Former Division 1 men’s basketball coach Dave Bliss speaks Tuesday night at the 2015 NCCAA National Basketball Championships banquet at Warsaw Community Church. (Photos by Mike Deak)

WARSAW – College basketball fever is reaching its apex with play-in games beginning in Dayton Tuesday night for the NCAA men’s basketball tournament. Locally, Tuesday night saw the NCCAA tournament unofficially open with the annual banquet held at Warsaw Community Church.

All 16 men’s and women’s teams as well as a few special guests were in attendance at the banquet, which helps kick off a week-long celebration of college basketball at Grace College, the host for the NCCAA tournaments.

Roberts Wesleyan College forward Marissa Sell was named the Kathy Freese Award winner.

After a day of service projects and on-campus activities, the teams all helped celebrate the crowning of the Kathy Freese Award, which was awarded to Roberts Wesleyan College forward Marissa Sell, and the Pete Maravich Award recipient, given to Colorado Christian University guard Michael Brown.

Sell, who averaged 15 points, 12.4 rebounds and shot at a 48.8 percent clip for the Redhawks, was presented the award by Roy Mulholland, the Women’s Division 1 NCCAA Chair. On stage with Sell was RWC head coach Bob Segave.

Brown, who was emotional during his speech following the presentation by Grace College athletic director and Men’s Division 1 NCCAA Chair Chad Briscoe, averaged 16.7 points per game and shot 46.3 percent from three and 79.8 percent from the free throw line. Brown, whose Cougar teammates were in attendance as the No. 4-seed in the NCCAA tournament, was joined on stage by CCU head coach Kevin Lubbers.

Colorado Christian University guard Michael Brown was named the Pete Maravich Award winner.

The key note speaker for the evening was former NCAA Division 1 head coach Dave Bliss. Opening with a series of jokes about his time as an assistant coach to Bob Knight at Indiana University and how age has caught up to him, Bliss was unashamed to admit his mistakes is a well-publicized scandal while head coach at Baylor University. Bliss, who also coached at Oklahoma, SMU and New Mexico, openly admitted to his mistakes, but relayed that his faith in God helped him rise above his mistakes, and ultimately, to redeeming himself.

Basketball games will get underway bright and early Wednesday at 8:30 a.m. when top-seed Lee University’s men’s team takes on No. 8 Crowley’s Ridge. Lee’s women’s team are also the top women’s seed and will open the ladies’ tournament at noon against Southwestern Assemblies of God University. The No. 3 Grace College men will take on No. 6 Dallas Baptist University at approximately 5:15 p.m., which will be followed by the parade of champions at 7 p.m. The No. 6 Grace College women will meet No. 3 Bethesda at 7:30 p.m.

For a full schedule for the tournament, including ticket information, visit gclancers.com.