TSR 2/23/20 CBB Picks w/ Guest Picker Todd Bloemers

On Saturdays and Sundays for the remainder of the college basketball season, the TSR team is going to add guest pickers to our usual daily selections. They will be on the Guest Pick Standings page on the menu of our website. Our next guest picker is a staple of the Caledonia community, a former player, and a current coach and teacher, Todd Bloemers.

Q&A w/ Todd Bloemers

1. Can you lay out the timeline of your playing/coaching career? 

I played football, basketball, and baseball at CHS (won the 3 sports for 4 years award) from 1994-1998. I then went on to play at Hope College from 1998-2002. I coached the varsity boy's basketball team at Caledonia from 2007-2015. I have coached the past three years at the JV Girls level. I also coached JV football last year.

2. Were there any players or coaches that you felt stand out when you think about your time at Caledonia?

Well, I coached Luke Wiest for three seasons and he was a very special player. I'm sure I'll get into his career in further responses. Pat Stegeman was a fantastic Caledonia player and he had a great career at Hope College. Pat won a district championship in 1995. I also admired Dave Uyl - he was the glue of that team and he was also a 3-sport, 4-year athlete. 

My favorite coach was Kevin Walma. He is the current AD at Hudsonville, but he was hired to replace Larry Rea (my other favorite coach) between my junior and senior year. Walma had patience but he also had high expectations. He cared about us as players, and I still consider him a friend and mentor to this day. I think he is the best athletic director in the state (biased, but many will agree)! 

I should also mention Coach Burrill as a favorite coach of mine. He was a huge mentor to me when I was hired as a varsity head coach at 26. Additionally, he was an amazing role model of mine when I was a player of his in high school football. He could motivate players, but he really didn't have to because we loved him so much that we were so intrinsically motivated to do our best to not let him down. He is a State Champion coach whose impact on others cannot be measured by wins and losses.

3. You were around when Caledonia won its last district basketball title. What was that team like? Were you at the game? If so, what was that like?

So I answered this a little bit above, but I'll go into more detail here. Caledonia won the district title in 1995 over South Christian. It should be noted that South was 20-0 and beat CHS by 30 points each of the first times we matched up. Larry Rea, the best basketball mind that I ever played for, realized that there was no way that Cal could beat South if we didn't make some serious changes, and South ran a half-court 1-3-1 trap that turned opponents over at-will. Long story short, in double-overtime, CHS took South down 46-44 with a methodical approach to breaking that 1-3-1. In large part, they used their stud, Pat Stegeman, as a decoy, and Dave Uyl played magically at the high-post - routinely passing to the low-block off a reversal to Jeff Born (junior), who led the Scots with 18 points that night. How I remember these details, I will never know. But Todd Schrotenboer (South Christian forward/center) was one of the best high school players I watched play in that era. 

4. What was it like to play at Hope College?

Playing at Hope College in the Holland Civic Center was like no other sporting experience I have had. The fans were incredible and I built relationships with students, staff, administration, coaches, and teammates that will last the rest of my life. Coach VanWieren, Coach Neil, and Coach Davelar created an environment where, as players, we were loved, nurtured, challenged, and held accountable. It was the perfect storm of expectations and I enjoyed every minute of it. 

5. Was there a game at Hope that stands out to you when you look back on your career?

As a senior, we beat Calvin (at Calvin's Van Noord Arena) in the finals of the MIAA Tournament to earn a berth to the NCAA Tournament. I was the only senior on the team and it was a special finish for me not only because we won, but I was able to chip in with two FT's and a 3-point shot in the last few minutes to help us seal the deal. We went on from there to win at St. Norbert's (Wisconsin) on a last-second shot in our first tournament game. One unique thing about playing St. Norbert's was that our athletic trainer was best friends with the Green Bay Packers athletic trainer, so while we were there, we got to take a tour of Lambeau Field, including the weight room, Lombardi Trophies, etc. Yes, I can do a Lambeau Leap, and no, it's not as high as it looks on TV.  From there, we went back to Wisconsin to play Carthage, where our season and my career came to an end. Carthage was a great team and I think they went to the finals that year. 

