MBB: Great South Athletic Conference

[old_lion]

Old Lion, i am disturbed by PC's 2 losses this weekend, (You think you're disturbed ... imagine how we feel ...) they don't even have a winning record.  I will give you they have some talent (Baldwin and Green), but here is my observation.  Baldwin has the #'s of an All American, but not the results.  If he truly was one of the best players in the country, then he could lead his team.  I understand you will argue numbers all day, but there is just something about the intangibles that is so special. (Not at all ... I'm probably a bigger intangibles guy than you are ... I've been arguing for years that scoring is way over-emphasized in the GSAC, at the expense of the other stuff) Guys that just know how to win.  Piedmont had the talent to win both of those games at home, so i ask, what was not in the right place, their hearts or their minds.  (It's certainly not their hearts ... more on that later.) When they play in a GSAC event they represent the scots as much as themselves, so i need more out of the lions, just not against the scots, but every other time.

Matt, your question revisited ...

It most certainly is not their hearts. Two recent games stand as clear cut evidence that there is absolutely no quit in these guys.

First, in the poorest officiated game I've ever seen on the college level, (yeah, I know ... that's saying a lot) we came from behind with 5 six-footers on the floor to win a close one at Southeastern.
http://www.piedmontlions.com/News/mbball/2008/1/4/01_04_07_mbball.asp?path=mbball

Then last night, we had an unbelievable, come-from-behind, OT win against a pretty good team from Pleasantville Christian. If you've ever been to a game at their place, you'll understand the Pleasantville reference. In my visit there, I felt like a heathen because I had on jeans and because in my heart I knew ... I enjoy the rock and roll music.
http://www.piedmontlions.com/News/mbball/2008/1/10/01_10_08_mbball.asp?path=mbball

Nope, there is nothing wrong with these guy's hearts or minds.

As a matter of fact, there is nothing wrong with this team that the addition of one more big man couldn't cure. Since a late season trade isn't really an option, I guess they'll have to just keep "gutting it out" like they have been.

I'm proud of these guys ... no matter what the scoreboard says, these guys are winners.

[Pat Coleman]

HAHA!! You are the man Mr.Watts!

By the way get ready to get waxed in City League and Saturday!! GAME OVER!!

Scots keep on rolling! Everyone join the Lambert Express because it is going many places this year! This is the year they get passed the 2nd round! Last time they did was my junior year with Mr. Watts on the sidelines coaching the Great Walden Buttram and Jason "Pretty Hair" Doan

They often get passed the second round. What you want is for them to get past the second round.

I love unintentional comedy. This is why spelling is important.

[mattgrubb]

Killer, i saw part of your church league game last week, it was beautiful, looked like alex bowers in the low post, out of place

old lion,
i have seen a lot of good teams in D3, and no matter how much talent they have, every team has to gut it out every night, with some limited exceptions, like huntingdon's first ever visit to murvul, when randy did not know if they would come back out for the second half.

[narch]

oldlion - hope to see you in the 'ville on saturday, and i hope the monarchs can gut out a victory ending the pc 3 game win streak

[old_lion]

oldlion - hope to see you in the 'ville on saturday, and i hope the monarchs can gut out a victory ending the pc 3 game win streak

See you there.

I think/hope PC is about due to play well against you guys.

[Spencer Beaty]

Big win for the scots of Greensboro (76 to 65) who had previously beaten Mississippi College and Guilford.  This win was a balanced performance with contributions from everyone on the team.  Some guy for Boro had 33 i think but it wasn't enough.  Go Scots.

[narch]

oldlion - good to see you today - sorry i couldn't talk more...the little man is a handful and keeps me on the run - your boys played hard today...any talk about the lions lacking heart is absolutely not warranted - baldwin was a man today, as he usually is against mu...i'll be happy to see that kid get a degree - you guys sure do force teams to play a little ugly offensively - i think pc will be very competetive and probably have another 15-17 win season

i disagree with your assesment that pc's biggest need is a big man, though (although i don't disagree that it would be NICE to have another big 'un inside) - i think what pc really lacks, and i think it showed big-time today, is athleticism - there isn't anyone on that team that is scary athletic - you don't need to be huge to rebound in d3 (see one shuford, antwin...he pulls down 8.3 rpg at 6'2"/200), but if your not going to be big, you do need to be athletic (and shu is plenty athletic) - the monarchs outrebounded pc by a wide margin today, but it wasn't because they were bigger, it was because they're more athletic at just about every position - pc really needed one or two athletic players to add to the inside presence that baldwin presents and the outside shooting ability of green (despite his 0-7 performance today, he's a good shooter), rubio, parker and coppage

speaking of athleticism...how impressive was luemichael smith (#3) for the monarchs?

