MBB: Coast 2 Coast Athletic Conference

[Dan Johnson]

Your often overbearing bias toward Catholic is usually tolerable Matt, but leave players out of it.  I always wish that York fares better over Catholic or any other team in the CAC, but I wouldn't call out a CUA player and wish or celebrate the fact that they do poorly.

[ycp]

Final from York,

Hood 78-York 71

Credit to Hood, they came out and played like a championship team. They really took it to York early and the Spartans, like always, worked their way back into the game but the early hole they dug was little too big.

I will post more later after the game stories are written.

Game box:
http://www.ycp.edu/sports/mens_basketball/2006/YCPMBB25.HTM

[hoodfan]

Hood played very well tonite. Defensively York had a very hard time stopping them. Hood played very well in the 1st half, and put York in a hole early. Hood was running and getting a lot of good looks the whole first half.
Hood held a 15 point lead at the half. In the 2nd half York started to play better offensively, but they still had trouble stopping Hood. York cut the lead to about 8 at one point in the 2nd half, but Hood went on a run of their own to spread the lead to 20 with about 13 minutes to go. York got as close as 5 coming down the stretch, but couldn't get Hood to fold. Gutekunst gave a solid performance with 27pts and 14 boards. Gutekunst made a good case for POY honors tonite, considering McGowan had a very subpar night for him 11 points. Abercrombie and Junghans were very solid on the perimeter for Hood tonite. They evenly divided 36 points. Ryan did his damage from the outside in the 1st half making 4 3's, and Tim made some great plays on dribble penetration to the basket. Great win for Hood as they seem to have regained momentum going into the tourney. Hood has Salisbury on Sat. at home, it should be another good game.

[ycp]

Trying to sort this out so if anyone wants to chime in feel free to correct me.

If UMW beats Catholic Saturday (Hood's result doesn't matter) and Hood is one, UMW is two, YCP three and CUA four (UMW, YCP and CUA are tied for second with UWM holding a 3-1 record against the other two, York being 2-2 and CUA being 1-3).

If CUA (11-5) beats UWM and Hood (11-5) loses to Salisbury, (CUA and Hood split), Hood would be one due to the sweep of York, CUA would be two, York (10-6) three, and UMW, MU and SMC could be tied for fourth depending on their result.

So I guess what I am thinking is that the Spartans are locked into third regardless of what happens on Saturday. (Since the Spartans finally get their bye).

I am sure I have missed a scenario that could happen. Still many things to be decided Saturday.

[ycp]

About tonight's game...

Hats off to Hood, they performed like a team that was clicking on all cylinders which was surprising considering their last few results.
One of the keys to the game was their ability to shoot it from the perimeter early. That forced the Spartans to tightly defend the perimeter players, opening the middle for Gutekunst. Junghans made some great passes on the pick and roll and then hit some contested threes in the middle of the first half. Hood kept great spacing in their offense and allowed their guards to penetrate and get in the heart of the Spartan defense.
It would have been very easy for York to roll over when Hood took a 21-point lead with just over 13 minutes left but they put together a good run with a number of reserves on the floor. It typifies the character and determination on this team. Nothing has been easy for this group of guys but they keep battling and never give up. The hole that the Spartans dug, or that Hood helped them dig, was just too big to get out of in the end. Interestingly, Bennett Foelber had a three pointer just before the half go halfway down before bouncing out at the horn. A three pointer there would have made the last four minutes very interesting but that is the game of basketball.
I think Hood is a smart team that is well coached and will be a contender in the CAC for a long time to come.

On a side note, having seen this team play their 16 home games and a few road games, I am very excited about the future of York basketball. The young kids on this team have been contributing more and more as the season progresses and, based just on returning talent without including newcomers, this team will be very tough to handle next year. I am sure if you just saw us play once or twice this year, you could dispute this but I will say that there is a great deal of excitement around the program. There will be a few of these freshman, who don't play a great deal now, that will be very good as sophomores. This is still a young team that has really grown throughout the year thanks to the Spartans' outstanding coaching staff.

Also, props to the three Spartan seniors. Brad Zerfing broke Brandon Bushey's school record for games played tonight. He has had a great four year career and will end up just short of 1,000 career points (of course on those championship teams, he didn't have to score for us to win). Joe Yeck has been having a very good year before suffering some late season injuries and Shane Beccio has been a consumate team player for YCP.

