MBB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[Drake Palmer]

Burich is a rebounding machine from Roseville that served as their primary big man last year on a very good team.  He was HEAVILY recruited by the MIAC.  I'm actually a bit surprised he ended up on JV and not varsity. Johnson is an uber-athlete, has a chance to be an elite defender at this level.  He's skinny, but his upside is very high. 

Nice to see the board starting to warm up.

BB1122 – if I'm reading the Tommies roster correctly, Jordan Burich is on the UST varsity.   Also, a relatively new HS hoops source for me concurred with your assessment of UST's Ryan Johnson and said he is an athletic stud.  My source also said that if Hamline's guards can get him the ball, the Pipes' JR transfer, big man Jake Kreuser could surprise a lot of people in the MIAC this season.  I might have to stroll over to Hutton arena & check out the Pipers on Saturday, & my source's credibility. 

Finally, nice pick up on Augsburg's Joey Sonnenfeld being a 2-sport player & signing on with the Dawgs once the football season concludes.  I looked up his numbers & Sonnenfeld is having a monster season on the gridiron. He is leading the MIAC in TD receptions (12) & a number of other receiving categories. If Sonnenfeld can hoop as well as he can play football, the Dawgs should be real dangerous.   It appears they've got some good, rangy athletes, but will need someone to step up to replace sharpshooter Tyler Schmidt, knock down those outside shots on a consistent basis to give Dan Kornbaum some room to operate on the inside. 

[bball1122]

You're right on Burich - he is on varsity, but not currently in their top dozen or so.  He didn't play the first two twenty minute segments of their scrimmage against St. Cloud last week. 

As for my predictions - after the top 5, 6-11 could really end in any order and I wouldn't be surprised.  Carleton and Concordia both lost a ton, Hamline, Bethel, and SMU are starting over with new coaches, and Mac has a bunch of guys from out of state that I know little to nothing about. 

Kreuser is a very talented kid, but he hasn't played much at all the last couple years.  It may take him awhile to get his feet under him, but if he does, there is no reason he can't be a very imposing force for the Pipers.

[Kilroy]

I find it interesting that you decided to disparage a kid who played in 81 games in college (Kunkel) to prove your point that some guys who have NEVER PLAYED A GAME are better "pulls".  They may prove to be, but let's let them play a few games before we anoint them as effective college players.  Also, it is widely known that Wiley Ferron was committed to UW Platteville before he came to SMU.  He is a good get, but lots of coaches would find the practice of taking a player committed to your old school with you to your new school a bit suspect.

Whoa, I didn't mean to disparage Kunkel or Landrum's first class. If Bruno had stayed, that would have been big, Kunkel was a hustle guy who played early, and the Cards pulled in a great group the following year. It's just been flat out hard to get kids to stay at SMU. I never said the new freshmen were anything special, either, I said who they are and where they're from. Ferron is rated highly by NHR, that's all I really know about the kid. I didn't really have a critical point to make, I was just saying it's got to be brutal for any coach trying to recruit for the fall after getting a job in spring/summer.

And a D3 "commitment" is a made-up thing. The kid is not on your team until he registers, shows up on campus and appears at tryouts.

[carletonsid]

I find it interesting that you decided to disparage a kid who played in 81 games in college (Kunkel) to prove your point that some guys who have NEVER PLAYED A GAME are better "pulls".  They may prove to be, but let's let them play a few games before we anoint them as effective college players.  Also, it is widely known that Wiley Ferron was committed to UW Platteville before he came to SMU.  He is a good get, but lots of coaches would find the practice of taking a player committed to your old school with you to your new school a bit suspect.

Whoa, I didn't mean to disparage Kunkel or Landrum's first class. First, let's agree that 9% is unbelievable. Beyond that, if Bruno had stayed, that would have been big, and the Cards pulled in a great group the following year. It's just been flat out hard to get kids to stay at SMU. I never said the new freshmen were anything special, either, I said who they are and where they're from. Ferron is rated highly by NHR, that's all I really know about the kid. I didn't really have a critical point to make, I was just saying it's got to be brutal for any coach trying to recruit for the fall after getting a job in spring/summer.

