Good luck to Miseri on Saturday.  Rough game for EU fans down here in St. Davids.  Would have liked to have been there, but was roughing it over live webcast.  Many thanks to the SID at EU for getting that together for those of us not able to make it to the game.

It looked like EU was having problems limiting penetration and stopping the post game.  Also, EU was bad from the line.  Looking forward to watiching this great group of guys next year.  Sorry to see Myers go . . . great kid.

Oh, by the way, what the heck has been happening to FDU-Florham?  It's sad, considering that both the coach and the athletic administration run such a classy program up there in Jersey.

Thanks for asking where I've been, folks.  I don't have much to say right now because I haven't seen many games lately.  Have been on vacation for a total of almost three weeks out of the last seven and out of town during most of them.  And then there's that other reason I'm not at half (plus 1) of EU's games.

Anyway, I do want to say something about Darnell Braswell, even though we are not talking about him right now.  The first time I saw him play, which was probably at least 2 years ago, I was impressed, but not as impressed as I have been recently, after seeing him play twice this season.  I've mentioned to some friends as late as this season that I don't see how he could be considered a first-team All-American or even a 2nd or 3rd teamer.  After watching him more, I have to go back on my previous statements regarding.  I have really enjoyed watching him play, especially because of his consistency and game IQ.  He seems to do a great job of making good matchups for himself and exploiting teammate matchups when he sees the opportunity.  Again, though, is his consistency, and the skill at which he is consistent.  While I haven't seen the vast majority of candidates who get put up for All-American, he does seem to be a very strong contender for a top spot this year.

Nice game for Eastern tonight.  More to say on this later.

I do have to mention something, though.  Chairman, you corrected my grammar a while ago, so now it is my turn.  You may not know this, but the word "rolls" that you used was used incorrectly.  You see, the word "rolls" has several meanings, none of which makes sense in the sentence "Nelson and fellow freshman Kyle Malloy have stepped into rolls a year ahead of when they were expected to . . .".  You should have used the word "roles".  I'm sure you don't mean that they stepped into bread rolls or stepped into a forward roll.

Just keeping it real.  And keep your shart on, oops, I meant to say shirt.

Watched DeSales/Widener yesterday.  Interesting game.  2.5 seconds left and a charge call on Braswell.  Not sure of the last time I saw a charge called at this time in a game.  Could have gone either way and don't fault the ref for making it.  I actually felt it was a charge, but I am more defensively-minded if I had to choose one side.  Then Widener allows a 3/4 court pass and another quick pass to a somewhat open Braswell.  I know defense is usually supposed to be a little soft (i.e. no fouls), but no one seemed to think it might be a good idea to keep the ball out of Braswell's hands, so he puts a great 3-pointer up and ties the game to go into OT.  And then Widener decides not to try to penetrate during the whole OT, or should I say both OT's.

Moving on, I was talking with a friend about the Top 25 that started the year and how it looked like DeSales (among quite a few teams) was wayyyyy over rated.  Anybody have a say on why the Top 25 was so off this year?

Congrats to Darnell Braswell for the All-Region 1st Team and to Ed Lapinski for getting 3rd Team.  It's nice to see good representation from the conference in the Region.

Thanks, Chair, because was trying to do a bit of an impression of a college color commentator.

Congrats to DeSales!  Elite Eight is awesome baby.  Let's keep it going on to the Final Four!  I hope everyone is excited because I am pumped.

Pat, that is totally correct.  It is quite illogical to do it the NABC way.  Judgment occurs once these awards are handed out, so there should be no qualms about judging each player based on their merits to be an All-American.

And I definitely second what Chair just said.  I think this site does a pretty good job of covering DIII country.  Although I would like to see a few more teams from Alaska and Canada show up in print

I don't know why I thought Braswell was a senior.  That's even better for him and DeSales.  Not good for the rest of the conference, except when DeSales is in the NCAA playoffs

Mid-range, please don't make more statements like the ones you just did about Chair.  It's not what this page is about.  I have made this mistake before and it only creates more unpleasantries.  It's unnecessary and you might not say these things if you knew Chair.

