2/21/2019

“I can say with no reservations, we trust coach Phillips and his staff in bringing about our son from being a boy to a man.”

Pete Nakos / Asst. Sports Editor

For a year, Ben Vander Plas envisioned himself playing for Ohio.

He sat near the end of the Bobcats’ bench next to Jason Carter and watched the Bobcats play basketball. Vander Plas felt helpless as he watched player after player fight through injury last year, but all he could do was wait and rehab from his own injury.

When he finally returned to practice in the last half of the season, it was obvious the forward from Ripon, Wisconsin, could play. His 6-foot-8 frame gave him the ability to outbound opponents, but it was his seamless shooting form that shined.

For much of this season, Vander Plas has shown off glimpses of what he can do in small spurts. But it was his performance Saturday at Central Michigan that culminated countless hours of rehab and work this season, as he scored 24 points and pulled down 13 rebounds.

“He’s (Vander Plas) been flashing that potential for awhile now,” coach Saul Phillips said Monday. “He played with absolutely no fear and apprehension. He was one of the best players on the floor the other night.”

There’s no question Ohio has struggled to win games this season. It has lost six straight. Vander Plas has been one of the glimpses of a possible promising future. Saturday marked his second double-double of the season, and he’s averaging nine points and 5.4 rebounds per game.

Colin Mayr | FOR THE POST

Ben Vander Plas dunks in the first half of the Bobcats game against Rio Grande on November 3, 2018.

Still, whenever Phillips sees him on the court, he always thinks of Vander Plas’ father, Dean. Dean coached Ben in high school and was a Wisconsin high school basketball legend. As a college basketball player, he played at Wisconsin-Green Bay and helped the Phoenix to an NCAA Tournament appearance in 1991.

He coached Ben in high school at Ripon, and he had to watch his son go through a setback his sophomore season. Instead of using it as an excuse, Ben came back stronger and ended up as a Bobcat. After last season’s setback, Ben worked hard in the weight room, so he can now have control in the paint.

Dean retired from coaching after Ben’s senior year and relocated to Minneapolis due to work, but he still makes it to games. One of his favorite things now is he gets to be Ben’s dad, not Ben’s coach. His wife travels to the mid-week games, but he calls dibs on the weekend games.

“One of the great things about Ben playing at Ohio is I’ve gotten to be his dad,” Dean said. “That’s really all that matters. Seeing your son compete and love his teammates. As his dad, I’m pretty damn proud of him.”

Ohio’s 87-80 loss to Central Michigan marked loss No. 5 of the losing streak, but for Dean, it was an opportunity to watch his son play the game they both love. 24 points was nice, but for the dad he takes more joy in seeing his son doing the small things right, things he used to always tell him to do.

Speaking candidly over the phone Wednesday, Dean said that sending Ben to Ohio was the best fit for the 20-year-old to grow from being a boy to a man. In the Vander Plas family, basketball isn’t a game of wins or losses, it’s an opportunity to mature.

“We trust coach Phillips. I realize that for you covering a team or people who are in administration that it’s about wins and losses,” he said. “Basketball for the Vander Plas’ family has always been part of the maturation process.

“I can say with no reservations, we trust coach Phillips and his staff in bringing about our son from being a boy to a man. They have our full support at our house. He has a job to do, and we’re going to trust him to do it.”

Development by: Ryan Vallette / For The Post