FORMER BULLDOG DENNIS SPRINGS CHOSEN AS IBL ALL-STAR CANDIDATE

Ferris State Product Second-Leading Scorer For Expansion Holland Blast

The 5-6 Springs, who concluded his collegiate eligibility by leading FSU to its second consecutive NCAA Division II National Tournament appearance in March, presently ranks 25th among the league's scoring leaders at 21.7 points per game. He has helped guide the Blast to a 10-5 (.667) overall record to date in the 24-team league. The Blast currently are in fourth place in the league's East Division heading into next Friday's (June 23) 7:15 p.m. (EDT) home game against the West Virginia Wild at the Holland Civic Center.

The squad's point guard, Springs is one of two all-star candidates on the Blast roster along with Jared Bledsoe, who's the league's fourth-leading scorer (27.9 ppg) through 15 games. Forty-five players in all have been named as candidates for The IBL All-Star game, which will be held in conjunction with the 2006 IBL Tournament July 13-16 in Elkhart, Ind.

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 2005-06 National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Great Lakes Region All-District First Team and Daktronics All-Great Lakes Region Second Team selection, Springs is among four former Bulldog players presently on the Blast roster. Guards Carlton and Corey Epps (Benton Harbor) signed with the Blast last fall after helping guide FSU to the NCAA-II Sweet Sixteen as seniors in 2004-05. Former Bulldog forward Willie Burrel (Muskegon Heights), who also concluded his collegiate playing career in 2004-05, is listed on Holland's injured reserve list.

Springs was previously recognized as both Ferris State's Most Valuable Player and Defensive Player Award recipient during the 2005-06 campaign. He was also honored as Ferris' 2005-06 Dean Davenport "Bulldog of the Year" Award as the school's most outstanding male student-athlete.

The 5-6 Springs, who led the GLIAC in assists (5.74 apg) as a senior and ranked as the league's third-leading scorer (16.8 ppg), was honored as a first-team All-GLIAC North Division selection this year. Springs’ career average of 6.2 assists per game ranks tied for 17th place all-time in NCAA Division II history and is the GLIAC’s top career performance average for all games played. His 713 career assists not only ranks as the school's top figure, but also presently is listed 13th on the all-time NCAA Division II assists leaders list.

The two-time (2003-04 & 2004-05) GLIAC North Division Second Team honoree compiled 28 double-figure scoring outings this season and currently is listed among the school's all-time performers in five statistical categories, including ninth in scoring with 1,504 career points. He earned GLIAC North Division Player of the Week Award honors three times in his final campaign. Springs also received GLIAC North Division All-Defensive Team kudos for the third-straight season and picked up GLIAC All-Tournament Team recognition this year.

Springs, who attained NCAA-II Great Lakes Region All-Tournament Team kudos as FSU advanced to the NCAA-II Sweet Sixteen during the 2004-05 campaign, was chosen as the Grand Rapids Press' Player of the Year this past season. He was the conference's assists leader three of his four collegiate seasons and dished out 10 or more assists 14 times in his playing career.

During his playing career, Springs led Ferris to back-to-back GLIAC North Division Championships (2003-04 & 2004-05), guided FSU to a runner-up league regular-season finish this year and directed the Bulldogs to consecutive NCAA-II Great Lakes Regional Tournament appearances the last two campaigns.

Ferris posted an 18-13 overall mark this year en route to making its second consecutive national tournament berth under fourth-year head coach Bill Sall after posting a second-place 13-5 mark in GLIAC North Division regular-season action.