MBB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[waterboy]

Gators with the "W" to move above the .500 mark on the season (5-4).  Matt Mazjlik, the NCAC's top scorer, drops 25 while Casey McCloskey goes for 24 tallies, with most of the damage coming from six trifectas.  Pretty well-rounded game for Allegheny overall and I'm looking forward to Jan. when they really get into the heart of the NCAC schedule.  

Even though they were handled by OWU last week, the young guys are coming around nicely and the veterans (namely Mazjlik and McCloskey) are stepping up like they should.  I think they may have a shot at knocking off Earlham or Wabash, though they only play each squad once which makes it all the more difficult.  The break sends the Gators to Indiana (a nice nine hour hike) for match ups with those two on Jan. 6-7, respectively, followed by a home date with Wooster on Jan. 11.  Those games should give more insight as to how Allegheny is going to stack up for the remainder of the year.

[billy_pilgrim]

Ah, the dreaded unbalance of the NCAC schedule. Wabash and Earlham with the two home games this year, which, as always, should be a major factor in deciding which teams host. If not for a close loss at Allegheny last season, Earlham wojld have hosted Denison (not that it would have made a difference).

But, that's still two weeks away, so here's my Allegheny question for the month, WaterBoy.

Is it true that Coach Clune was a stand-up comedian prior to his coaching days in Meadville. If so, I want to know how that worked its way into pre- and post-game chats.

[ScotsFan]

Tough loss for OWU last night.  Just when you are about to give them some credit for playing well, they go and pull the rug out.  That is a game that OWU needs to win.  Wilmington is a good program, and yes they are 7-1, but they haven't been playing any powerhouses either.  Their one loss is to JCU by nearly 15.  OWU was coming into this game with a 3 game win streak, and a chance to gain some momentum heading into the holidays.  I guess they'll just have to regroup now.

[wally_wabash]

And to think I got ripped for picking Wilmington in that game...I'm reminded of an old saying.  Something about sunshine and a dog's rear end.   

[waterboy]

Well billy, to tell you the truth I don't know if he was an actual stand-up comedian or not, though he might be one of the funniest and care-free coaches I've ever come across.  Don't get me wrong, he takes games very seriously and wants to win, but at the same time he knows when his team is beat and he can deal with it.  His pre-game and post-game chats were always interesting to listen to and he knows how to motivate his players to play up to their potential, whether it's by screaming their heads off or making them laugh.

On a side note, he was always fun to play with on the court as well during my noon hoops days at Allegheny.  I've never heard someone talk so much smack before and then, of course, he would back up by hitting a running 3-pointer or some ridiculous hook shot.

[GoBigRed]

Waterboy -

Thanks for the insight, and i certainly get where youre coming from and pulling the big guy out for a possession or two might shake it up a bit and open up a backdoor or something. The problem is that he's out there all the time. Youd have to see the games to know what I mean, but trust me, he's a first team all conference player taken out of way too many plays to try and open it up for some freshman.

Earlhamalum/Smedindy -

Sean Oreily, I remember you on your trips to Granville, you were a solid player so Ill give you the benefit of the doubt on your basketball-related comments. I was born in Granville and went to high school there, I live in Alexandria and try to frequent as many games as I can. I didnt play college hoops and have not played for Coach Ghiloni at any time. Must I be an ex-Brown to say Romeo Crannel shouldve been playnig Frye all year? I can't speak for everyone who makes Denison posts, but even if these guys are ex-players, which under Ghiloni narrows it down to like 10, does it still change the things Ghilonis doing? My posts, and posts like mine, arent personal vindictive statements, no one's said that Ghiloni and his coaches are bad people - Ive never met him, I assume he's nice - we're simply questioning his decisions in a forum that allows us to do so. I think some of the players need to knock down some open shots, Hodgkinson needs to make his free throws, Hern needs to pass, their #30 REALLY needs to pass, but they have talent. However, that talent has to listen to a coach that is so quick to replace, and having two of the conferences best players (Hodgkinson and Hern) is questionable situations (not in the post, not starting) is outrageous.

Smedindy, have you seen a Denison game yet? Are you going to the one this week? Maybe that craziness did work for Kalamazoo but at 2-6 and losing by a ton every game, it aint working for the Big Red. "Time to experiment?" What are practices and scrimmages for? Shouldn't Ghiloni start "experimenting" with trying to win games? So he waits til game 9 or 10 to get a rotation going and playing his players, getting them familiar with each other? That sounds kinda late in the year to me. I appreciate your comments on Hodgkinson at the outside, but you said "big guys start outside," implying they eventually get inside. Maybe its his fault and hes not being assertive enough, but Hodgkinson stays outside (which appears fine to Ghiloni) and is consequently removed from 10-12 possessions a game.

