Meet Evan Bruinsma
Height: 6’8”
Weight: 214
Year: Senior
Hometown: New Era, Mich.
High School: Western Michigan Christian
Position: Forward
2012-13 Season (Junior)
- Averaged 5.6 points and 4.3 rebounds per game in 21.5 minutes of work.
- On January 10, tied a career-high 17 points on 7-for-8 shooting with five rebounds at Youngstown State.
- Awarded the team’s Dave DeBusschere Most Improved Award and the William Ebben Academic and Athletic Excellence accolade.
- Member of the Detroit Athletic Director’s Honor Roll and both the Horizon League’s Fall & Spring Academic Honor Roll.
2011-12 Season (Sophomore)
- Tallied 4.1 points and 2.5 rebounds in 12.1 minutes of action.
- Played extended minutes in the final two games of the CBE Classic and was named to the All-Tournament Team.
- Scored a career-high 17 points (on 7-of-10 shooting) at Bowling Green on Nov. 22.
- Awarded the team’s Frank R. Gerbig, Sr. Sportsmanship and the William Ebben Academic and Athletic Excellence accolade.
- Member of the Detroit Athletic Director’s Honor Roll and both the Horizon League’s Fall & Spring Academic Honor Roll.
2010-11 Season (Freshman)
- Averaged 1.2 points and 1.3 rebounds per game in just over five minutes per contest.
- Scored his first career points on a putback at the Carrier Dome vs. Syracuse on Nov. 16.
- Was honored with the team’s William Ebben Academic and Athletic Excellence Award.
Detroit lost the Horizon League Player of the Year and a First Team All-League selection. What’s it going to take to replace Ray McCallum and Nick Minnerath and high flyer Doug Anderson?
Just a lot of hard work by the team, we got to have guys step up, everyone has to be better than they were last year. I feel like we still have a lot of talented players on the team and we brought in a lot of talented players. Guys are going to need to step it up.
What’s it going to be like transitioning from averaging just over 21 minutes per game last season to starting for the Titans this season?
It will be a little bit different. Towards the end of last season I think I started maybe the last seven games or so of the year so I got a little bit of experience there. It will be a different role, last year we had a lot of upperclassmen who had been around before and this year it’s more of a leadership role and I’ll need to be more vocal.
Under Ray McCallum, Detroit has always played a difficult non-league schedule. This season the team travels to UCONN and NC State, among other difficult road tests. How much do these type of contests prepare the Titans for League play?
You always want to play against the best players and see how you stack up and where you are individually and collectively as team and where you need to get better. Games like UCONN and NC State you’re playing in environments that you aren’t playing in day in and day out in conference. We’ve played Syracuse twice since I’ve been here; my freshman year we were up at half and last year we played them tough and lost by four. That’s been a really fun environment to play in.
What’s your favorite thing about playing at historic Calihan Hall, home of the Detroit Titans?
I just like how it gives you that feeling that it’s been around a while, that old school basketball feel. It has that historic feel that makes it memorable.
The Titans were projected in the eight spot in the Horizon League Preseason Poll. Does that give the team more of an incentive to prove the voters wrong?
Oh definitely, without a doubt. Since I’ve been here we’ve been picked second last year, second the year before, and we were up there my freshman year. Getting picked at the bottom of the League this year is definitely bulletin board material that will motivate us.
You are an excellent student and have been named to the Horizon League Academic Honor Roll and the Detroit Athletic Director’s Honor Roll multiple times. How difficult is it to balance both school work and basketball?
You get used to it, it comes with time. My freshman year was probably the most difficult in just getting used to everything. I think our coaches, the teachers, they understand we have extra demands as student-athletes and they work with us.
Your sister Rachel is a freshman on the volleyball team at Valparaiso. What’s it like to have a sister compete at another Horizon League school?
It’s fun I think she enjoys it. I made sure when she committed there that no Valpo gear was allowed in the house, she’ll have time once I graduate. She tried to get me to wear a Valpo tee shirt and I said it’s way too early for that!
What’s been your favorite class four years at Detroit?
I really enjoyed some of my classes with Professor [Ribhi] Hazin, she’s an organizational leadership teacher and she does really well working with students.
Who’s the funniest guy on the team?
We lost a lot of the funny guys last year. This year Carlton [Brundidge] likes to joke around. Juan [Howard, Jr.]. They’re funny guys. Pat Ackerman, he’s always got something to say. He’s a big [Boston] Red Sox’s fan so he’s been giving me a lot of crap about the [Detroit] Tigers. But we have a lot of guys on the team that can joke around but when the time is needed they get serious.
This is your senior season at Detroit, what are you plans after graduation?
Definitely want to try and pursue basketball. Just see how the year goes and see where it takes me. I’ll just make a decision at the end of the year that’s best for me and my future.
