Performance: Quincy's William Dunn
January 18, 2019
William Dunn
Quincy junior – Basketball
The 6-foot-8 forward had 30 points to lead Quincy past Reading 55-46 on Jan. 8, pushing the Orioles to 9-0 this season while becoming just the third player in program history to go over 1,000 career points. He entered the game needing four to reach the milestone, and he also grabbed 12 rebounds on the way to earning the Michigan Army National Guard “Performance of the Week.”
Over 2½ varsity seasons, Dunn has lead Quincy to a combined 47-10 record, two league titles and a District championship, earning all-state honorable mention from The Associated Press after both of his first two seasons. This winter he’s averaging 25.2 points, 12.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 3.4 blocks and 1.2 steals per game, making 55 percent of his shots from the floor and 42 percent of his 3-point tries. Heading into tonight’s game against Concord, Dunn has 1,026 career points, trailing only 1995 graduate Jeff Bell (1,071 points) and 2003 grad Dominic Lopez (1,707) on the school’s all-time scoring list. Both of those players went on to compete at the college level – Bell at Olivet and Lopez at Navy – and Dunn already has scholarship offers from three Division I or II programs, including Division I American University in Washington, D.C.
Dunn has worked over the last year to get stronger and has upped his endurance as well, necessities especially as he deals with two and three defenders at a time aimed at stopping him. He also played football as a freshman and sophomore, making the varsity as a receiver his second season, and carries a 3.2 GPA with history his favorite academic interest. He could help his 380-student high school make some before his career is done; the Orioles are seeking their first Regional title in boys basketball and made the Regional Final his freshman season.
Coach Scott Rodesiler said: “William Dunn is a unique talent who has been on the varsity team since his freshman season. During his first season, you could see that there was something special about him as a player. … (He) brings a unique blend of size, skill, athleticism, work ethic, competitiveness, and unselfishness to our team. Dunn's game is extremely versatile because his skill set allows him to score in so many different ways: fastbreaks, posting up, shooting a 3-pointer, driving to the hoop, shooting a mid-range jumper, (putting back) an offensive rebound, or hitting free throws. You may see him filling a lane on the fastbreak or getting the rebound and leading the fastbreak himself. William is basically a guard in a big man's body. I would not hesitate to play him at point guard if I needed him to do so. His ball handling and vision of the court are outstanding. The great thing about having William on the team is that you always know going into a game that you have a great chance of winning because he is capable of scoring 30+ points, pulling down 15+ rebounds and forcing other teams to change their defensive game plans. ... William's biggest improvement since last season has been his outside shot, in my opinion. Dunn made thousands of shots in the past year to take his game to a new level. He always had a nice shooting stroke, but the work he put in has allowed him to shoot with greater consistency. William has achieved at a high level all while facing double and triple teams, as well as numerous 'junk' defenses. One of his greatest abilities is making the right decisions with the basketball when faced with these types of defenses.”
Performance Point: “I just thought it was pretty cool that I was the third player to get (1,000), and so that means that not many people get that opportunity,” Dunn said. “(Reaching it as a junior) just shows all of the work that I've put in. It's just reflecting that. It's another step to everything that's been going on.”
On the radar, and the map: “It's nice for people to start recognizing some of the stuff that I've been able to do, or some of the stuff that I've accomplished. After my freshman year I had gone to some camps, and some people asked who I was and said they had heard of me. It's funny, because a lot of times they'll ask me where I'm from, and I tell them and they have no clue. They don't know where (Quincy) is. I ask them (if they know) where Coldwater is, because we're right next to that and it's a little bigger town, and if they don't know where that is, I just say it's right next to the Indiana border. ... Sometimes I hold up my hand like the mitten and point to it.”
Small town, big support: “It's kinda unique. … It feels like when we do something special, it's means more because it doesn't happen as often. I like the community aspect (of being small-town). Everybody knows you, everywhere you go. You go in town, go out to eat, there's people that you have no clue who they are but they've heard about you, seen you in the newspaper. It's real cool.”
