MBB: Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[West Coast Bias]

Easy on my man OxyBob... He was keeping the old SCIAC board going practically by himself for awhile (with Gray Fox and WooStar of course).

Coach Bokosky's record in 21 years at Chapman is 380-170.

Hey Bigcat, what's your record as a college basketball coach?

Well said elfinley! Who would have ever thought that there was a Chapman blowhard out there that would make dahlby look like a perfect gentleman?? 

[Bigcat]

Funny coming from a guy who bags on the Chapman coach and calls him names, bags on the Chapman players, and says that the team has no heart and pride. How insightful.

OxyBob
[/quote]

...at least I acknowledge they are in the SCIAC. And am I not allowed to express my opinion about the coaching staff? I also said a lot of good things about the Chapman players. In my opinion they are a top 3 team in the SCIAC in terms of pure talent. It is also my opinion that this team has trouble playing hard. I did watch a little of the game online last night, and I must say from what I saw effort was much better.

[Bigcat]

Being that many of you that are not in practices everyday with any of these teams you may be being unfair?

Big Cat calling Bokosky an ass? What coach in the SCIAC does not intense with his players. You compared Chapman to Duke? You do know that your beloved coach K drops as many F bombs as any other coach in America. Does that make him and many other college coaches an ass as well?

As for the guards, they are just undersized, that's all. Granted they are smaller than most guards in the SCIAC, but that is not a reflection and their time spent in the weight room. James and Zavrsnick look like they have spent some time in the weight room, SCIAC is just bigger.

Now, CU has their share of issues just like every other team in the SCIAC, but Big Cat for you to say the things you say make you sounds like your'e pissed because your son could not make their team. Too be undersized, inconsistent post play, and defensive help side problems, along with injuries they had to deal with(Both Youngs, Atwater, a promising freshman post Fidelibus, and the daily beatings those undersized guards take), considering they are 4-4 in the race for a postseason spot after a overtime win at Cal LU(Their 3rd overtime game in a week and a half), those players and Bokosky are doing alright.

My son is 3 and a half years old, and weather or not he ever becomes good enough to play Division 3 basketball has no impact on my personal opinions about this coach or program, so you can go ahead and throw that one out the door.
You are correct though, I have never seen a practice first hand. The information I get about Bokosky comes from an outside source who's son did play for him. And granted, my source isn't the biggest Bokosky fan himself, however, I have no reason to believe he would lie to me. As I said in my first post, I have no problem with a coach yelling at a kid or being tough on him. Cursing is fine in my opinion as well. However, I firmly believe there is a fine line between being tough on a kid, and just being disrespectful as a person. I am not going to go into details about what I heard has happened in practices before; it's just not fair to the kid. However, attacks on players struggles at home, using homophobic slurs, and taking shots at their families and personal lives cross a line. Yell at a kid all you want, but for goodness sake don't bring his life off the court into it. The CU baseball coach got fired last year for less.

Just to set things straight I am a Chapman fan, just not a Bokosky fan. My opinions on the coach do not in any way reflect my opinions on the players and the way they play, or the University in general. I have said before I am biased towards Bokosky, however, any criticism I have directed towards the players or the way they play basketball comes solely from my observations as a basketball fan and coach.

[Bigcat]

Easy on my man OxyBob... He was keeping the old SCIAC board going practically by himself for awhile (with Gray Fox and WooStar of course).

Coach Bokosky's record in 21 years at Chapman is 380-170.

Hey Bigcat, what's your record as a college basketball coach?

Well said elfinley! Who would have ever thought that there was a Chapman blowhard out there that would make dahlby look like a perfect gentleman?? 

My record is 0-0, what's yours?
And don't forget before joining the SCIAC Chapman routinely had one of the softest schedules in Division 3.

[elfinley]

Big Cat,
It's good to see another Chapman supporter here, and if you are not a Bokosky fan, that's cool too. But for you to come ONLINE and make the accusations you did about Bokosky, have no proof of it other than that you heard this from a "outside source" who's kid played at Chapman (Who you said does not like Bokosky), but you come on here anyway because "I have no reason to believe he would lie to me" is weak. I'm willing to bet this kid that "played" for Chapman probably never played at all and has an ax to grind because of it.

[Hoops_lover]

Sorry Bigcat, but have to agree with elfinley regarding Coach Bokosky.  Rarely there are parents who can take emotion out of the equation when it has to do with their children.  When I first read your comment about Bokosky/a**** and where it came from, I don't doubt the validity from your friend, however, how much emotion was in it???  I've coached boys and girls for many years and it's amazing what comes out of people's mouths, even if you know them fairly well.  A few weeks ago, I overheard someone saying PP Coach Kat was terrible.  I asked if their son was on the team and they said yes BUT he doesn't play much.  Parents (and players) should appreciate that their kid gets four more years to play at a higher level with better coaches.  Side note: I heard the baseball coach was fired because A PARENT reported him. 
My comments regarding Chapman basketball is based upon what I see in front of me and thinking with my coach pants on.  I've been following this program for the last few years, especially when I heard they were going into the SCIAC.  Bokosky does a good job with the team and YES injuries to the Young's and Atwater as elfinley stated earlier has hurt this team.  I believe Justin Young was starting until he hurt his foot and missed a couple of games.  If you saw the latter part of the Cal Lu game, Hamasaki was able to drive and score when the post cleared out or didn't flash to the block.  He's so unselfish that if the bigs just moved into positions with the opportunity to score, he'll likely pass them the ball.  James has the same mindset.
It's great reading the posts of elfinley, Bigcat, OxyBob, dahlby, stag44 and others talk about SCIAC basketball.  Makes the games even more interesting.
Chapman plays at Cal Tech Saturday.  Should be a win BUT: 1. Cal Tech knows the Chapman offense because they call out the plays and adjust.  2. There's the pressure of knowing that YOUR TEAM does not want to be the one to lose to Cal Tech. 

