MBB: MAC Freedom League

chairman · February 14, 2010, 04:29:13 PM

http://www.timesleader.com/sports/collegesports/DeSales_star_hits_for_41_as_King_rsquo_s_falls_in_3_OTs_02-14-2010.html

Really nice piece.

BJ - DSU SID · February 15, 2010, 10:02:16 AM

Updated matrix for everyone to make their final week of the season predictions.

http://athletics.desales.edu/custompages/gen/2009-10/MHoopsMatrix.pdf

DeSales has clinched #1 seed and FDU has been eliminated from the playoffs. The other six teams have neither clinched or been eliminated so I am sure we are in store for a crazy final week of the regular season.

The scenarios are way too many for me to include here...feel free to ask questions if you have any and I'll try to answer them. Otherwise enjoy the games this week. I'll re-post this after the Tuesday games (weather willing).

naismith · February 15, 2010, 10:21:48 AM

Been absent much of the season due to time constraints but did take in the Kings/DeSales contest Sat.

Am very impressed with King's overall play. Seems every player can shoot. Mike Wagner may be the 3pt ringleader but "no Conscious" Fiorino hoists them from the rafters with deadly accuracy...Frosh #34 is impressive and highly skilled. PG Stackhouse can drill them along with Reisig (sp), Brasky etc.
The Monarchs mesh well, play hard and execute. A top notch coaching job by JP and staff.
For a group picked in the lower tier preseason, they have really developed into a threat.

As for DeSales...Darnell "Class" Braswell is a Phi Beta Kappa Freedom Leaguer. Like Allstate, the Bulldogs are in 'good hands' when "Class" has the rock at pivotal moments. I still do not know how DeSales won that game!!!

Bull dog fans are probably spoiled but the performance by "Class" on Sat. was one of the very very best I have seen!

As usual, Coach Coval has a deep supporting cast and mixes and matches well. Thought Hunter is an impressive PG. Nice handle, excellent passer and he has some nice post up moves. Awful at the FT line Sat but that was just one game. Bob Zanneo (42) looked like he lost weight?? Matt Z, Malatesta all play within themselves and within the system.

To me, DeSales is probably still the top team but I don't think their post play is as strong as in recent past. They are vulnerable inside.

More later

Naismith

chairman · February 15, 2010, 02:21:42 PM

We know that at 10:00 pm on Tuesday (weather permitting of course) at least one team will be in ( the winner of King's/ Misericordia) and one team will be out (loser of Del Val/ Manhattanville).

A couple scenarios.

If DeSales beats Wilkes, then a second team will be eliminated. If Del Val and Eastern both win, and Wilkes loses, then the remaining games will be for seeding, because Del Val loses every tiebreaker with King's and Misericordia.

Manhattanville keeps their hopes alive with a King's to win Tuesday and a home win over Del Val. In that situation, their Saturday game at Misericordia would turn into a play-in game (That is of course, unless Wilkes wins out, in which case the three way tie would go to Wilkes by virtue of their win over DeSales tomorrow night ;-) ) . Nonetheless, Manhattanville is the team on the outside that needs the least help.

lefty2 · February 15, 2010, 03:47:52 PM

Quote from: chairman on February 15, 2010, 02:21:42 PM
We know that at 10:00 pm on Tuesday (weather permitting of course) at least one team will be in ( the winner of King's/ Misericordia) and one team will be out (loser of Del Val/ Manhattanville).

A couple scenarios.

If DeSales beats Wilkes, then a second team will be eliminated. If Del Val and Eastern both win, and Wilkes loses, then the remaining games will be for seeding, because Del Val loses every tiebreaker with King's and Misericordia.

Manhattanville keeps their hopes alive with a King's to win Tuesday and a home win over Del Val. In that situation, their Saturday game at Misericordia would turn into a play-in game (That is of course, unless Wilkes wins out, in which case the three way tie would go to Wilkes by virtue of their win over DeSales tomorrow night ;-) ) . Nonetheless, Manhattanville is the team on the outside that needs the least help.

