MBB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[d3bballfollower]

Bethel finally has their roster up...pretty much as expected with the addition of jr transfers much and otterson who give the Royals some length on the perimeter...look for FY forward Matt Johnson to be the guy who spells Moberg, or comes in if they Royals decide to play 2 posts...i would expect a starting 5 of laugen, madson, much(or Otterson, maybe Rob Lang), reck and moberg

[Drake Palmer]

Man, what day, but I see things are finally starting to percolate on the board – good!

First off- Hamline's roster.  Lotta no names & a few surprises.  If Coach Whitmore needs guards to run his "vaunted" pressure system, looks like he's got the numbers, I'm not so sure about the quality of guards - yet. 

Once the Johnnies post their roster, I'll  release the highly anticipated All FY "Name Team,"  , but I'll drop a teaser & say the Pipers have got a couple of outstanding name candidates on their roster.  I'm not sure if Eric Clute is the guy, but there was talk this spring about a hotshot Hamline recruit out of the Fargo- Moorhead area.

Local, I seriously doubt if sophomore transfer, Nick Carroll is going dislodge Zev "Baron Davis" Kujolic from the starting 5.  Carroll's got a nice jumper & could be a deep ball threat, but his quickness is bit suspect.  Good to see jr. Brandon Hayes return to the squad.  If he sticks it out, he could perhaps blossom in Whitmore's up tempo style of play.  The kid has got some handles!

On the negative side, Pipes lose forwards Sr. Kory Kelzer & So. Chad Rich.  Both of these players averaged about 10 minutes per game last season & I'm guessing would have seen considerable uptick in playing time this year.

Bethel

With all the JC transfers, I was wondering if Bethel had morphed into the St. Paul version of the old Augsburg Dawgs.  Interestingly, looks like Mike Much shrunk an inch or 2 since high school days.  I seem to recall seeing him listed as 6-4 or 6-5.  Also, the Royals have him listed as a sophomore, not a junior.  In the paint, it still looks Mike Moberg & nobody else.  Not to say FY posts Matt Johnson 6-6 205 lbs or JJ Palmer (nice last name 8) ) 6-5 253lbs couldn't develop, but I don't think either one of them will strike fear into their opponents' hearts, or throw their body & bows around like Moberg & last year's backup – Peter Rolando.

FY guard Eric Hugoson has got a Bethel bloodline & perhaps more importantly, a pretty nice game.  I think he made several all-state teams last year.  Another 2nd generation Royal seems to have hung em up, as soph Max Holmgren is no longer on the roster.  Too bad – he would have been a fun talent to watch develop over the next 3 years.

I can see the opposing coaches' gameplans being drawn up now - attack the Bethel middle.

[Gregory Sager]

I dang near fell out of my chair when I clicked on the Hamline website & saw that they finally posted their roster overnight!  I'll check back in later after I've had time to review the personnel.
 
Hambone

No New Yorkers on the roster, which is interesting in light of all the speculation about where Coach Whitmore would go for his players. Of course, he had only a sliver-thin amount of time to do any recruiting for 2007-08 for Hamline.

[Drake Palmer]

..No New Yorkers on the roster, which is interesting in light of all the speculation about where Coach Whitmore would go for his players. Of course, he had only a sliver-thin amount of time to do any recruiting for 2007-08 for Hamline.

Tough crowd from the city with "broad shoulders," or is this just your way of stopping by to say "Hi"?    Considering that Hamline officially announced Nelson Whitmore's acceptance of the coaching position on August 20th, this gave him barely two weeks to fly back to NY, pack his bags, return to St. Paul & get ready for the school year to start on September 4th.   If he had showed up with a heady New York city PG in tow, I would say he's in the wrong line of work.   
Hamline is a reputable NCAA approved university, not some renegade school like World Harvest BC.   

Personally, after the lateness of the Wohler resignation (June) & lengthy delay in making a hiring decision (late August), I think it's amazing that there are 18 bodies listed on the Hamline roster.  It would be interesting to know how many of these FY & other players/transfers were originally recruited by Barry Wohler.  Then, how many of the players are the result of a cattle call audition by the coaching staff after the fall semester began.  A year from now I think we'll have a better handle on the Hamline-Whitmore national recruiting model & results. 

[Drake Palmer]

Since our own Napoleon Bonaparte -Mr. Wonka, seems to have placed himself in exile on the isle of Elba, someone else will have to give us an update on the Gusties.  So how are the big fellas looking Sam Paulson & ...

Oops!

For all of you crazy cats that want to post pre-season predictions before the ink has barely dried on the virtual typeset

BREAKING NEWS!
Sophomore D2 transfer, 6-8 post Chris Hasse no longer listed on the Gustie roster.   Gusties And to think, I was about to concede 2nd place to the Gusties.  However, with this latest development, the unknown development of the other soph post Sam Paulson, & the questions concerning who will run PG for the Gusties...hmm, I will definitely have to re-think my picks.  Local, you might not be so crazy after all picking UST to finish 2nd.  They at least have a bazillion young players with potential.

