Grace Basketball: Lancers Add Five To Men’s Program
WINONA LAKE – Grace College head coach Jim Kessler has added five more pieces to his puzzle for next year’s men’s basketball team.
Kessler announced the signings of Nathan Gerber (Tabernacle Christian), Martin Schiele (Griffith), Charlie Warner (Westfield), Ian Kissell (Norwell) and David Holden (Greenville, Ill.) for next year. The group will join the duo of Braxton Linville (NorthWood) and Jaret Sons (Rushville), who already committed to the Lancers.
Gerber is a 6-foot-7 post from Tabernacle Christian. He was a four-time All-Conference performer, including First Team All-Conference honors as a sophomore, junior and senior. He was named to the IACS State Tournament First Team in his final two seasons.
“I’m excited to play for Grace and Coach Kessler this upcoming season,” Gerber said. “I fell in love with Grace College last May, and I’ve wanted to play here since then. I’m incredibly excited to see what God will do through me on the court as I strive to play for His glory alone.”
Gerber averaged a double-double as a senior with 13.8 points and 11.8 rebounds per game. He also swatted 46 shots. He was named All-Morgan County as a junior and senior and led the Eagles in scoring all four seasons.
Tabernacle Christian coach Kenny Roll said: “It is very exciting to see Nathan take his game to the next level. He is a great student and has potential to become a great player. It will be exciting to see him grow his game at Grace.”
Gerber is the son of Steve and Vicki Gerber. He lives in Morgantown, Ind., and plans to study youth ministry at Grace.
Schiele is a point guard from Griffith. He was instrumental in the team’s run to the Class 3A semistate, overcoming a horrific bus crash during the tournament run.
The Panthers finished the year with a 25-4 record. He played the semifinal game with a torn ACL, scoring 10 points just four days after the accident that grabbed the world’s attention.
He transferred after his junior year from Bowman Academy. At Bowman, Schiele led the Eagles to a state championship game appearance in 2014.
Schiele will also perform on the Lancers’ track and field team under head coach Jeff Raymond.
Warner is a 6-foot-6 wing from Westfield. He was a two-time All-Conference and All-County honoree and was named honorable mention for All-State recognition as a junior and senior.
“I chose Grace to further my faith, receive a high-quality education and be a part of an excellent basketball program,” Warner said. “I’m excited to be a part of something bigger than myself and bring another national title to Grace.”
Warner was named the Westfield High School Outstanding Male Athlete of the Year in 2015-16. The dual-sport star is also an accomplished tennis player, graduating with the most career wins in program history.
Warner was an Academic All-State winner for both basketball and tennis. He was a member of the National Honor Society and the Student Athletic Board.
Warner, who lives in Westfield, is the son of Steve and Laura Warner. He hopes to major in accounting during his time at Grace.
Kissell is a 5-foot-11 guard from Norwell. He produced nearly 17 points per game as a senior while earning First Team All-Conference recognition.
Kissell graduated with a sterling 82 percent shooting rate from the free throw line and was also the senior class salutatorian.
Kissell averaged 12.4 points per game as a junior to nab Second Team All-Conference. He proved his worth as a marksman, drilling 46 percent of his 3-pointers. In one game against Leo as a senior, he hit a school-record 19-for-19 from the free throw line.
“I have a great relationship with the coaching staff at Grace, which played a big factor in coming,” Kissell said. “The Christian atmosphere is tremendous on campus, and I’m ready to help the Lancers compete for a national championship.”
Kissell was a 21Alive Scholar Athlete of the Week and excelled in the classroom. He was a First Team Academic All-State honoree and was a member of the National Honor Society.
Holden graduated from Greenville (Ill.) as one of the most prolific scorers in school history. He racked up 655 points as a senior, second-most all-time, after connecting on 233 field goals.
As a result, he was named IBCA Second Team All-State and First Team All-Conference.
Holden graduated with 1,098 career points to rank No. 9 in program history. He helped Greenville to three consecutive league championships.
As a junior, Holden topped 10 points per game in helping the squad to a school-record 29 wins. He was named Second Team All-Conference as Greenville claimed an undefeated conference championship.
His production doubled as a senior, jumping up to 21.1 points per game. He led Greenville to another undefeated conference season to wrap up a stellar career on the hardwood. After the season, he participated in the Carlinville Rotary Club All-Star Classic.
Holden is also an exceptional track and field performer. He was one of the top sprinters and high jumpers in the conference.