The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1460661
10 THE WOLVERINE APRIL 2022 INSIDE MICHIGAN ATHLETICS Sitting Down With Michigan Basketball Freshman Wing Caleb Houstan Michigan wing Caleb Houstan has had his ups and downs and been outstanding in home games, struggled at times on the road. His numbers have im- proved a lot in the second half of the season, however — here are some of his answers to ques- tions over the last month. The Wolverine: How did you guys respond and what did as- sociate head coach Phil Martelli say to the team when he took over for Juwan Howard after his five-game suspension? When you guys were missing Moussa Diabate and Terrance Williams for a game, too? Caleb Houstan: " The first time we got together after ev- erything, [Martelli] was talking about how we can't replace Coach Juwan … can't replace Moussa or Terrance. For example, I'm not going to come in and be Moussa. "I've just got to come in and be the best version of myself. He's got to come in and be the best version of him. Everyone being the best versions of themselves, that's all we need." The Wolverine: You had multiple triples in a game six times in nine contests to end the season. Is part of that looking more for your shot? Houstan: "I've been trying to be more aggressive throughout all the games. But … sometimes it's just the way things go … just sticking to our principles, listening to the staff, [being] locked into the principles and the stuff we've been doing since we got here in the summer. "If we stick to that, we'll be fine. Just playing with confidence, as well." The Wolverine: What's it like playing with graduate transfer guard DeVante' Jones, especially in transition? Houstan: "It's great. It's real good. You can see it … we have a lot of fun just playing in transition. It definitely makes the game easier for me. I can't speak for other people, but to get open shots, open run- outs, stuff like that, it's just great. A lot of fun." The Wolverine: What have the seniors meant to you guys in your transition from high school to college basketball? Houstan: "They mean a lot. Being leaders, guys who have been there before for us freshmen, our first time going through everything. It helps a lot to have guys like that to just teach you the ropes, tell you things you don't know. "Just having confidence in someone that they know what they're doing … they've been a huge help to me." The Wolverine: The team is still growing defensively. How have the veterans helped you young guys in that respect, and who is calling the shots out there as the "orchestrator" of the defense? Houstan: "Definitely the staff, but then the three leaders on our team — Eli Brooks, Hunter Dickinson and DeVante' Jones. They spread it around, talk on defense, point out where people should go, things like that. Those three, I would say." — Chris Balas In his first year with the Wolverines, Houstan averaged 10.5 points and 4.0 rebounds per game during the regular season. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL MICHIGAN'S TOP PERFORMERS Women's golf senior Ashley Lau: After set- ting her career-best with a 3-un- der-par 67 in her first round at the VyStaff Florida Invitational March 5-6, Lau used a new ca- reer-low 4-under 66 in the final round to record her first sub-par 54-hole tournament total with a 7-under 203. That lowered the school record — which was previously a 1-under 205 — by two shots. The individual title was Lau's second straight win after tying for medalist honors at the Tulane Classic Feb. 13-15. Overall, it stood as her third career individual win. Softball senior right-handed pitcher Alex Storako: She tossed the first no- hitter of her collegiate career in U-M's 1-0 walk-off win over Drake March 5 at Lexington, Ky. The 2021 Big Ten Pitcher of the Year faced one batter over the mini- mum of 24 in an eight-inning contest and was just one sixth-inning walk shy of throwing a perfect game. She struck out 13 Drake hitters for her sixth double-digit strike- out performance of the season, also marking her fourth complete-game shutout of the year. She also garnered Big Ten Pitcher of the Week honors Feb. 21, after posting a 2-0 record with wins against No. 24 UCF and No. 21 LSU at the St. Pete Clearwater Elite Invitational Feb. 18-19. She registered a 0.50 ERA, allowing just one total run. Men's tennis senior Andrew Fenty: He has captured two Big Ten Athlete of the Week honors in the last month. His first award came after defeating No. 63 Olivier Stuart in straight sets, 6-0, 6-2, in U-M's 4-1 victory over defending Big Ten champion Illinois Feb. 11. The second occurred after rallying to beat No. 89-ranked Axel Nefve in a 10-point tie- breaker in the Wolverines' 6-1 triumph over Notre Dame Feb. 24. Women's gymnastics junior all-arounder Sierra Brooks: She was named the Big Ten Gymnast of the Week for the second time this season March 1, following a stellar per- formance that included winning the all-around title at Nebraska Feb. 26. She recorded her first career 10.0 score on the vault, while also earn- ing a 9.975 on the floor to take home three total titles. At the time (Week 8), Brooks ranked second nationally on both the vault and floor, while checking in No. 3 on the all-around. — Clayton Sayfie