>> Hi again, everyone.

And welcome back to an all-new episode of the Grand Valley State Sports report here Wgu.

I'm your host Steve Lloyd-Jones.

Here's what we have coming up for you tonight.

Lakers swimming and diving in the 2023.

Cle actually am paeans on the men's side and the women's side as well.

TV issue, women's basketball stays hot, grabbing 2 wins on the road.

Well, the Laker men's teams split their weekend on the east side of the state will also feature the women's softball team as they hit the diamond for the first time this week Lockett in Laker Nation as the Grand Valley State Sports report starts right now.

The final road games of the regular season where winds for GB issue women's basketball.

The Lakers took down Saginaw Valley State and Wayne State that burned at least a share.

The Glee act title as a result of that.

Joining me now is had Assistant Phil Sayers.

Tell us more about welcome feel, Steve, Good to see him out there.

Great to have you.

And obviously the season going well.

We talk with Mike each week but give us a thumbnail.

We are your thoughts on the season.

Obviously a lot of good.

Maybe some areas you've seen improvement to what you're taught.

Well, I think we have a very youthful group.

>> Of air and energetic group and having all 6 kids redshirt last year, we knew we had some younger talent.

It was just about blended together with our with our veterans.

And I think they've done a great job and and major, major credit to our seniors and at least that's the kind of cool us and Haley swing and really leading those young kids through this, this transition of what it's like to go on the road and playing games at fair state games of Michigan Tech and up tripping.

And then also how do you bounce back from disappointment, some from losses and what he learned from them?

And I thought our kids have done a great job in our in our 2 losses of responding.

They're extremely coachable.

And I think we're seeing now is these young kids are feeling more comfortable in those environments.

They joined this week at second that Wayne, that's where young kids did some tremendous things for us.

So it's been a great group to coach.

>> Well, you have 24 2 of the overall park right now.

You guys are rolling for sure.

And that's a big deal to share the conference crown.

Obviously, it's one of the big goals.

But let's get into the details a bit second about the state to begin on the road there.

And they were hot.

Yeah, it just knocked off their state on the road.

They're playing well.

You come into this game when it's 70 to 53 and really do a great job year.

>> Yeah.

And then they hope they have one of the best scoring guard in our league calendar.

Key if she's not the best is one of the best.

I mean, here's a kid you drop.

44 points on Saturday this past weekend missed 2 shots the entire game in week.

I did a great job of knowing where she was a all time with some great team defense.

Obviously having Miller always draws the toughest defensive side of force that are really good job on her than toward a Perry.

An arcade.

You can just really scored.

We did a good job.

I thought defense early on offensive.

We were a little slow coming out.

The gates big 2nd quarter force.

I thought we really good job attacking sir.

Key in the Perry got in some foul trouble to.

I thought that that really kind of slowed their offense down a little bit in the second and 3rd quarter allowed us to maybe get out and build that lead.

And I thought the 4th quarter with a really good job handling the pressure.

I'm making some shots when we needed to and just to take care of the basketball.

So there's a good way to start at second.

Always a tough place to go in place about the Valley snow.

They had a lot of promotional things going on in for us to walk in the arm to get the win with a little adverse travel situation getting there about 55 minutes before tipoff because of the icy roads in our kids lives.

Are they just handle that?

There was there was no there's no fear and that they didn't they didn't they didn't panic about is okay.

This is what we have to do.

Let's deal with it and let's go play our best basketball.

They did that.

The focus is right.

>> We want it 70 to 53 hit 10 threes in this game out.

Rebound 30 to 23.

11 steals Phil.

What is it the last 4 games with the 2nd quarter?

That's got to be coach.

You know, no, no, no.

What is it with these explosive second quarters?

Because honestly, this mean for role, you guys are something you're noticing and then it's an explosion in the 2nd quarter and you take over these games.

I think there's a feeling out process of okay.

What is available to us.

We have we have so many different ways we can score on the offensive end.

>> We've proven we can make threes were proven we can get to the basket off the bounce.

And now with with of healthy rally Biz Mall, a developing page man.

Still that low block.

We're finding ways not to score in the low block as well.

Just almost okay.

What is the best direction for us to take in so we get a chance to see what that is.

Yeah, we do.

How are they going to our ball screens?

How are they guarding the certain situations?

I think our death helps us.

I think, you know, we're playing 10 kids, you know, pretty consistently that 1st half, nobody really getting tired wears.

A lot of other teams are playing 6 or 7 kids only and now we can wear him down and gives us a chance to go run.

I get some looks in transition.

That's what we did in the 2nd quarter on Thursday night was we hit some threes in transition.