Hard work pays: “It's really exciting to do this for the school and for the town. We work hard. We come into practice every day, practice extremely hard. We bond really well. There's nobody butting heads or anything; we mesh really well.”
School in session: “I’m been thinking about going into education and trying to be a teacher. Both of my parents are teachers; my dad is a weight training teacher and (teaches) health class and personal finance, and my mom is a fifth-grade science teacher. … They’ve always stressed (education), that school always comes first. Sometimes it gets a little hectic, but I've always adjusted to it. I always have known I have to get my work done.”
- Geoff Kimmerly, Second Half editor
Every week during the 2018-19 school year, Second Half and the Michigan Army National Guard recognizes a “Performance of the Week" from among the MHSAA's 750 member high schools.
The Michigan Army National Guard provides trained and ready forces in support of the National Military Strategy, and responds as needed to state, local, and regional emergencies to ensure peace, order, and public safety. The Guard adds value to our communities through continuous interaction. National Guard soldiers are part of the local community. Guardsmen typically train one weekend per month and two weeks in the summer. This training maintains readiness when needed, be it either to defend our nation's freedom or protect lives and property of Michigan citizens during a local natural disaster.
Past 2018-19 honorees
November 29: Dequan Finn, Detroit Martin Luther King football - Read
November 22: Paige Briggs, Lake Orion volleyball - Read
November 15: Hunter Nowak, Morrice football - Read
November 8: Jon Dougherty, Detroit Country Day soccer - Read
November 1: Jordan Stump, Camden-Frontier volleyball - Read
October 25: Danielle Staskowski, Pontiac Notre Dame Prep golf - Read
October 18: Adam Bruce, Gladstone cross country - Read
October 11: Ericka VanderLende, Rockford cross country - Read
October 4: Kobe Clark, Schoolcraft football - Read
September 27: Jonathan Kliewer, Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern soccer - Read
September 20: Kiera Lasky, Bronson volleyball - Read
September 13: Judy Rector, Hanover-Horton cross country - Read
PHOTOS: (Top) Quincy's William Dunn goes to the basket against Jonesville on Dec. 9. (Middle) Dunn rises to the rim during the 35-29 win. (Photos by Expressions Photography Design.)
Neitzel Finds Way Back to High School Hoops
By
Dean Holzwarth
Special for MHSAA.com
July 31, 2020
GRAND RAPIDS – Drew Neitzel is a self-proclaimed basketball junkie.
So when the opportunity arose to reconnect with the high school basketball scene, the former Mr. Basketball and Michigan State standout didn’t think twice.
Neitzel, 35, has spent the past five years as a high school basketball radio analyst alongside longtime broadcaster Bret Bakita.
“It was a natural fit for me coming back to Grand Rapids, and I’ve known Bret since he was broadcasting my games at Wyoming Park,” Neitzel said. “He was looking for a partner and reached out to me.
“I didn’t have the time or desire to maybe get involved with coaching locally, so the high school broadcasting was the perfect fit to keep me around the game and feed my appetite for the game. Friday night hoops is one of the best atmospheres with the student sections and great crowds, and there’s a great following in West Michigan. It’s great to be a part of that high school action again.”
Bakita has been a staple in the West Michigan sports scene and has been a mentor to Neitzel.
“Bret is a true professional and a great guy to work with and learn from,” Neitzel said. “It’s been a great fit and a great team, and hopefully we have a season this winter.”
Neitzel and Bakita were broadcasting a boys District Semifinal in Holland the night before the Covid-19 pandemic started affecting the landscape of sports.
NCAA conference tournaments were canceled, and soon after March Madness and the remainder of the high school winter and spring seasons as well.
Netizel currently lives in Grand Rapids with wife, Kristi, and their son, Drake, who turns 1 in August.
