FORMER FERRIS STANDOUT ADAM ANDERSON JOINS NEW PRO LEAGUE
Veteran Center Signs With Inaugural League's Grand Rapids Flight
The Ferris State University men's basketball program will soon be represented again on the professional level by former standout Adam Anderson (1998-03), who recently joined the International Basketball League's (IBL) Grand Rapids Flight as one of the franchise's first additions for the league's inaugural 2005 season.
A second-team 2002-03 National Association of Basketball Coaches Division II Great Lakes Region All-District pick, Anderson played competitively overseas in Egypt for eight months during the 2003-04 campaign. The Kent City (Mich.) native then played for four months this past season in Bahrain, an island nation in the Persian Gulf, after undergoing reconstructive knee surgery a year ago. The 6-10 Anderson, who's the younger brother of current FSU Assistant Men's Basketball Coach Cory Anderson, averaged nearly 24 points and 11 rebounds a game during his recent stint in Bahrain.
Anderson, who concluded his career ranked seventh on FSU’s career scoring leaders list (1,597 points), scored 10 points or more in 60 of his final 63 career appearances. He ranks as Ferris’ career blocks leader (142) and is presently third on the school’s career made free throw chart (482-724) along with ninth on FSU's all-time rebounding list with 616 boards.
A 2000-01 Daktronics NCAA Division II All-Great Lakes Region First-Team honoree, Anderson compiled a team-high 453 points in 26 outings (17.4 ppg) as a senior during the 2002-03 campaign. He led FSU in scoring 14 of the final 19 games while ranking among the league's season statistical leaders in scoring, blocked shots (1.5 bpg) and rebounding (6.1 rpg). Anderson registered 24 double-figure scoring performances and had eight 20-plus point outings in 2002-03, including a season-high 30 points at Saginaw Valley State (1/23/03).
During the 2002-03 campaign, Anderson posted the school's fourth-best single-season blocked shots total (40) and fifth-highest single-season made free throw mark (156). Anderson, who also was both a 2002-03 All-Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) North Division First-Teamer and GLIAC North Division All-Defensive Team pick, reached double-figure scoring 80 times in 105 career outings.
The 2002-03 Street & Smith's Division II Preseason Honorable Mention All-America performer established FSU single-season records in made free throws (179) and blocks (50) during the 2000-01 season. Anderson previously attained both 2000-01 All-GLIAC North Division First-Team and GLIAC North Division All-Defensive Team recognition. He was a second-team All-GLIAC choice in 1999-2000.
The International Basketball League is a new professional basketball league designed around the concept of a faster, more skilled game. Specifically, the IBL plans to speed up time between play with immediate inbounds and will allow fewer timeouts. The absence of dead time is expected to lead to a faster and more entertaining game where skilled players shine.
Grand Rapids is one of 17 franchises in the inaugural league and is slated to open its season Friday, April 8, versus the Vancouver Volcanoes with tipoff set for 7:30 p.m. (EST). The Flight, who are coached by Steve Hettinga, will play all 10 of their home games at Wyoming Park (Mich.) High School. In addition to the Flight, the league has also placed three other teams in Michigan including the locations of Battle Creek, Detroit and Macomb County.
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