MBB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[David Collinge]

I just stumbled onto this blog by Oberlin's head coach, Isaiah Cavaco, in which he talks about his recent trip home to California and some recruiting he did in the Bay Area and the Southland.  It's a good, and sometimes funny, read.  It hasn't been updated since he completed his trip in March, so I guess it's dormant now, which is a shame, especially since his incredibly awful fast-food diet is going to kill him, and soon (Del Taco?!?  Jack in the Box?  Yuk.)   

I especially liked this quote:

I started talking to the guy next to me in line only to find out he was a Hiram graduate. I didn't hold it against him, but if there had been a rush getting into the gym, I can't promise I wouldn't have had my elbows up.

Give his blog a look.

[Ralph Turner]

I just stumbled onto this blog by Oberlin's head coach, Isaiah Cavaco, in which he talks about his recent trip home to California and some recruiting he did in the Bay Area and the Southland.  It's a good, and sometimes funny, read.  It hasn't been updated since he completed his trip in March, so I guess it's dormant now, which is a shame, especially since his incredibly awful fast-food diet is going to kill him, and soon (Del Taco?!?  Jack in the Box?  Yuk.)   

I especially liked this quote:

I started talking to the guy next to me in line only to find out he was a Hiram graduate. I didn't hold it against him, but if there had been a rush getting into the gym, I can't promise I wouldn't have had my elbows up.

Give his blog a look.

Interesting blog...

He sounds like a guy who is estranged from his favorite cuisine. 

A stranger in a strange land??

[diehardfan]

I'll be in a car for about 14-15 hours, watching basketball for about six hours and spending about $170 from car rental and gas to food and admission to the games.

Haha... that ratio of driving to actual game time sounds familiar.... though I have to usually add in the cost of a hotel and plane flight now too.

I hopped into the Suzuki at about noon to get to a workout in Oakland. Unfortunately, I was worried about being late, so my only food stop was at a gas station where I got a fountain soda (it's nice to say soda and not have everyone respond, 'you mean pop?') and a protein bar

Eek.... so unhealthy!! Basketball player lurkers, don't try this at home.

I got to drive along the coast for a while and go over a bridge (not the Golden Gate Bridge, but still very cool) that overlooked a whole bunch of lights. I was about to point my camera out the window to take pictures, but I figured that snapping photos while doing 50 MPH on a bridge was far from safe.

Come on! I totally have pictures taken on both the Golden Gate Bridge (looking up through the sunroof), and of the St. Louis Arch (still totally my fav city monument not in DC) while on a bridge going at least that fast. You only live once! And I mean, a great picture subject, shot at a perfect and unique angle, is totally worth more than one's life anyway. Just ask any photographer. 8)

Thanks David, that was fun, what a unique look at the DIII world!

[billy_pilgrim]

Great find on the blog.

Go Yeo, or go home.

Not entirely sure what that means, but I definitely like it.

[Witt4ever]

Wittenberg's schedule has been released:

http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/mbasketball/schedule07-08.html

Tigers play in the Wheaton Lee Pfund Classic on Nov. 16-17

In the Zimmerman Classic, Witt will play Olivet. With LaCrosse and Marian(In) competing in the first game.

Also Witt and COW do not meet until Jan. 19 and then again less than a month later on Feb. 16.

[David Collinge]

Witt also has their OWU matchups adjacent to the COW games: Jan. 19 vs. Woo, then Jan. 23 at OWU; and Feb. 13 vs. OWU followed by Feb. 16 at Wooster.  Those two weeks could define the Tigers' season.

