MBB: MAC Freedom League

[kate]

Actually, cold case, i read your post at my low ebb (before dinner  ), and i realize what you wanted said was something like "yes, since our five teams left the MAC, you've gone to total hell in a handbag - it's horrible" - again, we'll let our guys do the talking with the basketball.  On a brighter note, CJ, your posts make my day - as i said, we won't be there either.  Yes, our SID, Matt Levy, sends excellent live stats.

[Wolfpac]

Good morning, Wolfpac!  IF, Del Val wins the conference, probably pretty darn good  - right now, i'm just basking in the "top seed" glow.  Good luck to Cabrini!   While i'm on here, just want to respond to Chairman, from everything i've seen this season from the Aggie men's team, it appears that each one of their starters carries the team on different nights.  James Jones is undoubtedly the star, but they all have star attributes and seem to be well coached.  I hope that James Work is packed to the rafters Wed. night.  Hate to admit this, but we'll be over in Center Valley watching DeSales & Kings at 6 pm.  When my Aggie Women's season is over we morph from green & gold to red & blue - GO AGGIE MEN & DESALES WOMEN!

Good luck to your AGGIES, and congrats on a playoff game at home!   Maybe we will run into each other aferall........

[BJ - DSU SID]

So that's how far the Freedom has slipped?

CC...I remember chatting with you a few years ago at King's and am a bit disappointed with this post.  I am guessing you are a Scranton guy.

Just answer me this question...Comparing the two leagues (Freedom and Landmark)...where did their representative get to in each of the last two NCAA Tournaments.

Here's a Hint...in the Freedom...its been Elite 8 and Sweet 16...looking forward to the Landmark's finish when you find it.

Congrats to Del. Val...they had a great start to the Freedom season, a rough middle, and a strong finish.  They earned and deserve the #1 seed.  Kind of unfair to bad mouth them, especially since (and I am guessing at this one) you've never seen them play.

[naismith]

CJ,  Who is this Uncle Sam guy and when did he ever post here? 


iSince when has

It's a shade over 2 hours from where I work to get to the barn at Delaware Valley.  I'm done with work at 6.  Any chance I can talk the good people of the Freedom Conference into an 8 PM start time?  Otherwise, sorry Kate, I'll have to miss my 1st career Wilkes playoff game as an alumnus. (It is "alumnus" right... one male graduate?) Someone had better have Live Stats!

Can't believe the parallel world we're living in, where guys like Naismith get ripped on, and Uncle Sam looks like a gosh darn genius!

[chairman]

I'm interested to see if the MAC Freedom coaches, again find a way to screw Coach Stitzel out of the Coach of the Year award.  He should have won it two seasons ago when he led the Aggies to their 1st play-off birth in 40 years. 

Was that the year Del Val finished fifth in the conference and DeSales went to the Elite Eight in the nation?

[naismith]

Freedom League Selections:

FYI, in the past my selections I have made my selections by position and not just the top 5 players.
This year I am leaving the Peach Basket Era behind and will just select the top two backcourt players and 3 frontcourt players.

I have run my spreadheets for statistical purposes and tried to recall the many games I saw live or on live video to form my opinions.
Fully expect the D3 Biology majors to dissect my picks. 

Backcourt:

Brian Hunter ---DeSales
James Jones----Delaware Valley

Frontcourt:

Conroy-----------Kings
Hinze-------------Wilkes
Beckett-----------Delaware Valley

2nd team

Backcourt

DeRojas----------Wilkes
Johnson-----------Misericordia

Frontcourt

Eichorst-----------Misercordia
Moyer-------------DeSales
Mehmel------------Manhattanville

Honorable Mentions: 
Backcourtt:

Pointer------------Manhattanville
Kerwin------------DeSales
Fiorino-------------Kings

Frontcourt:

Nelson-------------Eastern
Fetske-------------FDU
Huch---------------Wilkes
Slavonec----------Misericordia
ROY:    Hammonds-Kings
POY :   Brian Hunter--DeSales
           James Jones--Delaware Valley

Just cannot separate them this year   

COY  :  Stitzel --Delaware Valley.

Will say that the other 3 playoff coaches  faced challenges this year. Trevor W. at Miseri had some talent return but had an undersized team, SC lost Braswell (nuff said), Wilkes lost 3 seniors, were picked near the bottom of the conference and started 0-2 pre-break...  This could have gone any which way but DV earned the top seed and so the honor goes to Coach Stitzel.

Naismith

Fire away on those all-league picks Naismith.

I'd look forward to reading your thoughts.

[BJ - DSU SID]

Good stuff Naismith.  Thanks for the thoughts/predictions.

One note...I'll give you one chance to re-vise your picks if you like because I should have told you prior that the All-League teams are NOT done by position.

So it is possible to have FIVE guards on the first-team, etc...likely not the case but if you'd like to revise go ahead.