6. Who was your best teammate during your career?

In high school, it had to be Shane Mendez. Shane was a fantastic football player but he was also an awesome PG. He defended the best wing on every team and he was a disruptive force on defense. Also, he made me a better player by holding me accountable for always playing hard, and he was difficult to guard because he was so quick!  

In college, my favorite teammate was Craig Veldman. Craig was a fantastic player and he cared about his teammates more than his own individual success. Craig is still serving others as a middle school principal in Lowell's school district. I couldn't think of a better person to lead! 

7. Who was the best player that you faced during your career as a player?

My sophomore year I had to spend most of the game against GVSU at Van Andel Arena trying to guard John Flynn. He could flat-out score and it was the most challenging matchup I ever had to take-on individually. Jeremy Veenstra was the best player that I've ever had to prepare for "as a team." He was just nasty. There was literally nothing he couldn't do as a player. Ironically, he and I played together in Chicago Men's Rec. Leagues after college, where I truly came to know him and appreciate his talent as a player even more. 

8. Who was the best player that you coached?

Luke Wiest was the best player that I ever coached. He was incredibly talented and I have a great relationship with him still to this day. I was only 26 when I became his head coach, and working with a player as talented, competitive, and stubborn as him helped me develop my coaching belief system and non-negotiables.  I also thought Stephen Spencer and Kardokh Piromari were fantastic players. They were incredibly efficient statistically, which is sometimes over-looked. They shot a high-percentage, defended the best players at their position, and found a way to make plays in a variety of situations. It should be noted that they were also very "cocky.' 

9. Was there a coach that you viewed as your rival, or someone who always pushed you to be better as a coach from the opposing bench? 

Ken George. Hands down. If Ken had an "equally talented team" as another coach, he was going to beat them strategically. I hated scouting his teams because they did so many disciplined things well that it was always tough to find a way to expose any weaknesses. I also thought coaching against Eric Elliott at Hudsonville was a huge challenge. Eric's teams always play so hard, and he runs fantastic stuff. Others: Scott Tompkins (small sample size) and Don Schils from Hastings. 

10. Favorite college basketball player?

Jalen Rose. Loved his edge. Loved him as a competitor and a teammate. Also, I was a middle-schooler in 1991, so yeah, I thought he was awesome!  

11. Do you have a favorite college basketball memory as a fan of the game?

Rumeal Robinson's FT's against Seton Hall in 1989. Tre Burke's shot against Kansas in 2013. Jordan Poole's shot against Houston in 2018. Do you see the trend here . . . Go Blue!!

12. Michigan basketball, where do you see this season going? 

I am a huge Fab 5 fan, and Juwan Howard was the glue that kept that group together. I loved his statement regarding what is different about his team lately - he said (paraphrase) I'm a better coach. I've grown. I can lead this group better. Also, I love him as a recruiter and as a man who cherishes building relationships. I think the future is bright and I couldn't be more excited. Also, have you seen his, "cabbage patch"? 

13. John Beilein, unfortunate news that he has left the Cavaliers. Do you see him going back to college to coach? If so, care to make a prediction where that will be?

I am completely lost here. His coaching clinics were awesome and I loved taking my staff to Ann Arbor to learn about player and system development.  I love coach Beilein. Devon Mulry, my former manager at CHS (now the director of player development at Texas!!!) raves about Beilein's ability to teach the game and develop players. Honestly, I think he wants to get back to having fun and teaching the game. If he wants to coach, someone's going to get lucky. He does have some family issues that are cause for concern, which I can see as the only barrier other than his age. I guess we'll see what happens, but I hope whatever he decides to do he is happy. 

14. Some people may not know that you teach English at Caledonia. What is your favorite book to teach? Why?

The Bosnia List by Kenan Trebincevic. If you want to learn about mental toughness, perseverance, and forgiveness, then this novel is the one. I cannot reiterate how meaningful the conversations I have had with my seniors have been this year. Principles of true character. 

