MBB: American Rivers Conference

[Hoosiersfan2323]

Interesting that you say Ruggles' season was in a class of it's own. While he certainly had an outstanding season and deserved to be named MVP, a quick look at the numbers shows Garver's stats weren't too shabby either. Being surrounded by a deeper team probably kept his total numbers down. Percentage-wise, his stats were as good or better than Ruggles'. I don't think he should be downgraded for playing on a good team, and it's not as if Ruggles doesn't have talent around him as wel. Amsbaugh's numbers were also solid. All three are different types of players. Congrats to all 3 players on fantastic years. Here is a look at their numbers (Conference Only, for the purpose of this discussion).

Player      Pts   Reb      FG%         FT%    3Pt%   Ast/Gm Steals
Ruggles      23.3   4.8   49.8%   92.9%   49.1%   3.6      <6
                        
Garver      16.6   4.9   60.8%   82.2%   54.3%   4.0       43
                        
Amsbaugh      18.7   7.4   49.5%   78.8%   28.1%   3.9    13

With all due respect to Garver, the story you're telling using the percentages is grossly misleading. Garver did shoot 60.8%, but he did so on 70 fewer attempts than Ruggles. Likewise, 54.3% from 3 sounds great until you realize that he shot 46 three pointers all season (compared to 116 from Ruggles). Even though the FT percentages speak for themselves, it should also be noted that Ruggles was almost 11% higher despite shooting 40 more FTA. Now, looking at other statistical categories, Ruggles was first in the league in scoring, FT%, FTM, 3PM, 3PT%, & A/TO. And, Ruggles did all that while playing nearly 2 games worth of minutes (70) fewer than Garver.

No argument from me when it comes to the defensive end of the floor, and Garver was rewarded there justly.

[J-Hawk]

I don't completely disagree with you. I'm just playing devil's advocate to the point of MVP. It's not solely an offensive award. You could argue either way with these offensive numbers. You could say Ruggles' numbers are better because he took more shots and maintained a high percentage, and you could argue that Garver would have had better numbers if he had attempted 70 more shots and maintained a high percentage, but we'll never know. Like I said in my original post, Garver didn't need to shoot any more due to the talent around him, and shouldn't be penalized for that. I'm not sure how I feel about having multiple MVP's. I would have been fine with either one of them winning the award outright too. I will say I am glad to see the overall amount of talent in the IIAC, and I am already looking forward to seeing the battles on the court next year.

[Dutch Calvinist Reformer]

BVU's Van Haaften heads to Dordt
https://www.dordt.edu/news/40500

A huge loss for for BV, as perhaps the most proven coach in the IIAC jumps to Dordt.  Not often a 400-win guy leaves his school.  Thoughts from the crew?  NAIA vs NCAAD3?

[dunkin3117]

Wow. A little shocked to see that. Did not see him ever leaving BV.

[Smitty Oom]

NWU looked solid last night, they caught a "break" and won't have to pay WashU as they got upset last night by Aurora. This squad is so hot right now, think they are capable of a deep run. Good luck to the prairie wolves!

[Hoosiersfan2323]

BVU's Van Haaften heads to Dordt
https://www.dordt.edu/news/40500

A huge loss for for BV, as perhaps the most proven coach in the IIAC jumps to Dordt.  Not often a 400-win guy leaves his school.  Thoughts from the crew?  NAIA vs NCAAD3?

Definitely unexpected. I suppose the allure of having scholarship money is the key to any coach jumping fron D3 to NAIA. That and maybe a pay raise?

[AndOne]

IIAC fans,

Gentleman,

Looking at the conference from an outsider's point of view (although I am a NWU grad and former player), please consider the following with regard to some of the points you have recently been discussing.

1. As far as conference awards, I know of no conference in the country where any statistics other than those compiled in conference play only count for post season conference awards. This makes sense because of common opponents only.

2. It's kinda weird to have 3 co-MVPs. However, I actually applaud the IIAC voters. I believe that far too often scoring is the trump card that dominates the thinking/voting. However, you might have a great shooter/scorer who couldn't guard his mom on the other end, who rarely passes to a more open teammate, and whose rebounding totals, even in relation to other guys his own size, are minuscule because he is afraid to go anywhere near the basket. I'm not aware of the specific details that went into the voting, but it's obvious the voters considered multiple facets of the game and their importance when submitting their ballots. This is not meant to diminish the efforts of any of the co-winners in any part of the game. Some are stronger in one area, others in other area(s).

