ALLENDALE, Mich. – The Grand Valley State men's basketball team has been selected to finish second in the South Division of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) in the annual conference preseason coaches' poll. Additionally, sophomore Jake Van Tubbergen has been selected to the preseason All-GLIAC South Division team. With a solid returning core and some key transfers, the Lakers look poised to heavily improve upon their 14-15 finish from a year ago. For the full GLIAC preseason rankings and honors, click here. 
 
GVSU only lost twice on their home court last season, an overtime loss to Northern Michigan and a narrow defeat by the eventual national champion Ferris State. After a slow start to the year, losing their first four GLIAC games, the Lakers bounced back to win seven of their next eight contests, seemingly hitting their stride. Their grit was rewarded with the seven-seed in the GLIAC Tournament, but the team fell in a tough rubber match with two-seed Lake Superior State.
 
The Lakers return their two all-conference selections from last season in junior guard Hunter Hale and sophomore Jake Van Tubbergen, who was also the GLIAC Freshman of the Year last season. Hale, who led the Lakers in scoring last year, knocked down 67 threes in his first season in Allendale after transferring in from Central Michigan, good for eighth all-time in a GVSU single season. Van Tubbergen averaged 11.4 points and 6.6 boards per game in his freshman season, ranking fifth in the GLIAC in field goal percentage (.561). With both now having a full year with the Lakers under their belts, 15^th year head coach Ric Wesley has a foundation on which to build a championship contender.
 
GVSU also welcomes some key transfers that figure to play a big role this season. Jeremiah Ferguson, a junior from Division I Youngstown State, brings skill and quickness to the point guard position while Isaiah Brock, a junior transfer from Oakland University, will bring athleticism and high-level defensive instincts to the center position. Demetrius Lake, one of the most prolific scorers in Michigan high school basketball history, brings his talents to Allendale this winter after a season at Schoolcraft Community College. Shaquan McArthur, who turned heads as a freshman with Division II Embry-Riddle, provides an extremely athletic and versatile wing player to the GVSU arsenal.
 
Seniors Zach West and Justin Greason, along with juniors Ben Lubitz and Lance Dollison, all bring experience and depth to the roster. Kindred Williams, who missed last season with a knee injury, is an exciting transfer from former Division II school Saint Joseph's that will bolster the strength of the Lakers front court. Add in freshmen Luke Hyde and Brandon Paul and the Lakers are suddenly a team that has voluminous options down low. Chris Gilbert, another Oakland transfer, will help provide depth and size at the guard position.
 
The Laker season begins Saturday, November 10, at Alderson Broaddus at 1:00 PM. The first home game of the season is the following weekend with a Friday (Nov. 16) matchup with former GLIAC foe Tiffin at 7:00 PM in the GVSU Fieldhouse Arena.