MBB: MAC Freedom League

[kate]

Thanks, Sara - you hit the nail on the head.  Does that date me?

[Leo The Lion]

YES!!!!!!!!!!

More analysis coming in the later hours.

[naismith]

Toga,
Re Karma Kween Kate,

Just helping out our local Karma King.....Certainly want him to maintain his #1 status...
But, as some hoop guru noted, "It Ain't Over Til the Fat Lady Posts...I mean Sings".

Leo,
Congrats on the big win this afternoon.


Well played contest.
From my viewpoint,

1)was a game of streaks.--both teams suffered scoring droughts....


2) Ryan Nensteil clearly the difference maker. His burst in the first half (must have had 11-13 pts in a row?)
DeSales had no one to guard him as he literally was a scoring machine. It was also his late 2nd half 3 as the game tightened that ended a  5 to 6 minute scoring drought.

3) Cousart was contained by Braswell. He had on spurt where he scored about 7-9 pts. JC also had a number of turnovers and did not resemble the pg we saw Wed. night.

4) The inside guys-Scalzo Nensteil Sobo-did a nice job ....but I thought Stricker and Lapinski played them pretty well. Kofi played well. Welsh & Sobocinski had 'quiet' games. (Vince did score some and was his usual physical presence).

5) For DeSales, Ohlson was his usual solid presence. Made too few drives to the basket imho but worked the offense...(.Kings played zone for the entire game I think..).DeSales tended to pound the ball in low and hope for the best. They also used the skip pass to try to free up for the 3. It worked but I don't think their shooting percentage was all that high.  PS is one tough inside player. Tireless worker who goes strong to the basket. Lapinski gave the Bulldogs a solid effort. I was very impressed with Braswell. Played Cousart straight up most of the game and did a nice job containing JC's drives, curls etc. Was not afraid to take his shot and demonstrated some nice moves to the bakset and range. Although he missed a game tying 3, he also was fouled on another 3 (made 2 of 3 pressure ft's). Am looking for big things down the road.
Krickzy didn't do much. McCloskey (who JZ kept calling Krickzy) fouled out. Sedale Walton was 'quiet'. He was victimized by Nensteil in the first half as he was just too small to guard him.

Overall, a well played game. Think the better team won.

More later ...

Naismith

PS..
Both student sections performed admirably!!

[cold_case]

WHAT???
I put the King's radio station on around 7:15 and get the women's game. Now I go on a profanity-laced explosion only to hear the King's kid say that the men won their game THIS AFTERNOON.
I think I should pay closer attention to the press released that filter in, or maybe I took it for granted that the game was being played at night.
Prediction: King's will win, 67-64. Book it!!

Leo. I can't wait to hear your unbiased analysis, but after finding out the game was already played, I talked with a reporter that covered it, but feel free to lend your side of it. I need a bit of humor.
By the way, I called it last year and I'll call it again: The Freedom winner will get clocked in the NCAA's, especially if they have to play on the road.

[ljk]

R.Nensteil is going to victimize a lot of players in this league next year.   He scored 12 points in a about 5 minutes in the first half to get Kings going in the first half.  A matchup nightmare ,who nobody on DeS could guard.  Stricker is a beast inside, with a combination of moves, causing foul trouble for the entire Kings front line.  Scalzo fouled out and Sobo had 4 and Big Bob Nenstiel had his share of hacks.  Braswell short armed first of three foul shots, and missed open look, game tying three at the end, but this freshman is a future star.  He was my runner up for ROY and he is silky smooth with his game.  I was wondering why R. Nenstiel was on the bench for so long, especially at crunch time.  I noticed him looking at Coach JP during time out late in the game.  He wasn't a happy camper.  If I'm coaching, this kid is starting and he's playing a lot.  Great win for the Monarchs, but it didn't seem right w/o the Colonels in the mix.   As they used to say in Brooklyn, "wait till next year".( lol).

[naismith]

LJK,

Couldn't agree more with yur assessment.
RN was the MVP of the 2 games I saw.

JP kept him on the bench the last 6 minutes of the Wilkes game after he nailed a couple of 3's, converted a steal into a dunk and made a conventional 3 pt play.
If JC doesn't get the shooters bounce on the late ft and DeSales converts for the win, there would be alot more people asking why no RN in crunch time.

It seems he likes to play him with his brother Bob N....so he has left the starting 5 intact and brings the N's off the bench with Welsh.
But, with his production and skills, he has to see 30 minutes plus.....

Imagine the starting frontline next year will be Sobo, Scalzo and RN.....With JC, Kofi and JW swinging....a pretty formidable lineup.

And, yes, Braswell looks like the real deal. He may have been the best 'athlete' on the floor this afternoon.

Two questions:
I was seated near the Kings bench.
Late 2nd half:
1) Ohlson bounce passes into post in front of Kings student section. Sobo and Stricker fall. Ball appears to have been deflected. Kings gets ball. Did you see who defelected it? Ohlson was pretty animated.
2) Stricker attempts baseline drive from in front of Kings student section. He and Sobo collide. Both go down. Ref calls ball out of bounds to Kings???  Any opinion?? I was too far away to tell.