15. Finally, I know there are tons of questions above, but is there anything not covered in an answer to a question that you'd like to share, whether its basketball-related or not?

I've got three things to end on:

1. Eric Tuori is the best youth athletics program director since Jim Uyl. I think Eric belongs in the Caledonia Athletic Hall of Fame. 

2. My former team manager, Devon Mulry, is my favorite player I've ever "coached." I am so proud of all his accomplishments. He always invited my family to Michigan games and he took us on tours of the facility - now he's at Texas and doing amazing things. I am so proud of that kid! 

3. I HOPE that my Flying Dutchmen can get things back on track. It's been a rough go against Calvin in the past couple of years, but I believe in Coach Mitchell and I think bright things are in store. 

Sunday's Games

1. Indiana vs Penn State (12:00, FS1)

Todd: Penn State- I don't think that Shooter will have another Picket Fence in his back pocket.

Nick: Penn State- The Hoosiers could take this game and propel their case to an at-large bid, but I’m not sure that they can top the Nittany Lions. Penn State has the most conference road wins, and they pick up another in this game.

Sam: Penn State- The Hoosiers accomplished what they needed to this week by beating Minnesota. This would be icing on the cake, but I can't see Penn State losing two in a row.

Zach: Indiana- Both teams really need this game, and I give Indiana the nod because Assembly Hall is not easy to play big games in

2. Northwestern vs Minnesota (3:00, BTN)

Todd: Minnesota- Row the Boat! And Northwestern is very overmatched..

Nick: Minnesota- Chalk it up for another Big Ten road victory on Sunday. The Gophers need this game in the worst way, as they are 12-13 on the season. This win over a horrible Northwestern team keeps their very slim NCAA Tournament hopes alive.

Sam: Minnesota- The Gophers are basically in a "win out" mode if they want a chance at the dance. Even if they have more room on the bubble than I think, they definitely can't afford this loss.

Zach: Minnesota- Northwestern is due for a win after a gauntlet of a past few games, and they almost get one here, but not quite.

3. Ohio State vs Maryland (4:00, CBS)

Todd: The University of Maryland- I will NEVER pick that other school.

Nick: Maryland- Three for Three. Another B1G road winning prediction. Though Ohio State has played their way back into the tournament at this point, this win would go a long way for them. Unfortunately, there aren’t many teams in America that are playing as hot as Maryland at the moment. The Terps, led by Anthony Cowan, pick up their tenth straight victory.

Sam: Maryland- The Terps are well on their way to an outright B1G title, and Ohio State struggled in their Thursday night loss against Iowa.

Zach: Ohio State- The Buckeyes have done a complete 180 on the season, but are still looking for that marquee conference win, and there isn’t a better opportunity

4. Wisconsin vs Rutgers (1:00, BTN)

Todd: Wisconsin- I know that Bo Ryan's swing offense isn't the norm around here, but the Badgers defend Kohl Center well still. They have only lost one game at home this season.

Nick: Wisconsin- The Scarlet Knights are 1-6 in true road games, while the Badgers are 12-1 at the Kohl Center. Those two facts alone would be sufficient grounds to believe that Wisconsin will win this game. Rutgers has really endangered what once looked like a promising season, losing 4 of 6 games to slide down the seed line and into the thick of the bubble. 

Sam: Wisconsin- Rutgers is in serious danger of potentially losing out and missing the tournament. They have just one game at home, and that is against Maryland. This is a tough road for a team that only has one road win, against Nebraska.

Zach: Wisconsin- Maybe not the better team, but a tougher team at home, and the Kohl Center strikes again

5. Cincinnati vs Wichita State (1:00, ESPN)

Todd: Wichita State- I don't think Luke Fickell staying at UC will help the Bearcats in this one.

Nick: Wichita State- It’s hard to go against Gregg Marshall, who always has teams coming into their own this time of year. He is trying to get the Shockers back to the tournament in seven of the past eight years, and he will return again this year. Erik Stevenson and Jamie Echenique have been playing well as of late.

