The Wolverine

June-July 2012

The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports

Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/71730

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 22 of 83

Duke head coach Mike Krzyzeswski made a personal, late pitch, but Mc- Gary felt most comfortable in Ann Arbor. "With him there was a connection from the very beginning," Beilein said. "There was a strong relation- ship between Zack [Novak] and Mitch. They grew up as really good friends, even though one was four years older. We were familiar with Chesterton, and the first time he came for an unofficial visit, there was a connection between him, our staff and our players that he met." McGary has an energy that will rub off on everyone at Michigan, Beilein added, and make him the consum- mate teammate. "Our fans will love what he brings to the team because we love what he brings to Michigan with his team- first, positive attitude," he said. McGary went to Brewster primar- ily to shore up his academics, Brumm said, but he lost a bit of his swag- ger playing on a team loaded with prep All-Americans and Division I prospects. Touches were sometimes tough to come by, but McGary con- tinued to play with a high motor even when he wasn't the No. 1 op- tion in the offense. Brumm has no doubt his former big man will regain the form that made him one of the nation's best players. "I really think he's hungry," Brumm said. "He's been on top of the mountain, now slid a little bit. He's finding out you're really only as good as your last performance. People really love you when they love you, and really hate you when they hate you. He liked that love. I think he's going to be motivated and have a terrific year." terrific prep year to receive the kind of offer he coveted. That was his goal when he opted for a prep year at Mt. Hermon after an illustrious career at Crown Point, in the same Duneland Athletic Conference that produced Novak, Robinson and McGary. Both of the latter were there to Albrecht, meanwhile, needed his PROVED HIS WORTH SPIKE ALBRECHT POINT GUARD support Albrecht and put in a good word during his Michigan visit. They were elated when he chose to Albrecht spent a prep year at Mt. Hermon, where he averaged 9.3 points and 6.9 assists per game last season. join them in Ann Arbor, pledging on April 6, 2012, following a season in which he excelled against top com- petition. He averaged 9.3 points and 6.9 assists a game in running the of- fense immaculately. Albrecht was at his best in the New PHOTO COURTESY MICHIGAN ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS England Prep School tournament, shining against some of the nation's top competition in leading Mt. Her- mon to a Class AA title. "Jeff [Meyer] went to see him play body seems worried about scoring the ball, thinking about shooting it before they catch the thing. You've just got to make the right play, the right pass when it's the right time, make the right shot if you're open … change your passing angle to throw it into the post, whatever it is. Spike does that." He's got that same type of charac- in the tournament against Hargrave, an athletic team that pressed the whole game. It was never an issue for him," Beilein said. "He just goes where he wants to go. It's uncanny. Someday, we'll all have to figure out how he does it. "He's very clever. Spike has a sense for the game that allows him to play at a high level despite average size and athleticism." Albrecht makes the game easy for himself and a lot easier for the guys he's playing with, Beilein added, get- ting it the ball to them where they can do something with it. That's one of the qualities that will make him "terrific" at Michigan, Brumm said. "There just aren't enough kids that make the right play," he said. "Every- cause it's Michigan," Beilein said. "If he can get on the floor at Michigan it's a dream come true. Zack and Stu had a similar attitude, and it worked out pretty well for them." Leading the program to more ter and attitude about winning first that Novak sported, as well. That quality helped Novak overcome some of his physical shortcomings, and it could be beneficial for Albre- cht, too. "He knows he's coming here be- championships and adding to the legacy the 2011-12 Wolverines built are goals he shares with the rest of the class Rivals.com rates No. 7 nationally. "I believe this class of 2012 will be very tight," Beilein said. "I know we are really looking forward to coach- ing them." ❏ JUNE/JULY 2012 THE WOLVERINE 23

Articles in this issue

Links on this page

Archives of this issue

view archives of The Wolverine - June-July 2012