NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Championship
at Salem, Va. Civic Center
Friday & Saturday, March 21-22, 2008
Flying Dutchmen Probable Starters
G - 33 Derek VanSolkema (6-0 senior from Cutlerville, Mich./South Christian HS) 12.3
ppg, 2.1 rpg
G - 10 Jesse Reimink (6-4 junior from Hudsonville, Mich./Hudsonville HS) 10.9 ppf,
5.4 rpg
C - 14 Ryan Klein (6-5 senior from Burr Ridge, Ill./Timothy Christian HS) 9.8 ppg,
5.6 rpg
F - 21 Tyler Wolfe (6-2 senior from Cedar Springs, Mich./Cedar Springs HS) 12.7 ppg,
3.2 rpg
F - 31 Marcus Vanderheide (6-6 senior from Grandville, Mich./Calvin Christian HS)
14.9 6.8 rpg
The Flying Dutchmen are making their 19th appearance in the Division III championships, the 21st all-time (College Division in 1950s). Hope's all-time record in the Division III championship is 25-20. This will be Hope's third trip to Salem for the championships, finishing second in 1996 and 1998.
Hope qualified for the NCAA tournament as champion of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA). The Flying Dutchmen won their league-record 34th championship.
The Flying Dutchmen bring a 12-game winning streak into the championship.
Hope's three tournament wins were recorded on their home court where they posted a 17-0 record this season -- Hope 92, Capital 72 -- Hope 71, Ohio Wesleyan 63 - Hope 83, Wheaton 70.
A year ago Hope advanced to the Elite Eight, bowing to Washington, Mo. 58-55 in the sectional final. The Flying Dutchmen have no basketball history with Amherst or Ursinus.
This season Glenn Van Wieren became just the sixth coach in NCAA Division III men's basketball history to achieve 600 victories. He reached 600 victories faster than any other Division III coach (801st game). The previous mark was by Glenn Robinson of Franklin & Marshall who won number 600 in his 821st game. Van Wieren's record through the Sectional is 617-202 (.753).
The coaching staff has more than 100 years of involvement with the Hope basketball program, first as players and now as coaches. Van Wieren is concluding his 31st season. All are Hope graduates and products of the Hope basketball program. Tom Davelaar has been an assistant for 26 years while Matt Neil is in his 23rd. Eric Elliott is in his third season coaching the jayvee team Neil and Elliott were both conference MVPs.
Senior Marcus Vanderheide was voted the MVP of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association.He is joined on the All-MIAA first team by senior teammate Tyler Wolfe. Senior Derek VanSolkema of received All-MIAA second team recognition.
Hope features a balanced scoring attack with four starters averaging in
double-figures - Marcus Vanderheide 14.9, Tyler Wolfe 12.7, Derek VanSolkema 12.3, and Jesse Reimink
10.9. The fifth starter, Ryan Klein, averages 9.8. In Hope's Sectional championship
win over Wheaton, each starter made at least two three-pointers. Marcus Vanderheide
has been the team's leading scorer in 12 games and had five double-doubles. In the
tournament he is averaging better than eight points above his scoring average.
The playing time for Hope's starters has increased significantly during their tournament run. During the regular season the cumulative playing time of the starters was 26 minutes a game. In NCAA tournament play the cumulative average of the starters is 33 minutes a game. The starters accounted for 76 of Hope's 83 points against Wheaton.
In its NCAA tournament run, Hope is shooting 53% (32/60) from three-point territory. Last Saturday against Wheaton, the Flying Dutchmen were 15-for-24 in three-pointers, including 10-for-13 in the second half.
Hope led Division III during the regular season in margin of victory (18.8 points per game). They ranked sixth nationally in assist/turnover ratio (1.39), ninth in
steals per game (12.1) and 11th
in assists per game (17.3).
The HopeCollege women's basketball team also qualified for the NCAA Division III championships. The Flying Dutch were eliminated from the tournament in the Sectional finals last Saturday by Howard Payne, Tex., 53-49. Hope ended 30-1 for the year. Hope College is hosting the women's Division III championship at its DeVos Fieldhouse this weekend.