MBB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[David Collinge]

With the regular season at an end, where does everyone think we stand with the all-NCAC team?  I think these four are locks for the first team:

Tom Port, Wooster (16.6 ppg [6th], 6.6 rpg [9th], .556 fg% [8th], .455 3pt. fg% [3rd], 1.74 a/to [4th]; the best player on the conference champs, and my vote for NCAC POY)
Dan Hodgkinson, Denison (20.8 ppg [1st], 6.4 rpg [11th], .605 fg% [3rd])
Dane Borchers, Wittenberg (16.9 ppg [5th], 9.8 rpg [1st], .564 fg% [6th], 47 blocks [1st])
Andrew Zimmer, Wabash (19.4 ppg [2nd], 8.2 rpg [3rd], .564 fg% [5th], 39 blocks [2nd])

Who's fifth?  Here's some candidates:
Tim Vandervaart, Wooster (14.3 ppg [11th], 8.6 rpg [2nd], .618 fg% [2nd]; missing ten games and playing ths same position as Borchers and Zimmer hurts him)
James Cooper, Wooster (18.0 ppg [4th], .522 fg% [10th, the only guard in the top 10], .873 ft% [3rd], .439 3 pt. fg% [7th], defending NCAC POY)
Quinton Spencer, Oberlin (15.5 ppg [8th], 7.0 rpg [6th], 2.57 apg [8th], 1.43 spg [5th]
Ben Chojnacki, OWU (15.0 ppg [9th], 6.4 rpg [10th], .628 fg% [1st], .522 3pt. fg% [1st], 1.85 steals [1st]. 1.55 blocks/gm [3rd]; a two-time all-NCAC 1st teamer)

I think Tim Vandervaart deserves the #5 spot, but I wouldn't be unhappy with Chojnacki or the other two I have mentioned.

If you have other candidates, let's hear it. 

I think the newcomer of the year is easily Mike Staley of Hiram, with his 6.65 assists/game leading the league by more than 2.5 apg over Kenyon's Josh Klinger, who missed half the season, and by more than 3 apg more than Wooster's Brandon Johnson, the second-place full-season point guard.  I wonder if Staley's late-season two-game suspension will hurt him in this category.

Coach of the Year--I don't see anyone but Steve Moore making a strong case here.  Possibly Steve Fleming, coach of the over-achieving Hiram Terriers, but losing the last four games won't help, or fourth-place Allegheny's Rob Clune.

[ScotsFan]

Dorksen says he agrees "that other factors [besides work ethic and recruiting edges] contribute," but he's not backing down from his contention that Woo and Witt have the best (and presumably hardest-working) staffs and get the best recruits.

They also have the largest staffs by far in the conference which could also contribute to why they have the so called 'best' staffs.  Also, with more bodies on each of the staffs at Witt and Woo, it could be argued that there is actually less work to go around than say for the coaching staff at the 'Little 8'...

[imderekpoe]

I think Tim Vandervaart deserves the #5 spot, but I wouldn't be unhappy with Chojnacki or the other two I have mentioned.

I think the fifth spot will probably go to Chojnacki, but I wouldn't be surprised to see Cooper get it.

Coach of the Year: That's gotta go to Steve Moore
Newcomer: I'll agree with Staley. That suspension could be problematic, but I think that his on-court efforts were enough to distance him from the rest of the pack.
Player of the Year: Tom Port, but I wouldn't argue too much with Hodgkinson.  I just think its difficult to win POTY when your team only wins 6 games - even with that end-of-season winning streak!

[Go Quake]

Well the Quakers have absolutely ruined their chances of making it to the conference semi-finals for their 3rd consecutive year!  How disappointing it is for them to lose to the bottom two teams in the conference with a chance at hosting a first round game on the line.  Hopefully they can go up to Wooster and at least keep it close and put a scare in the Scots.  Jewett might have to go for 50 for them to have a chance.  Which brings me to my next point....

How was Jewett not mentioned in the 1st team debate.  In my opinion he was a lock for first team and a contender for POY, but with his teams awful finish, that may be out of the question.   He ranks 3rd in scoring at 18.1, 17th in rebounding, 10th in Free throw %, and first in minutes played.  I would consider those at least first team numbers considering every team's defensive game plan focused around slowing him down with double and even triple teams. 

I remember talks last year about what exactly does POY mean?  Is it the Most Valuable Player to his team, or the best player on the best team?  If it is the most valuable player to his team, I go with Jewett, Hodgkinson, and Zimmer.  Without those three players, I don't know if their teams would have won a single game.  As for the best player on the best team, I think Port was an absolute stud and would receive my pick, but an argument could be made for Borchers as well. 


My first team would go something like this...

Tom Port
Dane Borchers
Andrew Zimmer
Markous Jewett
Dan Hodgkinson
James Cooper

Yeah, I know I cheated and took 6, but I don't see who you could leave off of that team.