[Bigcat]

Big Cat,
It's good to see another Chapman supporter here, and if you are not a Bokosky fan, that's cool too. But for you to come ONLINE and make the accusations you did about Bokosky, have no proof of it other than that you heard this from a "outside source" who's kid played at Chapman (Who you said does not like Bokosky), but you come on here anyway because "I have no reason to believe he would lie to me" is weak. I'm willing to bet this kid that "played" for Chapman probably never played at all and has an ax to grind because of it.

Kid was a two year starter...just saying.
But you are right that I have no hard evidence to support my claims, which may discredit me in the eyes of some. I am simply choosing to believe someone who I deem as credible and trustworthy.You don't have to believe me, and everyone is entitled to their own opinions.
And yes as hoopslover said, I am sure some emotion was involved, but for him to just pull something like this out of his ass, to me, seems unlikely. If you or anyone has any information either supporting or refuting my claims I  would love to hear it.

[Bigcat]

injuries to the Young's and Atwater as elfinley stated earlier has hurt this team.  I believe Justin Young was starting until he hurt his foot and missed a couple of games. 

Chapman plays at Cal Tech Saturday.  Should be a win BUT: 1. Cal Tech knows the Chapman offense because they call out the plays and adjust.  2. There's the pressure of knowing that YOUR TEAM does not want to be the one to lose to Cal Tech.

1. When was Young injured? Any word on when Atwater will return? I never remember him (who played at Arizona State!?) being in the rotation too much anyways. Chapman has been basically kept a 6 man rotation, with 2 or three other guys getting spot minutes here and there. Most recently it has been Davis Dragovich playing the most minutes outside their top 6. What happened to Jordan Young? He was a starter as a freshman and now he can't seem to get off the bench for more than 5-6 minutes a game. Always liked the way he could stretch the floor.

2. This could be a trap game for Chapman. On the road against a team that really plays with a lot of energy and effort.  Chapman has struggled against teams like that, but I think they will pull this one out. I think they will start out slow, but then pull out a 10-15 point win.

[Hoops_lover]

I believe Justin Young got hurt before he UCI scrimmage exhibition because he did not play against them.  The past few games, he's looking like how he played at the end of last season.  Fidelibus was hurt for a while with a foot problem and Atwater the same.  Hopefully Atwater will play some today.  Jordan Young is a very good shooter, but does not handle the ball well.  I feel the lack of playing time has affected his confidence, thus affected his overall game.
I know I've been critical of the coaching staff, but this team hasn't been healthy which has hampered their collective growth.  Agree with Bigcat that today's game could be a trap game, but I think Bokosky won't allow them to look ahead to the CMC game this coming Weds.   

[Bigcat]

I believe Justin Young got hurt before he UCI scrimmage exhibition because he did not play against them.  The past few games, he's looking like how he played at the end of last season.  Fidelibus was hurt for a while with a foot problem and Atwater the same.  Hopefully Atwater will play some today.  Jordan Young is a very good shooter, but does not handle the ball well.  I feel the lack of playing time has affected his confidence, thus affected his overall game.
I know I've been critical of the coaching staff, but this team hasn't been healthy which has hampered their collective growth.  Agree with Bigcat that today's game could be a trap game, but I think Bokosky won't allow them to look ahead to the CMC game this coming Weds.

Thanks for the info. Chapman's situation off the bench has been interesting this year. I like Atwater's game. He is a good athlete who definitely isn't afraid out there and brings some toughness and scoring to the table. I think the reason he doesn't play more is because he makes too many careless mistakes and has too many defensive miscues.
Fidelibus has shown signs, but he doesn't have much of an offensive game yet and gives up a lot of size in the post at 6'3.  I think he will develop into a solid player over the next few years however.
As for the guards, Jordan Young has the most experience and is capable if scoring 15-20 points if he's hot from 3. He has a lightning quick release and elevates very well on his shot.  Seems like he's in Bokosky's doghouse right now though. You're right that he does not handle the ball well and usually requires teamates to set him up for shots.
Davis Dragovich has been playing well as of late. He still looks a little lost out there but I think he will become a solid player with more experience. He has good size for a guard and can handle the ball if needed. Kubly is a very smart player who I think is just stuck behind a group of very talented guards. I feel for Brendon Rider. Before James came he was set to be right in the mix. He played well last year, and it must be tough seeing reduced playing time.

