Courtesy of Eurobasket LLC Here is the weekly review of the top performing Lakers alumni, who are currently playing in pro basketball.
Especially interesting is good performance of Jake Van Tubbergen (19 points), Christian Negron (8 points), and Kingsley Okanu (11 points).
#1. Jake Van Tubbergen, a 6'7'' guard/forward who graduated from GVSU in 2022 and received the NABC NCAA D2 All-Midwest District First Team award that year, currently plays professionally in Greece. In a recent game, his team Peristeri (13-10) suffered a close 88-92 defeat at the hands of the lower-ranked (#7) Mykonos, despite Van Tubbergen's stellar performance. The 27-year-old was the top scorer of the game, contributing 19 points and 6 rebounds in just 29 minutes on the court. This loss marked Peristeri's first after a streak of seven consecutive victories. Van Tubbergen's team has only one more game left in the Regular Season, a crucial match that will impact their standing. Although Van Tubbergen showcased an impressive performance against Mykonos, scoring 19 points, pulling down 6 rebounds, and providing 1 assist, his team was unable to secure the win. Throughout the season, Van Tubbergen has maintained solid statistics, averaging 12.6 points and 6.8 rebounds per game across the 22 games he has played so far.
#2. Puerto Rican Christian Negron, a 6'7'' forward/center aged 27 and an alum of the Lakers in 2022, currently plays professionally in Puerto Rico. Despite his best efforts, Negron, a GLIAC All-Defensive Team awardee, was unable to lead the Leones de Ponce (4-7) to victory against the Santeros (6-2) in the Puerto Rican Baloncesto Superior Nacional. In a hard-fought match, Negron managed to score 8 points and secure 11 rebounds during his 27 minutes on the court. The Leones de Ponce, currently in fourth place, ultimately fell short 77-83 on the road against the Santeros, who hold the second rank in Group A. Nonetheless, it is still early in the season, and there is potential for the team's fortunes to change. Negron showcased his skills in another game against Aguada, where he contributed significantly with 8 points, 11 rebounds, and 2 assists. Despite his notable performance, his team suffered a defeat. In the ongoing season, Negron is maintaining an average of 9.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.3 blocks per game, ranking him third in the league in blocks per game. With 10 games played so far, Negron continues to display his prowess on the court as he aims to lead his team to success as a champion.
#3. Kingsley Okanu, a 6'8'' power forward who graduated from GVSU in 2023 and earned the GLIAC All-Defensive Team award that year, currently plays professionally in Spain. In a recent game, Okanu's team Ourense (11-16) faced Cantabria, who was ranked lower at #12. Despite Okanu's solid performance, contributing 11 points and 3 rebounds in just 16 minutes of play, Ourense suffered a close 67-72 defeat at home to Cantabria. This loss marked Ourense's fourth consecutive defeat. Throughout this season, Okanu has been averaging 8.4 points per game and 4.1 rebounds per game across 27 games. Despite his efforts on the court, he was unable to help Ourense secure the victory in their recent match. It's worth noting that Okanu is a naturalized Nigerian player, showcasing his talent and dedication in the professional basketball scene.
#4. Marius Grazulis, a 24-year-old forward standing at 6'11'' and an alumni of the Lakers from 2024, currently plays professionally in Japan. Despite his best efforts, he was unable to lead Shinagawa City Basketball Club (12-38) to victory over Pats Five (13-37) in the Japanese B3 League. In a recent game against Pats Five, Grazulis contributed 5 points in just 14 minutes of play. Unfortunately, Shinagawa City Basketball Club fell short with a final score of 76-84 in favor of the higher-ranked (#13) Pats Five. Grazulis showcased his skills in the game against Yamaguchi, scoring 5 points, securing 1 rebound, and providing 1 assist. Even though he displayed an impressive performance, his team was unable to secure the win. With only two games remaining in the Regular Season, every upcoming match will be crucial for the team. Throughout the season, Grazulis has maintained solid averages of 9.6 points per game, 6.1 rebounds per game, and 1.6 assists per game across 38 games played. As the season nears its end, Grazulis will continue to strive for success and contribute to his team's efforts to secure victories.
Other former Grand Valley State University players, who play in pro basketball:
Tyrone Lee (6'8''-PF-1990, played in 2010-13) played for Zonkeys de Tijuana in Mexican CIBACOPA few monts ago
Jayden Hodgson (6'3''-G-1997, played in 2019-20) played for Logan Thunder in Australian NBL One last year
Jordan Harris (6'1''-G-1999, played in 2020-22) plays for Handlova in Slovakian Tipos SBL
Demetrius Lake (5'11''-PG, played in 2018-19) plays for Silute in Lithuanian NKL
Daniel Kiely (5'11''-PG-1998, played in 2022-24) played for Skenderbeu in Albanian Superliga last year
Ben Karbe (6'8''-G-2002, played in 2022-23) plays for Mainz in German Regionalliga
Isaiah Carver-Bagley (6'4''-F, played in 2022-23) played for West Michigan Spartans in the MBL last year
Gentry Hunt (6'3''-PG-1995, played in 2017-18) plays for ESL Camp in the Eurobasket S.League
Notice: The list above includes only some of alumni playing currently in pro basketball. Check complete list of Grand Valley State University basketball alumni.
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