I will say I would agree 100% with your special award picks (Rookie, Player, Coach of the Year).

[cold_case]

So that's how far the Freedom has slipped?

CC...I remember chatting with you a few years ago at King's and am a bit disappointed with this post.  I am guessing you are a Scranton guy.
Just answer me this question...Comparing the two leagues (Freedom and Landmark)...where did their representative get to in each of the last two NCAA Tournaments.
Here's a Hint...in the Freedom...its been Elite 8 and Sweet 16...looking forward to the Landmark's finish when you find it.
Congrats to Del. Val...they had a great start to the Freedom season, a rough middle, and a strong finish.  They earned and deserve the #1 seed.  Kind of unfair to bad mouth them, especially since (and I am guessing at this one) you've never seen them play.

Scranton guy? Actually a local college hoops fan.
No need to be disappointed with my post. This is a public board to voice our opinions.
I have been following the MAC since the late 1960's and never remember DV making the postseason or even coming close. Thus my shock when I saw they are not just in, but a top seed?
How is that bad mouthing them, unless you're reaching for something?
And I'm not silly enough to compare the success of the two league's representation in recent NCAA tournaments.
One thing I have noticed from some Landmark posters is that nobody questions fellow school's recruiting practices. Get it?

[kate]

Cold Case - "slipped"??

[jumpball]

Agree with most of Nai's selections with one large exception.  Jones and Hunter are two tremendous players no doubt, but not having Conroy in POY discussion?  don't see that - he dealt with daily double and triple teams and was still virtually unstoppable.  Did not see either Hunter or Jones face that (and that is not to denigrate either).  I'd be surprised if the coaches don't give him more consideration as they know how much of a load he was to deal with...kings did not help his chances by being bounced out of the playoffs...also think maybe a little too much emphasis given to guys who were 3-point specialists - valuable for sure, but a couple of them do little else and don't play much or very good defense.  sometimes scorers can give up almost as many points as they generate....thats not reflected in the stats...COY is a tough one. DV coach got off to a hot start, Wilkes coach did a nice job bringing that team along, yet they had depth DV did not, so DV it is

[chairman]

With as many teams out there that play with three guard sets -- some play with four-- I think it seems pretty antiquated to insist on two guards two forwards and a center on any team. I do, however, like to see some balance in the teams, but if the league 22 starting guards, 14 starting forwards and 4 starting centers, then it does not make sense to do 2-2-1.

[kate]

Just got back from a horrific dentist appt., so i'm lookin for trouble, i suppose - Cold Case, YOU are cruising as far as i'm concerned - Every freakin school in the United States probably has some "strange" recruiting policies, but the bottom line, hopefully, is that the kid gets a post high school graduation education - if it involves sports, all the better.  First priority for me, Delaware Valley College, second, THE MAC.  Please look for "Kate" if you attend any Scranton/Del Val sports activities - i'd love to meet you.  Thanks BJ, for your post of yesterday.

[Uncle Sam]

Roses are red, violets are blue.
Uncle Sam's predictions are all coming true.
You ask, "How did Del Val get seed number one?"
Uncle Sam says, "Because Coach Stitzel gets it done."
Del Val's in the playoffs during 2 of the last 3.
That's quite a turnaround, don't you agree?
Uncle Sam is tired of all the Del Val hate.
And that goes to all of you except, of course, Kate.
Wilkes is in trouble on Wednesday night.
Uncle Sam has spoken, and you know he's right.

[kate]

Just got back from the grocery- darn those other obligations during the day that won't allow non-stop participation on D3 hoops  .  Actually, while i was at the store, i was thinking how fortunate you, Cold Case, are to have either worked in a Landmark or MAC college admission office, or know very well someone who does.  That's impressive.

[saratoga]

BJ Matrix: Relax a little. Let's face it, it's only been the last 3 years since Desales even made the NCAA tourney. Yes, they've certainly had a couple of nice runs... but, before that the ECAC tournament was commonly referred to as the Desales Invitational.
How many teams in the MAC have won National Championships on the mens side? Answer: zero.
How many have been won by Landmark members? Answer: three. Two by Scranton, one by Catholic.
One other quick question...how many MAC members are listed as one of the "373 Best Colleges in America" by the Princeton Review? Answer: zero.
How many of the Landmark schools are listed by that same publication? Answer: All eight.
Right now you are having a real nice run, enjoy it. But, don't bring up a history of a whopping two years.  For as the great Lord Mountbatten said, "history is not to be judged by the the single victory of a static army at a stationary point in time but, rather, by the collection of triumphs over decades that will lead us to a better tomorrow".
Translation...the MAC will be playing catch up for quite some time...and not only on the court. Enjoy what the kids are accomplishing & roll with it but don't base short term success as anything more than just that.