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| Tyler Kruis leads a less
experienced Calvin squad in 2014 that has gotten back to the same
place as the 2013 squad. Calvin athletics photo |
By Brian Lester
D3sports.com
Sometimes a team finds a way to defy the odds, and Calvin’s men’s basketball team has certainly done that this season.
The Knights lost five of their top players from last season. They also didn’t win the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association regular season title, losing twice to rival Hope before avenging the losses with a win over the Flying Dutchmen in the MIAA tournament title game.
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Yet, as the second weekend in March approaches, the Knights (24-5) are right back where they were a year ago -- in the Sweet 16 and eager to keep this tournament run alive.
“This season has been a work in progress,” Calvin coach Kevin Vande Streek said. “We lost five our top 10 guys from last season and we had a sixth player decide not to come back, and he probably would have been a key player this season. But the new players fit right in with the returning players and this team has continued to improve throughout the season.”
Calvin will take on Illinois Wesleyan (25-4) on Friday in a Sweet 16 showdown in what will be the first ever meeting the two teams. The Titans are hosting the sectional, which also features Wheaton (21-8) and Dickinson (23-6). The winners meet Saturday for the right to advance to the final four.
“Our players have really worked hard to get better every day, and that is a big part of why we are still playing,” Vande Streek said. “We’ve competed hard and we have played very well as a team. I like the way our team has played so far in the tournament.”
One of the keys to success for the Knights has been the play of senior center Tyler Kruis, who has helped lead Calvin to nine consecutive wins.
Kruis is second on the team in scoring at 15.6 points per game. He is grabbing 5.6 rebounds per game and has tallied 38 assists and 23 steals. Kruis has also blocked 28 shots.
“I’m playing with a lot of confidence, especially with rebounding the basketball,” Kruis said. “I’ve also gotten a lot better defensively and I’ve also done a good job of being a leader.”
Kruis said playing against competition in the MIAA, especial their annual battles with Hope, have helped prepare the Knights for success in the NCAA tournament.
“Hope took it to us a couple of times during the regular season, but we were finally able to get them at the end,” Kruis said. “The MIAA is a very good league. The other teams don’t get as much attention as Hope and us do, but there are some good teams in this league. It really does get us ready for what we face in the postseason.”
Several players have risen to the occasion for Calvin, which opened the NCAA tourney with a 66-51 win over Wittenberg and then came through with a second-round stunner as it knocked off No. 2 Washington 83-75.
Jordan Brink leads the team in scoring at 15.8 points per outing and has hit 65 treys on the season. Mickey DeVries is clicking for 9.2 points per game and is grabbing 6.3 rebounds per game. Jordan Daley is averaging 8.9 points per outing.
The Knights are averaging 78 points per game and giving up 64.0. Kruis said having a team with good balance helps take pressure off of him.
“I have great teammates and they have had a lot to do with my success,” Kruis said. “My teammates have my back all of the time. We have a lot of players capable of stepping up on any given night.”
Vande Streek said the leadership of Kruis has been vital to the Knights’ success.
“We have a lot of talented players on this team, but there is no question that Tyler has been a big part of what we have been able to accomplish,” Vande Streek said. “He’s put on about 30-35 pounds since his freshman year and is much stronger now. He’s also a tremendous leader.”
As for the challenge of playing IWU, Vande Streek said his team will need to be at its best to knock off the Titans.
“At this point, every team is good. No one is going to sneak up on you,” Vande Streek said. “Wesleyan is a very disciplined team and they execute very well on both ends of the floor. We will have our hands full. We have to be able to defend well to win this game.”
Kruis is thrilled about getting the opportunity to play in the Sweet 16 one more time and believes if the Knights can play up to their potential, they will have the ability to move a step further down the tournament trail.
“We are capable of winning, but we know we need to play our best game to move on,” Kruis said. “We have been focused in practice this week and we’ll come ready to play. We’re ready for the challenge.”