Quote from: UPS4Life on March 04, 2009, 05:15:38 PM
I pick UPS again if the match up is with WW because I gotta believe the officiating will be on more of an even keel from both sides' perspectives and the obvious advantages of being home, etc.

UPS4Life,  What do you mean that the officiating with be on more of an even keel?  Do you mean that UPS will have about 10-15 more fouls called on them because of their "hands on defense" and then it will be even?  Or do you mean that you think the fouls should be even or actually more fouls called on Whitworth?  The fact that you even bring up the refs and a possibility that UPS LOST the game is crazy!!!  The advantage for UPS is that they are playing at home and are very good at the style of basketball that they play.

However, I bet that nothing is changing the in game plan for UPS.  What could they change?  On defense, they pick up full court, put their hands all over the person who is dribbling the basketball and jump the passing lanes.  They give up 2 on 1 and 3 on 2 fast breaks and open three pointers.  They are good at it, but nothing changes.  On offense, they spread the court, drive and dish.  They are very good at shooting three pointers and finishing around the basket.  They thrive on turnovers by the other team and momentum.  They make the game, a game of runs.

Whitworth will actually game plan and adjust.  They will try and expose weakness and take advantage of their own strengths.  Lunt's game planning is done during the recruiting process and through being a good motivator.  As far as in game adjustments and game planning, there is none!  They play the same style against every opponent.  Sure he has tweaked things a little since Bridgeland, but what you see with UPS is what you get.  That is not to take anything away from them because they are very good at what they do.

Do not think it is a fluke that UPS happens to shoot poorly in games against Whitworth since they are traditionally at the top or near the top of the nation in defensive field goal percentage.  However, if UPS is shooting contested shots well, they will be very tough to beat.  Unlike UPS, Whitworth does not get out of position often on defense.  They make proper rotations and contest shots.  When the shot goes up, they find a man to block out.  Jurich and Montgomery (worst snub in NWC history to not even get one vote and receive honorable mention) are susceptible to foul trouble against a team like UPS who gets into the lane as they are the defenders of the basket.  They way Kraul and Foster crash the boards also draws fouls on opponents big men.

Hayford will have an excellent game plan and if the Pirates shoot well, they have a very good chance to win.  Of course, Whitworth has a touch matchup with Claremont to get through first and I can guarantee they are not overlooking them.  Whitworth had been on the road around 15 days in a row when the lost at Claremont and did not play well at all against them.   I predict Whitworth by an easy 12-15 with them pulling away at the end.

Montgomery 31-14 in the first round of the conference tourney against Linfield's good big men and 18-18 against Kraul and Foster in the game that got them into the tourney.  Not to mention some very good performances over the course of the year.  My prediction for the player of the year for next year. 

Here is me making a case that Jurich got overlooked for his contributions.  Keep in mind that Whiworth was the top defensive team in the league in nearly every category and it was also in the top half of many other offensive and rebounding categories as well as finishing 2nd in the league and conference tournament champions.  Other than maybe Nakamura who is the offensive engine of the Pirates, it is safe to say the Jurich is the defensive and rebounding backbone as well as a great offensive player with his 3.5 assists per game, 1.51 assist to turnover ratio, 14.2 points per game and .526 field goal percentage.  He also had a triple double early in the year against Pacific.  I believe that he should have been a first teamer.

Conference stats only for Jurich:

Scoring:  14.2 for 10th best in the league

Rebounding:  8.3 for 2nd best in the league

Assists:  3.5 per game for 7th best in the league (Power Forward/Center)

FG %:  .526 for 7th best in the league

Blocked Shots:  1.0 for 5th best in the league

Offensive Rebounds:  2.94 for 2nd best in the league

Defensive Rebounds:  5.31 for 4th best in the league


Assist to turnover ratio:  1.51 for 6th best in the league

Minutes played:  30.88 for 12th best in the league (Not bad for a big man who playes physical)

Anyone have thoughts on the all-league stuff?

I am a bit suprised that Jurich was not higher on the second team list if not on the bottom of the first team list.  Montgomery who was very dominant at times didn't event get honarable mention...

Anyone else feel that their teams were not well represented?

Pineconefan,

You make some very good points.  I bet that every team since the arrival of Bridgeland and then now with Lunt feels that has played a game at UPS feels that the UPS players foul way more than they are whistled for and that the UPS coaches are just as animated and in most cases more than the visiting coach.  For a UPS fan to pick out an incident and espeially just one, that is crazy.

I was at the game and it was poorly officiated at times on both ends, but if anyone should be complaining... the 15-6 against Whitworth might be the side to complain about.  Jurich fouled out early and Montgomery played a long time with 4 fouls.  There were a few others with 3 fouls midway through the second half.

Whitworth was the better team that night.  If the teams get to play again, we will just have to wait and see who the better team is. 

It is difficult to listen to UPS fans complain about the officiating of any game.  I understand that there are poor calls that affect both teams throughout the course of the game.  There are even questionable calls that may go against UPS and seem very significant at that point of the game.  One needs to keep in mind when complaining that UPS gets screwed by the refs, is that they could call a hand check at any point on any UPS player and most of the time they don't.  They have their hands all over the ball handler.  When another player puts his hands on the dribbler the way UPS does, they are whistled for a foul.  Now I do give UPS credit for sticking with that defensive philosophy and using it too their advantage.  That is good coaching.  But to hear fans complain that refs were bad, is tough to listen too when being a fan of any other NWC team.

One thing that I question about UPS is do they ever change their game plan?  Or do they simply teach their system and stick to it no matter what?  There system obviously works very well and I give them a lot of credit for that.  However, are they capable of making adjustments?  Does Lunt mix things up or does he simply just manipulate the game through personnel changes.  Does he make adjustments the way other good coaches at this level do?  Please don't take these questions the wrong way.  I praise Lunt and his staff for getting a lot out of their players.  It seems that most of their work would be done in the preseason and in recruiting the right type of players to fit the system.  Once the season starts, do they just need to stay in good conditioning shape, work on ball handling and shooting.  Obviously they spend a lot of time on their press and guarding the ball, but do they switch things up?  Do they add new sets?  Do they look to see what the other teams do well and try and take that away?  Do they look at what the other team does poorly and try to exploit it?  I raise these questions because I wonder how far UPS can go and are they capable of playing their opponent or just playing their system (which they do very well).

With all this said, watching UPS play is a lot of fun and their style is very entertaining.  I like all the rah rah stuff and their ability to intimidate the other team.  I wish them luck in the tourney; of course except when/if they play Whitworth.

Any word on all league, poy/coy stuff yet?