MBB: Coast 2 Coast Athletic Conference

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

From the "Are you Kidding" department...

Wesley beat Hood tonight... that isn't the "are you kidding"... it was in 4 OT's!

Hood has played in a OT, a 2OT, a 3OT, and a 4OT game this season!

And I thought Goucher playing in five straight OT games was mind boggling!

As for COY - all due respect to YCP and Coach Gamber, I expected them to be in the position they are in.

After the turmoil on Gallaudet's campus and the turmoil and shake-up in the athletic department, did anyone expect Jeb Barber to have the Bison at 4-11 in the conference, especially after getting the job as late as he did before the season?!

Hats off to Barber!

[bbald eagle]

Hats off to Barber!

LOL

POY (Pun of the Year) ? 

[bbsquared]

As far as COY honors, I have to defer to D-Mac on this one. Gamber had a base to work from and Barber came in extremely late to build a struggling program. Gamber still had some issues that he handled well, but Barber was faced with limited talent and experienced players.

I guess it is all up to how you interpret success. Is it more improtant to succeed when you have talent, or how you play the hand you are dealt?

[ycp]

From Gallaudet at the half: York 65-Gallaudet 34

Four Spartans in double figures at the break led by McGowan's 16.

[ycp]

With 12 minutes left, York 91-Gallaudet 49

[ycp]

With over six minutes left, York 101-Gallaudet 59

York is now playing their freshman reserves.

McGowan is now tied for second second on York's All-Time scoring list with former Spartan great Ken Riddick.

[ycp]

Final from Gallaudet: York 112-Gallaudet 69

York has now won nine straight as they capture their third regular season title in the last four years.

York is now 18-6 and 13-2 in the CAC. Remember in the COY argument that York started 1-3 as they had to implement three new starters into the lineup. Coach Gamber has done an outstanding job to get this team to come together and be a very good squad.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

Yes - he has done a good job, but I would be shocked if anyone thought they wouldn't have been competing for the conference this season. I think everyone thought YCP, UMW, and Hood this season... so no surprise York is up there.

[ycp]

True but there is also something to be said for getting a team to do what everyone on the outside thinks they should do.

This has not been an easy season in Spartan land so, in my opinion, getting this team to 18 wins with one left in the regular season is impressive. It's not like York has been dominating teams like the 2004-05 and 2005-06 teams did. York has won a number of close games and coaching is very, very important in games like that.

I am biased but it would be a shame if he did not get the award.

[Matt Letourneau]

True but there is also something to be said for getting a team to do what everyone on the outside thinks they should do.

This has not been an easy season in Spartan land so, in my opinion, getting this team to 18 wins with one left in the regular season is impressive. It's not like York has been dominating teams like the 2004-05 and 2005-06 teams did. York has won a number of close games and coaching is very, very important in games like that.

I am biased but it would be a shame if he did not get the award.

I used this argument like every year for Mike Lonergan.

Most of the time it didn't work, so good luck.  In fact...my memory may be off here--maybe DMac or Pat can help--but I'm not sure that Lonergan even won the CAC COY award the year that he was the NATIONAL COY.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

Matt... I think the reason for that would be simple. The voting for the CAC honors are at the end of the regular season and I believe BEFORE the conference tournament.

The national voting I think takes place after the basketball season is over. Easy to vote Lonergan National COY in that case. Though, he was Co-COY in the CAC that season... with your favorite Rod Wood!

http://www.cacsports.com/information/recordbook/CAC_MBASK_records.pdf

[ycp]

Love havin' the two Landmark guys back for old time sake.

One reason for Coach Gamber to be COY is that if you would have seen us early in the year there is no way anyone outside of that Grumbacher Center locker room that thought they would have a chance to win this many games. They were not very good early due to the high number of new starters and guys that were going to have to play a key role for York.

The other reason is having watched this team improve over the course of the season has really been something to watch. After getting blown out at Messiah and lose a tough game at Wesley, the Spartans have been playing well and coming together at the right time.

I have no idea how the vote will go but I am sure that Coach Gamber only cares about how his team does the rest of the season.

It should be an interesting tournament. Only two spots (York in first and Villa Julie in seventh) are locked in at this point with the season finales to occur on Saturday. Mary Washington wins and they are in second while third, fourth, and fifth could be a toss up with Hood, St. Mary's and Wesley. I still think that any of those three teams could be very dangerous come tournament time and any of the top five seeds could win the tournament.

D-Mac, is it safe to assume that the CAC only gets one team this year?

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

Yeah... I would be pretty surprised if the CAC gets two bids, even with YCP in the regional rankings. Just too many losses in this conference. Had Hood been able to keep it together, we could have been talking two.

With the new OWI and OOWI replacing the QOWI, the CAC leaders are hurt by the bottom of the conference.

[Salem, VA]

Even if York lost in the conference final they wouldnt have a chance at a bid?  That would give them a 20 win season.

I agree with YCP.  I haven't seen nearly as many games but this is not the same team that stepped onto the floor against Wesley.  The talent that has surrounded Chad has really helped him.  He has better looks because the players around him can get it done.

One last question for the message board.  Will Chad go down as the best player of all time or York history?  3 CAC regular season crowns in 4 years.  I wasn' t around pre 2003 so I do not know to much history. 

[Matt Letourneau]

Matt... I think the reason for that would be simple. The voting for the CAC honors are at the end of the regular season and I believe BEFORE the conference tournament.

The national voting I think takes place after the basketball season is over. Easy to vote Lonergan National COY in that case. Though, he was Co-COY in the CAC that season... with your favorite Rod Wood!

http://www.cacsports.com/information/recordbook/CAC_MBASK_records.pdf

First of all...wouldn't Andy O'Brien be the best York player of all time?

Link doesn't work, but I'll take you word for it.  Yeah, I knew the timeline on the voting, but the point still stands--clearly Mike certainly could have won it a few more times than he did, as he had teams with the best record more often than he won the award.  But voters don't tend to go for that argument (and I understand why, depends on the year and what everybody has for talent).

Now that you mention it I do remember being ticked that he had to share that with Wood that year...(most overrated coach in the CAC  )

Obviously I haven't seen anybody in the CAC this year, so I can't judge.   Neither the CAC nor Landmark are all that strong this year, but I did note in that the Massey Ratings, Landmark had a stronger rating, which is probably due to the bottom of the CAC.  Top to bottom the competition is tougher.