Quote from: sac on January 21, 2011, 04:35:20 PM
The last 3 years of the Hope/Albion series have gone Hope's way.....however both wins by Albion came at Kresge Gymnasium.  Both games last year were close games in the final few minutes.  Hope pulled away from a 2 point game at home, Albion rallied from 9 down to 2 with a minute to play at Albion.....each in the last 5 minutes.

08--Hope 64 Albion 49
08--Albion 56 Hope 52
09--Hope 81 Albion 56
09--Albion 70 Hope 68
09--Hope 75 Albion 48
10--Hope 62 Albion 55
10--Hope 98 Albion 90


The Albion/Hope game at Kresge has been a very important game on the MIAA schedule most of this past decade.

For Hope.......3 times in the last 9 seasons they've finished 1 game behind in the MIAA standings, all 3 years they lost the game at Albion.  2002, 2006, 2009

For Albion...
In 2003, Hope and Albion shared the MIAA title, and the game at Kresge might have determined the winner with Hope winning there, Albion returning the favor at Hope.

In 2004, a loss at home to Hope possibly cost the Britons an MIAA title when they finished 1 game back, although they did beat Hope at Hope.


One glance at the standings today, and you can't help but feel a little excitement for what might happen Saturday.  These are usually very good, high energy, tense games.


If it weren't for the most obvious choice for MVP since....Michael McClary last year, this game would feature two Sr's who would certainly be mentioned in the conversation for the 2011 MVP race.   Albion's J.C. Cruse and Hope's Will Bowser.

Cruse is averaging 18.8 in league play, and is among the top 5 in rebounds.  Bowser is averaging 20.4 points in the league and is among the leaders in shooting percentage.  Both are having outstanding Senior seasons.

Albion and Hope have a few common opponents.......probably a wash

Carthage 71 Hope 70
Albion 93 Carthage 88 OT

Hope 91 Trine 86
Albion 78 Trine 60

Hope 89  Alma 58
Albion 72 Alma 57

Hope 70 Adrian 63
Adrian 69 Albion 63



This years Albion team does a nice job of getting to the FT line, they are way ahead of their opponents and the rest of the league in this category.  This suggests a pretty aggressive team that goes to the basket a lot........yet another stiff challenge for Hope's interior defense.

One of the things I have quickly learned to admire about Jody May coached Albion squads is what a great job they do getting their 3 point shooters open.  And I don't just mean open for a shot I mean wide open for a shot.   Hope's new found love affair with defense will face its most serious offensive threat since the Calvin game...and that didn't go well.

Albion still plays very good defense, and I think there will be many challenges for both teams when Hope has the ball.    Last year Albion built a virtual wall around the 3 point line and Hope only attempt 9 three's, making 3.  They'll have to do much better than that Saturday.

This should be a very good, close game.  The winner will be in first place by their lonesome.  



random fact for the day in the learn something new category:   Apparently in ancient times the island of Briton was referred to as Albion, or Albion referred to the white cliffs at Dover.  Either way that whole place was referred to by people living a long long time ago as some form of the word Albion.

Which begs the question.   Is Albion Britons redundant?