MBB: Liberty League

[rjcarter8]

Well, I posted a few days ago it was possible that Caginello and Scordato might split the voting for POY and it looks like that may have happened, as both were 1st teamers. Let me clarify that I DO think Schneider is a great player, blockparty, but if you want unionalum to "man up and admit the better player won," you also must consider the possibility that Schneider won because two players with very similar stats from the same team could have split the voting.

It was also obvious when looking at the all-conference teams that Hamilton has the most talent. Anything less than a LL title should be considered a disappointing season for Hamilton.

[bed]

I totally agree with Rjcarter.

Cagianello was POY in my opinion.  I think you can make a case for Schneider.  I wouldn't say Cagianello got "robbed", but I think your analysis of Scordato helping split the vote is accurate, as well as Hamilton's talent.

I think Hamilton beats RPI by double digits at least 8 tonight.  Union-SLU comes down to the final 2 minutes.

[unionalum]

First, I wouldn't be admitting to the "better player" I would be admitting to the player with the better season... the "better player" and "better career" is not in question.

If you think that Union's office revolves around Cagianello, then you have either not seen Union play enough, or don't understand what they are doing out there.

Union's office is constant motion, with each player having an equal opportunity to each spot in their offense.  This is why it is so hard to scout and so hard to defend.  Cagianello gets his points because he is a great player and a great shooter.

I agree with the argument that the two Union players must have split votes, and to say Ive been pulling for Cagianello since day one is 100% accurate.

All I know about PLayer of the Year's, is I want to see where they are at when the stakes are the highest.  We saw where Cagianello was at on Saturday, and we've seen where he is at in the past in both Conf. playoff games and NCAA games.

Where was Schneider?

[rjcarter8]

St. Lawrence leads 38-30 at halftime. At one point Union had a 25-17 lead.

[rjcarter8]

St. Lawrence
Vonnak 10 pts
Blue 7 pts

Union
Scordato 18 pts 7-11 from field, 4-6 3 pt (moved into 7th place on career scoring list)
Mackey 5 pts
Caginiello 3 pts 1-3 3pt (now 1st on career scoring list)

That's what the announcer just said during halftime

So far caginiello hasn't done much, but it seems like St. Lawrence is keying on him a bit. However, I'm only listening to the game on Teamline, so I don't really know.

[rjcarter8]

Union beats St. Lawrence 73-70

No final stats given on the Teamline broadcast, but Scordato probably finished with 30-plus points.

SLU has a heave at the buzzer, but it didn't go.

Union advances to the LL title game Saturday versus the winner of tonight's game between No. 1 Hamilton and No. 4 RPI (probably Hamilton).

[unionalum]

Mr. Scordato loves the conference tournament!

Hamilton, now we're waiting on you guys, take care of your part.

[blockparty]

All I know about PLayer of the Year's, is I want to see where they are at when the stakes are the highest.  We saw where Cagianello was at on Saturday, and we've seen where he is at in the past in both Conf. playoff games and NCAA games.

Where was Schneider?

Where was Cagianello last night?  Granted they won, but 9 and 2 is not a good night for him.  Schneider was the only reason RPI kept it close last night, with 24 and 11, and SIX threes.  Stakes were pretty high last night...

[rjcarter8]

LL First Teamer -- Caginello 9 points, Union beats St. Lawrence 73-70
Dutchmen now face No. 1 seeded Hamilton in the LL title game

LL Player of the Year -- Schneider 24 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, 6 threes, St. Lawrence loses to Hamilton 75-63.

I guess I'm over the POY thing, but you are right blockparty, Schneider had a better game against Hamilton Friday than Caginello did against St. Lawrence Friday night.

By the way, Union's Brian Scordato had 27 points, six rebounds, six assists, 6 threes, and his team won. Maybe he should have been POY, he had better totals in points and assists, and he and Schneider tied with six threes apiece.

[unionalum]

I'll admit maybe I put too much emphasis on that one Saturday game where they played each other.

Cagianello never got it going yesterday, after opening the game with a 3.

Scordato carried Union, much like he did in last year's championship against Hamilton where he scored 34.

I talked to the guys last night, they are fired up.  It's going to be an amazing atmosphere, wish I could be there.

Instead I'm stuck listening to the broadcast online.

[rjcarter8]

Hamilton beating Union 54-36 at halftime

Hamilton was 12-20 from three in the first
Union had 7 3s

[rjcarter8]

Hamilton beats Union 107-72 to win the LL title.

The Continentals were ridiculous from the field today, and I have to give the players props for their performance. Hamilton moves on to the NCAA tourney, while Union should get a ECAC bid.

Hamilton was 12-of-20 from three-point range and hit 19 for the game
Welchons 30 pts, 8-of-11 from three-point range
Ngobeni 19 pts
Valenti 17 pts
Jones 11 pts
Peck 10 pts

Union had 7 three-pointers in the first half, not sure what the total was.
Caginello 24 pts
Scordato 14 pts
Madej 11 pts

Anderson was 3-0 head-to-head against Montana this season, but it is easy to go 22-4 when you have talent like that. I look at it more like Hamilton's 5 all-conference players against Union's 3 all-conference players. I know only Caginello and Scordato were named to a conference team, but Murphy also belonged on at least the second team.

[thumbsup]

Anderson coached them out of the tourny again.  Wait, he won??  Unreal some of the people on here.  Anyway, no big suprise here, the class of the league won, only slight surprise for me was Union beating St. Lawrence.  Thought SLU was better and would have given Hamilton a better final game.  107 points??  Wow, maybe all of that subbing works every now and then.  When Hamilton was at full strength this year, they have been tough, losses came when players were out i.e. Utica (no international kids), St. Law(no Peck, arguably the teams most important player, etc.  I think, with the watered down region, they have a shot to come out of New York.  I can't wait for all of the Fisher support, but they have to win at that level (regional) for me to believe.  Plattsburgh came out the Sunyac, Fisher struggled with R.I.T., and it looks like the Conts may be peaking.  Not gloating much am I (ha).  But seriously, congrats to Toby anderson and Matt Capell, two good guys doing good things at Hamilton and don't forget old man Anderson, the real brains behind the machine there.  Could they be hosting??  We'll see

[blockparty]

I'll admit maybe I put too much emphasis on that one Saturday game where they played each other.

Cagianello never got it going yesterday, after opening the game with a 3.

Scordato carried Union, much like he did in last year's championship against Hamilton where he scored 34.

I talked to the guys last night, they are fired up.  It's going to be an amazing atmosphere, wish I could be there.

Instead I'm stuck listening to the broadcast online.

Well it was a great season.  Good luck to the teams moving on.

[rjcarter8]

Thumbsup, I can only interpret the beginning of your post as a shot at mine. I don't believe I ever said Anderson coached Hamilton out of the tournament. I only said with as talented a team as Hamilton is, it would be difficult to not go 22-4 and not win the LL title.

Also, as for the final score, St. Lawrence would have been hard pressed to do anything against a team that 19-of-31 from three-point range for the game (61 percent), 39-of-63 from the field ( 61 percent) and 10-of-12 from the foul line.

Union did shoot 13-of-26 from three-point range (50 percent) and 27-of-56 from the field (48 percent), both of which are pretty decent numbers. However when you run into a team shooting like Hamilton it's pretty hard to keep up.