And a D3 "commitment" is a made-up thing. The kid is not on your team until he registers, shows up on campus and appears at tryouts.

Worked with a D3 coach during my time in Michigan (who won a national title, by the way), and he had a saying that went something like this: "You know you have 'em when you see the whites of their eyes."

Excited for another season of MIAC hoops. Don't sleep on my Knights - Coach Kalland usually finds a way to make the playoffs. The Knights will be young, but I think they'll be in the mix down the stretch for a top six finish, as usual.

[bball1122]

Glad you clarified - thanks.

I agree that there is no such thing as a D3 commitment.  However...leaving a program and taking a kid that had pledged to your previous school with you to your new school is a pretty big no no in the "unwritten rules" handbook of coaching.  You should poll some MIAC coaches and see what they would think if their assistant took a current commit with them if they left.  I'd be legitimately curious to find out the results. 

[Kilroy]

Excited for another season of MIAC hoops. Don't sleep on my Knights - Coach Kalland usually finds a way to make the playoffs. The Knights will be young, but I think they'll be in the mix down the stretch for a top six finish, as usual.

I could be way off, but I'm getting the sense that Carleton is recruiting more locally with Kershaw on board. I've been hearing their name a lot with high academic kids-- and there are a good amount of those in the state.

[jimhoops1234]

Carleton has had local kids for awhile now.  Theisen, Sawatzke, Sutherland, Jonker, Carter Biewen in just the past few years.  They've always had good success getting Eastview kids.  Those are just a few that come to mind and I know I missed some from further back.

This year, Taylor Hanson, McSparron, Mitchell Biewen.

Jim Hayes always had them in on the best high academic local kids when he was there.  Personally, I think that is why Mac has had to go outside the state even more.  They had Tom Conboy and Abe W. about 7-8 years ago, but not many other good local kids cause they've all been going to Carleton and even some to Olaf.

[Kilroy]

You're right about all those names listed. I guess Mac has more out-of-staters.

[bball1122]

Tommies in a battle out in Cali vs. Pomona.  Will be interesting to see how it plays out.

Cord beats Morris - frosh Austin Hawkins impressive.
GAC beats Simpson - another frosh, Peter Kruize, with a a big game.
Auggie beats Buena Vista in a shootout in OT.  A bit worrisome - no Parker Hines.
Olaf handles Bethany Lutheran easily.

[Drake Palmer]

The Palmer committee is pleased to announce the 2013-2014 Palmer All-MIAC Freshman Name Team.  We apologize for not releasing the prestigious awards earlier, but a certain school in the furthermost SE corner of the state still has refused to release their complete roster. Seriously, the season kicked off yesterday.  But without further ado, the awards must be presented, & the season will take place with or without SMU.

MIAC Men's' 2013-2014 Basketball Season: The year of the Dual Surnames & Mac's All Star, All-Name Team.

In the Dual Surname category we had these names from around the league:

Jackson Canfield – Bethel
Jackson Schepp – Concordia

Austin Hawkins- Concordia
Coleman Sweeney – Gustavus
Austin Fuller - Hamline

The Macalester Scots could have fielded an All-Name Team by themselves.  Here are a few examples:

Max Horvath
Mike Cavallaro
George Giannos
(Let's hope some of these Mac guys can hoop)

Palmer MIAC All-Name Honorable Mention

Richie Perea – Augsburg
Peter Kruize - Gustavus

Palmer MIAC All-Name Team

Tianen Chen – Carleton
Sager "Sensei" Moritzky- Macalester
Kareem Ismail – Macalester
Brycen Wojta – Bethel

Palmer MIAC All-Name Player of the Year

Dylan See-Rockers - Hamline
(I saw See- Rockers play this afternoon.  The kid could have a future in our league.  Nice looking ball player.)

