“Right now, it’s probably going to be Alex and, hopefully, it’ll stay that way.”
Alex Huibregtse, a fourth-year junior wing, is expected to take the floor with point guard Trey Calvin, wing Tanner Holden and posts Brandon Noel and A.J. Braun for the opening tip when the Raiders play at Colorado State on Nov. 10.
Huibregtse, the 6-foot-3 Grafton, Wis., product, led the Raiders in 3′s last season with 57. He started 12 times and averaged 23.7 minutes, fourth-most on the team.
He played 20-plus minutes in 21 of the last 23 games.
He scored 25 points against Milwaukee in his first start, going 5 of 10 from 3, and averaged 8.6 points.
“He’s shooting the ball well. He’s a great cutter on offense. He’s a perfect guy to have because there’s going to be so much attention going to three guys,” Nagy said.
Calvin is the preseason Horizon League player of the year. Holden is a former first-team all-league pick. And Noel was freshman of the year last season.
“He shoots around 40% from 3. He’s very experienced. He knows exactly what we’re looking for,” Nagy said of Huibregtse.
Though the return of Holden, who averaged 20.1 points in 35.4 minutes in 2021-22, will mean a reduced role for the returning wings, the Raiders have a few more who figure to be in the rotation.
Andrew Welage, a 6-6 senior, averaged 6.7 points and may be the team’s top shooter, hitting 52% from the field, 47.7% on 3′s and 85.4% on free throws.
Keaton Norris, a 6-foot junior, started 13 times last season and is a sure ball-handler, committing just 30 turnovers in 33 games.
“We have that luxury this year of having so many guys who have been with us a long time” and know what’s expected, Nagy said.
One newcomer on the perimeter, though, still might be able to wedge himself into the mix.
Bo Myers, a 6-5 grad transfer from Division-II Malone, was a three-time All-Great Midwest Conference pick. He averaged 18.5 points and 8.0 rebounds last season and shot 40.3% from 3 for his career.
“He’s trying to figure out how he fits in, but he really shoots it. And he averaged eight rebounds. I don’t care who you’re playing against, that’s a lot of rebounds. And there’s other things he can do for us,” Nagy said.
“He’s a good-sized wing. We need that. When we’re warming up against most teams, I look around and see our little guards. I’m not crazy about small guards, and we have them, and they’re all good players. But to have a guy 6-5 who can shoot it should benefit us.”
Though some might be skeptical about whether a D-II player can make the jump to D-I, Myers is dispelling those doubts within the program. And the Raiders will face another player climbing the ladder in their opener.
Patrick Cartier, a 6-8 forward who joined Colorado State last season, was a D-II All-American at Hillsdale College (which played in the same league as Malone). He was the Rams’ third-leading scorer at 12.3 per game and shot 64.7% from the field.
“It’s basketball. If you can shoot, you can shoot. The rim is the same distance and size in Division II as it is in Division I,” Nagy said.
SEASON OPENER
FRIDAY, NOV. 10
Wright State at Colorado State, 9 p.m., 980
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