Former Glen Lake graduates Xander Okerlund and Reece Hazelton represented their respective Lake Superior State University (LSSU) and Ferris State University well during the NCAA Men’s Basketball Division II tournament over the past week and a half during March Madness.
The former high school teammates didn’t know it when the tournament began, but they were on a collision course.
Okerlund remembers feeling nervous on selection day earlier in March to hear the Lakers name called.
“We were super excited and didn’t really care who we were playing,” Okerlund said.
LSSU started its run with a second half comeback to upset No. 3 seeded Walsh Cavaliers 74-72 on March 16 in the NCAA Midwest Regional Quarterfinals hosted by the University of Indianapolis.
Okerlund would connect on a 3-pointer late in the first half to notch his 1,000th point of his career, and keep his team within striking distance going into the break.
The Lakers were down by as many as 13 points in the final seven minutes before going on an 18-3 run.
“Being down most of the second half, I didn’t think there was a point where any of us thought that we were going to lose. We just had to start turning it around and playing more of the way we have been playing all year,” Okerlund said.
Okerlund scored five unanswered points including a clutch 3-pointer from the wing during the 18-3 comeback in the last seven minutes. Okerlund ended the night with 12 points.
The Lakers then turned their attention to the No. 7 seed Upper Iowa Peacocks, who also earned an upset victory in the first round of the tournament.
LSSU danced their way to the Sweet 16 with a thrilling 88-80 victory over the Peacocks.
The second half had plenty of offensive fireworks, especially for Okerlund and teammate Tyson Edmondon who helped spark the Laker offense with timely threes as Okerlund scored 10 points along with Edmonson’s 23 points, Kingsley Perkins 20 points, and Devin Womack’s 18 points.
The win over Upper Iowa set up a showdown with Ferris State in the Sweet 16, or regional final.
Ferris State scratched and clawed through their first two rounds of the tournament after avenging two-regular season defeats against Northern Michigan 81-65 to send them to the regional semifinal game for the third year. Hazelton, a redshirt senior, had five points in the outing.
In the next round, the No. 8 Bulldogs would have to go through No. 1-ranked Indianapolis University.
Ferris State outscored Indianapolis 94-87 to clinch the upset victory. The Bulldogs trailed as many as 13 points with only 10 minutes remaining before making a streaking nine point comeback to force overtime.
Ferris State made enough timely shots and hit several critical free throws to knock out the regional host and move into the regional final for the first time since claiming the school’s first NCAA Division II National Championship back in 2018. Hazelton provided another five points in the win.
Okerlund’s Lakers and Hazelton’s Bulldogs would be pitted against each other in the Midwest Regional Championship.
Ferris State fell behind early as LSSU caught fire and built a 16-point lead in the first half. The Bulldogs would climb back into the game only going down nine points at the break.
The game went back-andforth as LSSU held a four-point lead with less than three minutes to go, but Ferris came back and defeated the Lakers 86-81 to advance to the Sweet 16 against Minnesota State Mankato. Hazelton and Okerlund each had 10 points apiece during the game.
“There were opportunities for us to win and so that’s what makes it tough that we didn’t come out on top,” Okerlund said. “Overall we had a good year.”
Ferris State made its first trip to the DII Elite Eight in six years with the last coming in 2018 when FSU captured its first NCAA DII National Championship.
This year’s appearance in the Elite Eight was the Bulldogs’ third overall in program history. Hazelton finished the game with four points, two rebounds, and a block in a 98-70 loss to No. 1-ranked Minnesota State.
“It’s always hard to go out and finish the season like that. You always want to finish on top but then you really just feel for the seniors and the guys that won’t be a part of our team next year … it’s kinda hard to explain right now,” Hazelton said after the game on Tuesday. ““I’m really trying to focus on how much of a great season and run that we’ve had in the last month since we started back at the beginning of September ... it’s gonna be tough not having some of those guys around next year.”
Ferris State finished the season as GLIAC Conference and NCAA DII regional champions.
Both the Hazelton and Okerlund family have traveled far and wide supporting the young men.
“It really means a lot to me and I really couldn’t appreciate a better family and community that I’m surrounded with,” Hazelton said.
Todd and Joanie Hazelton along with sons Luke and Gabe made the trip down to Indiana on Tuesday to watch the Elite Eight game.
Luke is currently a freshman at Michigan Tech University and Gabe is a high school freshman at Glen Lake.
“It brings back all the memories when I was Glen Lake head coach, and when (Reece) was in the gym shooting with the team, being around these older guys and learning the game,” Todd added. “(Reece) had a great high school career. The sacrifice, not only he did, but our family did at the same time. I probably saw him play 1,000 games.”
Reece’s mother, Joanie, says this has been an incredible experience for the family.
“We just love this team and this opportunity that he’s had with Ferris and I can’t say enough good things about it and I’m just so happy for not only him but for everyone,” she said. “I hope (Reece) learns to appreciate the moment through this experience … You don’t know what’s going to happen in life and these moments only come around every once in a while … Be grateful for the opportunity.”
