GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Andy and Luke Bronkema have always been close. The brothers grew up playing sports together and played basketball together at Cornerstone University. Now, as they each coach their own programs, they remain in contact every day.
"We come from a family of athletics," Grand Rapids Community College men's basketball coach Luke Bronkema said. "Our father was an athletic director at our high school, so we've just always been involved in athletics our whole lives. So I think (coaching) was just kind of natural draw and natural fit."
Like most brothers, they are competitive. When their teams played in an exhibition game back in November, older brother Andy's Ferris State team came away with the win.
"Yeah we played 'em they were beating us for the first 10 minutes" Andy Bronkema said, "and then we poured it on them."
Luke, however, remembers getting the best of his older brother back in their hometown.
"I'll draw back to this year's alumni game," Luke said, "the first ever McBain High School alumni game where my green squad laid the wood to his white squad."
This week, the brothers were pulling for one another, as both lead their respective programs into national tournaments.
"To both be in tournament basketball this late into the season into March Madness," Andy said, "that is a holiday in the Bronkema household. March Madness, it is just a great problem to have. My parents are going to be one place or the other, but it makes for some interesting travel plans and some exciting times."
Andy's Bulldogs are the top seed in the NCAA Division II Elite 8 and will play 8th-seeded Barry University (FL) Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Luke's Raiders are the 8th seed in the NJCAA national tournament and will meet 9th-seed Danville Area Community College Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.
