MBB: USA South Conference

CaptJ · November 04, 2010, 09:49:27 PM

Quote from: CNU85 on September 23, 2010, 04:44:50 PM
Quote from: Pat Coleman on September 22, 2010, 05:59:39 PM
Wow -- nice to see a schedule with all D-III teams on it.

Exactly. Look for massive changes this first year. Not gonna say anything else until Midnight Madness.

MM has come and gone and you are still mum. Come on, 85. What do you have?

CNU85 · November 05, 2010, 10:18:16 PM

I didn't go. Also gonna miss opening weekend and the first 3 games. guess i'll see how things are on thanksgiving weekend tournament.

CNUHoops2010 · November 06, 2010, 01:13:46 PM

Freeman Center was packed for MM which included intros, dunk contest and a 3 pt shooting contest against All America Chelsie Schweers who actually had an off night and lost to a guy out of the crowd. I'm sure this will provide her plenty of incentive to knock down 75% of her shots this season.

5 or 6 guys started in the dunk contest which turned into a head to head match between Clarkson and a freshman named Tre. (I don't remember his last name and the roster isn't posted yet). Tre won with a nice spinning 360 slammer but the crowd favorite was Clarkson who leaped over Preston, caught a ball that Preston on his knees bounced high in the air and slammed home a two hander bringing the crowd to it's feet.

The team looks solid although there are a number of new faces and several guys are injured. The non-conference schedule looks challenging as I see that Coach K has scheduled games against three ranked D3 teams including #2 Randolph Macon.

CaptJ · November 06, 2010, 11:40:45 PM

Quote from: CNUHoops2010 on November 06, 2010, 01:13:46 PM
Freeman Center was packed for MM which included intros, dunk contest and a 3 pt shooting contest against All America Chelsie Schweers who actually had an off night and lost to a guy out of the crowd. I'm sure this will provide her plenty of incentive to knock down 75% of her shots this season.

5 or 6 guys started in the dunk contest which turned into a head to head match between Clarkson and a freshman named Tre. (I don't remember his last name and the roster isn't posted yet). Tre won with a nice spinning 360 slammer but the crowd favorite was Clarkson who leaped over Preston, caught a ball that Preston on his knees bounced high in the air and slammed home a two hander bringing the crowd to it's feet.

The team looks solid although there are a number of new faces and several guys are injured. The non-conference schedule looks challenging as I see that Coach K has scheduled games against three ranked D3 teams including #2 Randolph Macon.

Hey, maybe the "guy out of the crowd" can walk on. I heard that the roster isn't set yet because of the many walk ons they have this year.

Who are the injured players, and what is the extent of the injuries?

How about the offensive lineman size freshman? How are his skills?

CNUHoops2010 · November 07, 2010, 12:10:09 PM

Hermann has been seen hobbling around campus with a foot injury. I was told he will play this year but won't likely be ready for the first game. Farris messed up his hand but should be ready by Nov 19. A transfer named Luc looked good in preseason workouts but hurt his knee and is out for the season.

As for Klein, transfers and the walk-ons, I haven't seen anybody play yet against competition so it's hard to tell who Coach K will use in the rotation especially at the critical PG position. From what I could tell at MM, Hector has spent time in the weight room as has Clarkson and Preston who all look bigger than last year. Tre, Conley, Clarkson, Greene and a healthy Hermann give the Captains a good athletic core. Given the injuries and promised up tempo style of play, I suspect that the Captains will be going deeper into the bench this year and will need production from the younger guys.

CaptJ · November 07, 2010, 05:30:22 PM

Quote from: CNUHoops2010 on November 07, 2010, 12:10:09 PM
Hermann has been seen hobbling around campus with a foot injury. I was told he will play this year but won't likely be ready for the first game. Farris messed up his hand but should be ready by Nov 19. A transfer named Luc looked good in preseason workouts but hurt his knee and is out for the season.

As for Klein, transfers and the walk-ons, I haven't seen anybody play yet against competition so it's hard to tell who Coach K will use in the rotation especially at the critical PG position. From what I could tell at MM, Hector has spent time in the weight room as has Clarkson and Preston who all look bigger than last year. Tre, Conley, Clarkson, Greene and a healthy Hermann give the Captains a good athletic core. Given the injuries and promised up tempo style of play, I suspect that the Captains will be going deeper into the bench this year and will need production from the younger guys.

Clarkson ahead of Preston? That would be a surprise since Clarkson had less than half the PT that Preston did last year. Stranger things have happened though, and I'm not very confident that CJ always used the available talent optimally. Is this Tre guy a PG? If not, is there a PG among the new guys?

