MBB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[Cardinalboy]

LC- Yes it is true Mike is the younger brother of Sean Sweeney from St. Thomas and has been playing pretty well so far. He can shoot the heck out of the ball and doesn't make a lot of mistakes. Will he turn out to be like his brother? Only time will tell but as for having no seniors will be intresting for SMU because of the leadership. Looking back at last years young team could be a reason for the JC guys. Having this group for at least two years will defintely be a plus for SMU.

JD- What level of D-I do you mean?


Go Cardinals

[Drake Palmer]

Thanks for the update Carl.  So I guess we'll still have to wait & see what's up with the Auggies this year.

LC – I'm surprised you asked the question since it seems you've seen everyone out there,    but yes, Mike is Sean Sweeney's younger brother at SMU.  Mike's a really good kid, but is not quite as athletic as his brother.  However, he's a pretty solid spot up shooter.  Nick Carr the other SMU recruit from Mpls Washburn is a tremendous leaper & if I'm not mistaken I believe he might have played AAU ball with MN Select one year.  He's a real talented kid that I was always surprised he didn't do more with his ability than he did.

It looks like there were some interesting developments down at St. Peter during the off-season.  I don't know if the current Gustie roster is incomplete, but it seems there are several noticeable names missing in addition to the previously discussed departure of Adam Hoffarber: 

Derek Dreifke from Richfield, who got some minutes last year at one of the guard spots; wing Jared Hokenson of Watertown, a Jr. Transfer from D-1 Univ. of Milwaukee where he was a walk-on player; & little, used SO post Matt Wilberg from St. Paul Central.  I think I may have read last year where someone wrote that Hokenson's style never quite meshed with Hanson's approach to the game.  However, I thought that Dreifke & Hokenson would be strong additions for Gustavus this season.

Robbie Schmidt from Watertown I think should be a player of the future for the Gusties & based on what other posters have said, fellow frosh Mike DesLauriers from Benilde seems to have found favor with the coaching staff.   Based on graduation & other losses, maybe these freshmen will play bigger roles than what anyone originally anticipated.

[Willy Wonka]

Dreifke transferred (Concordia-St. Paul I think), Hokenson didn't make the cut and I'm not sure about Wiborg - he may be on JV to start the year. Lien was also cut. I was told only one freshman made the top 15, so I expect Robbie Schmidt rotates practicing with the varsity and JV, as is common at GAC.

I wouldn't look too far into the "bringing in only two." They only lost one to graduation, so there wasn't a ton of roster spots to be had going in. Speaking of JV...longtime JV coach Jimmy Arnold is no longer with the program. With the cutbacks and such due to the girls/guys doubleheaders, he finally decided it wasn't worth his time - he liked sitting on the bench too much and that was no longer an option.

jdowney (get a new nickname, would ya? )- While I like your fervor, I can't agree. The difference of 3-4 inches (if not more) and a good deal of jumping ability/athleticism at most positions between D1 and D3 is quite clear. There will be a few guys each year would could possibly play at a mid-major - and by play I mean make the team.

Your argument of fundamentals and such being equal is based on the same premise that many girls sports supporters would use to belittle the guys game. I don't buy that either.

[pacific rim]

In response to the discussion of relativity between diii and di:
an all-miac team would hammer ndsu. concordia played moorhead last year (look at schedule/results on their site when they get it back up) and lost by like 5-10 pts.  Concordia played just over .500 basketball in the miac.  food for thought.

as for soren being almost as good as adam morrison, i would be surprised.  he is a perfectly designed athlete, though.  you don't find a lot of 6'6-6'7 225 lbs kids with that kind of mobility.

someone tell us about hokenson.  i expected a lot from him.  i was worried when i saw him on the gustie roster last year.  am i correct in understanding he came out of high school with significant credentials?

[big_shocker]

Another Sweeney in the MIAC? What is the world coming to?

The fact that GAC has nearly everyone back (I know, I know, they lost Espo) just makes them more dangerous. They have guys who know the system, and that goes a long ways at GAC.

I mourn the end of the Jim Arnold age of GAC JV. There were definately a lot of memories in that era.

[Drake Palmer]

Dreifke transferred (Concordia-St. Paul I think), Hokenson didn't make the cut ...

Hokenson didn't make the cut?!?  Willy, there's gotta be more to the story than that. He might not have been a D-1 talent but he certainly was a solid D-3 player.

[pacific rim]

there are some serious karma bullies in this room.

my posts are fair and supportive of deserving players across school boundaries while maintaining a stance of respectable support for my chosen team.  if i don't get back to at least 0 for karma i'm jumping in front of a train.

love,
pacific rim

[crazy_carl]

Drake- Great avatar!

[TommieHoops4Life]

I can't agree with the DI-DIII comparison either. I think it's ridiculous. DI athletes are stronger, faster, quicker and just better with overall skills. In DIII athletics, you have your sport, but there's a life outside of it that you don't really get at the DI level. This is a much different scenario than All-MIAC vs. NDSU or something along those lines, but UST was a solid team last year, and they got absolutely smoked by the Gophers, who at the time were nothing to feel great about.

[miacwatchmen]

In response to the discussion of relativity between diii and di:
an all-miac team would hammer ndsu. concordia played moorhead last year (look at schedule/results on their site when they get it back up) and lost by like 5-10 pts.  Concordia played just over .500 basketball in the miac.  food for thought.

I believe you are taking about MSUM??? And if that is so Moorhead had good players last year but they never played that well. I saw them play against Bemidji State and they started out on a 17-0 run and then promptly lost it in a
21-0 run. They never played consistent. Granted they are a D-2 team but they were not that impressive last year.  Concordia had a good team but losing to MSUM by 5-10 is not that big an accomplishment. Also an All-MIAC team would not "hammer" NDSU it would be very close with NDSU getting the edge in my mind.

[PMB]

No, MIACwatchman, concordia played NDSU, look at the schedule, and they lost by 15 or less, which is an accomplishment for a team that was around .500 in the conference last year.  This year, although will be a different story for the cobbers, who should be in the top 3 in the conference and maybe contending for a title with the shooters that they have on the roster.

[pacific rim]

it was, in fact, ndsu.  with 5 minutes to go concordia trailed by 3.  down the stretch NDSU's talented center staved the cobbers off effectively.  Concordia led in the game by as many as 8-10. at the time ndsu was d-Iaa.  I believe concordia finished 5th in the miac.

what would gustavus have done to ndsu last year...or st. thomas.

having said that, hamline will be crushed by ndsu.

karma is for losers.  until i get some, then it is sweet.

[SofaKing]

pacific rim - there is no such thing as D1aa basketball.

From being around these players everyday, You realize that they are not that much different. They stick around all summer for player developement and monitored weight lifting but during the school year we praticed just as much in college.

Maybe here at GU is different as the team is built around role players and few great athletes. But you cant tell me that BVT, Soren Nelson, Doug Espo, Eckhoff and Splash wouldnt be a tough D1 team. It is missing the dominating center but that is a good line up. I think Keith would start at most D1 teams. Even with football, there are a bunch of players that could play for the Gophs, SHumaker probably.

[columbianmaffia]

whats with all the talk about karma...who cares...that thing is stupid....oooooooo...i have karma....that makes my posts more important than anyone elses...and it must make my information accurate...i dont care bout karma cuz the maffia speaks the truth.......nuff said

[columbianmaffia]

ps....emilio estavez says quack quack quack mr. ducksworth....its that time....tripple burger time baby