Ferris State's Chappell Earns MVP Honors As Five Bulldogs Compete In West Michigan All-Star Event

Big Rapids, Mich. - Senior forward James Chappell (Detroit/Southwestern) claimed Most Valuable Player honors as the Ferris State University men's and women's basketball programs were well-represented on Wednesday (March 30) night during the ninth annual Champions of Character West Michigan All-Star Games held at Davenport University in Grand Rapids.

Chappell was among five FSU men's and women's basketball seniors who competed in the annual all-star event. He tallied a team-high 21 points in the men's game while leading his Family Fare All-Stars to a 94-75 triumph over the D&W All-Star Team.

Along with Chappell, his three fellow Bulldog seniors also took part in the men's game and were on the winning squad, including senior center Jared Stolicker (Middleville/Thornapple-Kellogg), forward Josh Fleming (Hanover Park, Ill./Glenbard North) and guard Jibreel Jackson (Chicago/Currie).

Ferris State head coach Andy Bronkema also served as a co-head coach for the victorious Family Fare All-Stars in the contest held at the Davenport Student Athletic Center. This year marked the second-straight year in which Bronkema has coached in the event and it is also the second year in a row in which an FSU standout has claimed the MVP honor.

Meanwhile, in the women's game, Bulldog senior guard Katie Mavis (St. Joseph) played on the winning D&W All-Stars, who beat the Family Fare women's team by a 70-69 score.

Proceeds raised from the event went to the "Champions of Character Lecturing Initiative", which promotes respect, integrity, responsibility, leadership and sportsmanship to every player, coach, referee, parent and spectator at area schools.

A total of nearly 40 student-athletes were chosen for participation in the game and all had ties to West Michigan as either collegiate or prep basketball standouts in the area prior to concluding their college careers this past winter. 

The two games featured a unique Small College Showcase format with the the top collegiate seniors who either played prep basketball in West Michigan or at local institutions, including representatives from FSU, Davenport, Cornerstone, Grand Valley State, Grace Bible, Hillsdale, Alma, Calvin, Trine, Aquinas, Concordia, Lawrence Tech, Valparaiso, Kalamazoo, Trinity Christian, Siena Heights and Hope.

Overall, the Bulldogs' five total participants matched Davenport and Calvin for the most from any school and FSU's four men's representatives topped all institutions.

The Bulldog men's basketball squad closed a memorable 2015-16 campaign with a 24-10 overall record. FSU reached the NCAA Division II Sweet Sixteen and claimed a second-straight GLIAC Tournament Championship this year while finishing with its first back-to-back 20-win campaigns since the late 1980's.

Mavis concluded her collegiate career for the Bulldog women's squad as the leader for a young FSU squad guided by first-year head coach Kendra Faustin during the 2015-16 season.