GRAND RAPIDS - When Pete VanOosten hits the practice floor with the Aquinas College basketball team this fall, he'll be joining a team that this year broke its school record in wins (24 so far), was ranked 14th among NAIA Division 2 schools and is used to success.
But most important to VanOosten were the people that he met during visits to the Grand Rapids campus.
"During the summer I went down and scimmaged with some of the guys and really liked it," he said. "It's a neat campus and area, but mainly I just fit in well with the guys."
VanOosten moved up to the Ogemaw Heights varsity squad midway through his freshman year and never looked back, setting career scoring records and this season leading Northeast Michigan in scoring as the Falcons won the North East Michigan Conference title and their first district title since 1997. He averaged 20.5 points per game during the regular season, but ramped that up to 26.8 per game during the playoffs -- something VanOosten said might have been helped by his committing to Aquinas, which was formally announced Feb. 12.
"I think I've been more relaxed," VanOosten said. "It's been easier to just go out and play and not worry about if I'd get to play anywhere next season."
He also played for the AAU's Michigan Roadrunners, which only added to his ability to get seen by college coaches.
A four-sport athlete -- VanOosten has been successful in track, cross country and golf as well -- but for him there was no question that it was basketball he wanted to play at the next level. He plans on majoring in business.
The Saints compete in the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference. Among the schools in that league is Davenport University, where Whittemore-Prescott's Julie Janish will play for the women's team next year. Aquinas's non-league schedule also usually includes Spring Arbor University, where Tawas Area grad Darby Decker will be a senior next year and Pinconning's Willie Pickvet will be a sophomore.
"It'll be fun getting a chance to play against those guys again," VanOosten said. |
