FORMER FERRIS MEN'S BASKETBALL DUO JOINS PRO TEAM

Carlton & Corey Epps Sign To Play For IBL's Expansion Holland Blast

The Epps Brothers

Former Bulldog players Carlton (top) and Corey (bottom) Epps recently signed professional contracts to play for the IBL's Holland Blast.

The IBL, which played its inaugural season in the spring and summer of 2005, is the newest professional basketball league designed around the concept of a faster, more skilled game. Specifically, the IBL speeds up time between play with immediate inbounds and allows fewer timeouts. The absence of dead time typically leads to a faster and more entertaining high-scoring game where skilled players shine.

A two-time (2004-05) All-Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) North Division First Team honoree, Carlton Epps concluded his collegiate career ranked among the school's all-time leaders in scoring (1,544), rebounds (454), steals (270), assists (250), free throw percentage (.820), three-point field goal percentage (.426), made three-pointers (240) and blocked shots (53). In addition to posting school career records for three-pointers and steals, he also notched single-season marks with 102 treys, 95 steals and a .883 free throw percentage as a senior in 2004-05.

Carlton Epps became only the sixth player in Bulldog history to score over 600 points in a campaign last year as he finished the year with 602 total points. The two-time (2003-05) GLIAC North Division All-Defensive Team pick also attained Daktronics All-Great Lakes Region First Team kudos last campaign in addition to being named to the NCAA Division II Great Lakes Regional All-Tournament Team and the National Association of Basketball Coaches Division II Great Lakes Region All-District First Team.

Corey Epps was presented with FSU's Defensive Player of the Year Award following his senior campaign in 2004-05. Corey had his best season in a Bulldog uniform last year as evidenced by his personal career-highs in scoring (309), field goals (112), rebounds (97), three-pointers (57), assists (82), steals (63) and blocked shots (11) in his final collegiate campaign. He finished his career with 876 points, 305 rebounds, 232 assists, 149 made three-pointers and 176 steals. Corey presently ranks fourth in school history in both career steals and three-point field goals made.

The duo guided the Bulldog men's basketball team to a runner-up finish in the 2004-05 NCAA-II Great Lakes Regional Tournament (March 12-15) held in Findlay, Ohio. The Bulldogs also won their second-straight GLIAC North Division Championship and concluded the 2004-05 season with a 24-7 overall record. FSU's 24 victories represented the third-most wins in school history.

The Holland Blast will be coached by Mike Ahrens and play their home games in the Holland Civic Center. The expansion team will join the Grand Rapids Flight as members of the 29-team league. Former Ferris State center Adam Anderson (Kent City) played for the Flight in the IBL's initial season last summer. Both Grand Rapids are Holland are owned and operated by the same management group, Fast Forward Sports LLC.

"Carlton is a multi-talented player who will contribute at both ends of the floor," Ahrens said. "He has excellent shooting range and can create a running game.

"Corey will be called upon to defend some of the best players in the league. He's proven he can defend at the college level and I'm excited about his potential at this point in his career."

The Holland Blast are tentatively slated to open the 2006 season Friday, March 31, against the Detroit Pros in the Holland Civic Center with tipoff set for 7:15 p.m. (ET). In addition to the Blast and Flight, the league also has three other teams in Michigan including the locations of Battle Creek, Detroit and Macomb County.