MBB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[wally_wabash]

It may be that we're headed for the classic POY debate of whether the award should go be going to the best player in the league or the most valuable player to his team in the league.  I have thoughts on that conundrum, but I'll save it for if/when the time comes.  8 games is still a long way to go. 

I will say, however, that while Ian Franks has more obviously and more notably won a couple of games single-handedly, I think it would be unfair to say that Smith isn't just as valuable.  Wabash is getting more contribution from their secondary offensive options than Wooster is getting from theirs, but I really believe that so much of that is because Smith demands attention from more than one defender (unless you want him to slash to the cup and shoot 16 foul shots in a game) which leads to a lot of easy opportunities for other Little Giants.  Smith's stat lines might not make one jump into Post Patterns and say "Wes Smith single handedly won this game for Wabash...wow!", but his being on the floor opens things up for the others. 

[GoRed]

It sure looks like the wheels are off the wagon again!!

Looking at the schedule I think they really do have a realistic shot at finishing strong by winning 6 of 8.  That would make for a respectable conference finish.

Can anyone tell me where Mike Garabedian is???

BigRedFan,

If the wheels are off the wagon, how can the Big Red go 6 of 8 for the remainder of the season?  They have revised the offense some and finally moved away from a pure "Princeton" type offense so they can utilize their speed and athleticism, but they still need major work on the defense.

I hear Garabedian is out indefinitely with an injury.  Without him they will probably give even more points to the big men inside like Knapke, Raftis and Eniola.  I think the rest of the "big men" may be hurt too - except the freshman, who they don't seem to want to play.  I'm hoping for .500 the rest of the way, but it's only possible if the wings start defending better and the shots, including LAYUPS, start dropping.   


EDITED to fix the formatting

[wooscotsfan]

Ian Franks seems to be just about unstoppable.  At the halfway mark of the season he has to be the odds-on favorite for POY.

imderekpoe - Thanks for the first hand report from Springfield!  Great point about Ian Franks being the leader for POY.

When reviewing the Conference Only Stats through 8 games, Ian Franks is in the Top 10 in 8 categories!

#1  Points scored per game at 22.6
#2  Field Goal Shooting % at 58.7%
#2  Three Point Shooting % at 51.7%
#3  Minutes played per game at 33.0
#5  Free Throw Shooting % at 82.6%
#7  Assists per game at 2.88 avg.
#7  Three point shots made at 1.88 per game
#8  Assists/Turnover ratio at 1.77

GO SCOTS!

[wally_wabash]

Ian Franks seems to be just about unstoppable.  At the halfway mark of the season he has to be the odds-on favorite for POY.

imderekpoe - Thanks for the first hand report from Springfield!  Great point about Ian Franks being the leader for POY.

When reviewing the Conference Only Stats through 8 games, Ian Franks is in the Top 10 in 8 categories!

In the interest of equal time I should note that Wes Smith is also in the top 10 of 8 statistical categories in conference only stats.  But why are we only counting conference stats?  Do the other 8 games not count?  That's 1/3 of the season that we'd be dismissing which doesn't feel right. 

[Mr. Ypsi]

Ian Franks seems to be just about unstoppable.  At the halfway mark of the season he has to be the odds-on favorite for POY.

imderekpoe - Thanks for the first hand report from Springfield!  Great point about Ian Franks being the leader for POY.

When reviewing the Conference Only Stats through 8 games, Ian Franks is in the Top 10 in 8 categories!

In the interest of equal time I should note that Wes Smith is also in the top 10 of 8 statistical categories in conference only stats.  But why are we only counting conference stats?  Do the other 8 games not count?  That's 1/3 of the season that we'd be dismissing which doesn't feel right. 

I don't know of any conference that doesn't base conference honors on conference-only performance.

[David Collinge]

But why are we only counting conference stats?  Do the other 8 games not count?  That's 1/3 of the season that we'd be dismissing which doesn't feel right. 

The POY is selected by a vote of the coaches, and the only guidance that the Conference policies and procedures gives is that the POY must be a first-team All-conference honoree.  However, if I were a coach, I would base my decision on conference-only play.  It is a conference honor, after all, and there are too many variables with non-conference play.  Conference-only is a much more level playing field for comparing the performance of the candidates.  Personally, I would rely on conference-only stats for all conference honors, not just POY.

[smedindy]

I agree. It should be conference play only for conference awards. You don't name someone to the all NCAC tourney team if they weren't in the NCAC tourney, would you. So no love for AJ Sutherlin in the NCAC tourney (if Earlham is shut out).

[smedindy]

BTW, stuck up here in the frozen tundra, I have not seen Earlham play. Are those gray monstrosities their away jerseys? Home jerseys? Only jerseys?

Whatever they are, they look putrid!

/Oh, you know it's true!!!

[ScotsFan]

BTW, stuck up here in the frozen tundra, I have not seen Earlham play. Are those gray monstrosities their away jerseys? Home jerseys? Only jerseys?

Whatever they are, they look putrid!

/Oh, you know it's true!!!

They wore them at Wooster and yes they do look putrid.  That is a good question wrt whether or not those are home or away or both!    I did see they have a black uni from some photos on their website so at least the putrid greys aren't the EC's only unis... 

Speaking of The EC, where's Billy Pilgrim been and other Quakers supporters.  We are coming towards the end of the EC as a part of the NCAC.  Hopefully they all come back for some parting shots before it's all said and done... 

[wally_wabash]

So are we saying that a player could miss the first 8 games of the season (which would include only one, possibly two league games) and play lights out for the last 16 games and be POY....but if a player was the best player in the league for the first 16 games of the year and missed the last 8 games he shouldn't be considered for POY?  I don't know if I can agree with that. 

BTW, stuck up here in the frozen tundra, I have not seen Earlham play. Are those gray monstrosities their away jerseys? Home jerseys? Only jerseys?

Whatever they are, they look putrid!

Those jerseys are reason #173 why I'm not at all sorry to see Earlham ride off into the sunset.   

[BigRedFan]

Believe me GoRed if I had the answers I would throw in my 2 cents but I am going with the glass being 1/2 full.

6 of 8 may be pushing it a bit but one can only hope. :-)

I think maybe we should start on practicing from the line...............what is with that???  It is called a free throw for a reason!!

Here's to the Big Red making some noise from here on out.

[GoRed]

And here's to Chris Luther, who will probably be the next NCAC player to get to the 1,000 milestone! 

Kenyon is a game we can win.  We have to contain J.T. and find someone that can box Knapke.  Time to play dome D and break the streak.

[David Collinge]

Your guide to Wednesday's NCAC action, including the much-discussed Denison/Kenyon Backyard Brawl:

Kenyon (2-6) at Denison (3-5), 6pm -- Live stats and audio -- Game 1 of a men/women doubleheader
Hiram (5-3) at Wooster (8-0), 7:30pm -- Live everything
Ohio Wesleyan (5-3) at Wabash (6-2), 7:30pm -- Live stats and audio
Oberlin (0-8) at Allegheny (5-3), ~8pm -- Live stats -- Game 2 of a women/men doubleheader
Wittenberg (5-3) at Earlham (1-7), ~8pm -- Live audio (Witt) -- Game 2 of a women/men doubleheader

[wally_wabash]

And here's to Chris Luther, who will probably be the next NCAC player to get to the 1,000 milestone! 

Chase Haltom should also get to 1,000 career points tomorrow  night.  Chase currently sits with 998 points in his Wabash career. 

[GoRed]

Glad I qualified it with "probably".  Another excellent career.  Congrats to Chase, too.