Ingram hits 600

Men's basketball coach gets milestone win

By Brodee Gillam

Staff Writer

A Hall of Famer. A Lansing legend. An NJCAA National Champion.

These are all terms people can use to describe LCC Men's Basketball Head Coach Mike Ingram. And after the victory of Glen Oaks CC on Saturday, Jan. 19, 102-86, Ingram has 600 career wins, all with LCC.

The Stars secured the win by playing high-energy, team basketball throughout the night.

Freshman Tevin Taylor scored 27 points, making 10 of 17 shots from the field. Sophomore guard Donquall Jackson had a solid night defensively on bigger players, while dishing out seven assists and scoring 16 points.

LCC's quality team play is encouraging moving forward and a part of what made the night so special, according to Ingram.

"The biggest thing when we won the 600th game was how we are starting to play, how the guys accepted the challenge," Ingram said. "When I first got to 599, I knew about it and I was like, 'Man, I'm not going to tell those guys, they don't need that kind of pressure,' but I told them and they came in and worked hard in practice."

Players from his past coaching years even showed up for the action.

"A couple of my former players from my first team were (there) and I didn't realize until (former player) Charlie House said, 'Hey, I was here for your first win and I'm here for your 600th,'" Ingram said. "I was like, 'Wow. I didn't even think of that.' I talk to those guys all the time.

"My first game, I think, I was really hungry to be a coach here at LCC, and I think at 600 I still have that same hunger to be the coach here."

According to Ingram, he takes pride in trying to keep most of LCC's roster from the Lansing area and being a hotspot for Lansing prospects.

"I like bringing kids in and molding them into a good basketball team," Ingram said. "I've always tried to put Lansing Community College on the map for basketball for Lansing. I've always tried to have all Lansing kids. You don't do it every year but I would say for most of my career, 95, 96 percent of my team has been from Lansing, and I've always wanted that for LCC.

"The success we've had has come from those guys. I just really enjoy … when they introduce a kid and they say 'from Lansing' and they introduce the next kid and say 'from Lansing.' I've always liked that."

Ingram said he is thankful to be in the same conversation as other LCC coaching greats.

"Art Frank was the men's coach when I came in. And then you had guys like Walt Lingo, Rich Mull and John Hearns … guys that had been a part of the school for a long time.

"You saw their compassion for the students. You saw how much they cared about the students and all the programs here. I wanted to be one of those guys. I wanted students to have someone to come and find if they needed someone."

Heading into the Stars game Jan. 24 at Lake Michigan College, the team owned a 6-10 overall record. LCC was 4-2 in the MCCAA West.