Wolverines men’s basketball program aims to bounce back
GROVE CITY, Pa. (BVM) — Winning back-to-back championships is easier said than done. The Grove City men’s college basketball team fell one game short this past season of repeating championship success.
The 2019-20 season was one of the most successful in Grove City College basketball history. It was the third 20-win season in program history and the eighth conference championship won in 10 years.
It was a slow start to the 2019-20 season for the Wolverines. Starting with a 2-2 NCAA Division III President’s Athletic Conference (PAC) record, Grove City’s season didn’t get off to a promising start.
During that season, Grove City seniors guard Nate Peters and forward James Wells led the team. Each were consistent scoring options and leaders for the Wolverines that season and years previous.
Back on Feb. 20, Wells earned his 1,000th point with Grove City through just three seasons. A week later, his fellow senior teammate and team captain, Nate Peters, followed suit, earning his 1,000th point in a 26-point season-high performance. Head coach Steve Lamie earned his 300th career win during the 2019-20 season as well.
Not only did Wells, Peters and Lamie find success individually, but the team also reaped the rewards of their contributions as Grove City would go on a 12-game winning streak to elevate their position atop the conference rankings with a 13-3 record.
But being the best in the conference was not enough for the Wolverines. Grove City was victorious in claiming the conference crown that season against rival Geneva College in the championship game.
Marked by two 1,000-point milestones, a head coach reaching 300 career wins for the head coach, achieving the best record in the conference and the first championship since 2010. It was truly one of the most historic seasons in program history.
Coming off a banner year for the program, it seemed Grove City would be the favorite to win it again. But a nine-game season, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, proved a different result for Grove City.
The Wolverines fell to the middle of the pack in the conference standings but still managed to claw their way into the championship game the following season. Senior guard Justice Rice was able to join the 1,000 point club and helped elevate the Wolverines to make a run. However, the defending champions fell short against top-seed Westminster in the final. Grove City was one game away from earning consecutive titles.
“A big difficulty for our team was the shortened season,” expressed rising senior captain Josh Brown. “We are a process-oriented system team, so it was very difficult to have so much less time to drill our system. Aside from all the COVID protocols that was most difficult for us.”
For Grove City, it’s truly a team effort in establishing that strong unity as a foundational piece in their strategy. But not only did COVID-19 keep players in quarantine and forced players to change their lifestyle completely, but they also didn’t have enough time to build the team and practice the way they have in seasons previous.
It was still a solid season for Grove City despite the difficulties of the quarantine and shortened season.
“The last four years have arguably been the most successful four consecutive years in program history,” remarked Brown. “A huge part of that was the player leadership we had on those teams … We were able to have back-to-back successful seasons because of our vision, Brown said. Our vision statement is to compete for PAC championships by playing to a standard in a culture of accountability and love.”
Grove City’s brand is not a one-man show or even a dynamic duo, but a collective team effort.
“We may not always be the most talented or athletic team on the floor but we are going to be the most disciplined and fundamentally sound on any given night, Brown explained. “Our standard is what sets us apart, and the only reason we can demand everyone play to that standard is [that] because [every one] of our guys holds everyone else accountable, and that accountability is based on a love for each other.”
It seems that a combination of vision and leadership has been the backbone of Grove City’s basketball success. And even though last season didn’t result in a championship, it proved that despite the difficulties the team was able to grow closer together thanks to their vision.