CNUHoops2010 · November 07, 2010, 09:10:05 PM

Word is that a couple of new guys are competing for the PG spot. Tre is a 3 I think. Preston is a 5 and Clarkson is a forward so no conflict there. Both guys were stuck behind the seniors last year and probably should have gotten more playing time especially given how poorly we rebounded the ball at times. I never could understand why CJ played so many 3 guard sets while surrendering the glass but Preston was not going to play in front of Big Mark and Clarkson wasn't going to play in front of Theo, Josh or Green. It will be interesting to see how Coach Krikorian uses his talent.

My point was that the core group of athletic guys can rebound, run the floor and finish at/above the rim. Combine the group with a rebounding big man like Preston and a crafty PG who can push it up the floor and we should win some games.

What a difference a year makes. Last year there were 15 healthy guys all year with not enough minutes to go around. This year there may be room for 4 or 5 walk-ons on the CNU roster.

narch · November 14, 2010, 08:15:10 AM

the monarchs will tip it off today vs. radford, who made the big dance last year, but struggled to get by ehc yesterday, 57-54

Seatfiller · November 14, 2010, 04:43:36 PM

2 important games tomorrow for the USA South conference as Shenandoah hosts #3 EMU and Lynchburg goes to Ferrum I think both of these will be good games

narch · November 14, 2010, 08:59:36 PM

the monarchs gave radford a real test today, before falling 83-74 - they had closed to within 2 with 3 minutes left, but had to foul and the highlanders made their ft's - as expected, radford out-rebounded mu by about 20 (they're HUGE)

not a bad start to the season...guilford is up next for the monarchs...the schedule doesn't get any easier after a d1 tourney participant

CaptJ · November 15, 2010, 09:46:28 PM

Congrats to Averett for the win over Bridgewater. Good start.

CNU85 · November 15, 2010, 10:32:24 PM

Greensboro defeats Guilford and Ferrum beats Lynchburg. SU loses to Eastern Mennonite.

3-1 USA South vs ODAC (although SU is soon to be ODAC).

CaptJ · November 15, 2010, 10:42:31 PM

Quote from: CNU85 on November 15, 2010, 10:32:24 PM
Greensboro defeats Guilford and Ferrum beats Lynchburg. SU loses to Eastern Mennonite.

3-1 USA South vs ODAC (although SU is soon to be ODAC).

Can't get rid of those pesky Hornets fast enough. JK. I suspect we will be defecting right after them. GREAT start for the Dixie.

CaptJ · November 15, 2010, 10:48:55 PM

CNU finally got their roster up so I've been checking it out. There are so many promising new additions but one bio seems to stand out. THIS is what the NEW CNU Captains will look like -

#3 Tra Benefield
Position: Guard
Height: 6-2
Weight: 175
Class: Freshman
Hometown: Folkston, Ga.
High School: Evangel Christian (Va.)

AT EVANGEL CHRISTIAN - Earned four varsity letters playing basketball for Head Coach Marquis Allen...A team captain his senior season and named to the VIHSL All-Star game...Was on the honor roll and a member of the National Honor Society.

Scholar athlete... very nice. Since he was a letter winner as a freshman in HS it's very likely that he is the kind of guy who is mature and confident enough to make an immediate contribution.

Richard of Funchester · November 17, 2010, 12:30:41 PM

SU opened up the other night against #3 ranked EMU, for the most part this game looked like the first game of the season from both teams. SU came out with a lot of intensity to start the game, but committed 19 turnovers in the first half and another 11 in the second half. EMU used these turnovers to get 34 points. I don't care if you are playing a high school team, you can't win with 30 turnovers. In the past SU has had some strong guard play from the PG but not right now. With no true PG or one that wants the responsibility to handle the rock in pressure spots the Hornets could be in for a long season. Mitch Dudley did a nice job on preseason All American Todd Phillips, from my observation he will not be on that first team ballot come March. He is a good player, but in order to be on that list you are great and I did see this in him. Kevin Kline and Brandon Bryan need to assert themselves more for the Hornets on the offensive end. Coach Rob Harris should sit down newbie Dominic Chappell and remind him that almost double-doubles are a good thing if it is 10 pts and 10 assists. But to have 9 pts and 9 turnovers defeats the purpose of production on the floor. Hope the players and staff get this figured out soon because it does not get any easier. The Hornets have another tough test on Friday night in Gettysburg against #2 Randolph Macon. I guess you can say somewhat "Welcome to the ODAC!!"

Go Hornets!!