I thought our guards a great job looking up the floor.

Finding kids and kids at their feet set are confident in their shots.

>> One of those only Spitz Lee.

A great week.

21 points in this game.

You got a 15 from Hana Kula Ce 9 points in boards from Rylie Bisballe in the wind so that it was when state again, you're on the road here.

The chance to grab at least a share of the conference crown, which you do and what a comfortably.

A 79 to 60 again, taking full control in that 2nd quarter and a nice lead at half.

>> Our Ben such a great job in that game.

I thought we want Molly Anderson, a redshirt freshman who seen some time, but not as much lately stepped in just a great job, guarding their best guy, Rebecca food gate, and they become an that brought great energy off the bench for us as well.

I think she had 9 points, 4 assists and 4 rebounds it for us on the bench.

And again, it was that temple in that 2nd quarter.

Really let a separate from them.

Always a tough place to go in place.

Look at home.

We handling stay pretty easily and the past and we go over to the east side and say what?

It's just a it's a it's a knock it down, grind out game.

And once again, it was that force.

Not that we played a complete game through 3 quarters.

4th quarter.

I looked last night.

We turn it over.

29.5 1% of time with our possessions, the 4th quarter.

We have to do a better job of that moving forward as a as a as coaches will look at how do we handle that?

We have a larger lead and not turn the ball over, but we just didn't get a great job of value the basketball than our possession, the 4th quarter.

So again, even a win we have got it got a share of the of the gliac.

We still can look at back and say, OK, what can we learn from this now to help us in future games?

Not go down that same path.

>> Yeah, absolutely.

Good stuff to read about them.

44 to 30 8 threes in that game, too.

Nice road wins a little more than a minute left.

You will have you wrap it up at home here in the regular season and it's going to be experienced, unfair state.

So, you know, obviously are not looking past anybody.

You've got to get winds.

But there is a bigger picture here as well.

It's it's kind of seating time as we get into the act tournament play potentially and also the region.

>> It's great to be point games in February March that that matter.

Yeah, that matter not just for, you know, Black Sea, but also to be in that discussion for the national scene as well.

We have to want to get back the tournament.

I think we're in a great spot for that right now.

But Lake States coming or gym on Thursday, a team who has been competitive in many games and the record might now look the greatest.

But they're they're playing tough teams and and their their compete with the beat when stay at home.

Last Saturday, this Saturday jumped out to a a 19 to 13 leave the 1st quarter against their state and their son point way by 6 up there.

But there come out here.

They're they're going to battle.

The senior from their team is on the roads plan one of her last her last road trips.

And then obviously we've got the big rival on Saturday with their state who throw records out, throw position out.

We know it's going to be like against their statement.

We have to think that we get to host a first-round ugly at the next week.

Do our part will be at what will be will be prepared for that and excited for that.

And obviously the more rankings come out this week as we look into march of how we can become the best basketball team, the best version of ourselves.

>> Looking forward to marching and it's often small improvements that have big effects.

But Phil, thanks for stopping by the state to be back mandate.

We'll be right back as the Grand Valley State Sports report continues here.

Wgu.

>> What's up, Lakers?

I'm going troutman from the Grand Valley State sports report.

>> GPS you swimming and diving when the 2023 Cle at championship this past week on both the men's and women's side.

They competed in the 4 day event in Holland, Michigan as the team stayed on top of the competition from the start on the men's side, the Lakers dominated from start to finish winning 12.

The actor Ben championships junior Eric Uber was named the Gliac Swimmer of the Year for the 3rd consecutive year claiming 3 individual titles in the 501,016.

53 a 4th place finish in the 200 free and was part of the first place finishing 800 free relay.

>> Matt Bosher Erick Aybar that I can to the list can go on and on.

Roger Maris, Ala, Wrigley Field.

And I mean, you know, this so many top performances, so many national cuts and just to see them perform the way they did, you're able to do training a free regular this year.

We have to worry about in COVID shutdowns or anything like that.

So it worked out perfect.

Who's a great year.

>> On the women's side, the title is the Lakers.

4th since 2017 and 5th overall TVs you dominated from start to finish winning 9 event championships.

Freshman Lucy Headley was the both ugly acts winner of the year and sickly at Newcomer of the Year.

>> You know, unbelievable top to bottom.

We had huge swims from Lucy had least getting freshman of the year and athlete of the year in the women's side.

And, you know, I just couldn't ask for more diving side.

Magic hoist the immigration see guard did very well on the boards.

And, you know, all the girls stepped up.

They had some huge relays tons of people in the top of that night.

Just fun to see them come together is great.

>> Yeah.

I mean are are kept.

