MBB: MAC Freedom League

[The Authority]

Naismith,

As an outsider who is old enough to have seen both Januzzi play and Shovlin play a few times last season, can we please stop with the "Shovlin is the greatest player since sliced bread" talk.

Is he a good player?
Maybe if you consider shooting and offense to be the measure of a good player cause I witnessed him shooting a lot and playing lots of offense.

But for me, I'd like to see a "prime time player" at least care about playing defense...you don't have to be a great defender...but at least act like you want to play on the other end.  And don't give me the "He averages 600 steals per game" talk.

Steals are an overrated stat...I'd rather see how many charges a guy takes, how many points the guy he was guarding had and how many times he helped on defense instead of asking for help after he goes for and misses the steal.

Also don't do your former Colonel (Januzzi) an injustice and compare him to a player who has played 1/2 of a year and lost his only playoff game.  Januzzi was a clutch player who knew how to take over a game and at the same time keep his teammates involved and he won in February/March when the real season starts.

Shovlin has many mountains to climb before we start naming him the next coming.

[saratoga]

Time to see if the Royals are ready for prime time or just hopefuls yet again. If you want to be considered a real good team you need to beat real good teams on the road. Scranton needs to do a far better job at bringing the ball to the hoop & not just living off 20' jump shots as they did vs. Catholic. If they play D with their hands again, Lyco. wins it at the line. The Royals also need a game plan on how to foul the other teams WORST free-throw shooter down the stretch...not their best. Pribble will score his 20 to 25 but make him work VERY hard to do so...the key will be playing at least reasonable D on him, not allowing 2nd. shots & establishing an inside presence which will allow the kickouts to Arnold & Cannon. Knocking off Lyco. in Billport would be a nice early season win...Widener did it, why not the Royals...Scranton:68/Lyco.:64.

[naismith]

"Shovlin is the greatest player since sliced bread" talk.

Mr Authority:

Please don't misquote me.
I never compared CS to DJ.

DJ plays a bit in some of the local leagues these days and is employed by a
friend of mine.
He played with CS all summer.
They also scrimmaged quite a bit. All I can say is that CS is a load to guard.

Ask Kings tonight if you have any question about CS taking over a game in crunch time.

And if you think CS doesn't play defense, I have a good lasik surgeon all lined up for you....lol


My response to Bear was simply meant as a compliment to the Potsdam point guard Ducena. 

This is the last time I am going to answer all this idiotic nonense that CS isn't this or that. He was conference rookie of the year and his game will do all the talking I am sure.

[LycoWarriorfan]

Did anyone go to the Lyco/Scranton game last night??

[ColonelJohn4Life]

Wilkes 77, King's 76 (OT)

With King's up 9 with 1:45 to play, Shovlin absolutely took over.  What a performance!  The very definition of a clutch player - right there.  And we couldn't have asked for a better game.  First half, Wilkes up 7, King's closes with an 8-0 run.  Second half, King's up 9, Wilkes closes with a 12-2 run.  Amazing.

It's gonna be great when these 2 teams are tied down the stretch this season, and this game becomes a tie-breaker.  There were so many turning points, and every point counted.

Wilkes moves to 3-1, and 1-0 in conference, which is a heck of a lot better than King's at 1-4, and 0-1 in conference, which brings me to my larger point....

Elite Eight, my nuts!  How was this bunch of kids plus like 2 other guys one of the best 8 teams in the nation??!  Brian Horgan and Marty O'Hora aren't Jordan and Chamberlain, people.

Maybe Pat Coleman can answer this trivia question for me.  What is the record for fewest wins following an Elite Eight appearance  You don't say this kind of thing 5 games into a season, but I'm saying it.  1-4?  1-4??!!  Come on!

[Pat Coleman]

How was this bunch of kids plus like 2 other guys one of the best 8 teams in the nation??! 

Easy, CJ -- they weren't one of the best eight teams in the nation. They were one of the FINAL eight teams in the nation. You've been following D-III long enough to know there's a difference.

[Coach C]

I am not sure they were one of the top 25 teams in the country actually.

C

[mattie]

I am happy to be back in the chat room and even happier that I didn't skip last night's game.  For the most part, the game kinda stunk, especially the first 10 minutes of the 2nd half where the refs tightened things up and neither team could hit a shot.
King's downfall came when they started going to the free throw line with 6 to play and increased their lead to 9 with two to go.  When Wilkes cut into the lead, King's didn't have anyone take a legitimate shot.  Their offense sputtered and a key turnover led to the tie-breaking shot for Shovlin, who played one of the worst games of his career, high school, college or otherwise but once aain showed that you don't give him a chance to beat you because he is one of those few players that can.
Big test at DeSales Saturday.  By the way, there was about 2,800 fans at the game last night, a tremendous crowd considering first league game of the year.  Even worse is the schedule showing that the rematch takes place on Feb. 14th.  Scandlon won't see half of that crowd as everyone gets suckered into blowing their money on love! 
Anyway, great start to the season!  Talk to you again!

