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| Ricky Shilts was instrumental
in pushing his teammates to persist in tough games this year. |
Cutting down the nets at the Holland Civic Center after winning the MIAA
tournament last year is a memory that Ricky Shilts will not soon forget.
“Remembering that whole week last year brings back some great feelings,”
he said.
He now has another net-cutting celebration to add to his memory bank
— the one at Albion’s Kresge Gymnasium that occurred after
the Knights repeated as champions of the MIAA tournament this year.
“We wanted to take the momentum we ended with last year and build
on it for this year,” said the senior point guard. “Throughout
the season we concentrated on consistency and resiliency. We didn’t
want any blow-out losses.”
In fact, the Knights were handed only one double-digit defeat this year
— a 12-point loss to Division II Ferris State University early in
the season. Calvin’s other five losses were all by four points or
less, with two of those games going to overtime.
“One thing about this team is that we never gave a game away even
when we were down by a lot,” said Shilts. “Coach [Kevin VandeStreek]
would tell us, ‘Don’t fold the tents,’ and we never
did.”
Shilts was instrumental in pushing the Knights to persist. “Basketball
needs to be played with passion and with heart,” he said. “That
can make up for a lot of other things a team might not have.”
Shilts himself is passionate about the game. He’s had a basketball
in hand for as long as he can remember. “My mom nailed a hoop to
a tree outside of our house before I was two years old,” he said.
As a youngster, he also served as the water boy for Kalamazoo Valley
Community College, where his dad, Dick, has served as coach for more than
30 years. Shilts first played for his father at Kalamazoo Valley for two
years before transferring to Calvin as a junior.
“A lot of people had a lot of good things to say about Calvin,”
said Shilts. “I wanted to come to Calvin to get a Christian education
and play basketball under a good coach in a solid program.”
The Knights were glad to see him come. “Ricky is an emotional
leader,” said VandeStreek. “He loves to play the game and
does a great job of inspiring his teammates to play their best.”
His senior year was especially memorable as the Knights made a long
run in the NCAA III national tournament, with an eventual trip to Salem,
Va., for the Final Four. The Knights’ dream season ended in the
semifinals with a loss to Rochester University. Calvin went on to win
the consolation game for third place in the nation.
“This team is different than any other team I’ve been on,”
said Shilts. “I’ve never been a part of a team where all of
the guys got along so well. We really enjoyed working together. One of
our best characteristics was that we understood we had to do it as a team;
as individuals, all of us, at times, were average, but as a team we did
really well.”
Shilts was named to the All-MIAA second team. He was second in the league
in free throw shooting percentage at 85.7 percent. He finished ninth in
assists per game at 3.5 and ninth in three-point shooting percentage at
.407.
Also a member of the 2004 golf team, Shilts has one year of eligibility
left in that sport and may continue at Calvin in the fall. He is pursuing
an interdisciplinary degree in recreation and communication.
“To get an excellent education, play on this basketball team, meet
great people — including my girlfriend, Lisa Jurgens, who’s
been a great influence on me — and get all of this with a Christian
perspective, which is new for me, is something that I really appreciate
a lot,” he said. “This whole experience has been a blessing
in my life." |
