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Valparaiso Basketball: 2021-22 season preview and outlook for Beacons

By Harry Schroeder

WASHINGTON, DC - DECEMBER 08: Head coach Matt Lottich of the Valparaiso Crusaders looks on during a college basketball game against the George Washington Colonials at the Smith Center on December 8, 2018 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - DECEMBER 08: Head coach Matt Lottich of the Valparaiso Crusaders looks on during a college basketball game against the George Washington Colonials at the Smith Center on December 8, 2018 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /
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Valparaiso Beacons forward Ben Krikke (23) Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports
Valparaiso Beacons forward Ben Krikke (23) Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports /

Valpo’s deeper and experienced bench

Returners Eron Gordon and Connor Barrett combined to make 39 starts last season and they will be coming off the bench this year. A Big Ten player that averaged ten points per game will likely be playing a reserve role too.
This is a deep and veteran team.

Gordon is entering his sixth college basketball season and averaged 6.8 points and 5.1 rebounds last season. He is part of the ‘Gordon Basketball Family’ as brother Eric has had more than a decade in the NBA and his other brother Evan recorded over 1,300 D1 points. He is a solid 6’3 guard and tough minded competitor.

Barrett is beginning his sophomore season and was a deep threat for Valpo last season. He connected on 40% from deep and nailed 31 overall. He missed the last part of the season with an injury and is struggling with a sore back as of this writing.

Kobe King played three seasons at Wisconsin, but sat out last year. The 6’4 guard averaged over ten points per game in 2019-20, but had his season cut short by injury. He too comes from a basketball family. His father Chris King played at Wake Forest and in the NBA and his cousin Jimmy was part of Michigan’s Fab Five seasons.

Hedstrom is a 7-footer who played in just nine games at Wisconsin last year. He is an aggressive screener, dives for loose balls and is a willing defender.

The freshmen include Oklahoma Class 5 player of the year Keyondre Young, Canadian freshman Darius Deaveiro and 6’5 wing  Cam Palesse. Young was part of a dominant Dell City High School team that won last year’s state championship where he scored 26 in the final. Deaveiro played for the legendary Orangeville Prep program and for Canada’s U19 international team.