Graham CouchLansing State Journal
The 19th edition of Lansing’s Moneyball Pro-Am summer basketball league tips off this Tuesday at Holt High School, once again featuring Michigan State’s roster, along with players from Central Michigan and others.
The six-team league runs Tuesday and Thursday evenings through Aug. 1 — with no games July 2 and July 4 for the Fourth of July holiday. Games start at 6, 7 and 8 p.m. each night. Admission is free, with donations welcome. The first week’s schedule is below. The full slate will be available by Tuesday evening and available for $1 purchase with a copy of the rosters upon entry.
The MSU and CMU rosters are dispersed throughout the league, two players from each school per team, with every scholarship player from the Spartans playing in the pro-am other than sophom*ore point guard Jeremy Fears Jr., who’s practicing but is working his way back after surgery following a gunshot to his leg last December.
Even minus Fears, there are a number of compelling storylines on the MSU front this summer. Maybe none at the level of anticipation of seeing the Miles Bridges / Cassius Winston freshman class in 2016 or last season’s heralded newcomers. But the mix of this year’s incoming freshmen — guards Jase Richardson and Kur Teng and big man Jesse McCulloch — coupled with two incoming transfers, wing Frankie Fidler and center Szymon Zapala, along with intrigue surrounding MSU’s returning sophom*ore class, gives this summer’s pro-am as many different MSU storylines of interest as perhaps any year in recent memory.
What does a stronger, more seasoned Xavier Booker look like? A Coen Carr dunk-fest is always welcome, but are there signs of growth elsewhere in his game? This is a first glance at Fidler, who’s expected play a large role this MSU season. A first look at Zapala, too, and a chance to see him next to MSU’s other centers. Two years ago at the Moneyball Pro-Am it was obvious that Carson Cooper wasn’t just some project. We'll get a feel for Zapala — and MSU's other big guys. Jaxon Kohler was among the stories of the summer last year, before a foot injury in the fall. Does he look primed for a good season again?
Elsewhere, CMU’s roster is taking part, including returning leading scorer Anthony Pritchard. Grand Valley State has a few players on rosters, too, along with several overseas pros and familiar local names back for another run.
Here are the complete Moneyball Pro-Am rosters and the schedule for the first week:
Moneyball Pro-Am 2024 Rosters
Team Case Credit Union
Name, School
Frankie Fidler, Michigan State
Jesse McCulloch, Michigan State
Drew Barbee, Central Michigan
Shaedon Simpson, Central Michigan
Deunte Phifer, Lansing Community College
Shane Ross, Toledo (2007)
Colin Jones, Olivet (2019)
Dee Roberts, Olivet (2019)
Marcus Moore, Wayne State (2018)
Team Faygo
Coen Carr, Michigan State
Jase Richardson, Michigan State
Damarion Bonds, Central Michigan
Hunter Harding, Central Michigan
Andrew Moore, Trine
Nate Tucker, Trine
Deleon Brown, Grand Valley State (2022)
Dre Dentmond, Dillard (2018)
JJ Droughns, Lansing Community College (2009)
Shamar Howard, Schoolcraft Community College (2022)
Derric Martin
Team Goodfellas
Szymon Zapala, Michigan State
Kur Teng, Michigan State
Brian Njanda, Central Michigan
Cayden Vasko, Central Michigan
Shamus Thompson, Grand Valley State
KK Brown, Grand Valley State
Myles Johnson, Black Hills State
Zavion McClendon, Concordia Ann Arbor
Maurice Benson, Indiana Tech (2006)
Diante Smith, Lansing Community College (2019)
Jeremiah Williams, Canisius (2015)
Team Motorcars
Jaden Akins, Michigan State
Xavier Booker, Michigan State
Armani Mighty, Central Michigan
Anthony Pritchard, Central Michigan
TJ Nadeau, Detroit Mercy
Rasheed Dyson, Great Lakes Christian
Darien Banks, Great Lakes Christian
Orlando Little, Davenport (2018)
Bass Ollie, Michigan-Dearborn (2023)
Brandon Suttles, Lansing Community College (2021)
Team Snipes
Tre Holloman, Michigan State
Carson Cooper, Michigan State
Mohammad, Habhab, Central Michigan
Kyler Vanderjagt, Central Michigan
Markeese Hastings, Robert Morris (2024)
Davion Boleware, Grand Valley State
Charles Turner, Grand Valley State
Forrest Buoyer Jr., Calvin (2021)
Ryan Franklin, Olivet (2021)
Joshua Mann, Community College of Rhode Island (2017)
Team Tri-Star Trust
Gehrig Normand, Michigan State
Jaxon Kohler, Michigan State
Jakobi Heady, Central Michigan
Quentin Heady, Central Michigan
John Sweeney, Kalamazoo Valley Community College
Ramere Draper, KVCC
Devan Wilson, Lansing Community College
Kameron Hankerson, Green Bay (2022)
Zander Woodruff, Lansing Community College
Joe Francis, Grand Rapids Community College
Moneyball Pro-Am 2024 Schedule
Tuesday, June 25
6 p.m.: Goodfellas vs. Case Credit Union
7 p.m.: Faygo vs. Snipes
8 p.m.: Tri-Star Trust vs. Motorcars
Thursday, June 27
6 p.m. Snipes vs. Tri-Star Trust
7 p.m. Motorcars vs. Goodfellas
8 p.m. Faygo vs. Case Credit Union
Tuesday, July 9
TBA
Thursday, July 11
TBA
Tuesday, July 16
TBA
Thursday, July 18
TBA
Tuesday, July 23
TBA
Thursday, July 25
TBA
Tuesday, July 30
TBA: 3 seed vs. 4 seed (playoffs)
TBA: 1 seed vs. 6 seed (playoffs)
TBA: 2 seed vs. 5 seed (playoffs)
Thursday, Aug. 1
TBA.: Winner of 3/4 seed vs. Winner 2/5 seed (semis)
TBA: Winner 1/6 seed vs. 6 p.m. winner (championship)
Contact Graham Couch at gcouch@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter @Graham_Couch.
