Bridgetown’s Caleb Van De Griend turning heads for US college Minot State

Before he got on the plane for his US college basketball journey, Bridgetown’s Caleb Van De Griend was confident his NBL1 West experience with the South West Slammers would hold him in good stead.

And so far, his output for Minot State has proven the mild-mannered forward was correct to be optimistic.

Making his debut for the North Dakota-based Beavers last December on the road against CSU Pueblo, Van De Griend made the most of his time out on the floor, picking up 10 points and nine rebounds from his 18 minutes of playing time.

Heading into the 2023 component of the season, the “Bridgetown Bomber” has shot a commendable .750 (21 from 28 successful field goal attempts) — a positive number which has resulted in praise from his coach, Matt Murken.

Prior to the start of the his stint, Van De Griend said he was thrilled to be a part of the Minot State men’s basketball program, as he felt the college provided an “emphasis on growing young accountable men” and provided ideal development during his promising basketball career.

Due to his present participation in the NCAA system, it is unclear if Van De Griend will be eligible to return for the Slammers in 2023, despite the fact club officials would love nothing better than to have him back.

During his 2022 campaign donning the red, white and blue, Van De Griend was again recognised by many in the NBL1 West as one of the league’s brightest young talents.

A player with a coachable attitude and a willingness to attack the glass at both ends of the floor, Van De Griend averaged a healthy 16.75 points per game, shooting a credible 54.6 per cent from the paint.

Additionally, his hustle provided an added level of grunt for Shane Goff’s side, finishing with 11 rebounds per outing.