Is that the great all year?

Jesse?

Good year.

I'm his 5th year came back for 5th year leading the man and just a really likable guy and really close to being together on the women's side.

You know, you have a the lady.

We bring ya to what, Ari, Dana Beauregard, really nice job of senior captains.

Just help the women get to another final.

We have 2 weeks and so really for the Indianapolis, the national championships.

And I will have a good week of training here about a week week and a half men will start to come back and get lobo speed up and hopefully we can go even faster here in 2 weeks.

Some of our top men and women rest fully for the conference championships here.

So we're hoping for more.

>> Grand Valley state swimming and diving will be back in action for the division 2 national championships in Merced.

>> TV issue men's basketball splits 2 road games.

This past week Coach Con Man's group fell to Saginaw Valley State before besting Wayne State in Detroit, which and now shares his thoughts with us as we connect with him over zoom.

>> Well, one thing is, is is in the game first of August, 2nd of La Credit, they didn't really set the ball.

Well, obviously, we didn't defend well.

So give him a chance to shoot it.

Well, the benches there for for good reasons.

So the thing about in in that game, we score the ball without issues for him that the part was we didn't a fan.

If the guys on the floor starting order guys coming off the bench, nobody defended.

Everybody was able to score.

We had no problems going but we we allow them to score.

Does.

This program is is obviously new head coach of the program.

The way it is now is predicated upon how we defend and rebound.

And so when we don't defend and rebound, you know, really at the end of the day, you can win that game if you're us.

And so we we have to we have to have a better level, a better brand of defending then we did on Thursday, which, of course, on Saturday we did do that.

So what I want to win and then the guys want to win.

I don't think are our bodies are always I'm ready to defend.

And so they knew they knew what we lost a game.

And so they also knew what we needed to do despite whoever we will play next.

They knew we would have to bring our defense to a high level and a rebound into a high level in order to rectify what happened Thursday in.

And I thought for the most part we did in one of the things that told you guys before the game is played, making mistakes because because guys, sometimes they slow up the way they play because they trying that to make mistakes, make you mistakes, whatever the mistakes are, it's no different in life.

You don't make mistakes in life.

They don't mean the game is over.

And I mean, life is over.

You can quit.

Now you just you just got to move to was next.

And I thought they did a good job of one planned super hard, but I thought they did a really good job of making mistakes and get into the next play.

Well, well, you just just that to me at the time we we fought I mean, and that's who we are.

And so we we again, chosen is even seen some some battle.

I mean, I do think we are better tested.

And, you know, obviously you take it as you pass or fail and it you we lose and we and we, you know, fight through it, then I'm OK with that because the other team is trying to win.

And we we are not undefeated.

And so, but if you don't play at 11, we're capable of plan.

And then you lose that really, really hurt.

I mean, that that grinds my gears to it to a different level.

And so we we really have to just come out and be who we are.

We do need to superheroes.

We don't need anybody trying to take on more than a they have in the past year.

They need to.

We need every individual come out and be who they are and and do it with a lot of energy and effort and focus in.

And I think when we play that way, we normally will win that game.

You know, we will not beat ourselves, not taking away from any teams, but it, but with over and over again, I think the losses we've had were due to things that was in our control.

And we didn't put out that's it would be maybe maybe Kingsley, maybe Kingsley.

He took his first shot.

It was a jump shot and obviously, you know, you big strong and athletic and you should not be.

It's almost like there's nothing wrong and she to jump shot.

I'm not against him.

Shooting jump shot but not turn away from the polls where you could eat this do and should jump shot.

And so after he took that shot, he understood that that was not the right mentality shot.

And so for the rest of the game, he was aggressive at the rim and that's where we throw the ball.

And and so he was yeah, I thought he was good about that.

All those guys came off the bench to to do their job.

And I thought for the most part they did it again.

Those guys made mistakes too, in the mistakes.

I don't like our Russian.

I don't like anything rush against against the on there's a game against the AL East.

I thought we rushed a lot of that.

We started out as not arm our state address it and the game is not enough.

But we want to play fast and be quick but not to the detriment of what we're doing in any position.

And I felt like Thursday we were rushed again.

You know, I thought during the game on Saturday I had to continue to tell those guys to slow down slow down.

You don't make your move in, you know, ID or $100,000 and you go spend it right now.

You didn't take any time to think about it.

You just take that money as it wants to.

But if you take a time, you're going to do things the right way.

And I think is no different basketball at those guys get the ball near the rim and is a lot going on like they got to do is they think they come in a double.

They think they come in the spring in from the perimeter.

Take your time survey situation then then go to work.

>> Was it is?