The recent pandemic has changed the lives of many around the world, but Neitzel has tried to take everything in stride.
“It’s certainly been different, and my wife and I are both working from home, which has been good since we have a 1-year-old,” said Neitzel, who works as a financial advisor in Grand Rapids.
“We try to see the positives with everything going on and the craziness in the world, and working from home allows us to spend extra time with our little guy.
“It presents its own challenges, but overall we’re doing well and we’re trying to be smart and responsible by social distancing and staying outside. Not putting ourselves in harm’s way if we don’t have to.”
The pandemic and enforced precautions has put a damper on summer activities, which included Neitzel’s annual basketball camp.
The popular Drew Neitzel Basketball Camp has been running for more than a decade, but likely will be halted due to the pandemic.
“This would’ve been our 12th year, and it has been very successful and continued to grow,” Neitzel said. “It’s the one week in the year that I get to get back in the gym with the kids and my dad and 15 of my good buddies who help coach.
“It’s disappointing that we haven’t had the chance to run the camp, and we haven’t officially canceled it, but it looks more like that’s going to be the outcome with everything going on and the gyms not being allowed to open.”
His stellar high school career at Wyoming Park included becoming the school’s all-time leader in points and assists, while winning the Mr. Basketball Award and taking his team to the Class B Semifinals as a senior in 2004. In one of the most memorable games in MHSAA Tournament history – and before a capacity crowd at the Breslin Center – Neitzel scored 36 points but saw his team fall 79-63 to a Detroit Renaissance eventual champion that included major Division I college prospects Malik Hairston, Joseph Crawford and Tajuan Porter.
Quickly, Neitzel made an impact in East Lansing as well. He was a starting point guard for a majority of his time as a Spartan, and helped Michigan State reach the Final Four as a freshman.
“I couldn’t have written a better college career,” Neitzel said. “You wish you would’ve won more games and went to more Final Fours, but when I look back, to step in and start halfway through my freshman year for Coach Izzo and for him to give me the reins with a senior-heavy team was a great experience.
“That 12 months of my life was absolutely crazy. My senior year of high school going to the Breslin Center, winning Mr. Basketball and then earning a starting spot and going to the Final Four was a wild ride. It was an awesome year for me, personally.”
After not being selected in the 2008 NBA Draft, Neitzel played professionally in Germany and France for five years while also being invited to NBA summer leagues and training camps with Minnesota, Portland and Dallas.
His last taste of the NBA came in 2011 during training camp with the Mavericks. He was eventually cut, and finished the season in the G League.
“That was a great experience,” Neitzel said. “They were a first-class organization and Mark Cuban and Rick Carlise were great. It was the year after they beat Miami in the NBA Finals so they were still on cloud nine from the championship.
“The guys in that locker room were Jason Kidd, Jason Terry, Dirk Nowitzki, Vince Carter, Delonte West, Shawn Marion and Lamar Odom. I was a fly on the wall, and to be around those NBA greats and veterans was definitely one of the highlights of my career.”
Made in Michigan 2020
July 28: Nichols Lends Winning Past to West's Present - Read
July 17: Miss Tennis Serving Now as 'Hero Coach' - Read
July 9: Joplin Always Has Known Value of Home - Read
June 24: Fracassa's Remarkable Records Still Rule - Read
June 16: Muskegon Grad Casts "Magic" in HBO Series - Read
Dean Holzwarth has covered primarily high school sports for Grand Rapids-based WOOD-TV for four years after serving at the Grand Rapids Press and MLive for 16 years along with shorter stints at the Ionia Sentinel and WZZM. Contact him at [email protected] with story ideas for Allegan, Kent and Ottawa counties.
PHOTOS: (Top) Drew Neitzel attempts a free throw before a packed Breslin Center during the 2004 Class B Semifinals. (Middle) Neitzel, with wife Kristi and son Drake. (Top photo by Gary Shook; middle courtesy of Drew Neitzel.)