Vanderjagt's Career Nears Its Closing

GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- The end is nearing for former Ram Gabe Vanderjagt. Vanderjagt, who was the leading scorer for head coach Steve Majerle’s Rockford basketball team just four years ago, can now count his playing days on one hand. The 5’11 shooting guard once led the Rams to a 22-3 overall record in 2009, when the team won an OK-Red conference championship and reached the quarterfinals in the state tournament. Much like he finished his high school career with success, he once again finds himself nearing similar accomplishments in college.

Vanderjagt is in his last season at Davenport University. The 9^th ranked Panthers have a record of 27-6. The team recently won its second straight Western-Hoosier Athletic Conference championship and is poised and prepped to make a deep run in the NAIA national tournament. Last season, Davenport’s men’s basketball team notched a school record by reaching the final four. They hope to surpass that achievement this March, deeming anything less than a national championship a failure.

While Vanderjagt, who averages 7.03 points and 2.5 assists per game, is not putting up the gaudy numbers he once did in high school, he has used his knowledge of the game and team-first mentality to find himself an intricate roll on the very talented Panthers squad. The senior has used his experience to make himself one of the team’s leaders. The process, he admits, was not easy.

“The sense of unity wasn’t there at first,” Vanderjagt said. “Everyone on the team was a great player in high school and used to being a leader. We’ve really had to be intentional about trying to fit in with everyone and find our roles that best fit the team.”

The moment Vanderjagt selected Davenport was the moment he had to sacrifice more than ever before. At Rockford, Coach Majerle granted him the green light. Vanderjagt led both his team and his conference in scoring at a mark of 22 points per game. While his freedom sometimes seemed endless in Rockford, he is grateful for the sacrifices he’s had to make.

“I definitely have a better understanding of the game now. I can play different roles and feel I have become a more complete player now.”

If Vanderjagt could mix the college Gabe with the high school Gabe, he joked, his potential would be boundless.

“After suffering from constant knee pain, I look back on my younger self with envy. If I could take the knowledge I have now and team it with the body I had four years ago, then who knows how good I could be?”

The former Ram anticipates he will not need his younger body to produce in the upcoming national tournament. He is confident his team can make noise and duplicate the run it made last season. Davenport kicks off the first round of the tournament this Wednesday at 8:30 a.m. when they take on 22^nd ranked York College out of Nebraska. Though it is a highly anticipated matchup, Davenport is favored. Vanderjagt hopes to end his career on a high note by leading the Panthers in their quest to bring a ring back to West Michigan.