Reading that made me dizzy.

chairman · February 15, 2010, 04:03:10 PM

That was the goal.

hoopzwiz · February 17, 2010, 12:36:01 AM

So if I'm not mistaken, the four teams are set but seeding is still a grey area...interesting that 3 of the
teams(desales, eastern, miseri) are all former PAC/CSAC members.
Anyone see Tuesday's games?

chairman · February 17, 2010, 12:50:57 AM

DeSales has been in the MAC for a long time.

Regardless, your point is well-taken. I saw the FDU-Eastern game. Katz made some big plays down the stretch, and he just got to the foul line a lot down the stretch. Nelson and Malloy were in foul trouble early, and the Eastern team could never really establish an inside game.

The difference in the game was at the foul line. Eastern hit 8-11 and FDU hit 23-29. Hats off to the Devils for making their shots, but the 18 shot disparity was really tough for the Eastern bench to handle.

Nonetheless, Eastern still holds the key to the second seed in their hands. a pair of home wins and they will host the first round.

phillyguy · February 17, 2010, 12:53:57 AM

miseri took it to kings tonite. got every loose ball, outrebounded the monarchs and clearly wanted it more . the monarchs are a strange team, they can look awfully good when committed, and awfully bad when disinterested, like they were tonite. give miseri credit, they outplayed, outcoached and outhustled kings - especially in the second half. they made adjustments, kings did not.
looks like a desales-kings and miseri-eastern matchup in the playoffs. miseri will give eastern all they want and more. desales is cruising now and kings essentially backed into the playoffs after starting out 5-1 in league......but they somehow play desales tough. that one has a chance to be interesting, depending on which kings squad suits up that night.

lefty2 · February 17, 2010, 07:29:15 AM

I'm not sure that King's was disinterested. They certainly seemed interested when they jumped out to a 10-2 lead and were up 35-31 at halftime.

They were probably interested when it was a four-point margin with 10 minutes to go.

Misericordia didn't miss many shots the rest of the way.

BJ - DSU SID · February 17, 2010, 09:18:32 AM

The field is set...the seedings are not.

Updated Matrix

http://athletics.desales.edu/custompages/gen/2009-10/MHoopsMatrix.pdf

DeSales is obviously locked into the #1 spot. The other seeds are up for grabs.

If Eastern wins both its final two games, they'll get #2. If they lose their last two games and King's wins at Wilkes, then Eastern is #4. If Eastern splits, it all depends on how Misericordia does with Manhattanville on Saturday. They could be #2 or #3 in that scenario.

Misericordia gets #2 with a win and one Eastern loss or two Eastern losses (regardless of what they do vs. Manhattanville). They are locked into at least the #3 seed in my scenario machine.

King's is #4 unless Eastern loses both its remaining two games in which case it can move to #3 with a win over Wilkes and those two Eastern losses.

Congrats to all the teams in the playoffs.

lefty2 · February 17, 2010, 09:37:24 AM

Hoopzwiz,

I doubt that most folks on this board even know that DeSales was ever in the PAC.

Perhaps because they were Allentown College at the time and it was only for a couple of years in the mid 90's.

BJ - DSU SID · February 17, 2010, 09:47:30 AM

Quote from: lefty2 on February 17, 2010, 09:37:24 AM
Hoopzwiz,

I doubt that most folks on this board even know that DeSales was ever in the PAC.

Perhaps because they were Allentown College at the time and it was only for a couple of years in the mid 90's.

You are correct sir...Allentown College we were and we were in the PAC for barely a cup of tea (3 years - 94-95, 95-96, 96-97).

lefty2 · February 17, 2010, 10:12:53 AM

Were a Centaurs fan?

jumpball · February 17, 2010, 11:23:48 AM

Quote from: lefty2 on February 17, 2010, 07:29:15 AM
I'm not sure that King's was disinterested. They certainly seemed interested when they jumped out to a 10-2 lead and were up 35-31 at halftime.

They were probably interested when it was a four-point margin with 10 minutes to go.

Misericordia didn't miss many shots the rest of the way.

when every loose ball is picked up by the same team, and that same team gets offensive rebound after offensive rebound, i would agree that disinterested is a pretty good description.....