The 2021-22 Grace College men’s basketball program. Photo courtesy the Grace College Sports Information Department

By Josh Neuhart
Grace College Sports Information

WINONA LAKE – Grace’s men’s basketball team has high aspirations for the upcoming 2021-22 season.

The Lancers, void of a senior on the roster, are armed with talent despite their youth. Grace won 20 games last year while starting four freshmen at times under head coach Scott Moore.

Nearly half of the roster is new to the team this year; six of the 14 players are in their first year with the Lancers. As a result, Moore said he entered preseason with an open mind.

Immediately, Moore noticed a common theme in practices and scrimmages with this year’s squad.

“The thing I’ve been most pleased with is the intensity level at which the guys compete,” he said. “The new guys are competing really hard which drives our returners to not be content. It’s created a closeness and an energy among the team that’s outstanding.”

The Lancers had one representative on the preseason All-Crossroads League Team in Cade Gibbs. In his first season he averaged 14.7 points and 6.4 rebounds per game while shooting 51 percent from the floor. But the rugged forward will be out with injury at the start of the season.

In his absence last year, Cade’s twin brother Jakob Gibbs grew into a larger role on the squad. After averaging less than eight points per game over the first 19 games of the season, Jakob ended the year on a tear. He doubled his scoring output, generating 16 points per game over the final 13 games — doing so in critical Crossroads League games as well as postseason play.

Gibbs’s fellow classmates Jake Wadding and Elijah Malone also enjoyed strong first-year seasons in Grace’s frontcourt. Malone quickly established himself as one of the most dominant post players in the league, shooting 70 percent from the floor and posting 10 points, 5 rebounds and 2 blocks per game.

In Moore’s estimation, Malone has the ability to be one of the premier big men in the NAIA. “Elijah is so dominant and skilled that he could become the best post player in the country at our level,” Moore said. “His ability to score as well as protect the rim creates a huge advantage for us.”

Wadding proved to be an essential glue guy for the Lancers. Dubbed a “Swiss-army knife” by Moore, Wadding’s knack to fill whatever offensive or defensive need arose helped Grace nightly during league play. He finished the year with 12 points and five rebounds per game while shooting 61 percent from the floor.

Frankie Davidson also joined Grace for his first season last year after transferring from the University of Indianapolis. He showcased one of the best shooting touches on the team, making 53 percent from the floor, 36 percent on 3-pointers and 88 percent on free throws. Moore highlighted Davidson’s versatility to play any of the five positions within a lineup: “He’s a matchup nightmare.”

The three elder statesmen on the team are juniors athletically. Jaylen Reese and Kalvary Lingenfelter moved up from the junior varsity team (Reese is in his second year with the varsity), and Eddie Gill IV returns to Grace’s backcourt.

Gill has missed parts of two seasons due to injuries but has the ability to change games defensively off the bench. He is the healthiest he has been in years, and Moore was excited for fans to see Gill’s defensive tenacity and energy on the court.

The freshman class fits the upbeat style of play that Moore has installed at Grace. Additionally, the newcomers found success at the high school level — a trait that Moore likes.

Brycen Graber is a 6-foot-3 point guard. He graduated as Indiana’s all-time leader in career assists, racking up 837 assists at Barr-Reeve. “He’s one of the most instinctive passers I’ve ever seen,” according to Moore.

Carter Stoltzfus averaged nearly 20 points per game as a marksman at Northridge, drilling 191 career 3-pointers.

Brett Sickafoose is a local star from Whitko. He was a two-time area Player of the Year and scored 1,691 career points.

Ian Scott brings a unique element to Grace’s frontcourt. The 6-7 forward was a First Team All-Conference selection from Plainfield and adds athleticism, passing and versatility to the post rotation.

Marcus Davidson is another high-level shooter. The Blackhawk Christian guard, and brother of Frankie, boasted a career record of 79-8. He topped 1,000 points in his accomplished career.

Additionally, Malachi Pearson (Logansport) will redshirt the season.

“We brought in high IQ, competitive players who fit what we are trying to do,” Moore said. “These guys won at the high school level, which means they are competitive and don’t like to get beat.”

The Lancers officially begin the season this weekend at home. Grace hosts the Lancer Tipoff Classic at the Manahan Orthopaedic Capital Center, playing Concordia at 7 p.m. on Friday and Northwestern Ohio at 1 p.m. on Saturday.

Moore was excited for his team to enjoy a year with hopefully far fewer COVID implications.

“Our whole team is excited to get energy back in the arena this year with full crowds. The younger guys don’t know what a normal [non-COVID] year is like,” Moore said. “The first weekend at home will be a lot of fun. As a coach you look forward to that. We have high goals for ourselves as a team that don’t change, but we also want to have fun while we compete at a high level.”