MBB: Great South Athletic Conference

[old_lion]

Killer, its like the alumni shirt says  GOT FIVE? 
it takes more than 2 players to win basketball games and Coppage has not been the savior they thought he would be

We definitely have more than 2 players ... very balanced effort tonight with several guys stepping up.

http://www.piedmont.edu/athletics/mbasketball/07-08stats/pcm17.htm

Kudos to my man Wesley (The Beast) Parker for getting all over the glass tonight with 11 boards.

Kudos to Coach Glenn for using his bench effectively to keep everyone fresh. Being able to get a few more minutes from Lampl and Sloan at strategic points in the game is going to have to pay dividends down the stretch.

Go Lions!

[old_lion]

It's worse than I realized ...

Piedmont Rebounding Margin

Opponent   Us   Them   + (-)
Rust           42    31         11     W by 27
Ferrum       34    42        -8    W by 10
Sewanee   29     42       (13)     L by 24
Birm-Sou    27     35        -8      W by 2
Catholic      24    40      (16)      W by 4
NCW           30    52      (22)      L by 18
Sewanee    27    46      (19)      L by 1
TFC             49    42         7       W by 33
Rust           34     48      (14)      L by 13
Methodist   24    43       (19)     L by 4
Averett       28    44       (16)      L by 21
Southeastern 33 49      (16)     W by 2
Concordia   31     41     (10)      W by 13
Pleasantville 36  43       (7)       W by 5
Methodist     26   44     (18)       L by 17
ACC             37   46        (9)       W by 8
Huntingdon   34   34         0         W by 12

The good news is, we don't have to outrebound anyone to win ... we just have to avoid getting killed on the glass ... keeping the negative margin under double figures seems to give us a fighting chance.

Keys for the rest of the season ...
1) Figuring out how to go to the offensive glass a little more effectively.
2) Doing a better job of boxing out on the defensive end.
   2.1) Finding a few officials who will call "over the back" fouls when we do.

As an old friend of mine used to say, "Gee, I have a keen eye for the obvious."

[Ralph Turner]

200 posts, old lion!

Congratulations!   

[Spencer Beaty]

Another GSAC game is looming.  MC versus Huntingdon and Boydson Baird.  Sounds more like B&B circus cause there is going to be a show put on by the scots

[mattgrubb]

unfortunately it looks like the entire success of piedmont's season is going to be whether or not they can beat murvul.  The scots should have an easy time defending their GREAT SCOTS ATHLETIC CONFERENCE title.  it is a shame the scots played so poorly in front of Pat.  I hope the scots get a chance to make up their game with Centre, they need that Win to complete their resume.  The scots look tough at home, but a good road win against a top 25 team would be nice.

Coach Haynes, please never allow Orr to score more than 20 points, it is painful to listen too.

Old Lion, what about Eryk "Randy" Watson for GSAC player of the year in 2008 and if not 2008, how about 09,10, and 2011?

[old_lion]

Old Lion, what about Eryk "Randy" Watson for GSAC player of the year in 2008 and if not 2008, how about 09,10, and 2011?

No argument here ... he's a good one already ... looks like a lock for gsac freshman of the year. Seems to be a good guy too. I met him and his parents when Murvul was in Demorest.

unfortunately it looks like the entire success of piedmont's season is going to be whether or not they can beat murvul.

Huh? Not sure I follow your logic on that one. That's certainly not my definition of success ... although it would be nice ...

Considering that we are basically a 6 man team with only one proven big guy, I think we've had remarkable success already. I'm always an optimist, and I hope we win the rest of them ... But, I'm also a realist, and I realize that with our limitations, we are constantly walking a razor's edge ...

IMHO, any game we are in can go either way. We have to have strong games from all our key guys (and some help from the bench) to have a shot. The balanced effort against Huntingdon was a big step in the right direction. But I'm not naive enough to expect to shoot 50% on 3s on a consistent basis. But, who knows ... a little more effectiveness on the glass, continue to put out the great team effort, and hit a few timely shots ... and we can sneak up on anyone.

I'm sure Coach Haynes will have his guys ready for us Saturday in LaGrange.

[coachwgh]

Saturday, it felt like Maryville scored off of everyone of our turnovers and that Orr scored every bucket of those conversions.  We turned the ball over above the free throw line and put ourselves in a poor place to play transition basketball from.  We did a good job on all other things and personnell we focused on but gave up so much transition that we were in too deep of a hole.  Watson is a good one but we have a freshman first teamer of our own and if not for Watson could fight for freshman of the year. 
Berry game last night was an improved effort, but still not enough. 
Recruiting tonight, practice tomorrow, Emmanuel on Thursday, recruiting Friday, Piedmont Saturday, at least I don't have to wake up and wonder what I am going to do.  Like Lambert always says about busy weeks at this time of year, "I'd rather be playing than practicing anyway."

Killa, answer your phone!

[mattgrubb]

my point there was old lion that at the pc bball banquet they are going to have one of two stories
option 1- we had a good year, we played hard, competed well and Jake won some awards
option 2- we had a good year, WE BEAT MURVUL, etc. etc., Baldwin, etc.

Now i have never actually been to that banquet, but i got 20 bucks that says that is the Cliff's notes of it

Sorry Coach Haynes, the killer is not answering his phone until you shut down Orr, he is as disturbed as i am about Orr scoring more than 20
Has the coach at Berry confided in you any info about Berry going D3 or the new gym people have talked about Berry building in Rome?  i was in rome all weekend and almost popped down to LC for the game as i did last year.

