MBB: Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference

cantbestopped · December 14, 2005, 11:07:44 PM

I agree, that was probably one of the best posts I have ever seen on this board. Usually you get a player or a fan talking smack about their own school. But you managed to look at each team from a neutral (or so it seemed to me) point of view. So good job, it was actually a long post that I didn't mind reading. One funny thing in your post was that you said that if Medaille doesn't win another game all year it would be a successful one, I think you were joking, but while going 0-25 is the worst of the worst, beating two teams that could quite possibly do the same, with a quote "superstar"(LOL) isn't much better, or maybe a win is a win, and that's that. 2 is better than zero I suppose and number 3 could be sooner than later considering they get Dyouville again this weekend.

Hawk Backer · December 15, 2005, 12:48:08 PM

Well... I don't think D'Youville will go winless. They have 2 pretty good players in Ward and King (when he wants to be), and play in a lower level league. I think they'll get one against Medaille this weekend.

And LaRoche has already won twice, granted lesser competition, but still.

Superstar may have been too strong of a word, but he definitely gives them a player they didn't have last year that can create his own shot and get to the line. After Rene Smith left the team, they had nobody that could create their own shot. Perioli would try but he wasn't too successful. Bryant didn't get the ball and when he did he was quadruple teamed because they had no weapons.

Although it was a bit of sarcasm on my part, I really think a 2 win season is something to build on. Hilbert went from 1 to 5 to 10 wins and look poised to do some damage in the league if a few of their players from last season step it up like they know how. Gotta start somewhere.

cantbestopped · December 15, 2005, 04:21:51 PM

I was just bustin your chops, they do have to start somewhere and after 0-25 there is no where to go but up.
P.S. I do think Mcneil is a pretty talented player who has to shoot that much because he is the only player that can create his own shot as well.

ricco1 · December 17, 2005, 05:17:22 PM

How will Fisher do against Lake Erie? I here Lake Erie is good.

cantbestopped · December 17, 2005, 05:33:59 PM

Nice call Hawkbacker

Hawk Backer · December 17, 2005, 07:12:37 PM

I think the better question is how will Lake Erie do against St. John Fisher?

Fisher's ranked in the top 25 and have proven to be one of the top D3 teams in the northeast. Sidney is obviously a big loss, but they return a lot of firepower from the 27-1 team of last year.

Lake Erie is the most athletic team in the AMCC, IMO. It isn't even close. The guard play is usually very good, but can be a little bit erratic at times. Harris down low is very good, but he really doesn't get the ball as much as he should. Lutzier can shoot the ball and so can Hunt if you leave them open. Curry is a newcomer and I have not seen him play, but from the sounds he is the 6th man and is pretty athletic. Not sure if Phil Stewart is going to play, he's been hurt but I see he did play in the last game vs. Bethany (not very well, but he played).

It should be an interesting matchup, and you have to think Lake Erie is going to come out firing, seeing as though they are not even receiving votes in the D3 poll and the AMCC as a conference is looked down upon by the pollsters. How is a team like Medaille, who dominated St. John Fisher who is receiving votes and is a perfect 7-0, not even mentioned in the women's poll? Also, Frostburg was right with nationally ranked Scranton in women's action as well... No love.

BOKNOWSBBALL · December 17, 2005, 11:56:51 PM

I think St. Johns Fisher is too strong for Lake Erie. The AMCC has had some great players(Curren, Beacom, Bowery,Ayers) and teams(Pitt Bradford - 2002-2003, PSU-BEHREND 2003-2004) but have never matched up well against the elite. Pitt Bradford got stomped in the NCAA tournament against John Carroll in 2002. Last year Behrend didnt fair well against Lebanon Valley and in 2003-2004 played a hard fought game against Potsdam but came up a bucket short.

You could possibly say that this is the year the AMCC breaks out with a team as talented and athletic as Lake Erie and maybe a long shot upset in California with Behrend. I hope this is the case because the AMCC is an excellent conference with good coaches and players and will eventually break the losing trend against the upper level D3 teams.

