campbell
F: Abdoulaye Ba
F: Jadon Williams
G: Jocorian Freeman
TOP NEWCOMERS:
G: Jackson Barath
F: Jailen Campbell
F: Cargan Murray
KEY LOSSES
None

TOP NON-CONF OPPONENTS:
Macomb CC
Mottt CC
Grand Rapids CC

 

MARIAN UNIVERSITY’S ANCILLA COLLEGE
HEAD COACH: Jeremy Herring
COACHING RECORD: 0-0 (1st Year)
LAST SEASON: 16-10, 11-7 MCCAA Western
RETURNING PLAYERS: 0 Returners, 0 Starters
TOP RETURNERS:
None
TOP NEWCOMERS
Deeon Franklin
Clayton Bubash
Zach Dutton
KEY LOSSES:
JK Thomas
Rico Swanson
Top non-conf opponents:
South Suburban College
Hocking College
Edison State CC
OUTLOOK:
We have a whole new roster and we are all freshman. We have a new head coach and coaching staff. We have had to battle injuries so far in the preseason. I do think we have some talent but it’s going to take some time. It’s a hard-working group.

 

GLEN OAKS COMMUNITY COLLEGE
HEAD COACH: Mike Elliott
COACHING RECORD: 12-17 (1 Year)
LAST SEASON: 12-17, 6-12 Western Conference
RETURNING PLAYERS: Returners: 5, Starters 4
TOP RETURNERS:
G: Qualen Pettus (Honorable Mention All-Conference)
F: DeAndre Francis (Honorable Mention All-Conference)
G: Malik Tansmore
G: Caleb Byrd
F: Antonio Belton
TOP NEWCOMERS:
G; Gavin Etter
G: Daivion Boleware
G: Tylan Harris
KEY LOSSES
G Tyran Harris
TOP NON-CONF OPPONENTS:
Macomb CC
St. Clair CC
Parkland CC
OUTLOOK:
We expect to be competitive this year with five returners and two all conference players Qualen Pettus (21.2ppg/conference) and DeAndre Francis (12.3ppg/conference). We should be in the playoff hunt this after narrowly missing the playoffs last season.

 

SOUTHWESTERN MICHIGAN COLLEGE
HEAD COACH: Rodell Davis
COACHING RECORD: 0-0, 1st Year
RETURNING PLAYERS: Noone (New Program)
LAST SEASON: 0-0 (New Program)
TOP RETURNERS:

None (New Program)
TOP NEWCOMERS:
G: Sean Burress
G: Mari Nichols
F: Mark Williams
Key Losses
None (New Program)
TOP NON-CONF OPPONENTS:
South Suburban College
Macomb Community College
Kennedy-King College
OUTLOOK:
As a first-year program, we have recruited a talented class. We will be very young with our roster consisting of all freshman. Our team will be exciting to watch as we with play at a fast pace.