McLimans heads for Univ. of Michigan

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - To reach his dream, Blake McLimans knew he'd have to leave Hamburg. He did that, and this fall his dream will come true when he plays basketball at the University of Michigan.

On the way to Michigan after a year in Massachusetts, McLimans is back in Buffalo.

He's getting ready for the most important trip of his life, into the world of big-time college basketball.

McLimans said, "I can't wait to get down there with all the guys, meet up with all of them. Coach Beilein is one of the greatest coaches, so I'm just really excited."

Blake was a standout player at Hamburg High School.

But the six-foot-ten inch forward needed some better competition.

So last year, he attended Worcester Academy in Massachusetts.

McLimans said, "Going to there, the exposure right away in the fall, there were college coaches there all the time. As exposure, it really, really helped. It improved my game a lot going against guys of D-One caliber."

That's where he caught the eye of John Beilein, the western New York native and Wolverines head coach.

McLimans said, "I'm a tall shooter. That's exactly what I am. Right now they don't really have a guy like that. That's why he's bringing me in there. Hopefully he can work with me. He's a big Bills fan. He schedules practice around the Bills games sometimes. It was really cool to meet him."

Before he decided which school to go to, Blake actually had to decide which sport to play.

He was an outstanding baseball pitcher and volleyball player at Hamburg. But he says its all basketball now, and he heads to Ann Arbor, Michigan in the next month.