It’s always exciting to see an Alpena native doing well in the world.

That’s why we celebrate with Alpena native Brian Dutcher, who last month was named national college men’s basketball coach of the year. His San Diego State University’s Aztec team was 30-2 when the coronavirus pandemic forced the NCAA to cut the season short.

Dutcher in 2017 succeeded Steve Fisher, a longtime mentor. It didn’t take him long to mold his players into a basketball machine.

Dutcher and Fisher share a long and interesting basketball story, having been together in coaching since 1989, when Fisher was hired at the University of Michigan and Dutcher was an assistant coach. Those were the “glory years” of Michigan’s famed “Fab Five,” and Dutcher played an instrumental role in helping Fisher mold and make the five into a team, and then a legend.

Even today, after many decades, youngsters playing basketball through the Thunder Bay Basketball Association know who you are speaking of when you mention the “Fab Five” — especially with Juwan Howard being the basketball coach at U of M today.

Congratulations “Dutch” on this most deserving recognition.

(THE ALPENA NEWS)