WINONA LAKE – While the roster is very different, the goal is very much the same for Grace College's men's basketball team. Following a season in which the Lancers made a magical run to the Final Four of the NAIA Division II National Tournament in Branson, Mo., veteran coach Jim Kessler will rely on a new lineup if Grace is to continue its trend of postseason success. “This is not a rebuilding year, but it is a reorganizing year as we lost four staters,” said Kessler, who has 679 career wins and enters his 37th season at the helm of Grace's program. "This is a reorganization of who we are. We are trying to get the lens focused on who this team is. When this team learns how to utilize each other's strength's fully, then we'll be a good team.” The Lancers have played in the national tournament in three-straight seasons and in five of the past six. Advancing to the national semifinals last season, Grace posted a record of 24-10. Graduated from that team are Bruce Grimm Jr., Elliott Smith, Tannan Peters and Lee Ross. Karl Columbus, who put an exclamation mark on his sophomore season with standout performances in the national tournament, is no longer at Grace College. Dennis Williams, a 6-foot-11 senior from Jamaica who contines to improve as he adjusts more and more to American basketball, is red-shirting this year because of a foot injury. While Grace searches for an indentity, senior Greg Miller and Division I transfer Logan Irwin will be counted on heavily to lead the way. Miller, the all-time leading scorer at North Miami High School, averaged 17 points and nine rebounds while starting all 34 games for the Lancers last year. “Greg's play will be key for us,” said Kessler. “He made the All-Tournament team (at the national tournament), he was All-Conference, and he was one guy away from making the All-American list. He's the most experienced player we have.” While Miller is the Lancers' most experienced player, it's fair to say Irwin is the team's most talked-about player. Irwin, who grew up in Warsaw, graduated Whitko High School as the 12th all-time leading scorer in Indiana prep history with 2,230 points. He spent the first semester of his freshman year at Stetson University, starting seven games at point guard. He then enrolled at Grace. And with the departure of Grimm, another Division I transfer who started for three years at point guard for the Lancers, Irwin will step right in and direct Kessler's offense. “Logan is a solid transfer,” said Kessler. “Everything we do is going to go through Logan. He's a quality point guard. If you saw him in high school, obviously you know he can score a lot of points, but he's an excellent passer. He's a kid who lives in the gym. He's here everyday. I don't think I've ever coached a player who works harder by himself. If Logan played here in the 1950s he'd fit right in. He's a throwback player. He works very hard, and he just loves the game of basketball.” Other players who figure to see major minutes for the Lancers include senior Jared Treadway, junior Niko Read, sophomores Caleb Featherston, Kyle Fillman and Brandon Vanderhegghen, and freshmen Brock McFarland, Eric Miller and Tre Olive. The Lancers have a scrimmaged scheduled tonight with Athletes In Action, and then open the season Saturday with a 3 p.m. Homecoming game with Great Lakes Christian. After Saturday's game, the Lancers won't play in the Manahan Orthopaedic Capital Center until the Terry Polston Hoops For Hope Tournament, which is scheduled for Nov. 15 and 16. Grace opens Crossroads League play Nov. 26 when it travels to Taylor University. The Lancers were picked to finish third in the Crossroads League by the coaches of the 10 schools. Indiana Wesleyan and Bethel were voted as the league's top teams. “This is a very tough conference,” said Kessler. “Both Indiana Wesleyan and Bethel made the Sweet 16 last year, and we were in the Final Four. This league is respected nationwide. It's a long season. You've got to stay healthy and survive a lot of battles.”
