September
6
A senior season that stood out in a loaded league
In a league where every week feels like a playoff game, Dow High School’s Ben VanSumeren rose above the noise. The senior was named First Team All-Saginaw Valley League in boys’ basketball, a nod that reflects months—really years—of steady production, big-game composure, and leadership in one of Michigan’s most competitive conferences.
The Saginaw Valley League is a grind. Rival gyms fill up, scouting reports get thick, and margins are thin. Earning a spot on the First Team means you were a problem for opponents from December through March. For VanSumeren, it’s the clearest proof yet that his game traveled, held up under pressure, and helped Dow navigate a deep schedule.
This honor also lands alongside a milestone that will stick in the record book. VanSumeren closed his high school career ranked third on Dow’s all-time program leaderboard, a feat that signals both consistent scoring punch and staying power over multiple seasons. You don’t finish that high without delivering across different roles, rosters, and matchups.
What separated him this year? It wasn’t one flashy number; it was the full package. He defended multiple positions, handled late-game touches, and set the tone in practice. Coaches noticed the little things—how he chased rebounds in traffic, communicated on switches, and steadied the team when games got chaotic. Those habits turn tight fourth quarters into wins, and they’re exactly what First Team voters reward.
Recognition like this typically blends numbers with narrative. League coaches and officials tend to favor players who do damage against the best teams, show up on the road, and make their teammates better. VanSumeren checked those boxes. He was the steady hand on nights when shots wouldn’t fall and the go-to option when Dow needed a bucket to stop a run.
For Dow’s program, his name joins a short list of top-tier standouts who’ve shaped the team’s identity. The bar he set—day-to-day consistency, durable two-way play, and an ability to handle responsibility—now becomes the blueprint for the next wave coming through the gym. That’s how a program sustains success: older players leave behind more than stats; they leave a standard.
Ask around and you’ll hear the same theme: he earned this. Early mornings, extra free throws after practice, film sessions to prep for league stars—those habits stack up. It’s why teammates trusted him in closing time, and why opposing coaches built game plans around slowing him down.
What First Team status means next
All-league First Team selections often become springboards. They can lead to postseason nods at the regional or statewide level and, for some athletes, spark conversations about the next level. The Saginaw Valley League has a track record of producing college-ready talent, and being one of its best players is a strong signal to recruiters that your game translates.
That future will sort itself out. Right now, the moment belongs to the senior year he just wrapped. The honor validates the workload, the trust the staff put in him, and the belief his teammates had each time he took the floor. It’s the kind of recognition you frame and revisit years later because it captures the full arc of a final high school season done right.
For Dow, the focus shifts to what comes next. Replacing a veteran who filled so many gaps isn’t simple. The coaching staff will be looking for leadership by committee, growth from returning guards and wings, and a bump from players stepping into bigger roles. The best sign they’re on track? When those younger players start copying the habits that helped earn this First Team slot in the first place.
The league moves fast, and new names will rise. But this winter, the headline is clear: in a conference built on tough matchups and high expectations, VanSumeren matched the moment. First Team All-SVL is more than a line on a resume. It’s proof he was one of the players who defined the season.
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