Naismith

[BJ - DSU SID]

Congratulations to you King's College folks on a Freedom Conference Championship.

Great game to watch today...fans (of both teams) were terrific (by witness of the standing ovation the players got by EVERYONE in attendance with 16.7 seconds left).

Bulldogs came up just short today.  Lots of fine performances from them gives me hope they'll have a nice run at their first title next season.

I'll be at D3baseball.com if your looking for me.

[ljk]

It seemed liked forever for the ref to blow the whistle on the play that you were referring too.  Stricker and Sobo both hit the deck and were laying there waiting for the delayed call.  The usual mild mannered Steady Eddy Ohlson got really ticked off because he made his usual on the money entry pass down low and then things went awry.  I, too , was confused on the call, there was no foul called, and I dont know if ref called out of bounds or a traveling violation on the play.  Again , I don't think this officiating crew had a great day.  What do you think?  I'll tell you what, you were right about Ohlson, he's a great little point guard whose totally unflappable except when two guys are  laying on top of each other and there is no call for the longest time. ( lol).  I walked away thinking a few things. R.Nensteil is the real deal and he deserves more playing time.  I don't get JPs thinking on this.  Another thing I admired is how hard Stricker works on the offensive end.  He is content working down low in the box, an old school baller, and a real banger.  You see so many big men nowadays enamored with the 3 pointer and it is so refreshing to see this guy work down in the blocks.  Also, Braswell is going to be tough the next few years.   Finally, I was asking around about CC rumour about Shovlin attending classes again at Wilkes and nobody had heard anything but they would let me know in the future.  I'm still hearing about Wilkes strong interest in point guard from Wyoming Valley Conference.  Have you heard anything?

[chizwiz]

Just one thing to say here - Messiah does not deserve to go to the tourney this year.

[naismith]

LJK,

Officials:

They were ok...not great....game was pretty physical inside and those calls can be tough to make.
Thought they fouled out Scalzo on an obvious academy award flop.
They callled a pretty loose game 1st half (6 fouls each and no one shot a bonus)
In the 2nd half Kings had 7 fouls at the 12 min. mark and DeSales wasn't far behind. Much more tightly called.

Ohlson had pretty efficient game (8 assists)- didn't see a box score so I am not sure of his to's.
Cousart had about 3 assists and I can recall as many to's ....

As for recruits, Coach JR is always on the road looking for talent.
The local player is probably the worst kept secret. I think the coach has attended many of his games and, thus, the rumor.
My understanding is that this player is giving Wilkes strong consideration but who knows for sure??
As to CS, I haven't asked around on that one. A neighbor of his (and a big GAR fan) had told me that he planned to enroll at LCC to make up some credits and come back in the fall. 
I have heard absolutely nada from Wilkes.....coaches, players, administration, students, janiors, security forces.........nothing at all on the subject.
Trout season is in April and I think CC is doing some fishing...lol

Naismith

[naismith]

Just one thing to say here - Messiah does not deserve to go to the tourney this year.

Chiz,

Thanks for that important news.
Made my day.

What's that quote from Kerry you highlight,

"If you don't (study) you get stuck in the PAC"?...lol

[cold_case]

Nais, you forgot to check in with the cafeteria staff.

[wb1313]

Just wanted to let Toga know that his best friend is still here, just watching the action from the sidelines.   

Congrats to King's...still a college but hopefully one that will represent the MAC in fine fashion.  Any guesses on who the first round opponent will be? (obviously I could wait but the speculation game is a ton of fun!

[bziadie]

Great game, great atmosphere, thanks to all the people who came out from both sides and were vocal and enthused the whole game. A fantiastic environment to be in.  The two bus loads of DeSales students were fantastic and it was great they showed up. Both student sections were fantastic, you should have been here Bill.

Great basketball played by two teams who play the right way - total team play and unselfishness with a number of players on each side able to step up and make the difference at any time.

Stricker is a beast and plays with passion and heart all the time.  About 20-25 minutes after the game he was still in the gym and I went over him to congratulate him on his play and tell him that he is a great player.  He was still so devastated over the loss that when he tried to respond to what I had said, he just could not get whatever he wanted to say to come out of his mouth and his emotions were out on his sleeve.  I felt really bad for him at that very moment, and even a tad guilty for saying anything, but at the same time it gave me an even greater appreciation of him because anyone who was hurting that bad wanted to win even more. That type of desire and passion for the game deserves to be admired.

[chizwiz]

Just one thing to say here - Messiah does not deserve to go to the tourney this year.

Chiz,

Thanks for that important news.
Made my day.

What's that quote from Kerry you highlight,

"If you don't (study) you get stuck in the PAC"?...lol

I only like a PAC school.  I think my alma mater hires alums from your school to run our plant operations.