RDL is the man

[PrettyBoy]

maryville is off to the best start ever just like i said they would be.  this team is incredible to watch because they seem to play so well together.  i said it before that bowers and orr and company r going to take this team to the final four.  i dont know who matt grubb or any of these dudes r but if they did play at maryville there team was not half the team of 07-08 i can assure u that.  now maybe his ymca team is i dont know, but this is actual basketball not some game where u pretend u r still in a scots jersey. 

[Pat Coleman]

Changing your profile to a fake e-mail address locks you out of the system. Just thought you should know. You can't fool the system that way.

[batteredbard]

Not to be dismissive of some of the upcoming games but I think Sewanee is spending the season waiting to pee in somebody's pool. They almost pulled the trick Sunday night with Millsaps. Circle Feb 6 road game as a  big one. Scots either run away far and fast or its going to be a nail biter.

Last word is that MC and Centre are trading dates for the make up still. But the clock is ticking and I'd have to logically guess that Centre has a harder time finding a good place to put a nonconference game with MC in the mix rather than vice versa.

Perhaps when we get to March and we see who goes where then maybe I might find room to support the Wes Lambert Arena. The only problem being it won't be funded or open until even Wes is an alum and able to contribute. You would think in the Cooper renovation plans that maybe somebody would look behind the scoreboard and say huh? I bet we could redo the entrance there and make seating for another 1,500 folks on a second level. Now that's a pipe dream — bagpipe dream of course,

[GSAC Killer]

By far Coach Lambert's best job as a coach. The great thing about this team is that they have done it without a star! I had a chat with Coach just the other day and he said his boys have bought into the system and into the the thought that the only thing that matters is the W!!!!!!

Coach Haynes I sent you an email with my number. Keep it up Scots!!

fRESHMAN OF THE yEAR: wATSON
pLAYER OF THE yEAR: bOWERS
Coach of the Year: Randy Lambert

GSAC Post Memeber of the Year: Batterbard!!!

[mattgrubb]

Killer
I agree with all of your awards except for post member of the year, i have to go with Pretty Boy.

RDL has done a good job this year, but so has Coach Wallace.  Remember Kendal was a member of that 91-92 team and so was Rodney Lane, the star of the alumni game this year.  This is how i break it down. These graduating seniors have not been to a sweet sixteen.  The class of 2000 went so down to the graduating class of 03 had participated in a sweet sixteen.  Then 2004 went, so everyone through Bobby Golden had been, none of these guys have been, so they would be the first graduating class of this decade to not have been to a 16, so it sounds like it is their turn and maybe even an 8.  Tough with Orr as your center, but i have always said the best D3 centers are 6'7" and athletic??

[batteredbard]

Since we're going to post on posts

Looking at MC so far this year a few things Ive made notes or rather chicken scratch hieroglyphs about:
1) Scots versatility is their strength. If you bring the true big muscle big man then he's going to spend half the game getting pushed and shoved by HUlknandez while the 4 takes the rebounds or he's going to be constantly beaten in transition by Orr while chasing down the inbound pass. he's skinny and possibly the GSAC redheaded step child at the position but he's got the reach and quickness to be very active denying the inbound pass from the front.
2) The dual weakness Ive seen from both is a lack of recognition for the delayed trap. They do great when the trap is aimed to catch the inbound pass but when its delayed to the midway point they tend to have a) made the entry pass, over run the press and are down in the paint leaving the guards without that middle pass option or b) the 4 inbounded and they are under the basket instead of out on the side or near foul line.
3) Both seem to have a problem with little guys taking the ball, the Chris has gotten much better about that of late. Greg is still bringing it up from way too low against undersized defenders. But to give him credit he's had his best games playing against a post his own size. Almost like he doesn't feel comfortable taking advantage of someone 6'4 because its not as challenging, then again could be over excitement o have the edge and rushing it.
4) Both need to lay off looking at the bench in the first half. RL can see when they make contact and hes far wiser and more effective bringing a no call should have been call to an officials attention. There is no need to look hurt, appear to make an excuse, let the other guy know he's frustrating you or draw an uneccesary evil eye from the stripes. RL will yell when you goof no matter how good you are, when you goof you goof, accept it. When you get hammered with a no call, let the man take care of you it's his job .

And as the PS John Brice's last day with The Daily Times is Feb 2.  He's off to Volquest (a rivals.com UT men's sports component) so for those who know him feel free to send him a note this next week.

[coachwgh]

OK, Thursday's Emmanuel game was a huge dissapointment in execution.  We started doing things right and went from 25 down to 9 with the ball at about the 3:00 mark.  Free throws sealed our fate after that. 
Our Piedmont game was exactly what you get when the two of us play.  Two teams playing very, very hard, except we didn't start doing that until 6 minutes into the game.  Piedmont is a team that you can talk about doing a few things against them and you can have some success but talking and doing are two completely different things.  To let you inside our locker room for a moment: We had 6 "Panther Keys" on the board and at half time we were doing 5 of them AWFUL.  We improved just enough in the second half to make it work.  To be honest with you I thought that if the score reached the 80's we wouldn't be on the high side of it.  My guys continue to suprise me....sometimes good....sometimes bad. 
Hats off to Piedmont's fans. They brought a great crowd and it was a nice atmosphere for a LaGrange Saturday afternoon'er. 

Tuesday at B'ham Southern.  Our first meeting since 03-04 when they had a very good low major team.  Then on Friday we get to go to Old Lion's favorite place...Pleasantville Christian.  1200 very nice but very loud smiling conservatives in your ear.