I have all the confidence that the Big Red can bounce back, I really do, and I kinda expect it, but the players cant do it all themselves. I'm not so dumb as to think that the starting five (when its the right five, which is another issue) needs to play all 40 minutes, I know the big guy needs a breather, but all this subbing means: 1, ...that for stretches in the game - no one can score. 2, ...the unfamiliarity and inexperience is adding to the TO total, and 3, ...that the right combination is out there for too little a time. They'll continue to struggle if they dont get the best players out there for most of the game, and players can only play with who they're on the floor with. Who determines that?

I call it like i see it guys, if I'm wrong, fine, but if I thought this was all on the players then I'd be saying that. In two months, if the 8-9 guys who should play are the only ones playing, if the set plays dont repeatedly take the conferences best post out of his area, stuff like that, and they're still losing, then I'll say Ghilonis doing all he can and I'll say Im disappointed in the players. The only thing is that if those type of things are happening, they probably wont be losing.

[earlhamalum]

GoBigRed-
   Sorry you know what happens when you Assume...  I know in my days some Ex-players from Earlham would get on here and be bias about the whole situations.  Glad to know you're a fan of D3 hoops and i'll look forward to you're insight on the Big Red. 
   Second of all nice try on the spelling of my last name.
   third of all i need to find the EC-Rose-Hulman game.  Winner gets to bring home the Trophy.

[earlhamalum]

Earlham-                33     
Rose-Hulman-         39

With 16:34 left in the game.  This is always a good game for the players... These two head coaches have been good friends for years.  (As a player you always wanted to bring home the victory for Coach Justus.)

[earlhamalum]

Earlham- 41
Rose-    43
12:48


LaRon Henry with 13pts
Jewett  10 pts
B-Miller 9 Pts

[earlhamalum]

EC down 10...  4 minutes to go... this team is killing me softly.  They have all the talent in the world...I played with all these seniors they have the ability to get it down?? maybe they will wake-up and want to get it done before the season is over....

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhh

[David Collinge]

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhh

Did Earlham come back?  'Cause that sure sounds like a whole lot of relief! 

[earlhamalum]

NO

[smedindy]

When I mean time to experiment, I meant was that Wooster, Akron, and Witt were games they weren't going to win, and Bluffton is a game that's not really terribly important. The important games for Denison are games against the other 8 NCAC teams. Those are winnable and important for conference tourney seeding.

I never got hung up on 'starting' a game - because it's who is in there in crunch time that counts. I've seen plenty of starters average 10 to 12 minutes a game and they're non-factors in crunch time.

[waterboy]

earlhamalum,

I have a question for you concerning coach Justus.  Over the past several years, he has had some pretty talented teams at Earlham, yet the squad has never seemed to live up to expectations.  Some of my associates and myself have questioned his coaching ability at times and wonder if this is the route of the problem with how the Quakers perform year in and year out. 

I don't think Justus is incompetent so please don't get me wrong.  I would just like a player's perspective on his coaching ability and how he has handled his teams over the years. 

[earlhamalum]

Waterboy-
   Coach Justus has had a talented 5-7 players with absolutely no Depth, over the last 6 years.  Normally player 8 through whatever hardly even played high school basketball.  (normally good kids)  But usually they have no business playing on a College Basketball Team.  Recruiting is difficult for Earlham Because of location, (Top 20 most expenisive tuitions in the country), and earlham doesn't have a reputation of being a fun college atmosphere.  The two years we had a deep bench we finished 4th in the conference and 3rd with a 16-10 record.  I don't want to make excuses, but when we go up against Wooster and Wittenberg running 8-10 players in a game it makes it hard to compete.  Heck sometimes i would of traded player 8-13 just for Woosters or Wittenberg 11th and 12th players.    (but you can't take BILLY_Pilgram)
 
   Earlham does not make exceptions for athletes financially and academically.  I always find it odd when a college like Franklin or Wabash can offer more financial Add then Earlham.  Coach J gave a 1/100 chance of me going to Earlham, because I came from a two parent household, upper middle class and had to pay over $20,000 my freshman year...  Ball State and Indiana would of been 8,000 a year.  I was lucky my parents would make the sacrifice.
   $$$ can be a major issuse in the recrutiting process and I can go on forever about how that process does not give everyone an equal chance of playing D3 sports.