ORANGE CITY, Iowa – The Northwestern College men’s basketball team tips off its 2021-22 season this Friday, October 29 as they play host to Valley City State University (N.D.) under the direction of 22nd year head coach Kris Korver.
“We will encourage this team to find their roles, to play unselfishly, to prepare well, to execute on both ends, to compete, and to become a true team,” said Korver. “It will be our goal to be playing our best basketball at the end of the season and to compete like crazy to try to earn another trip to the national tournament.”
2021-22 Season Outlook
Last week the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) office announced the preseason coaches’ poll which picked the Raiders to finish fourth in the league this upcoming season. The 2021-22 NAIA Preseason Coaches’ Poll is set to drop on Wednesday, October 27.
“We bring back All-GPAC performers in Trent Hilbrands and Alex Van Kalsbeek. Trent had another great season last year and will be returning from a season ending injury. He is excited to play one more year and we are excited about this,” said Korver. “Alex was the freshman of the year in our league last season. He is a gifted player and we look forward to watching him compete.”
Northwestern returns both GPAC First Team All-Conference performers from a season ago in Trent Hilbrands (Sr., Remsen, Iowa/Le Mars Community) and Alex Van Kalsbeek (So., Orange City, Iowa/MOC-Floyd Valley). Van Kalsbeek was named the GPAC Freshman of the Year after posting a team-leading 20.7 points per game and 7.3 rebounds per game to pace the Raiders. Hilbrands followed closely behind with 16.3 points per game, while shooting an outstanding 43% from behind the 3-point line.
“With the 3-point line being moved back to 22 feet it will be interesting to see how these impacts shooting percentages and defensive schemes this season,” commented Korver.
“We also bring back guys with playing experience like Grant DeMeulenaere, Noah Slagter, Matt Onken. We will need them to play well. We also have guys who have been in our program who will have the opportunity to show what they can do in Jesse Van Wyk, Austin Alexander, Casey Kleemeier, and Kade Fey. The newcomer to the mix will be Conner Geddes from Harrisburg, S.D. Others may also be called upon as the year moves along. It is a long season and we will need everyone on board to prepare well and keep improving.”
Key Dates
October 29: vs Valley City State (N.D.) – season & home opener
November 12-13: Northwestern / Pizza Ranch Classic
December 8: @ Dordt (7:45 PM)
December 11: vs Morningside (3:45 PM)
January 7: vs Jamestown (7:45 PM)
January 26: @ Morningside (7:45 PM)
February 12: vs Mount Marty (3:45 PM) – rematch of the 2021 GPAC Conference Tournament title game
February 16: vs Dordt (7:45 PM)
February 23: GPAC Quarterfinals
February 26: GPAC Semifinals
March 1: GPAC Tournament Championship
“Each and every night will be a challenge in the GPAC. There will be no nights off and no team that can be taken lightly,” summarized Korver. “This is the challenge each season in the GPAC but I believe even more so this year. Pre-season ratings are just that – ratings. It is going to be tough each night.”
2020-21 Season-in-Review
Two Second Team All-GPAC performers from a season ago have graduated, leaving room for new guys to step up this season. Jay Small (Hinton, Iowa/Hinton) started all 29 games a season ago and averaged 32 minutes a game. He averaged 13.4 points per game for the Raiders, while shooting 37% from behind the 3-point line.
Craig Sterk (McBain, Mich./McBain) played in all 29 contests, starting 16 of them for Northwestern. He averaged the team’s third-best 14.1 points per game in his 24.7 minutes per game at his guard position.
The GPAC saw three teams earn berths to the NAIA National Tournament last season. The Jamestown Jimmies (22-9, 14-6 GPAC) advanced the farthest in making it to the Quarterfinals. Regular season champions, the Morningside Mustangs (21-6, 15-5 GPAC) advanced to the Round of 16 before bowing out. The Red Raiders, defending GPAC Conference Tournament champions, bowed out in the First Round.
GPAC Outlook
The league is loaded again entering this season, following a season ago that saw the three league teams make it to the National Tournament.
“The GPAC will be as strong or stronger than ever. With the extra year option players have due to Covid-19, a few teams in our league have had players take advantage of option. Several teams have the bulk of their players returning and you partner that with seniors returning for an additional year and that makes for some experienced and veteran teams only being stronger,” noted Korver on the league this upcoming season. “Morningside, Jamestown, Concordia, and Dakota Wesleyan are three teams with almost everyone back, plus seniors returning. Our league has great coaches in it and it is going to be a dog fight each and every night in the GPAC.”
GPAC play is set to commence on Saturday, November 20 when the Tigers of Doane University come to Orange City for a 3:45 p.m. tip-off inside the newly renovated Bultman Center.
“We look forward to watching this team grow and mature and find its identity. There will be some peaks and valleys to this season – like every season. It is a marathon, not a sprint. We look forward to going on this journey together,” finished Korver. “We will need guys to find their roles, embrace their roles, and then blossom in their roles.”
The Korver Profile
Coach Korver enters his 22nd season at the helm of the Northwestern College men’s basketball program entering the 2021-22 campaign, taking over the program in 2000. He has made 15 trips to the NAIA National Tournament, including seven trips to the NAIA Quarterfinals, five trips to the Semifinals. He has two NAIA national championships in his time at Northwestern (2001, 2003).
He has coached 27 NAIA All-Americans, including one NAIA Player of the Year (Brandon Woudstra, 2003). He has also coached seven GPAC Players of the Year, three GPAC Freshmen of the Year, and two GPAC Defensive Player of the Year.
Korver has 481 career wins leading the Raider men’s program, 19 away from 500 in his career. His 400th win came back in 2017 against Presentation College. On March 29, 2014 he became the program’s career leader in wins against Hastings College.
Korver is a 1992 graduate of Northwestern College. He and his wife, Ann, have three children – Christian, Elizabeth, and Luke.
