HOUGHTON - The Michigan Tech men's basketball roster will look a bit different than originally conceived at the end of the school year as the Huskies picked up a walk-on this summer but lost Jordan Reetz.
Jeff Gregory, a standout guard at Kingsford High School, has decided to walk on to the Tech program. He will replace the junior-to-be Reetz, who has decided to transfer out of Tech after his playing time diminished as the season went on.
While Reetz, a Fall Creek, Wis. native, has not announced where he will transfer to at this time, Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference rules make it mandatory that in-conference transfers must sit out one year.
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Michigan Tech’s Jordan Reetz collects a rebound in a game against Finlandia last November. Reetz has transferred from the Tech program after playing two seasons with the Huskies. (DMG photo by David Archambeau)
"I don't know where he is going but Reetz decided that he is not coming back," Tech coach Kevin Luke said.
Reetz saw his playing time decline from 26.6 minutes per game from his freshman season to 21.3 in his sophomore campaign, specifically with a severe drop at the end of the season. Reetz averaged 5.9 points per game for his career (with 40 percent shooting from the field and three-point range) but also had 85 turnovers in 49 games played.
With sophomore Ben Stelzer and juniors Alex Culy and Austin Armga all penciled in as starters for the perimeter spots, and T.J. Brown, Matt Esters and Troy Hecht all battling for rotational minutes, future playing time may have been hard to come by for Reetz.
Luke, however, declined to comment on the specifics of Reetz's departure.
"I want to stay away from that but we wish him all the best," Luke said. "I hope he finds success wherever he lands."
After working out for the Tech coaching staff, Gregory made a strong impression on Luke.
The two-time Great Northern Conference Player of the Year averaged 17 points, seven rebounds and three steals per contest and was selected to the All-U.P. Dream Team.
"There's a great tradition at Michigan Tech that I want to be a part of," Gregory told the Daily News of Iron Mountain.
"He has a ton of awards up here and we are just excited he is coming here," Luke added. "We have had some good success stories with walk-ons."
His addition will immediately help out the practice squad, which was often depleted with injuries and illness last season.
"Gregory is just an awesome kid, he comes from a great family and he works hard," Luke said. "He came for a tryout and he really played well. And I am hoping that because he is such a good kid and a strong academic kid - he is a good Tech fit - I'm hoping that things work out for him and I got a feeling that he is going to have a good career here."