[ScotsFan]

David, I too would agree with your 4 locks for 1st Team.  As for that 5th spot, I would have to give the nod to Cooper.  I mean, one could still make a strong argument for Cooper being POY.  I don't think that argument could be made for Chojnacki or Vandervaart.  Plus, the injuries those 2 suffered could hurt their chances of making 1st Team. 

You can definately see that this league is dominated by wings and post players by the list David compiled.  And, as Go Quake mentioned, Jewett easily merits conversation for being a 1st teamer as well and he is yet another big man/wing.  Cooper and Spencer are the only guards to make the list out of the 8 David gave mention to.  Cooper is the best guard in the league and for that I think the nod should go to him making 1st team as opposed to the 4th or 5th best big man in the league.


As for POY, my choice on this has changed quite a few times over the course of the season.  Before the new year, I would have made a strong case for Tim Vandervaart.  However, his #'s declined a bit after his hot start and I began leaning more towards  Tom Port with James Cooper not far behind.  The only thing I saw holding both Port and Cooper back was their lacking on the defensive end.  This is an area that Port has drastically improved as the season has worn on.  Cooper has improved as well, but not to the level that I have seen with Port.  Not to mention the fact that Port didn't have to come back to play this season and he and his family made a pretty big sacrifice by deciding to return for his 4th year of eligibility.  I think with all those things factored in, along with the fact that Port helped lead this team to their 3rd consecutive regular season NCAC Championship and it makes it really difficult to argue for anyone else.  Yes Hodgkinson's numbers were impressive, but he had no supporting cast.  He basically had to carry this team.  I know that part of being considered for POY is what their team would do without that said player.  Well, Desinson would've probably finished 10th instead of 9th???  I just don't think based on the fact that even with the tremendous efforts put forth by Hodgkinson, he still failed to even lead the Big Red to the NCAC tournament.  That, IMHO is a big strike against Hodgkinson to be considered for POY.

COY should go to Steve Moore for leading Wooster to their 3rd straight NCAC regular season championship.  I would agree that consideration could go to Hiram's Steve Flemming, but the late season collapse may have cost him consideration.  Had the Terriers been able to garner the 4th seed, his name would have most definately have had to of been considered.  Rob Clune is definately in the conversation after their strong finish to the season culminating in their upset of Witt.

And I would agree that NOY should go to Mike Staley.

[petewitt54]

Dorksen says he agrees "that other factors [besides work ethic and recruiting edges] contribute," but he's not backing down from his contention that Woo and Witt have the best (and presumably hardest-working) staffs and get the best recruits.

They also have the largest staffs by far in the conference which could also contribute to why they have the so called 'best' staffs.  Also, with more bodies on each of the staffs at Witt and Woo, it could be argued that there is actually less work to go around than say for the coaching staff at the 'Little 8'...

As far as Witt having a large staff, only Coach Artie Taylor is being paid.  There are two volunteer assistants and a student assistant.  What are the average sizes of the staffs around the NCAC?  I know Wooster has a few assistants, but I can only remember one or two at the other schools. 

[ScotsFan]

Dorksen says he agrees "that other factors [besides work ethic and recruiting edges] contribute," but he's not backing down from his contention that Woo and Witt have the best (and presumably hardest-working) staffs and get the best recruits.

They also have the largest staffs by far in the conference which could also contribute to why they have the so called 'best' staffs.  Also, with more bodies on each of the staffs at Witt and Woo, it could be argued that there is actually less work to go around than say for the coaching staff at the 'Little 8'...

As far as Witt having a large staff, only Coach Artie Taylor is being paid.  There are two volunteer assistants and a student assistant.  What are the average sizes of the staffs around the NCAC?  I know Wooster has a few assistants, but I can only remember one or two at the other schools.

I believe that Wooster has 2 assistants that are paid (Cline and Gaubatz) and 2 volunteer assistants as well as one student assistant.  I don't know of too many other NCAC schools with as many volunteer assistants as Wooster and Wittenberg have.

[David Collinge]

Denison has three assistant coaches and a student assistant; I'd guess than one (Kyle Pottkotter) is paid and the others are volunteer.

I believe that Travis Schwab, who surely is paid, is the only assistant coach at Kenyon.

[David Collinge]

Tuesday game information:

At Springfield:
5:30 women's quarterfinal #7 Earlham at #2 Wittenberg
7:45 men's quarterfinal #7 Hiram at #2 Wittenberg

At Meadville:
5:30 women's quarterfinal #6 Wooster at #3 Allegheny
7:30 men's quarterfinal #5 Wabash at #4 Allegheny

At Wooster:
7:30 men's quarterfinal #8 Earlham at #1 Wooster

At Delaware:
7:30 men's quarterfinal #6 Kenyon at #3 Ohio Wesleyan

At Granville:
7:30 women's quarterfinal #8 Oberlin at #1 Denison

At Gambier:
7:30 women's quarterfinal #5 Ohio Wesleyan at #4 Kenyon

There will be live audio and/or video available for some of these games, and LiveStats for others.  Click here for more information. 

