I think that last night was a very prime example of why Piedmont struggles sometimes.  While they are undersized and def could stand to use another big man for rebounding/defensive purposes that is not the reason why they have been so jekyl and hyde over the past few years. 

Old lion said you have to play the cards your dealt or play with the team you have or something to that effect and he is absolutley right.  You must play to your team's strengths.  Last night Piedmont pressed from begining to end putting alot of pressure on the ball making it nearly impossible for Huntingdon to get anything going in a half court set.  When you are undersized you "MUST" do this or that lack of size will kill you.  If you have alot of small guys that are athletic you have got to pressure the ball and force some turnovers.  Let's think back to the Maryville game.  Piedmont was down 19 until they started to full court press.  WHAT HAPPENED? They got right back in the game and if not for the most impressive single game performance of the year by Bo Mason in that game Piedmont beats Maryville. 

Now I believe that Coach Glenn has done his best job this year and has gotten better year after year BUT I think the art to leading a team is knowing exactlly what your team's strengths and weaknesses are and to play accordingly.  For year's Piedmont has only pressed either when they were way behind or when they were playing a team that they figured was "inferrior" to them.  I honestly think with their athleticism that style will work most nights.  Even the best team in the conference "MARYVILLE" struggled with it earlier in the year.  The thing is you have to play to your strengths and since Piedmont will not outsize you they must out pressure you and out run you.  Now they have done a much better job this year of getting the ball and running giving theirself easy transistion three pointers and layups but they have got to force the action and the tempo.  Control the tempo and most times you win the game.

This is just my opinon but I have watched Piedmont Basketball I would venture to say more than most people on this board in the last decade and I have seen it time and time again.

Also on the POY question.  Cole did nothing last night to help his cause 11 points and most of those were in garbage time when the game was out of hand.  Baldwin did not play very well either which really makes the battle a toss up now.  I guess I have to give the edge to Baldwin because I do believe he is the most feared player in the conference.  Sunday will go a long way in deciding something.  Wish I could be there.

Ok as a first time poster I am going to try and weigh in with the same clout and clarity that each of you have been so accustomed to from each other.  As far as the POY question goes I have a stance on the issue.  First before I post my stance do not let the (lionsfan) name fool you or sway you into thinking I am biased on this issue.  

Lets look at the Candidates:

Cole Hariston Huntingdon College averaging 17.3 points per game and 6.8 RPG but lets look a little closer into his season.  In conference he is averaging 23.5 points per game.  Overall on the season his 17.3 points per game account for 31% of his teams scoring which makes him pretty valuable to his team night in and night out.  

Jake Baldwin Piedmont College averaging 24 points per game on the year along with 9.4 rebounds.  In conference Jake is averaging 19.5 points per game.  On the year he accounts for 29% of his teams scoring per night.

Bo Mason Maryville College averaging 14 points per game along with 5 assits a night.  In conference he is averaging 17 points per game.  On the year he is accounting for 18% of his teams scoring.

Bobby Golden Maryville College  He is averaging 14.5 PPG and 7.5 RPG.  In coference he is averaging 14.25 PPG.  On the year he accounts for 19% of his teams scoring per night.  

Lagrange's Render and Lawerence could go into this talk but their in conference numbers are not great and that was my main focus with this argument.  

Now if you are a believer that the POY/MVP should come from the best team (WHICH I AM NOT) then you would have to either pick Mason or Golden.  The mere fact that two players from the same team are even mentioned in this conversation is a testament that neither one of them are the MOST VALUABLE.  As a result I think that you can eliminate each of them and now focus in on Baldwin and Hariston.  The main reason is because every team that plays either of them knows that both Baldwin and Hariston are the backbone and heart to their teams.  Stop them in a game and you win the game.  The Lagrange Coach got so mad on Saturday that he was on his hands and knees begging for someone to stop Baldwin and went as far as to fling his jacket into the stands.  Now if you look at the resumes of these two players they are about equal so to break the tie I have decided to look at what happened with their two teams met.  Piedmont won the head to head matchup and in the process Baldwin had 16 while Hariston had 22.  I think right now the person I would have to lean towards is Cole Hariston because we are talking player of the year in the CONFERENCE and I think to this point his conference performances have been the best.  Many of you may or may not agree but this is what I think on the issue.  

Still to come an answer to the question posed earlier why is Piedmont losing?