It is a huge week and we need both games.

We need one game in a row, but we will again, as it we have to come out and be the best version of ourselves individually and collectively.

And so that's what we're talking about.

Just she is, you know, getting in some shots, making sure guys get shots up before we play Thursday and we we we you to practice down to a very low level.

So guys can keep their legs.

But we just need to come in.

And and we've been playing good at home.

So we just need to come in and really play Laker ball and be excited and have some fun with it.

You know, it is is not is not.

It is not going to be fun.

It's just harder to do is just more task for is already hard enough is already task.

Well enough.

So so they got to find a way to have fun.

But you have to have fun going hard and defending and rebounding and offense can be a party, you know, but but you have to do was necessary before you can get to the party.

And so that doesn't does the message.

And and, you know, they know where we are in terms of why we need to games and what that look like.

And so we just got to go out and play Laker Ball.

>> What do you miss?

You softball hits the diamond for the first time this week as they take part in the Lewis Dome tournaments before they hit the road.

Time Cleary caught up with the team to find out what we can expect this year.

>> The 2023 college softball season figures to be a year like any other.

But still it's hard to imagine how gaining Callahan and the Lakers negotiated schedule each year and usually starts with more than 20 straight games on the road.

This season's work begins with 5 games indoor in Illinois.

Well, Grande Valley figures to showcase Chicago area pitching ace Hannah B as in All America short-staffed Lydia Goble before playing its next dozen in Florida.

>> I think we're all just like itching to get on the field.

We had a little bit short week last week and then we will next week to taking off on Friday morning.

So this like full week has been like, you know, really the ground for us is trying to get through and get to that day.

We finally get to play.

>> I mean, it's a seasonal last, but definitely trying to you step-by-step, enjoy a each of those last and kind of take them for what they are.

And, yeah, just enjoying the little things.

>> I'll be honest.

Expects to shoulder much of the pitching load again in 2023.

Callahan has some other strong arms available as well.

And veteran Ashli Playtech and freshman Nevaeh Ingram.

>> Well, when we go through our recruiting process, we always want to make sure we have a staff and that we have some depth not only the pitching staff but throughout the other things happened.

Injuries happen.

Class conflict happened.

Things like that.

So we always want to make sure we have that depth and and that they're willing to step in.

>> With Goble who hit 4.65 last year anchoring the offensive attack, Grande Valley returns to other 400 hitters and outfielders Joanna Surrency only and Kaitlin Lynch Surrency Oni like Goble and catcher Morgan Wagner started all 51 games last year in a season that saw the Lakers claimed Lee Act NCAA Midwest regional titles before dropping a pair of one-run games to and their postseason run.

>> We're all pretty restless right now.

We've been practicing lifting and conditioning for so long.

We're all just ready to get out there and play it.

So and I'm very excited to catch Hannah for another year.

>> Well, Grande Valley finishes in Florida March 11th.

The Lakers will begin a six-game stretch on Saint Patrick's Day in Ohio before the home opener March 25th against Wisconsin Parkside.

That will be the beginning of 10 straight in Allendale.

By which time the coaching staff will expect to see who we can count on from a promising group of freshman and newcomers.

>> We want to make sure that they have a very high ceiling and that we can develop that a month or 2 polish than, you know, they go to Alabama and Georgia in those schools.

So we look for those players that have that determination and they want to get better.

>> And while bus travel can get old for anyone the trip next month, the Florida should be just the tonic for a team that won 7 of 8 games there last year on its way to a 43 in a season.

If Grande Valley can match its early 15 2 start in road games from a year ago, Callahan standout group of seniors will be prime for what it hopes will be.

Another postseason run followed by a trip to this year's World Series in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

The Grand Valley State Sports report.

I'm Tom Clear.

>> That's all the time that we have this week here in the Grand Valley State Sports report GB issue men's and women's basketball will host a pair of jeans and Allendale to close out the regular season.

Thursday, though, welcome in Lake Superior State with the women tipping off at 06:00PM followed by the man at 08:00PM.

Then take on Fair State on Saturday as the team celebrate senior night, the women will get underway at 01:00PM followed by the men at 03:00PM TV issue track and Field will take part in the gliac championship this week.

The two-day event will be hosted by Saginaw Valley State on Saturday and Sunday for upcoming games as well as live broadcast of every Laker athletic program.

Visit GV issue Lakers dot com.

More of the show head over to our YouTube channel at YouTube Dot com Slash Wgu.

35 make sure you hit the subscribe button to get updated videos and highlights all year long.

The entire crew here Wgu I'm Steve Lloyd-Jones have a great week Laker Nation and as always a corrupt