[sumander]

BREAKING NEWS!
Sophomore D2 transfer, 6-8 post Chris Hasse no longer listed on the Gustie roster.   Gusties And to think, I was about to concede 2nd place to the Gusties.  However, with this latest development, the unknown development of the other soph post Sam Paulson, & the questions concerning who will run PG for the Gusties...hmm, I will definitely have to re-think my picks.  Local, you might not be so crazy after all picking UST to finish 2nd.  They at least have a bazillion young players with potential.

This is my suspicion why the J's roster isn't posted yet. It is in such a state of flux that they aren't sure who is going to be on it day to day.

[Nites]

BREAKING NEWS!
Sophomore D2 transfer, 6-8 post Chris Hasse no longer listed on the Gustie roster.   Gusties And to think, I was about to concede 2nd place to the Gusties.  However, with this latest development, the unknown development of the other soph post Sam Paulson, & the questions concerning who will run PG for the Gusties...hmm, I will definitely have to re-think my picks.  Local, you might not be so crazy after all picking UST to finish 2nd.  They at least have a bazillion young players with potential.

This is my suspicion why the J's roster isn't posted yet. It is in such a state of flux that they aren't sure who is going to be on it day to day.

Meaning Hasse will show up on the SJU roster as a replacement for Fogt.

[Drake Palmer]

BREAKING NEWS!
Sophomore D2 transfer, 6-8 post Chris Hasse no longer listed on the Gustie roster.   Gusties And to think, I was about to concede 2nd place to the Gusties.  However, with this latest development, the unknown development of the other soph post Sam Paulson, & the questions concerning who will run PG for the Gusties...hmm, I will definitely have to re-think my picks.  Local, you might not be so crazy after all picking UST to finish 2nd.  They at least have a bazillion young players with potential.

This is my suspicion why the J's roster isn't posted yet. It is in such a state of flux that they aren't sure who is going to be on it day to day.

Meaning Hasse will show up on the SJU roster as a replacement for Fogt.

Good humor!

[d3bballfollower]

who knows...Hasse could end up at a number of MIAC schools come 2nd semester if he doesn't like it at GAC and wants to transfer...I would think that if he had the grades Carleton would be a great place, but otherwise he could do some damage at UST or SJU

[abominable_snowman]

First, some more names from d3 for Drake

Prince Trotter hit 8-8 shots to score 19 points and also grabbed eight rebounds for the Choctaws. Kiki Christmas finished with 15 as eleven players scored. Good early game for MC against a pretty good team. UAM is usually a middle of the pack GSC team. They were down a bit last year after a Sweet Sixteen run in 2006.

Second, keep the pre-season '07-'08 picks coming in.  Get them in before exhibition games start.  I'll keep track through the year and we can see who among us is the most prophetic.  8)

with that...here are my picks

1. Bethel
2. GAC
3. Augsburg
4. St. Thomas
5. St. Olaf
6. St. John's
7. Macalaster
8.Carelton
9. Hamline
10. St. Mary's
11. Concordia

[Drake Palmer]

First, some more names from d3 for Drake

Prince Trotter hit 8-8 shots to score 19 points and also grabbed eight rebounds for the Choctaws. Kiki Christmas finished with 15 as eleven players scored. Good early game for MC against a pretty good team. UAM is usually a middle of the pack GSC team. They were down a bit last year after a Sweet Sixteen run in 2006.

That's great stuff Snow!  Two very awesome names!  I might have to see if I can add a photo to my signature line.  I can just imagine the PA announcer spitting out each syllable of the name

PRINC-SUH TROTT-ERRRR scoring!!!

"Kiki Christmas lighting it up like a xmas tree, 4th of July" 

I'd like to think of our All-MIAC names as a fine wine that grows on you, as compared to the over the top, in your face, outrageous, sweetbadness these other names represent. 
***************************

Speaking of representing, at the end of last season I think SD Gusties was trying to pass on the YNOT & Pickem mantle, coordinator duties to someone else this season. Sumander you still planning on doing on that or should we start leaning on our resident stats guy - Snow to take over?  You couldn't tell by looking at the Johnnies roster  , but the non-conference portion of the season is less than a week away & conference play is scheduled to begin in 3 weeks.


 

[sumander]

Drake, I can probably handle the Pick-em side of things. I was not involved in the Y-not contest last years so I will pass on those duties.

[piperinsider]

Let's go Pipers!

Pre-season picks
1. Hamline
2. Concondia
3. St. Mary's
4. St. Olaf
5. Augsburg
6. Macalester
7. Carleton
8. St. Thomas
9. St. John's
10. Gustavus
11. Bethel






* Those are in reverse order of course.

[yojo]

come on piperbacker...They just beat a ranked stout team in preseason.  New coach looks outstanding.

[piperinsider]

I'd be happy if Hamline found themselves in the playoff picture - but after thinking they'd be top 3 a year ago and to finish where they did - I'm waiting to move them up until I see something from that.

Of the players back, besides Thrasher, I really like Brad Brake and Tanner Anderson, but that doesn't strike too much fear into the MIAC. I'll wait and see what some of the Frosh can do. I've seen Kenton Johnson from YME - he could be a nice defensive post - great rebounder like Charley Good from a couple years ago.