GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Two heavyweights in boys high school basketball will square off Tuesday night as South Christian visits Grand Rapids Christian in the season opener for both schools.
The Sailors are just nine days removed from the division four football state championship game that saw key basketball players Carson Vis, Jake Vermaas and Sam Weiss participate.
"One thing that I am most excited for is a packed gym," Vermaas said about Tuesday's matchup with the Eagles. "For a lot of us we are out here to compete, we are out here to win, that is the expectation, it doesn't matter that we just came off football. It wouldn't matter if we came off football four months ago, the expectation is to win this game just like it is for every other one."
South Christian was 25-4 last season making it all the way to the division two state championship game before falling to Ferndale.
One of the Sailors four losses last year was to GR Christian in the first game in a short turnaround after winning the state championship in football.
"We are not going to be at our very best, we know that and Grand Rapids Christian probably knows that," second year South Christian head coach Taylor Johnson said. "That is OK, but we are competitors. Coach Eric Taylor does a tremendous job over there, we have a ton of respect for their program, they have two of the top players in the state, it's going to be a great challenge, it's going to be a great memory. These are two teams that people are going to want to come out and watch, I hope a lot of people are there that can support both teams."
The Eagles return Toledo signee Jaylan Ouwinga as well as Nate Johnson.
GRC won 20 games last season and made it to the regional final, it should be one of the top teams in the area again this winter.
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