MBB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[division3hoops]

pennstghs -
Wow.  If you think POY should not go to Port or Vandervaart because you think they are too weak on defense, there is NO WAY you could give that to Cooper.

[division3hoops]

I will give it to Cooper that he is most of the time unstoppable by other teams.  But he does not play defense.  I have never seen him dive on the floor for a ball, get an awesome steal, or seriously contest a shot.  I'd imagine he's not usually placed on a highly offensive opponent.  I'm all believing that Coop is one of the best offensive players I have seen but he's seriously lacking on the defensive end.  Is that something that POY could look over - due to his accomplishments on offense?  I mean, obviously they did last year, but IMO POY should go to someone who is unstoppable offensively AND stops opponents defensively.

[pennstghs]

i would agree with coopers undefensive skills, i was trying to throw him a bone haha. its too early to tell with many games, both big and smaller, to play so we have to let the season play out and see how each big player is measured in view of his team's performance

[wally_wabash]

I'm just thinking out loud here...I think it's unanimous that Wooster is more skilled offensively than pretty much anybody else that they play.  In the games that they have lost, at least one of Wooster's main offensive threats have been in some kind of foul trouble (please correct me if I'm wrong).  It would seem to me that if I had such an enormous advantage with my offense, I wouldn't necessarily coach my scorers to get overly aggressive on D.  If Wooster is to essentially trade jumpshots with another team, Wooster is going to win more often than not.  If those scorers collect a bunch of fouls playing aggressive D and have to sit significant minutes, Wooster loses that advantage and become a lot more vulnerable.  Maybe this alleged "softness" on D by some of these Wooster players is a calculated decision made with the thought of keeping those guys on the floor. 

[woosterbooster]

My POY thoughts:

James Cooper's defense has actually improved significently this year.  That brings him up to about an average level.  He moves his feet much better and doesn't get beaten to the basket too much.  He's really made the effort to improve it, and deserves credit.  Still, I've yet to see him hit the floor for a loose ball.  A couple of games ago, some fan behind me yelled out "Coop's on the floor!"  Others (including me) quickly set him straight, pointing out that he'd been knocked down.

Last year, when Earlham came to Wooster, Marcus Jewett was a complete non-factor.  This year was completely different.  Not that I think he should be POY, but I was very impressed with his play.  He moved well, got himself open despite being the major scoring threat, and is one heck of a shooter.  There's no doubt that he'd start for Wooster.

There are some excellent players in this league, but at least at this point I don't see any of the contenders having much of an edge.  I thought it was more clear cut last year, in favor of Dan Russ, who didn't get it, so what do I know.  If Vandervaart misses another 2-3 games, or more, that might put him out of the running, as it did to Port last year.

How about who's the most underrated player in the league?  I'd say Marty Bidwell.

[Li'l Giant]

I'm just thinking out loud here...I think it's unanimous that Wooster is more skilled offensively than pretty much anybody else that they play.  In the games that they have lost, at least one of Wooster's main offensive threats have been in some kind of foul trouble (please correct me if I'm wrong).  It would seem to me that if I had such an enormous advantage with my offense, I wouldn't necessarily coach my scorers to get overly aggressive on D.  If Wooster is to essentially trade jumpshots with another team, Wooster is going to win more often than not.  If those scorers collect a bunch of fouls playing aggressive D and have to sit significant minutes, Wooster loses that advantage and become a lot more vulnerable.  Maybe this alleged "softness" on D by some of these Wooster players is a calculated decision made with the thought of keeping those guys on the floor. 

I honestly never thought of that. Good point.

[goscots]

Did anybody else notice that the new assistant coach for Alleghany is Matt Drahos, All-American from Bethany. Thats a nice addition to the program.

I think the Gators were very competitive last night. With 8 minutes to go in the game and down 16 they didn't give up. They pushed up the floor on offense and went 7-14 from beyond the arc to shrink the lead down to 6 points a couple of times. They have a freshman, George Raftis who played very well. With McCloskey out of the game the only senior playing was Savage. That should give the Gator faithful much to look forward to.

[Pat Coleman]

Wooster basketball, for better or worse, is the topic of conversation 99.4% of the time here.  If there was anything else topical when I post, there might be a changeup in the subjects of my satire.

Seeing as you come from a school that dominates the football board, it never ceases to amaze me how much you want to belittle the hoops board when it does the same thing -- just for another school.

[wally_wabash]

Wooster basketball, for better or worse, is the topic of conversation 99.4% of the time here.  If there was anything else topical when I post, there might be a changeup in the subjects of my satire.