Well, onward towards the CAC tournament where any one of the top seven seeds can get hot and win three straight. I would not be surprised if a lower seed won the tournament this year. There is too much balance and enough talent spread throughout the league that it could be a very wild week.

Good luck to all!

[Matt Letourneau]

Your often overbearing bias toward Catholic is usually tolerable Matt, but leave players out of it.  I always wish that York fares better over Catholic or any other team in the CAC, but I wouldn't call out a CUA player and wish or celebrate the fact that they do poorly.

Get with the program Dan!---I meant it when I said "damn."  I wanted York to win tonight BADLY.  A York win would have made it much easier for Catholic to be the #1 seed.  I was pulling for the Spartans all the way.

My comment about Chad was based soley on my cursory look at the box score.  Looks like he had a bad night, and without him having a good night York usually doesn't win.  Simple as that.  I was hardly celebrating anything.  Quite the contrary.  I don't care about conference POY or anything else--I just wanted Hood to lose.

EDIT--so you can give me my karma point back! (I know you did it...) 

[Pat Coleman]

He's only got 47 posts. Fairly certain he didn't smite you. :)s

[mwgoonie]

Gotta keep posting...need the power to give out and take away karma...

Anywho, I hope YCP is right if UMW beats CUA on Saturday, UMW will be #2. IF they do beat the Cardinals, UMW would win every tiebreaker with the top four team (MW, YCP,HOOD, CUA) becuase all four team split except the umw sweep (pending) of CUA. However, as I'm sure Matt will hammer into us, it aint going be be easy and as an avid Eagles fan, not to hopeful of our chances. Let's hope MW has their number this year and let's hope they meet in the tourney because the third meeting is usally the best (like unc-duke meeting in the ACC tourney).
But ,again, I have been careless in my recent posts, so I'm not sure of all the situations.

I just hope to contain Dwyer and Fumai. I don't think we can stop Wheeler. He's had a great 4 years against us. I've been at almost every game aginasy MW. He does alot of damage even when he isnt the focal point of the offense.

For us, we need to play smart and take "quality shots" And extra huge games from our seniors with healthy contributions from Peirce, Hale, and Whitworth. I'm sure Oliven will get in the game to eat some inside fouls against Wheelers.
At DuFour? Its gonna be tough but no predictions except if MW is hitting from outside ( btw, CUA is #1 in FG DEf. and 3pt FG def) they'll win.

[Matt Letourneau]

Oh.  Sorry Dan.  Somebody else must have.

Oh well.  If nothing, else, I'm fairly certain Catholic University has the rest of the CAC beat in one critical area--American Idol finalists! 

A CUA student just made the final 24 on the show.  Maybe we can get her to sing the national anthem at a game next year!

http://www.americanidol.com/contestants/season6/antonella_barba/

Antonella is a junior Architecture major.

[bbald eagle]

Oh well.  If nothing, else, I'm fairly certain Catholic University has the rest of the CAC beat in one critical area--American Idol finalists! 

A CUA student just made the final 24 on the show.  Maybe we can get her to sing the national anthem at a game next year!

http://www.americanidol.com/contestants/season6/antonella_barba/

Antonella is a junior Architecture major.

Why not invite her to sing Saturday to mark the last regular season CAC games at DuFour? 

[muchacho]

Is this girl ready to be singing the National Anthem before a Catholic game? Thats a stage usually reserved for only the best vocalists in the world...like Pat Coleman!

[mwcsid]

UMW baseball alumnus Aaron Altscher was on the Apprentice, won two challenges as a team leader, but got the boot last Sunday. :-(
At least he didn't leave bitter, he is just too nice a guy to be a Trump disciple.

[njlincolnlion]

And Antonella Barba is a "Jersey Shore" Girl  .

[Matt Letourneau]

UMW baseball alumnus Aaron Altscher was on the Apprentice, won two challenges as a team leader, but got the boot last Sunday. :-(
At least he didn't leave bitter, he is just too nice a guy to be a Trump disciple.

Yeah, I liked him.

But I think we have you beat there too--Tarek Saab from Season 5 was also a CUA guy.  He lasted all the way until Week 10.   He came back to give a talk on campus last year.   Maybe Catholic can carve out a niche as a feeder school for reality television contestants.

I can't imagine there being a Jersey girl at Catholic, can you Pat?  She must really stand out.

[Pat Coleman]

Is this girl ready to be singing the National Anthem before a Catholic game? Thats a stage usually reserved for only the best vocalists in the world...like Pat Coleman!

... our national anthem or the Canadian national anthem? Done both.