3. The BV coach going to an NAIA school........
Look at the big picture. Someone mentioned scholarship money. I think this is a big deal. With the economic realities of today, and their effects on family life, players are increasing making college decisions based on money as much or more than anything else. It's one thing if a kid wants to major in a subject not offered by many schools, but all schools offer many of the most popular disciplines. If you're looking at NCAA and NAIA schools with equally rated Business departments and the NAIA school is offering $10K more a year in combined academic and athletic money, the decision to save a total of $40K might come pretty easily! Also, I believe NAIA academic standards are generally more relaxed than those at most NCAA member schools. A kid who can't qualify academically at a particular NCAA school or schools often has no problem getting into most if not all of the NAIAs he is considering. In fact, he may have no other choice than to go the NAIA route. Lastly, I doubt that few, if any coaches who have been at a school for many years, and are under no pressure to resign/leave, are going to do so other than for at least some level of increased compensation. 💰 😊

You have a perfect example of a lot of the above in NWU. As the only member of of an NAIA conference not giving athletic scholarships (they adhered to the NCAA philosophy on this point when they held joint NCAA-NAIA membership), they struggled to compete financially with the other schools in the conference. A kid considering, say, NWU, Midland, and Morningside was going to get more money from the NAIA schools—strike one. The kid from Lincoln High who could jump over the basket couldn't get into NWU because he couldn't qualify academically—strike two. The NWU Administration wouldn't either start giving athletic money OR lower their admission requirements thus saddling their coaches with a pretty big handicap in their recruiting efforts—strike three!

The solution, of course, was the choice to drop their NAIA membership and continue solely with an NCAA affiliation. From an academic standpoint, I believe NWU's philosophy always seemed more in tune with NCAA standards anyway. They wanted to remain known primarily for academics (NWU is rated #16 in Midwest Region Universities by US News & World Report) rather than for athletics while remaining competitive in athletics. As such, it's not hard to see why they followed the NCAA path, and sought membership in the IIAC which was really the only NCAA conference that came close to making sense from a geographical standpoint.

[Gregory Sager]

Neither of you guys mentioned two other factors that could very well explain Brian Van Haaften's coaching move: Personal beliefs, and the need for a fresh challenge.

Buena Vista is a secular school. It has a nominal attachment to a mainline Protestant denomination, Presbyterian Church (USA), but the affiliation is so attenuated that it isn't even mentioned on the BVU website. Like most schools affiliated with mainline denominations, BVU has little or no overt Christian emphasis or mission. Dordt, on the other hand, is a strongly Reformed school with a board of trustees whose majority consists of members of the Christian Reformed Church, the same denomination with which Calvin is affiliated. Dordt has a very strong Christian character, and it is very up-front about it in its online presence. Brian Van Haaften is a man of faith, and, given his Dutch surname, I suspect that he comes from a Reformed background as well (either CRC or the Reformed Church of America, the school with which Hope is affiliated, as well as Van Haaften's alma mater, Dordt's archrival Northwestern College). Check out this quote from Sioux City TV station KTIV's website article on Van Haaften's move:

"I am so excited to be the next basketball coach at Dordt College. Dordt is a special place that within its Christ-centered approach it wants to be the best at everything from academics, to relationships, and to the basketball floor. I can't wait to be a part of all of it."

The second matter, the need for a new challenge, Van Haaften directly addresses in his farewell letter to BVU, published on the school's website as a tweet from BVU President Joshua Merchant:

In the end, it is time for me to call it a BVU career. I am moving to Sioux Center, Iowa to be the next basketball coach at Dordt College. Here is the crux of the matter for me. I don't want to live my last 10 years as a coach and just walk off into the sunset, get lethargic and just hang on. I've watched too many coaches in my lifetime do that. I want a challenge that rejuvenates me, that makes me stretch and be the best that I can be. It's time for a new voice in the BVU program, and it's time for me to improve and get fired up for a new venture. I have given my all to this program for 22 years, and have no regrets, but for this once, I am going to make a selfish move and take a risk of trying to chase championships at a new place.

His long-term success at BVU speaks for itself. Dordt? The Defenders are coming off of two losing seasons after a very successful run prior to that. What he's saying here makes sense in that context.

[Smitty Oom]

Good luck to NWU tonight, as mentioned in the NCAA tourney thread, I hope I can see a NWU vs. Whitman matchup tomorrow.

Also, great article on d3hoops.com about the Prairie Wolves!

http://www.d3hoops.com/playoffs/men/2018/nebraska-wesleyan-learning-as-they-go

[AndOne]

Seconding the above. 

[AndOne]

Congrats to my alma mater, the Nebraska Wesleyan Prairie Wolves, who I still think of as the Plainsmen, on advancing to face the #1 rated team. I sense many people didn't give them much chance of making the Sweet Sixteen let alone the Elite Eight.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

Congrats to my alma mater, the Nebraska Wesleyan Prairie Wolves, who I still think of as the Plainsmen, on advancing to face the #1 rated team. I sense many people didn't give them much chance of making the Sweet Sixteen let alone the Elite Eight.

Hmm... I don't think that was true. I certainly thought if they got past their first opponents (I have been high on Maryville) that they could make a run to be sure. Tonight's game was the one I was most intrigued with and they played pretty well. I am not overly shocked they are in the elite eight, but with parity these days I am less shocked by most results.