Seeing as you come from a school that dominates the football board, it never ceases to amaze me how much you want to belittle the hoops board when it does the same thing -- just for another school.

I wasn't complaining about this.  Believe me, the similarities between this board and the football board aren't lost on me.  If there is to be more participation on both boards the onus is on the lurking fans of other institutions around the league to speak up. 

As it stands currently, this board overfloweth with Wooster supporters.  Again, I'm not complaining about this.  Some of those supporters are completely intolerant of anybody else who has a difference of opinion, anybody who might crack a harmless joke about something they've posted, or anybody who might actually have the stones to call out one of their posters for posting something baseless and wrong.  That intolerance and/or inability to laugh at oneself can result in some harsh words being needlessly flung around.  I've got nothing personal against any poster here.  Anybody reading anything personal into my posts is reading things wrong and needs to lighten up.  What are we talking about here?  It's basketball.  It's a game.  If we can't have fun with it, what's the point? 

[Pat Coleman]

If you are aware of this, then I beg you, stop poking a stick at the board. Take the opportunity to take the high road. The board might grow if catty comments didn't bring it into disarray every couple weeks.

Thanks.

[division3hoops]

Yeah I agree that Cooper has definitely improved defensively from last year...I will give him that.  Still he is not an aggressive defender in the least.  I noticed something interesting at the Allegheny game actually regarding that.  There were two points I can vividly remember in the game where 'gheny had a 2 on 1 fast break.  One was against Cooper, the other against Johnson.  Coop took the ball handler, 'gheny passed it to the other guy...he shot uncontested for the layup.  The other time, Johnson took the ball handler, he passed it off, Johnson HUSTLED over to the other gator...'gheny shot CONTESTED...missed the layup due to great defense by Johnson.  Cooper didn't even try to stop the shot.  Just found it interesting...

I'm just thinking out loud here...I think it's unanimous that Wooster is more skilled offensively than pretty much anybody else that they play.  In the games that they have lost, at least one of Wooster's main offensive threats have been in some kind of foul trouble (please correct me if I'm wrong).  It would seem to me that if I had such an enormous advantage with my offense, I wouldn't necessarily coach my scorers to get overly aggressive on D.  If Wooster is to essentially trade jumpshots with another team, Wooster is going to win more often than not.  If those scorers collect a bunch of fouls playing aggressive D and have to sit significant minutes, Wooster loses that advantage and become a lot more vulnerable.  Maybe this alleged "softness" on D by some of these Wooster players is a calculated decision made with the thought of keeping those guys on the floor. 

I see what you are saying...I guess I never really thought about that but it does make sense.  Still, I love to see good defense.  It is so entertaining to watch players diving all over the floor to get to a loose ball.  Bidwell plays seriously aggressive defense and (correct me if I'M wrong) I haven't seen him in too much significant foul trouble this year.

[woosterbooster]

division3hoops -

Yeah, nobody will ever confuse Cooper's defense with that of Brandon Johnson.  Not to give away one of his trade secrets, but often, when defending the 2 on 1 break, Johnson will hang with or feint at the ballhandler then drop back into the passing lane to make the interception.  I think I invented this play back in 1959.

Bidwell has cut down on his fouls since early in the season, although this might be due to no more than plain luck.  He's aggressive, and it seems to me that lately he's gotten away with a few bumps and hacks, stuff that Andy Van Horn seems to always get called for, even if he's sitting on the bench.  Bidwell and Van Horn usually share the same spot (at least until Vandervaart's injury), which gives Steve Moore 10 fouls to give at that position, and between the two of them they sometimes seem intent on reaching that quota.

[roadtrip]

Both NCAC sites are dominated by schools that happen to be the best in their sport and that is the problem...I spend an equal amount of time on the NCAC sites and lurking on the CCIW sites and since the CCIW seems to have half a dozen competitive teams in each sport the banter traded seems to be lighter, even with each poster as intense as the next..so maybe if our conference competition improves the board will too.
Here's hoping that Wabash throws a scare into Woo tomorrow!

[pennstghs]

schools that dominate both sports? as i see it right now wittenberg holds to NCAC football a nd basketball crowns as we speak

[Li'l Giant]

schools that dominate both sports? as i see it right now wittenberg holds to NCAC football a nd basketball crowns as we speak

See, Wooster guys and Wally, we have at least one thing in common. Witt sucks!  

(is that enough smileys to make sure you guys know I'm joking?)