A couple of other interesting things about this schedule:
* As anticipated, the "who-we-play-once" part of the schedule has been adjusted.  This coming season, Witt plays Oberlin and Denison just once (at Granville Jan. 2 then home vs. Oberlin Jan. 5), and now plays Kenyon twice.  The past few seasons, Witt's one-timers were Oberlin and Kenyon.  This could be good news for the Tigers, since Denison has given them fits in the recent past.  However, Denison's season outlook isn't all that bright with Hodgkinson and Izzo gone, while Kenyon is clearly a program on the rise. 
* The other once-only matchups last year, which could change, were Wooster vs. Oberlin and Denison and OWU vs. Kenyon and Denison.  Assuming everyone gets one change, then Wooster will add a game with Oberlin, playing Denison and Kenyon once, while OWU plays Oberlin and Kenyon once and Denison twice.  That's just a guess, though.  (The alternative would be for OWU's schedule to remain the same--once each with KC and DU--and Wooster to gain a game with Denison at the expense of a second Kenyon game.)  Obviously the Hiram/Gheny vs. Wabash/Earlham single pairings won't change, being determined logistically rather than competitively.
* Witt has just one conference game (vs. Hiram) in December; the same is true for Allegheny (vs. Denison). 

Thanks for posting the schedule link, W4E.

[David Collinge]

Allegheny has also posted their schedule:
http://www.allegheny.edu/athletics/menbb/results.php

Their non-conference highlights include opening against Bethany in the Mt. Aloysius tournament and later hosting Westminster.  Like Witt, they also face Wooster and OWU in back-to-back games both times (Jan. 26/30 and Feb. 20/23).  'Gheny and Hiram will make the biannual trek to Indiana in early January.

[David Collinge]

Just in case there's any lingering doubt on where the North Coast Athletic Conference stands on the politics of Division 3, here's a link to a short article (PDF format) in the Chronicle of Higher Education by Earlham College president Doug Bennett, who also serves as the chairman of the NCAC's President's Council.

Division III: Too Big for Its Own Good

This article can be accessed through the Chronicle's website (subscription required), and also through the sites of Earlham College and the NCAC without cost.

[Wydown Blvd.]

thats a powerful article...

[Ralph Turner]

thats a powerful article...

More discussion is on the Future of Division III board...

http://www.d3sports.com/post/index.php?topic=3880.msg721729#new

[wooscotsfan]

Update on Wooster's 6'5" Jake Johnson:  He is transferring to Bridgewater College (VA).

Sorry to see Johnson go because he demonstrated a good shooting touch in the limited minutes that he logged as a freshman for the Scots.  Johnson could have helped to backfill some of Tom Port's minutes and points next season but it is understandable that he probably wanted to be closer to family and friends in Virginia.  Good luck to Jake Johnson at Bridgewater!

Here is the link to the story:
http://www.rocktownweekly.com/sports_details.php?AID=10287&CHID=3

[ScotsFan]

Does anyone have info regarding any of the incoming recruiting classes from the NCAC?  It seems as though most of the classes should be pretty set by now.

WSF, thanks for the info regarding Johnson.  I too am disappointed to see him leave as he demonstrated the potential of becoming a nice shooter from the perimeter and as you said, possibly softening some of the blow felt by Port's graduation.

[Witt4ever]

Ray Mears, the legendary coach  at Wittenberg and Tennessee, passed away yesterday in Knoxville.


http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/hp/content/oh/story/sports/college/wittenberg/2007/06/11/sns061207spmearssider.html

http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/hp/content/oh/story/sports/college/wittenberg/2007/06/11/sns061207spmears.html

[David Collinge]

Sac has noted on another board that Albion's schedule is up.  They are participating in Otterbein's holiday tournament, a fete which also includes Hanover and Ohio Wesleyan.  Nice pre-conference pulse check for the Bishops, although I must say that it's not much of a snowbird trip to head south from Delaware to Westerville. 

[David Collinge]

More schedule bits and pieces...can you tell I'm ready for the season to begin? 

The NCAC/OAC Challenge again involves Kenyon and Denison from the NCAC and Muskingum and Capital of the OAC.  Last year this quartet played in Granville and New Concord; this year the venues are Columbus (Sat. Nov. 24) and Gambier (Sun. Nov. 25).  I'd guess that we'll get new teams involved next season.

Capital plays at Wittenberg immediately before the Challenge (Nov. 20), and then heads to Branch Rickey Arena to take on OWU in their first post-Challenge game (Dec. 1), giving the OAC champs a mini 4-game NCAC schedule (three of them at the NCAC venue) before embarking on league play.