MIAA Tournament Semifinal Preview: Hope at Albion

The winner of the Hope-Albion game moves into Saturday's final to face either top-seeded Trine or fourth-seeded Calvin. The highest seed among those advancing teams will host the semifinal.

Five of Hope's seven wins this season have come on the road. The Flying Dutchmen won at Albion, 84-79, on February 1 after opening the game on an 8-0 run and never trailing. Forwards Preston Granger and Evan Thomas topped Hope in scoring with 24 points apiece.

Albion avenged the loss to Hope with an 81-63 win at DeVos Fieldhouse on February 13. The Flying Dutchmen never led after the Britons scored the game's first six points. Preston Granger's 18 points led Hope. Albion guard Cortez Garland scored 23.

Photo of Jeff Bikus by Lynne Powe

Hope is seeking its 14th MIAA Tournament championship this week. The Flying Dutchmen have advanced to the final 19 times.

This is the eighth postseason meeting between Hope and Albion and the first since 2009 when Hope won, 75-48, in a semifinal hosted by Calvin. The Flying Dutchmen are 5-2 against the Bulldogs in the MIAA Tournament.

Hope leads the all-time series with Adrian, 135-61. The two teams first met in 1913.

In the only regular-season meeting, Hope defeated Adrian, 89-86, on February 25 at Adrian. The Flying Dutchmen overcame a 67-58 deficit with 11:52 remaining in regulation with a 24-6 run over the next eight minutes. Three Hope players scored in double figures: Preston Granger (28), Jeff Bikus (16), and Tyler George (10).

The Flying Dutchmen are 46-17 all-time in MIAA Tournament play, including a 19-9 mark in semifinal games. Hope's last semifinal win came in 2018 with an 81-65 win vs. Adrian at Olivet.

Hope holds five MIAA Tournament records:

Individual, Free throws made: 19. Jason Beckman, 19-22, February 24, 2018 at Olivet.
Individual, Free throws attempted: 22. Jason Beckman, 19-22, February 24, 2018 at Olivet.
Individual, Rebounds: 18. Teddy Ray vs. Olivet, February 24, 2018 at Olivet; tied with Calvin's Jeremy Veenstra (vs. Hope, February 8, 2003) and Olivet's Jalen Adams (February 23 2018 vs, Trine).
Team, Most points, both teams: 200. Hope 106, Olivet 94, February 24, 2018 at Olivet.
Team, Free-throw percentage: 1.000. 11-11 vs. Alma on February 26, 2005.

Senior Preston Granger ranks 17th all-time in scoring at Hope with 1,337 points in 91 games. He trails Bob Hendrickson (16th place) by 14 points, Chip Henry (15th place) by 21 points and Nate Snuggerud (14th place) by 29 points.

Print Friendly Version