[Evolution]

Chapman put together ten awesome minutes to bury Caltech last night.

Caltech had a great game going for almost three quarters.  The Beavers were within  3 points with 12 minutes to go.  Tech was playing the best ball they had all season. Bokosky was engaged enough to get a technical.

Bokosky took a timeout and hit the "reset" button.  The next ten minutes Chapman absolutely dominated in every aspect of the game.  Caltech's defense folded, getting outscored 30 to 10 (nearly half those points coming from Hamasaki). Caltech committed nine turnovers during the same ten minute span, had only four rebounds, and missed opportunities at the charity line.

I may be the Lone Ranger, but I continue to be optimistic about Caltech.  They have increased the time they are competitive in nearly every game.  Earlier in the season they were competitive for about a half.  Now they seem to compete for nearly 30 minutes, all the while allotting 75% of their playing time to freshman.  Hopefully they can learn to play 40 minutes of ball and take an interest in defense.  Maybe by the end of the season they will learn that the only statistic important in winning games is not a player's personal box score, but instead, how ugly you can make your opponent's box score appear.  Scali can teach everyone a lesson in that aspect of the game. Probably the main reason he has a case full of trophies.  Defense.

Chapman has some real talent and potentially could give both Claremont and Pomona real trouble down the stretch.  Both games are at home.  And if Chapman buckles down defensively, they have the talent to give both  Gafney and McAndrews a run for their money.

Bigcat, appreciate you sharing your "inside" comments about Bokosky.  But, I have learned to not believe everything I hear regarding coaches and practices.  Rarely will players and their parents own their side of the street.  Not saying that what you are hearing isn't true, just saying there might be another version of the same incident. I don't know too many athletic directors who would risk their own jobs by turning their heads to serious allegations.  The onset of electronic devices adds a whole new degree of scrutiny that didn't exist when I played ball.

[Bigcat]

Bigcat, appreciate you sharing your "inside" comments about Bokosky.  But, I have learned to not believe everything I hear regarding coaches and practices.  Rarely will players and their parents own their side of the street.  Not saying that what you are hearing isn't true, just saying there might be another version of the same incident. I don't know too many athletic directors who would risk their own jobs by turning their heads to serious allegations.  The onset of electronic devices adds a whole new degree of scrutiny that didn't exist when I played ball.

Fair point. The CU baseball coach was fired last year because a parent complained about some of the things that were happening during practice. If it weren't for someone outside the school reporting it, he would probably still be coaching. That whole thing wasn't the AD's fault, and I'm sure if the AD had knowledge of any allegations and believed things were serious enough he would handle the issue appropriately. Unfortunately, a lot of things like this do slip through the cracks at many schools so it is tough to tell what's true and what isn't.

[WoostAr]

Chapman put together ten awesome minutes to bury Caltech last night.

Caltech had a great game going for almost three quarters. 

They're up to 3/4 of a game from half a game...progress!!  Caltech seems to be executing their sets and getting the ball inside to their post players which should be the strength of this team's offense.  Improvement, just not enough to get a victory.

I may be the Lone Ranger, but I continue to be optimistic about Caltech.  They have increased the time they are competitive in nearly every game.  Earlier in the season they were competitive for about a half.  Now they seem to compete for nearly 30 minutes, all the while allotting 75% of their playing time to freshman.  Hopefully they can learn to play 40 minutes of ball and take an interest in defense.  Maybe by the end of the season they will learn that the only statistic important in winning games is not a player's personal box score, but instead, how ugly you can make your opponent's box score appear.  Scali can teach everyone a lesson in that aspect of the game. Probably the main reason he has a case full of trophies.  Defense.

Caltech has the ability to play passable defense, they just get demoralized by the large deficits....if they're scoring, they're exerting effort while playing defense...if they aren't, well....they aren't.  They need to learn to uncouple the two...they need to bring the defensive intensity at all times. 

Chapman looked good, but I think the team will be rather inconsistent down the stretch...their two guards account for most of their scoring from the perimeter...I don't think that type of game will get them past CMS of PP.

[WoostAr]

Pretty neat moment from the Caltech Chapman game

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2bFO25Xd-U

[Hoops_lover]

Saw most of the Chapman/Cal Tech game.  Darn impressed with Cal Tech and how they hung around for much of the game.  The FRESHMAN guard Lango, did not play like a freshman.  I was impressed with Lee, the 6' 6 FRESHMAN who played with poise and Al-Reyes, a FRESHMAN, who needs some muscle and some work, but he played fairly well.  Emezie is a good player but needs to play a little more relaxed meaning's too anxious to create a score or a play at times.  I will now follow CIT more closely because they're going to win a conference game this season....maybe two.
Very surprised that Bokosky got a technical.  He had to have been pretty pissed to get "teed" up, but who can blame him.  His guards were getting fouled as they drove to the hoop, much much harder than Powdrill was getting fouled at Cal Lu last Weds vs. Chapman.  I think after Hamasaki got nailed on his second lay-up, Bokosky got the "T".