[naismith]

CJ

"Elite Eight, my nuts!  How was this bunch of kids plus like 2 other guys one of the best 8 teams in the nation??!  Brian Horgan and Marty O'Hora aren't Jordan and Chamberlain, people."

O'Hora was a hustling force on the boards with a great team and work ethic. A competitor who is missed but still amply replaced by Sobo. You forget Gabriel Landon--a steady ballhandler with a deadly shot.
Cousart has demonstrated he is ready willing and able to assume that role. Keep in mind, JC did not play most or all of the second half.  Think he might have made even a 1 point difference in regulation?
Horgan---there is no replacing the conference player of the year. Tenacious, rebounds well, scores inside and out, excellent free throw shooter (from 17 feet yet! lol),  anticipates passing lanes and has a nose for the ball.   Yes, the loss of one player can be that big.
What happened in the year that DJ sat out for Wilkes?

Kings has to work in the new players and I am sure JP 's group will continue to improve as the season progresses.

Now, before you and Sr. quaff another of Senunas' finest drafts, please tell me what defensive and offensive sets Wilkes switched to that enabled them to turn the tide. Did they man down the stretch or zone?  Were they clearing a side for CS at the end or was Kings in a "prevent" zone?

I listened to Kings radio for the last 6 minutes and the OT. They were pretty good play by play and not too 'homey'. You could tell they were stunned by CS outburst in the last 2 minutes.

By the way, who were the officials? Seems like Kings spent an awful lot of time on the FT line.  Surprised EW didn't exit via fouls considering that fact. That is why I thought Coach JR might have gone zone.

May head down the pike Sat. Let me know if you are attending. I may need some allies.

Naismith

[ColonelJohn4Life]

Pat and Coach C, true, final 8 doesn't mean best 8 (or best 25).  But one of those 8 is still 120 minutes from a shiny trophy made of the finest NCAA wood.  I guess, all off-season, I was looking for validation that the '04-05 King's squad wasn't worthy of being mentioned in the pantheon of '70s-'80s Scranton and mid-'90s Wilkes.  And here we are.

Naismith, you were right about the loss of Jannuzzi hurting Wilkes.  There is, however, a difference between a National POY and a Conference POY.  The next time you compare Brian Horgan to Dave Jannuzzi, remember that.  Forgive the Lloyd Bentsen allusion, but I was an undergrad with Jannuzzi.  I saw that team go 23-2.  And Brian Horgan is no Dave Jannuzzi.

In the 2nd half, when Wilkes wasn't hitting a thing, King's smartly dropped into a zone, essentially allowing the outside gunners to keep gunning.  I caught that.  Admittedly, down the stretch, I got caught up in the game itself and missed the X's and O's.

When Walters got his 4th foul with 6:30 or so left in regulation, I winced.  The next shoe to fall is generally an offensve charge with Walters standing there, arms straight up, shortly before walking to the bench.  When that didn't happen, I was impressed.

DeSales should be a good one, but I won't be there.  Rare that a first semester game means this much. 

[LycoWarriorfan]

Someone please tell me why Derick Dull is starting for the Warriors??  Why is Kevin Morris not starting?  Or Pat Baylor (even though he is better off the bench).

[Coach C]

cj4l -

just becasue you are in the Final 8 does not mean you are 120 minutes away from The Walnut and Bronze.  Yeah I know the any given night argument, but let's be realistic.

C

[naismith]

CJ,

To make myself clear. I wasn't comparing Dave J. to Horgan as far as abilities.
Simply saying that it is tough to replace the best player in the conference.

I spoke to opposing coaches at the NCAA's last year in Ramapo. They all told me how impressed they were with Brian H.

I have seen him in person since he was a frosh.

Kings will struggle to replace him.

My feeling remains  that Cousart will have a breakout year and terrific career.
Haven't heard about the extent of his injury. Certainly hope he is in uniform soon.

I think Kings missed him late in the game when they became more turnover prone and seemed to be struggling in the backcourt.

As far as DeSales, they were beaten pretty handily by Drew. Drew now sports a 3-1 record ....hmmmm. FDU beat Del Val.  Looks like some of the Jersey schools are coming on and may provide unanticipated competition.


Fully expect Wilkes to dominate the DeSales contest.

[MOst7]

cj4l,
from your post from nov 9...please dont put JP in the ranks of Bess & Rickrode, whereby, I would´not Mention JR in the same sentence as Bess...or even F&M`s Robinson...who never won it all either.
Secondly, please...and I say please, don´t even compare the Wilkes run in the 90´s, albeit good, with the Scranton longer run in the 70´s and 80´s...ok ... nuff said.

[wilkes72]

 From Desales' athletic page!

WILKES 71  DESALES 68

in case the scoreboard is still overloaded.