[Coach R]

Drake -

Great Post as usual. 

I am honored that my first post follows the great Drake Palmer.

You are correct - we have not posted the roster yet.  Should be out the next 48 hours, we had a few things I needed to follow up on before it was posted.  We have a history of players appearing and disappearing on Rosters - so I want to make sure that does not happen (or at least as little as possible) on my watch.   

I have followed these boards for many years.  I love the passion that comes with being an fan.  In the era of public media - I thought I would follow in the steps of the trailblazer Dave Buchanan.  As an assistant - I enjoyed reading his thoughts when he was the HC at Superior and thought that it would be fun to do the same if I was ever fortunate to be in that position.

As the season gets under way - I will do my best to give any insights or take any questions or even offer any clarification if possible.  Obviously I can't put all my cards on the table all the time - but I will also try not to be like Belichick. 

As a MIAC rookie going up guys that have held the post longer than I have been alive - will be fun.  It is also never easy to live a life in the public eye - but it also provides the opportunity to talk about something we all have in common, the love of this sport and conference.

So as we work to build this I hope some of the other coaches join the conversation as well.   

Cause here we go - it was a great weekend so far with some great games with some fun wins and tough losses.

This IS one of the BEST times of the year!

Coach R





   

[Gregory Sager]

Sager "Sensei" Moritzky- Macalester

First time in my entire life that I've ever seen my surname used as a given name. I'm speechless -- and long-time d3boards.com readers will attest that that's not a condition with which I'm very familiar.

Drake -

Great Post as usual. 

I am honored that my first post follows the great Drake Palmer.

You are correct - we have not posted the roster yet.  Should be out the next 48 hours, we had a few things I needed to follow up on before it was posted.  We have a history of players appearing and disappearing on Rosters - so I want to make sure that does not happen (or at least as little as possible) on my watch.   

I have followed these boards for many years.  I love the passion that comes with being an fan.  In the era of public media - I thought I would follow in the steps of the trailblazer Dave Buchanan.  As an assistant - I enjoyed reading his thoughts when he was the HC at Superior and thought that it would be fun to do the same if I was ever fortunate to be in that position.

As the season gets under way - I will do my best to give any insights or take any questions or even offer any clarification if possible.  Obviously I can't put all my cards on the table all the time - but I will also try not to be like Belichick. 

As a MIAC rookie going up guys that have held the post longer than I have been alive - will be fun.  It is also never easy to live a life in the public eye - but it also provides the opportunity to talk about something we all have in common, the love of this sport and conference.

So as we work to build this I hope some of the other coaches join the conversation as well.   

Cause here we go - it was a great weekend so far with some great games with some fun wins and tough losses.

This IS one of the BEST times of the year!

Coach R

Welcome to the boards, Coach R, and big props for being willing to step out onto the firing line like this.

[Kilroy]

SMU roster: http://www.saintmaryssports.com/roster.aspx?path=mbball&;

[GoldandBlueBU]

My predicted order of finish:

1. UST
2.  AUG
3. SJU
4. STO
5. GAC
6. CORD
7. CAR
8. HAM
9.  BET
10. MAC
11. SMU

I suspect that BU could end up a spot lower even...this will probably be a tough year for them.  New coach who didn't get a full recruiting cycle, and wasn't networked in the area to begin with, so there couldn't have been many relationships for him to lean on.  Not to mention Taylor Hall graduating...the shelve may be a bit bare for them, but perhaps they will surprise a bit with some other / new guys stepping up.

It is hard to imagine them winning more than 3 or 4 MIAC games this year.  I hope to be proven wrong, but even if I am, their cap won't be much higher than 3-4.

[miacsuperfan]

hey, i almost forgot how to do this!!
bball1122, strange not seeing knights, vipes, and royals in your top six picks for the year.  a changing of the guard  continues.
can't wait to see drake palmer's pre-season picks (aside from name team). 
if coach R is on board from st. mary's, can WILLY WONKA be far behind?  we could only hope.....