GRAND RAPIDS, MI (WHTC) – Hope College claimed the outright MIAA men’s basketball championship Saturday with a 65-61 win over archrival Calvin at Van Noord Arena in Grand Rapids. The Flying Dutchmen used a balanced scoring attack in winning for the 100th time in “The Rivalry” with the Knights. Harrison Blackledge and Brock Benson led Hope with 11 points each, while Holland High graduate Dante Hawkins added 10. Jordan Daley led Calvin with 20 points. The Knights will miss the MIAA tournament for the first time since the tournament began in 1992.
Meanwhile, in women’s action, Calvin denied Hope a perfect regular season with an 88-77 win over the Flying Dutch, handing Hope its first loss after 24 consecutive victories. Anna Timmer led the Knights with 16 points, while Holland Christian grads Bre Luurtsema and Kally Verkaik each had 11 points and eight rebounds. Angelique Gaddy led the Flying Dutch with 22 points while Maura McAfee added 15 points and 12 rebounds.
Hope will host both the MIAA men’s and women’s tournaments next Friday and Saturday at DeVos Fieldhouse. In pairings and times announced by the Association on Saturday evening, the full day of semifinal basketball on Friday begins at 1 PM with Calvin’s women facing Trine, followed at 3 PM by Alma’s men taking on Saugatuck’s Dakota Kazen and the Albion Britons. The host schools then take to the parquet floor, starting at 5:30 with the Flying Dutch entertaining Olivet, followed at 7:30 PM with the Flying Dutchmen taking on Trine. The championship tilts are in DeVos on Saturday, with the women starting at 5 PM and the men at 8 PM.
Hear all of Hope’s games on the Lakeshore’s 92.7 The Van with Mike Coleman and Casey Rutledge, starting at 5:10 PM on Friday evening.
-Greg Chandler contributed to this story
