MBB: MAC Freedom League

[bill]

Well, Desales was ripe for the picking tonight, but FDU just couldn't hold on as Desales won 71-67.
FDU led most of the game - until about 3:00 left.. Foul trouble and turnovers did the Devils in...
Good game tonight in Madison!

[ColonelJohn4Life]

Bill,
Never gets old seeing the icon of the great Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill.  Never. 

How far has this message board strayed when no one so much as mentioned Wilkes vs Kings last night?  Rivalry aside, it is still the 2-time defending champs against the pre-season favorites.

Humble analysis - Wilkes established a 10 point lead early (18-8) and never looked back.  Didn't run away with it, but held a solid 6-10 point lead the entire way.  Wilkes has better frontcourt players, and better backcourt players.  Really that simple.  A couple untimely turnovers kept the game within reach.

My fear - Chris DeRojas, seemingly the best player on the floor last night, went down with an ankle injury in the 1st half, but came back shortly thereafter.  If the Colonels are going to be a force this season, CDR is going to have to be a key player.  Hope he's feeling alright.

King's had no answer for Tom Kresge.  The guy is a unique offensive threat, and Wilkes could have just gone to him over and over.  Save that offensive plan for the rematch 8 weeks from now in the educated half of Wilkes-Barre.

An aside to Coach JP - the no-call on the charge / block at midcourt that prompted your reaction and the technical foul... that call was not within the top 100 blown calls in the illustrious Wilkes - King's rivalry.  Not in the top 100.  There was a legit offensive charge called on King's, then the possible missed offensive charge at midcourt on the ensuing Wilkes possession (I was 3rd row behind it, it could have gone either way), then a clear-as-day blocking foul on King's.  No real reason to go nuclear.

In the end, it was pretty much a must-win game for Wilkes, and they did.  Colonel Nation rejoices.

[ljk]

Wilkes won their conference opener, beating rival King's 80-71.  Wilkes terrific trio, DeRojas, Kresge. and Kline,  continued their fine play,  combining for 61 out of the total team points,  making 19 of the teams 27 FGs.   Kline had nice overall floor game with (19-8-4).  CD was all over the floor and shot lights out, while TK created match up problems for the Monarchs.   Once again, not much production, from the other Colonels.  Gulla had some nice moments but then seemed to disappear.  Wilkes led most of the game, but King's cut the lead to 74-71, with a little over a minute to play in the game.  King's did not score the rest of the way, as CD and SK sealed the deal for the win.   Wilkes bigs out rebounded the young Monarchs and the Colonels had a good night from the foul line.  Next up for Wilkes is Eastern who lost their opener to Manhattanville by the score of 66-36.  (ouch). 

[lefty2]

In the end, it was pretty much a must-win game for Wilkes, and they did.  Colonel Nation rejoices.

CJ,

A must win in the season opener?

[Coach K]

In the end, it was pretty much a must-win game for Wilkes, and they did.  Colonel Nation rejoices.

CJ,

A must win in the season opener?

Sarcasm oozing from me. Is there such a thing as a must-lose game?

[ColonelJohn4Life]

In the end, it was pretty much a must-win game for Wilkes, and they did.  Colonel Nation rejoices.

CJ,
A must win in the season opener?

Y'know, I thought about it as I was typing it, and yeah, I stuck by it.  If King's wins that game, after graduating everyone... If Wilkes loses after returning everyone... simply put, Wilkes would be playing for 2nd.

Don't look now, but Wilkes has now won 5 of the last 7 vs King's:
1-0 this season
1-1 last season
1-1 in '06-'07
Playoff win in '06, and won the 2nd regular season game

[bill]

Great job today by FDU, pulling out a "thriller" over Kings 67-65.....

[ColonelJohn4Life]

Is FDU now a contender??

Wilkes moves to 2-0 after beating Eastern.  Didn't see the game, just passing along a result.

Is anyone else scared that DeSales is 6-0 (2-0)?

[ljk]

Eastern hung in there with Wilkes at the Marts Center on Saturday.  It was a close game, right up until the end, when the Colonels went on a run and pulled away at about the 6 minute mark.  The Colonels were once again beasts on the boards and even made their fouls shots in crunch time.  However, too may turnovers kept Easter in the game.  Kline and Kresge registered double doubles and DeRojas continued his torrid shooting.  DeRojas has some stroke and is a long range dead eye and when he is on, it is nothing but net.  Wilkes did get some nice minutes from freshman Kendall Hinze.  It was nice to see some contributions coming from a player other than the Big Three (K,K and DeR).   

[Jon]

Alvernia University has accepted an invitation from the MASCAC to move from the Freedom Conference to the Commonwealth Conference.

Full Story

[lefty2]

That might the record for most conference affiliations in a three-year span.

[mailsy]

What was the reasoning to begin with to put all three of the old PAC teams into one conference?  Were some school admins concerned about the proximity, competition etc. and what changed in a year? 

[bill]

Colonel

I don't know if we have a uniform that could fit him, but I think I saw Marlon Brando at practice the other day 


We dropped a heartbreaker last night to Hunter...had 24 turnovers and shot poorly from the line...They are a very athletic team, and played William Paterson tough ( 2 point loss) - as well as beat Manhattanville by 10....

[G-manWU]

ColonelJohn,

Trust me, no lack of on my part when Wilkes-King's rolls around. Last week was finals week for my first semester of grad school, and while I was able to shoot down to Wilkes-Barre for the game, I had little time for anything else outside of academia. Good first win for Wilkes, and since then they have picked up another, so all the better. I think based on the early showings from some of the other teams, it may be a very balanced league, so every win will count. I was keeping an eye out for you but obviously missed out, so next time make sure to track me down!

Regarding the Bulldogs, it may be a bit of a suprise seeing them undefeated, but I had a strong feeling going into the season that they would be perhaps better this year than last. For all the very well-deserved attention that Eddie O. and Stricker got, I felt that Lapinski and Braswell were the lifeblood for DeSales, and with those two guys plus the stud transferr, it appears that they will be one of those teams that takes everyone down to the wire....

On a final note, my side gig as a sports correspondent for a local weekly newspaper took me to an opening night showdown of state ranked boys teams between Holy Cross and Abington Heights, played in the new facility at Marywood. I had the chance to catch up with several coaches from around the Freedom and other local programs. Unless I missed something, the Colonels were the only team in the area without anyone checking out the range of talent on display......

[NEPAFAN]

On a final note, my side gig as a sports correspondent for a local weekly newspaper took me to an opening night showdown of state ranked boys teams between Holy Cross and Abington Heights, played in the new facility at Marywood. I had the chance to catch up with several coaches from around the Freedom and other local programs. Unless I missed something, the Colonels were the only team in the area without anyone checking out the range of talent on display......

G Man,

One player on Abington Heights has a familial connection to one area team. And AH has been a feeder school for Miseri, correct?