[smedindy]

I think Chojnacki's the one for the 5th spot. And next year, I think Zimmer could definitely be POY, and that's not a homer call. After Simkus left for Spain, and his injury, he's elevated his game. Next year, with Simkus and Rooks and the kiddie corps having another year of experience and some new recruits, watch out for Zimmer.

[smedindy]

Feh on Dorksen - the ink stained wretch knows not of what he talks about. For my money, the job that Matt Croci is doing at Kenyon is just as good, if not better, than Witt or Wooster, because he has a totally different set of obstacles and expectations.

I am ASSUMING Klingler was hurt and didn't just quit the team. If he's back, then they could be really good next year. Yelvington and Knapke are good players, and the guards are getting better, so Kenyon could be a contender to host a game next year.

Of course, Mac Petty once again guides a young team to improvement over the course of the year, with a great building block for the future. Coaching success isn't always measured in wins and losses - even for a coach with a NCAA ring.

Mike DeWitt always does a great job at OWU as well. His teams are always tough to defend and play hard.

I've been impressed with how Justus handles his team at Earlham too. That's another situation where recruiting is a bit...challenging...at times.

Rob Clune got a lot out of this Allegheny team.

And I must give a kudo to Steve Fleming at Hiram. They seem to be building a program there, which is refreshing.

So, Mr. Dorksen, I think your premise is faulty, and your conclusion is errant.

[diehardfan]

52-52  Okay I am looking for a new g/f... only my girlfriend would leave when the game was tied....................... awtgwrhgkajkjkahkjkgfjah


Li'l   you got anything for me?

ouch

Also Willie apparently im not the only one noticing that Wittenberg's attendance is kind of pathatic

from today's Springfield News Sun:

http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/s/content/oh/story/sports/college/wittenberg/2007/02/07/snssp020807wittnotes.html

double ouch

I get a little tingle when I think of how many of the obnoxious jerks around Posting Up would be unwilling to pony up $25 just to spew their venom or lame attempts at humor.  Heck, you'd have to shut down the NESCAC board altogether for lack of activity.    I'd pay just for that reason alone.

Oooh... this is actually a good idea.

Yes, I have seen The Natural, and I like it.  It's sort of a guilty pleasure; none of my cineaste friends can tolerate it.

The baseball movie that I'm somewhat surprised has escaped mention is Bang the Drum Slowly, which IIRC is sort of Brian's Song meets Of Mice and Men.  Good film.

I greatly dislike The Natural... a lot. Maybe cause I find him so annoying cause he thinks he so hot. One of my top 5 is definitely Brian's Song though, so I will have to add Bang the Drum Slowly to the list of movies I watch in the offseason when I am craving sports. I own a ton of sports movies... it's pretty silly.

My favorite baseball movie is The Rookie with Dennis Quaid, hands down. I'm surprised no one metioned it. Just cause it's Disney doesn't make it bad! I also love For the Love of the Game and Field of Dreams as well. Field of Dreams is good largely because it's so absurd, and yes, because of the playing catch scene. For the Love of the Game isn't really a baseball movie, just like Jerry Maguire isn't really a football movie... but I love them both a lot! As far as older ones are concerned, I'd take 8 Men Out over the horrible Natural movie anyday. A League of their Own is very fun too.

Basketball wise, I own Hoosiers and Finding Forrester. Finding Forrester also isn't really a basketball movie, but it has my fav sports scene of all time, where the guys make 50+ fts in a row...  sooo hot. Plus the guy is smart... the perfect DIII student. DON'T watch Hoosiers for the love scenes... yuck! Watch it for the look on the guys faces when they walk into that huge gym. But I've been told that the better David story was really the team of ethnic minority guys playing in that game in Indiana of all places... so that makes a great movie slightly less great. I like Glory Road and Coach Carter a whole lot too.

Football wise, you gotta love Rudy and Remember the Titans... and the aforementioned Jerry Maguire with the aforemetioned  Brian's Song topping the list.

LOL... okay, I'm officially caught up on the last two weeks now.

[Li'l Giant]

I will have to add Bang the Drum Slowly to the list of movies I watch in the offseason when I am craving sports....

.......For the Love of the Game isn't really a baseball movie, just like Jerry Maguire isn't really a football movie...

I'll put Jerry Maguire in the same category as Bull Durham: a chick flick with sports thrown in to keep the guys from falling asleep.

Bang the Drum Slowly is one of my father's favorite movies, though I can't figure out why. I just didn't enjoy it.

[diehardfan]

Bang the Drum Slowly is one of my father's favorite movies, though I can't figure out why. I just didn't enjoy it.

I didn't realize that DC had fathered a Wabash student... j/k

[imderekpoe]

Just one question and I'll admit that I'm too lazy to do the math myself, but would anyone know what LEC's qowi fell to after their loss this week? 

I've got Lake Erie's QOWI at 10.2 right now, but likely to jump to 10.455 if they win the AMCC tourney.  They only have a 6-team tourament.  This means that barring upsets they'll have a 12-pt game against Pitt-Bradford and a 14-pt rematch against Penn St-Behrend this weekend.