[sac]

Neither of you guys mentioned two other factors that could very well explain Brian Van Haaften's coaching move: Personal beliefs, and the need for a fresh challenge.

Buena Vista is a secular school. It has a nominal attachment to a mainline Protestant denomination, Presbyterian Church (USA), but the affiliation is so attenuated that it isn't even mentioned on the BVU website. Like most schools affiliated with mainline denominations, BVU has little or no overt Christian emphasis or mission. Dordt, on the other hand, is a strongly Reformed school with a board of trustees whose majority consists of members of the Christian Reformed Church, the same denomination with which Calvin is affiliated. Dordt has a very strong Christian character, and it is very up-front about it in its online presence. Brian Van Haaften is a man of faith, and, given his Dutch surname, I suspect that he comes from a Reformed background as well (either CRC or the Reformed Church of America, the school with which Hope is affiliated, as well as Van Haaften's alma mater, Dordt's archrival Northwestern College). Check out this quote from Sioux City TV station KTIV's website article on Van Haaften's move:

"I am so excited to be the next basketball coach at Dordt College. Dordt is a special place that within its Christ-centered approach it wants to be the best at everything from academics, to relationships, and to the basketball floor. I can't wait to be a part of all of it."

The second matter, the need for a new challenge, Van Haaften directly addresses in his farewell letter to BVU, published on the school's website as a tweet from BVU President Joshua Merchant:

In the end, it is time for me to call it a BVU career. I am moving to Sioux Center, Iowa to be the next basketball coach at Dordt College. Here is the crux of the matter for me. I don't want to live my last 10 years as a coach and just walk off into the sunset, get lethargic and just hang on. I've watched too many coaches in my lifetime do that. I want a challenge that rejuvenates me, that makes me stretch and be the best that I can be. It's time for a new voice in the BVU program, and it's time for me to improve and get fired up for a new venture. I have given my all to this program for 22 years, and have no regrets, but for this once, I am going to make a selfish move and take a risk of trying to chase championships at a new place.

His long-term success at BVU speaks for itself. Dordt? The Defenders are coming off of two losing seasons after a very successful run prior to that. What he's saying here makes sense in that context.

VanHaaften interviewed and was a candidate for the Hope job 8 years ago. 

[Gregory Sager]

Neither of you guys mentioned two other factors that could very well explain Brian Van Haaften's coaching move: Personal beliefs, and the need for a fresh challenge.

Buena Vista is a secular school. It has a nominal attachment to a mainline Protestant denomination, Presbyterian Church (USA), but the affiliation is so attenuated that it isn't even mentioned on the BVU website. Like most schools affiliated with mainline denominations, BVU has little or no overt Christian emphasis or mission. Dordt, on the other hand, is a strongly Reformed school with a board of trustees whose majority consists of members of the Christian Reformed Church, the same denomination with which Calvin is affiliated. Dordt has a very strong Christian character, and it is very up-front about it in its online presence. Brian Van Haaften is a man of faith, and, given his Dutch surname, I suspect that he comes from a Reformed background as well (either CRC or the Reformed Church of America, the school with which Hope is affiliated, as well as Van Haaften's alma mater, Dordt's archrival Northwestern College). Check out this quote from Sioux City TV station KTIV's website article on Van Haaften's move:

"I am so excited to be the next basketball coach at Dordt College. Dordt is a special place that within its Christ-centered approach it wants to be the best at everything from academics, to relationships, and to the basketball floor. I can't wait to be a part of all of it."

The second matter, the need for a new challenge, Van Haaften directly addresses in his farewell letter to BVU, published on the school's website as a tweet from BVU President Joshua Merchant:

In the end, it is time for me to call it a BVU career. I am moving to Sioux Center, Iowa to be the next basketball coach at Dordt College. Here is the crux of the matter for me. I don't want to live my last 10 years as a coach and just walk off into the sunset, get lethargic and just hang on. I've watched too many coaches in my lifetime do that. I want a challenge that rejuvenates me, that makes me stretch and be the best that I can be. It's time for a new voice in the BVU program, and it's time for me to improve and get fired up for a new venture. I have given my all to this program for 22 years, and have no regrets, but for this once, I am going to make a selfish move and take a risk of trying to chase championships at a new place.

His long-term success at BVU speaks for itself. Dordt? The Defenders are coming off of two losing seasons after a very successful run prior to that. What he's saying here makes sense in that context.

VanHaaften interviewed and was a candidate for the Hope job 8 years ago.

I didn't realize that, but it makes complete sense in the context of what I posted about Van Haaften. Thanks, sac.

[AndOne]

Congrats to my alma mater, the Nebraska Wesleyan Prairie Wolves, who I still think of as the Plainsmen, on advancing to face the #1 rated team. I sense many people didn't give them much chance of making the Sweet Sixteen let alone the Elite Eight.

And an additional shout out to the men of NWU for tonight's takedown of the nation's #1 team on their way to Salem and a national championship. 🏀 😊