Notebook: Marshaun Flakes signs to play at Davenport
Grand Rapids Community College freshman Marshaun Flakes competes against Jackson College on Nov. 13, 2024. He led the team in scoring this past season at 17.9 points per game. (Photo | Lenny Padilla).
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Marshaun Flakes has found a new home. It’s just taken an extra year to get there.
Flakes has signed to play basketball at Davenport University.
“It means a lot because it’s a school that’s in my city,” Flakes said. “I’m definitely gonna put on for my city. I appreciate the coaches giving me an opportunity to compete.”
The 6-foot-2, 170-pound guard played last season at Grand Rapids Community College.
As a senior at East Kentwood High School, he wasn’t getting the attention from colleges that he was hoping for, despite averaging 21 points and being named All-State.
“I was getting offers from many JUCOs (junior colleges) and I felt JUCO was the best option for me to go at that specific time,” Flakes said.
Flakes said he was thankful for his time at GRCC, where he averaged 17.9 points per game.
“It was a second chance, honestly,” he said. “Coach (Joe) Fox giving me a chance worked out for me in the long run.”
Flakes had the biggest game in GRCC history against Lake Michigan College on Jan. 15, 2025. He set the school record with 53 points. Flakes drained nine 3-pointers and also had 10 rebounds.
“It was only fun because we was losing and came back and won,” Flakes said. “That’s what made it fun. Man, that’s a lot of points. Definitely something I’ll never forget.”
NOTES FROM AROUND THE AREA
ALLENDALE: Former Allendale coach Joe Modderman is coaching a travel basketball team this spring/summer. He is the coach of The City 17U team, which includes his son JJ Modderman (South Christian).
CALVIN CHRISTIAN: The Squires have a new coach. Paul Marandet was hired to replace Matt Veltema, who stepped down after the season. Marandet was an elite scorer during his playing days at Spring Arbor. He scored more than 2,000 career points. He graduated from Warsaw High School in Indiana. Marandet currently coaches The City 16U travel team.
CALVIN UNIVERSITY: Junior Owen Varnado (Muskegon Western Michigan Christian) has transferred to Tennessee Tech, a Division I program. Varnado led Calvin in scoring at 16.2 points per game.
CATHOLIC CENTRAL: Cougars first-year coach Chris Pearl is also coaching travel ball this season. Pearl is the coach of the West Michigan Premier 16U team.
CENTRAL MICHIGAN: Andy Bronkema was hired as the head coach for the Chippewas. He replaces Tony Barbee. Bronkema, a grad of Cornerstone University, coached Ferris State for 11 years, including a Division II National Championship in 2018. A week after getting the CMU job, Bronkema signed two of his Ferris State players to transfer to CMU: Jaxson Whitaker (Reeths-Puffer) and Nate Claerbaut (Zeeland East).
CORNERSTONE: Senior Blake Stewart (Coopersville) will return to Cornerstone University for a fifth season. The 6-foot-5 guard/forward was second on the team in scoring at 13.5 points per game. He will get a chance to play with his cousin, Judah Bartels, who is a senior at Coopersville and has signed to play at Cornerstone.
EAST GRAND RAPIDS: Senior Taj Osborne was one of the top free-throw shooters in the state, according to stats sent in to BCAM. He was the lone West Michigan player on the list, landing at No. 9. He made 51-of-60 free throws for a 85 percent clip. The top shooting team in West Michigan was Byron Center at 74.3 percent.
FOREST HILLS CENTRAL: Junior Matt Sexton has committed to play football at Central Michigan University. Sexton also is a forward on the Rangers’ basketball team.
FOREST HILLS CENTRAL: Senior Brendan Cargill has committed to play basketball at Hope College. The guard averaged 27 points per game for the Rangers.
FOREST HILLS EASTERN: Coach Dylan Liddell has stepped down after one season, leaving an opening for the Hawks. Liddell replaced long-time coach Jason Yelding. FH Eastern has listed the job on Indeed.com.
GRAND RAPIDS CHRISTIAN: Senior guard Aaron Gholston has committed to run track at Grand Valley State.
GRAND VALLEY STATE: Senior Will Dunn (Quincy) is coaching a travel team this season. he is the coach of the Grand Rapids Storm 15U team. Dunn averaged 11.1 points and six rebounds for GVSU last season.
GRAND VALLEY STATE: GVSU grad Deleon Brown is coaching a travel team this season. The Grand Rapids Christian grad is coaching School Days 15U team out of Lansing. Brown played his first three seasons at the University of Colorado and his final two at GVSU.
HOPE COLLEGE: Junior Marcus Wourman (East Lansing) is coaching a travel team this season: the Prospectors 15U team out of the Lansing area. The point guard was second on Hope in scoring at 12.9 points per game.
HUDSONVILLE: Senior Justin Fisher was the No. 2 shooter in the state, according to stats sent in to BCAM. Fisher drained 33 3-pointers in 63 attempts for a shooting percentage of 52.38. No. 8 on the list is Grand Rapids Christian sophomore Braylon Taylor, who shot 47.69 percent from deep (40 of 84). Fisher has signed to play basketball at Hope College.
KENOWA HILLS: Kenowa Hills hired Adam Gulick as its new varsity boys basketball coach. The native of Grand Ledge, Mich., was the coach at Allen Park High School the past two seasons. In the past, he was a grad assistant at Florida State and assistant at Grand Rapids Community College. Gulick graduated from Central Michigan University. He replaces Mike Moorehouse at Kenowa.
KUYPER COLLEGE: Micah Estelle has transferred from Grand Rapids Community College to Kuyper College. The 6-foot-5 forward graduated from Hopkins.
MUSKEGON: Senior Darryl Thompkins Jr. has signed to play basketball at Muskegon Community College. The guard played his first three seasons at East Kentwood.
ROCKFORD: The Rams are the smartest team in the state for the second-straight year. Rockford was the BCAM Academic All-State’s top combined GPA at a stunning 3.88. Also in the Top 10 are Coopersville (3.75) and Forest Hills Central (3.71).
ROCKFORD: Freshman Josh Bascom will miss the entire travel ball season. He broke his foot in late April and had surgery to put a screw in his foot to repair it. Bascom has an offer from Ferris State. For the story, click here.
UNION: The varsity boys basketball job is open, according to a listing on the Grand Rapids Public Schools website. William Wright was the coach for the past two seasons.
SOUTH CHRISTIAN: Sailors’ coach Taylor Johnson is also coaching travel ball this season. He is the coach of the Grand Rapids Storm’s top 15U team.
UNITY CHRISTIAN: Crusaders’ grad Isaac TeSlaa was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the third round of the NFL Draft. TeSlaa, who won state championships in basketball and football for Unity Christian, was drafted as a wide receiver out of Arkansas.
SPRING ARBOR: Junior Gabe Newhof (Unity Christian) has transferred to Division I James Madison University. The 6-foot-8 forward led the team in scoring at 21.5 points per game. For the story, click here.
WEST CATHOLIC: Bernard Varnesdeel was hired at the new coach for the Falcons. He coached Godwin Heights last season. Varnesdeel was an assistant coach at Aquinas College before that. His son, Bernie Varnesdeel, is a 2023 grad of West Catholic, where he played on the basketball team and was the quarterback of the 2022 football state champion.
WEST OTTAWA: Coach Jared Redell also is coaching travel ball this season. He is the coach of The Shore 15U team, which includes his son Trey Redell (West Ottawa).
