By John Raffel
Brad Brechting will be going to Oakland University next season to start a Division I men’s basketball career.
But right now, the 6-foot-11-inch Brechting is focusing on a strong ending to his high school career at Cedar Springs.
Brechting hesitated when asked if this has been his best season. “I would have to say yes,” he responded. “We have a very good defensive team this year. I’ve become stronger. My game has improved a lot. Last year I was strictly post; this year, I’ve been shooting threes from behind the arc and driving the ball.”
One of the most memorable games Brechting had this season was against Greenville. “One of our players got a technical, threw the ball, and got kicked out,” he said. “Greenville was up on us by 14 points in the fourth quarter with two minutes to go. We came back, and I hit the game-hitting shot. We were just on fire.”
Brechting has enjoyed the season. The Red Hawks have posted a 10-6 record and are hoping for a good tournament run. Brechting has been averaging 19.3 points, 10.3 rebounds, and three blocks a game. “We’re having a good team season. We have pretty much out-rebounded every team but one. We have a way better defensive team this year than last year,” he said. “We’re pretty young this year, too. That’s not an excuse.”
Cedar Springs coach Jeff Patin said that Brechting has improved on his defense and has been more of a leader.
Brechting averaged 15.5 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 3.0 blocks per game, and shot 62 percent from the floor during his junior season. He was at 14 points and nine rebounds as a sophomore.
“For a sophomore, he was 6’9″ or 6’10”, so he’s grown up a little since then,” Patin said. “He could run the floor real well, even as a sophomore, for someone his height. He really got better his sophomore year on his understanding of how to play the post.”
Brechting decided to play Division I basketball at Oakland University. The Golden Grizzlies started contacting him his junior year when he was in AAU, and he signed last November. “I went to a few of their games, did some research online, and I’ve been watching Oakland,” he said. “I wanted to go to Oakland’s program. My coach was telling me about them. I just love what they do with their big guys. They run a lot of plays for them. I loved the atmosphere at Oakland when I went there. It was fun when I went there.”
Brechting also considered Central Michigan University and Cleveland State University.
After he graduates from high school and starts focusing on college, Brechting will be looking to do some things to increase his success at the next level, including gaining some weight.
“Oakland is thinking of having me at a forward,” he said. “So I want to get stronger in handling the ball.”
It’s a transition that Brechting is confident he can make. “I’m a pretty good ball handler for my height,” said Brechting, who hit 6’11” when he was a junior. He’s always been taller than his classmates, even during elementary school.
The prospect of being a Division I college basketball player excites Brechting. “I can’t wait to go in and have the experience,” he said