MBB: American Rivers Conference

[Gregory Sager]

Impressive Keith...wasn't sure if anyone would pick up on that!

I pity the fool who wouldn't pick up on that.

[The Show]

 

[keith45]

LOLOLOLOL

Also (more for Pat and Greg S.)..Nick Thomas was featured in a national basketball magazine (Slam) this year..can D3hoops give some pub on that? its a magazine usually dedicated to NBA, D1 hoops, and big time hs stars

So there are 3 A team fans out here, huh?? Kinda scary!

[Charlie Kohawk]

Coe coach Pat Juckem featured in the Appleton, Wis., Post Crescent:

Denis Dougherty's Sports Buzz: Juckem coaching with a heavy heart

When he became men's basketball coach at Coe College last year, Pat Juckem knew there would be some emotional ups and downs on the court.

There always are in coaching. What he has encountered off the court with his youngest son is something he wasn't prepared for.

About a week after accepting the job at the Cedar Rapids, Iowa, school, the 1991 Chilton High School graduate and former Lawrence University basketball player and assistant coach was returning to the Fox Valley when he received a call from his wife, Elissa.

"She told me they found the defect on an ultrasound," Juckem said. "I was numb. A million thoughts going through your head. How are we going to handle this, how bad is it, et cetera."

Gavin Juckem is nearly six months old and is scheduled to have his second surgery Feb. 23. Gavin was essentially born without a right ventricle, which is responsible for pumping blood from the heart to the lungs, and with a very narrow aorta, which restricted blood flow from the heart to other parts of the body.

"Gavin will undergo a minimum of three surgeries," Juckem said. "The first was done at one week of age, a very high-risk open-heart surgery. The third will occur around 2 years of age. It is a three-step process of re-doing Gavin's heart plumbing. After the third surgery, Gavin's left ventricle will be doing the work that both ventricles would do in a normal heart."

Juckem said basketball has served as a nice distraction at times. In his first season with the Kohawks after spending the previous six seasons at LU, he has Coe in contention for its first conference title in 30 years. The Kohawks (17-6 overall, 10-4 in the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) lost both games last weekend to fall out of first place, but are alone in second and trail Wartburg by one game with two to play before the IIAC Tournament. The winner of the conference tournament receives a bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament.

"This is a sophomore-dominated team," said Juckem, who said he benefits greatly from working with highly successful LU coach John Tharp. "We have young players, but they have experience. We're very aggressive on offense and defense, and look to attack full court.

"(Tharp) has been a huge influence, not only philosophy, but how to do things the right way. I had one of the best seats in terms of soaking up his knowledge and seeing how he handles players."

Juckem is showing he can handle a situation far more pressing than anything he could face on a basketball floor.

"We are very fortunate to be 30 minutes from the University of Iowa research hospital, one of the best in the U.S.," said Juckem, adding that Gavin's long-term prognosis is uncertain. "If all goes well, Gavin should be able to do age-appropriate things once the cold and flu season ends. Since birth we have not been allowed to take him out unless it has been to the hospital, nor are we able to have anyone come over, to protect him from getting sick.

"Elissa has been unbelievably strong throughout. She has taken on more than her fair share during the season as a result of my schedule. My mother, JoAnne, who lives in Chilton, moved in with us at the start of the basketball season. I don't think we would have been able to care for Gavin, (3-year-old) Emmett and survive the basketball season without her living with us. It has allowed us to have periods of normalcy during a really crazy time."

[mg-3434]

Nick Thomas is [i]out for the season [/i] broken bone in his left foot.
You heard it hear first

[balla_1982]

So much for Keith's plan

[keith45]

Nick Thomas is [i]out for the season [/i] broken bone in his left foot.
You heard it hear first

DAMN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
MG, call me, leave your work number..my cell broke, cant see anything
How did this happen?

[sportsknight]

Wow.  I doubt I am the only person that picked up a lot of respect for Juckems after reading that article.  Some of my relatives have had children that didn't make it through some of their birth defects, so my thoughts are definitely with Coach as the surgery for his young son approaches.  On top of that, anyone that knows me knows that there is another, much more selfish, reason that I hope that little guy makes it.

[The Show]

I'll guess that Wartburg (#1) and Coe (#2) get the byes.

Loras (#3) hosts Dubuque (#6)

Buena Vista (#4) hosts Simpson (#5)

After hearing the news on Thomas, insert Luther for Dubuque on the #6 seed...  Tough break for the Spartans (no pun intended).

[keith45]

I'll guess that Wartburg (#1) and Coe (#2) get the byes.

Loras (#3) hosts Dubuque (#6)

Buena Vista (#4) hosts Simpson (#5)

After hearing the news on Thomas, insert Luther for Dubuque on the #6 seed...  Tough break for the Spartans (no pun intended).

Dont give up on us yet...we aren't playing top teams, we still have a chance to get in..

[The Show]

Both games are on the road and the last one all the way over in Storm Lake.

Assuming Luther and Dubuque tie...does Luther get the nod since they split with Wartburg?

Big game tonight for the Beavers!

[sportsknight]

For those interested, I just found out BV's student TV station is streaming tonight's BV-Wartburg game.  The website is http://www.bvu.edu/streaming/athletics/

I've had it on for about 3 minutes now, and while the commentary leaves a LOT to be desired, it is video.

[jc21]

Somebody please get the BV announcers a pronunciation guide.  Way to do your research guys....

[balla_1982]

And they need to learn how to add and subtract...39-28...BV up 9....But trust me, the two kids are pretty much idiots, so it's expected.

And what is Schmidt's problem, he whines about everything and doesn't look like he's playing hard at all, that is not the same player from a year ago.

[coocooforcoekohawk]

Coe coach Pat Juckem featured in the Appleton, Wis., Post Crescent:

"We are very fortunate to be 30 minutes from the University of Iowa research hospital, one of the best in the U.S.," said Juckem,

They are in good hands.