[scottiedoug]

Here is Marcus' Daily Times story about Maryville-Greensboro:
http://thedailytimes.com/article/20080113/SPORTS/217936753

Adam Nicholson came close to singlehandedly ruining an otherwise good game by the Scots.  He played 39 minutes for the Pride and scored 35 and until the last five minutes nobody could deal with him.  He got tired and Eryk Watson at about the same time.  I am afraid Luemichale Smith of Methodist will grow up to be Adam Nicholson in time for him to be in the same conference with the Scots.

As long as the Scots stay within RDL's offensive and defensive systems, this is a pretty good and interesting team.

Can anybody help Chris Orr with free throws?

[old_lion]

i disagree with your assesment that pc's biggest need is a big man, though (although i don't disagree that it would be NICE to have another big 'un inside) - i think what pc really lacks, and i think it showed big-time today, is athleticism - there isn't anyone on that team that is scary athletic - you don't need to be huge to rebound in d3 (see one shuford, antwin...he pulls down 8.3 rpg at 6'2"/200), but if your not going to be big, you do need to be athletic (and shu is plenty athletic) - the monarchs outrebounded pc by a wide margin today, but it wasn't because they were bigger??? (you may want to take another look at both rosters ... Methodist is a lot bigger ... that, and their athleticism, was a huge factor) it was because they're more athletic at just about every position - pc really needed one or two athletic players to add to the inside presence

speaking of athleticism...how impressive was luemichael smith (#3) for the monarchs?

Narch,
We are essentially saying the same thing in slightly different ways ... bigger/more athletic ... that's splitting hairs, we could use both.  Bottom line is, we need to have a fighting chance on the glass!

IMHO, we have to keep trying to work Sloan (our 6'8 freshman) into the mix. I can just feel Baldwin wearing down. He is a warrior and he's still putting up impressive numbers ... but, he's not doing all the little things (playing with the same overall energy) he was earlier in the season. He's standing around too much. And, at times, he looks like he's afraid to play defense or go to the offensive glass. Really, he has no choice ... he has to rest sometime ... and he has to be concerned about fouls.  It is simply impossible to play a guy, especially a big guy, 38+ mpg and expect him to constantly play with the energy you'd like. (The only reason he is averaging only 35 mpg is that he has been in foul trouble some games.)

I love Shuford! A player like that could go a long way towards solving our problem. Yeah, Smith was very impressive also.

[mattgrubb]

murvul alumni
the last time the scots went to florida they had a great season, maybe we should send them down there every year?

anyone willing to back that up???

[scottiedoug]

Another good MC D3 story in Daily Times about tonight's Rust game:
http://thedailytimes.com/article/20080114/SPORTS/174531025

[mattgrubb]

marcus does a phenomenal job covering the scots, I wonder if he has any eligiblility left b/c if he can shoot the ball the way he writes articles he is a potential all american

[batteredbard]

LMAO he hasn't even picked up a ball in almost a decade, so I doubt Lambert would give that a second look

So Lambert brought this up and while it's way too early that never has stopped us from discussing stuff before now. For the first time in a few seasons (mainly because of Miss. College having only five non conference games) the MCs have a common foe this season. Maryville downed Greensboro 76-65 Saturday. Mississippi College lost to Greensboro 78-71 at the Hampden-Sydney tourney right before New Years. (And yes I know GC played a full game against Miss and only one half against Maryville and that Miss is already showing great signs of def improvement with Coach back but the win is a win and the record is the record)

So all things equal, with no head to head to compare between them, could the common opponent criteria be enough to put the first round in the Smoky Mountains rather than back by Old Man River?

Right now if I had to guess I see Mary-Hardin baylor, Miss College, Millsaps, Maryville, probably Centre, and probably Shenandoah then Guilford plus one from ODAC getting south region dance cards. In that formula I think Maryville fans have to pull for Centre to beats Millsaps to give support for a site in the center of the region rather than at the opposite ends (Miss and Va) again. If things break right you have MHB hosting an all texas site and Maryville hosting a middle with one ODAC coming Maryville the other going up the coast or hosting. I know there are holes here (there always are) but offer me up some scenarios. And again I know its way too early, but again has that ever stopped this board before?

[Spencer Beaty]

Mc handled Rust tonight at Boydson Baird gymnasium.  There was a sick dunk by a guard over Chris Orr that I still cannot get over.  Ben Williamson is the streakiest player I have seen at MC.  He had two dunks tonight along with 3 3's in consecutive possesions.  Another 20 point win by the scots.  Where have you been MattGrubb.

[MC wild animal]

King comes calling on Thursday...the Crazies will be in full force!