As for the rest of the year, I agree with some of the updates and posts before. I belevie that Lake Erie will win the conference and move on to the NCAA tournament. I think that Behrend will play Lake Erie in the finals because I do not think Pitt Greensburg is very deep outside of Cooper and Scavinsky, Pitt Bradford will be there but lacks the experience, and the rest of the teams have not stepped up against medicore talent outside the AMCC.

gobombers15 · December 18, 2005, 01:40:43 PM

At halftime, St.John Fisher leads Lake Erie by the score of 26-18.

gobombers15 · December 18, 2005, 04:30:17 PM

Fisher wins, 57-55. Pete Gillett makes three FT's in the final 9.1 seconds to win it for Fisher. I'll give props to Lake Erie, they played better than I thought they would. Big win for Fisher.

Hawk Backer · December 19, 2005, 12:56:34 AM

Well, Behrend lost to Puget Sound, 98-83, and the Storm dropped a tough one to St. John Fisher, but all in all, not a bad showing by the conference.

A 15-point loss after traveling across the country to the #5 team in D3 is not a bad loss, and Lake Erie was with the Cardinals in the final minutes...

Would've been better to come up with a win, but the conference, I believe, is on the upswing...

David Collinge · December 19, 2005, 01:02:32 AM

I wouldn't go so far as to say that Behrend looked good, but they more or less stayed with Puget Sound tonight. It looked like UPS' plan was to run Behrend off their legs, but it didn't work. There's no question who was the better team, but Behrend hung tough. If they had shot better from the free throw line (and this may have been a byproduct of all the running), or if they had done a better job against the press in the backcourt, the game would have been close.

Behrend should have no problem with MSOE tomorrow, FWIW.

upb88 · December 19, 2005, 12:03:55 PM

David, thanks for the input. It is an honor to have a legend of this site post here.

I guess you don't have a plus-39 karma ranking for nothing!

Speaking of that, I was happy to "applaud" HawkBacker for his superb post on the AMCC and improve his ranking to minus-2. Indeed, where is the love? Seriously, you should write for the conference web site. Someone, anyone should write for the conference web site!

You made some strong statements, but you back everything up and obviously get to see many, many AMCC games, a luxury most of us don't have. A typical fan for example might see Lake Erie once this year, and if it doesn't happen to be their best road game, you might downplay notions they are the cream of the conference and deserve some national attention. So it's good to have a larger perspective on the teams.

Bo, I wouldn't say John Carroll "stomped" Pitt-Bradford. As I recall, Pitt-Bradford had a modest lead at halftime and into the second half, and hung with John Carroll till 10 minutes to go or so, then faded badly as John Carroll's bench strength took over.

gobombers15 · December 19, 2005, 10:10:08 PM

Lake Erie falls to Lincoln, 93-88. Winless on the weekend but Lake Erie showed they can play with the big dogs. These are the type of games that will help them when the post-season rolls around. Good luck to them, I'm surprised how they played this weekend and it looks like they'll have a big season.

zonescantstopme · December 20, 2005, 07:26:28 AM

Anybody have any idea whats going on with Frostburg State this year. They were supposed to have one of their best ever recruting class. And the return of Peterson and Arana was supposed to put them over the top. I dont even see Peterson on the roster anymore, can anyone help me out?

Hawk Backer · December 20, 2005, 04:54:56 PM

Quote from: upb88 on December 19, 2005, 12:03:55 PM

Speaking of that, I was happy to "applaud" HawkBacker for his superb post on the AMCC and improve his ranking to minus-2. Indeed, where is the love? Seriously, you should write for the conference web site. Someone, anyone should write for the conference web site!

You made some strong statements, but you back everything up and obviously get to see many, many AMCC games, a luxury most of us don't have. A typical fan for example might see Lake Erie once this year, and if it doesn't happen to be their best road game, you might downplay notions they are the cream of the conference and deserve some national attention. So it's good to have a larger perspective on the teams.

Well, you can thank the negative "karma" to gobombers15. I stated on the other board that I believed Lake Erie would pull the upset on Fisher and he lambasted me. I came back with arguments to support my case, and he proceeded to further insult me and my intelligence.

Which brings me to a question. If someone has a -18 rating, how can they give somebody a negative comment? Isn't that a bit counterproductive?