Reels might not be an All-American, but he is a great player with the potential to do some great things in his final year.  And let's also remember that DeSales' last loss was to EU and it wasn't pretty.  Where was Braswell against the second-rate EU team?

Chair, I quoted BJ's post on the CCIW page and WOW did I get a kick out of their reactions.  They post at about a 10:1 rate or more to our posts, and there are so many more posters there (which I'm sure you know).

Anyway, here's to a great win by DeSales on Friday night.  I truly hope I can make it.  I will be screaming for Lapinski to shutdown the UMDart bigmen.

Thanks, my mistake.  Been staring at the bracket on and off all day.  Good thing, too, cuz F&M is closer than Richard Stockton.

Congratulations to DeSales for their win against Ithaca on the road last night.  You are definitely making our conference proud with every win.  Please, feel free to get yourself into the Final Four.  I, and many others in this conference, are rooting for you.

Hope to be able to travel to Richard Stockton on Friday and/or Saturday to see you all play.  Good luck.

Okay, so I tossed a spark into a haystack regarding the Braswell-Raymond thing.  That was me having fun at BJ's expense.  No disrespect to Chair, but I think there are other ways to prove the point that Braswell might not be an All-American (if that is the case).

Enough negatives of Braswell.  Here is what I like.  He is a lock-down defender who actually has a better chance of defending top guards than most I have seen lately, which admittedly is not as many as I would like to see.  He is a senior and is dependable, he is tough.  I'm sure BJ and others can say more.  I, however, think he barely falls short of being an All-American.  If he gets it, that would be awesome, for him, his team, and the MAC-F.  I hope he does.  Enough from me on that.

I'd like to have people weigh in on this discussion that's happening in the MAC-Freedom board.



              "I think its funny how you (the chairman) like to do comparisons with two players (IE - Tucker/Pointer over the past month) and you only pick out the stats that support your argument.

I am not here to debate Darnell Braswell vs. Kent Raymond.  Or for that matter Darnell Braswell with any other player in the country.  I'll take everyone's word for it that Kent Raymond is one of the if not the best player in the country.  But I will follow that by saying, I'd absolutely LOVE to see Braswell get a chance to play against him, cause that means we are in the Final Four.

But since you did compare the two and only picked out the stats you wanted, allow me to take it further.

Braswell - EIGHT DOUBLE-DOUBLES...averages 7.7 rebounds per game (45 total steals)...72 assists
Raymond - 3.2 rebounds per game (24 total steals)...86 assists...unable to find double-double stats (likely none with that RPG)

Looking at the numbers only (and I stress the word looking cause its tough to compare two players via a stat sheet only), Raymond seems to be a better shooter.  Darnell clearly is a better rebounder and has almost double the steals.  Slight edge to Raymond in assists.  In my opinion to be considered for All-American status, I feel as though you need to be a complete player, which I am sure Raymond is.  Braswell definitely is.

Also in my opinion, and having followed the Division III basketball scene very closely over the last 12 years...Braswell is the best guard defender I have ever seen.  He works harder on the defensive side of the ball than anyone I have ever watched play.  And that is not even close to an exaggeration." - by BJ-DSU SID

Congrats to DeSales on last night's win.  Looking forward to seeing a win posted on Saturday and wish I could go.  Couldn't go last night even though I wanted to go and scream for my conference.  Keep it up, you have at least one more rooting for you this NCAA championship.

BJ, I know, I should leave the ROY argument alone, but it hurts to see a guy I know real well not get something I think he deserved.  No matter now.  I'm not arguing it anymore.  Looking forward to seeing both Tucker and Pointer develop.  They are both going to be very fun to watch for another three seasons I hope.