Sam: Wichita State- I really don't think UC is very good..

Zach: Cincinnati- The Bearcats need this win to stay at pace in the AAC, and because of this they come out hot and never look back

6.  Seton Hall vs St. John’s (2:00, CBS)

Todd: Seton Hall- After Michigan's defeat of Seton Hall in the 1989 title game, the revitalized spirit of PJ Carlesimo empowers the Pirates to this victory.

Nick: Seton Hall- The Pirates need this victory to keep the lead over Creighton and Villanova in the three-team race for the Big East championship. Thankfully for Myles Powell and company, they are at home against the 9th best team in the conference. 

Sam: Seton Hall- The Hall will stave off the Johnnies and remain in first place, with the Creighton rematch looming in the regular season finale.

Zach: Seton Hall- Myles Powell is good enough to win this game alone

7. UCONN vs South Florida (2:00, CBSSN)

Todd: UCONN- I am going to continue my trend of coaching pedigree as an indicator of success and pretend that Geno Auriemma is running the show. UCONN wins this toss up.

Nick: South Florida- I am picking South Florida due to my dislike for Danny Hurley and the UCONN program. A shoutout to Brian Gregory, coach of USF, who spent 11 seasons as an assistant at Michigan State, in three separate stints. It’s a shame he lost Alexis Yetna this season, because they had some promise in the preseason. Perhaps next year will go better for Coach Gregory’s bunch, though they did win the 2019 CBI, so I suppose that’s worth something.

Sam: UCONN- "Danny Hurley. The Carpenter."- Jon Rothstein

Zach: UCONN- Nick is just a hater...not that I like Hurley like Sam does, he just won’t pick them because of it

8. Creighton vs Butler (4:00, FS1)

Todd: Butler- Doug McDermott doesn't play for Creighton anymore right? This is where Shooter may pull out the Picket Fence, away from home! Hinkle Fieldhouse Power!

Nick: Creighton- The Bluejays have the most favorable schedule of the three teams in the Big East race, and this is their hardest game of the next three. If they win this game, they are looking at playing Seton Hall in the finale with at least a share of the title on the line. The play of Ty-Shaun Alexander and Marcus Zegarowski has been phenomenal as of late, but I would like to give a shoutout to my fellow goggles-wearing baller in Denzel Mahoney.

Sam: Creighton- Really tough loss for the Bulldogs against Seton Hall at the buzzer earlier this week. Creighton on the other hand is clicking on all cylinders

Zach: Creighton- Butler is in the midst of a two game losing streak, and this one doesn’t get any easier on the road

9. Notre Dame vs Miami (FL) (6:00, ACC)

Todd: Notre Dame- I am taking the Irish, thinking that Rudy will set a phenomenal backscreen out of a timeout that will free up a shooter...that'll be the difference! Lou Holtz vs Jimmy Johnson??

Nick: Notre Dame- The Fighting Irish have a real long-shot for the NCAA Tournament, but they need to win out, starting on Sunday night. John Mooney is the key to this team, and it would be fitting to send this senior out with a trip to the Big Dance.

Sam: Notre Dame

Zach: Notre Dame- John Mooney is single handedly keeping this ND team relevant, and giving them their slightest chance at the tournament. If that is to happen they need to win all the games they should, and this is one

10. Northern Iowa vs Southern Illinois (2:00, ESPNU)

Todd: Northern Iowa- The beautiful purple and gold colors, just like my beloved Fighting Scots!

Nick: Southern Illinois- This game is suddenly even more important in the Missouri Valley race after the Panthers were upset against Indiana State on Thursday night. It’s now a four-team race for the MVC regular season title, and the Salukis beat NIU the first time. Let’s make it a season sweep for Southern Illinois, and this is going to be an EPIC Arch Madness.

Sam: Northern Iowa

Zach: Northern Iowa- Even after dropping the last two, the Panthers are just the better team, even though they lost the previous matchup