The CMU Men's Basketball program has announced the commitment of Micah Willms for the 2024-25 MCAC and NIAC seasons. The Miles Mac and Atlas Club Basketball product will look to bring his blue-collar work ethic inside the paint to the Blazers this coming year.
Willms' basketball journey is not a typical one, as a late start in the sport had him walk on to his high school team for his grade eleven season. His Miles Mac coach Jonathan Janzen gave him a chance to prove himself, and that he did, rising from the last rostered player to earning himself an MHSAA "AAAA" Graduating All-Star selection this past spring. His Buckeyes were a top team in the KPAC Tier 1 zone both years of his high school play, reaching the provincial championships both seasons. This past season the team collected hardware in three tournaments, including bronze at the Vincent Massey Trojans Classic, a finals appearance at their home tournament the Buckeyes Classic, and a first-place finish at the Sturgeon Heights Tournament. His work on the boards had him lead the team in rebounding, and the team overall as one of the squad's captains.
Also a newcomer to the club scene, Willms comes to the Blazers out of Atlas Basketball under Matt Dyck, itself a relatively new program in the province. Willms has continued to get minutes this summer with a senior men's team in the Peg City league, as he transitions into training with the Blazers full time.
Connected to CMU through two other former Miles Mac Buckeyes and now reunited teammate Isaiah Araya, as well as Chanelle Lafreniere of Blazers women's basketball, Willms also has deep ties to CMU through his dad, who played and coached at Concord College (a predecessor school to CMU) in the late 90's after a stint playing USports at Trinity Western. Blazers head coach Scott Martin knows the player he's signed in Willms, and is excited to help continue his development at the college level, stating "Micah received excellent high school coaching at Miles Mac from Jon Janzen, and his father played university ball at Trinity Western, so we know we are getting an intelligent well-rounded player. As a forward he likes to work the boards, but is also a respectable 3-point shooter with a high upside and good work ethic."
The Blazers Men's Basketball program captured their first MCAC title since 2017 this past March, and a revamped NIAC and MCAC schedule that sees the St Boniface Rouges enter the American conference looks to make for another exciting campaign both here in Manitoba as well as in the Northern United States as the team looks to defend their Manitoba title and challenge for a NIAC Championship banner in 2025.