MBB: Great South Athletic Conference

[old_lion]

Friday:
Good game for my Lions vs. Catholic ... great comeback.

http://www.piedmontlions.com/News/mbball/2007/11/30/11_30_07_mbball.asp?path=mbball

http://annex.ncwc.edu/athletics/mens_basketball/2007-08/stats/cua-pc.htm

Saturday:
Speaking of strength of schedule, NC Wesleyan is one of the best teams I've seen during my time at Piedmont. They are big, quick and talented ... shot the ball pretty well too. No excuses ... Kudos to NCW. They killed us on the glass and from behind the 3 point line ... deadly combination. I thought we actually played pretty well, we just got "out-talented" in this one.

http://annex.ncwc.edu/athletics/Mens_Basketball/2007-08/news/6pc.htm

http://annex.ncwc.edu/athletics/mens_basketball/2007-08/stats/ncwm1201.htm

http://www.piedmontlions.com/News/mbball/2007/12/1/12_01_07_mbball.asp?path=mbball

Bright spots for the w/e ...
*Rocky Mt is a great place to visit ... friendliest people you'll ever meet.
*Chuck McCoy stepped up big ... played really well in stretches.
* Baldwin and Green made the all tourney team.
* Special shout out to SID Rich. She puts on a well run event ... she could conduct a seminar on running an official scorer's table. And check out their media guide online ... first class organization.

[MCScotsFan]

Again, Coach Haynes, how did you get HSC to come to Lagrange this year??

I'm telling you, everybody goes to LaGrange or back to LaGrange for that Country's BBQ! 

[mattgrubb]

Bard,
the alumni game is sat. Dec 15th around 12:30, it is going to take place before the scots dust off methodist.  Wanted to make sure you knew you were invited to enjoy in the festivities.

Go Scots

[coachwgh]

First, I wasn't insulting my team.  Anyone can see that we are not as talented and as experienced as last season.  We have a difficult schedule and honestly our schedule is tougher than we are right now.  We are getting so much better.  It is so nice to actually have practice.  Hampden Syndey needed a game late and so did we.  They have two Atlanta area kids so it is a good situation for their families to see them. And the Country's BBQ.

The Methodist game was a frustrating one in that we should have pulled off the upset but continued to beat ourselves even though we were close throughout.  I am never short of amazed at some of the players that Methodist gets.  Some of you may remeber Sam Porter(I am sure the USA guys that read this board do), well they have another guy that is very similar.  A real man that just smacked us in the mouth all night long.  Coach Smith gets those guys ready to go and they get it done.  I know what NCW had coming back from last years team that we played.  That league will be very interesting. 

A practice and another game. Tomorrow an actual home game. Atlanta Christian 7:30. 

[old_lion]

Seems to be a glitch in the way some of LaGrange's #s came over to the GSAC stat site.

http://www.greatsouth.org/stats/GSAC_MBB/m111607a.htm

http://www.greatsouth.org/stats/GSAC_MBB/confhilo.htm

I'm pretty sure Render didn't have 21 assists vs E&H ... box score on LC site has him for 1.

[GSAC Killer]

The Killer is back! Coaching has consumed my mind and life!! What a JOB!!!! Hey Scots off to a great start. It does not matter who he loses or who he has Mr. Randy Lambert gets it done!! Big game against Carson Newman. The killa will try and be in attendance.

As the winning player-coach-captain for the Garnet Alumni Team last year I want to state and establish that we will once again win! I have entered a zone we Scots know as the Russian Relaxation routine. I have not been in better shape!

Placeres Housewright Calloway, Blair, Ellis, McCord,Buttram, Reed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Get your mind right WATTS!! Momma said KNock you out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[mattgrubb]

My mind is focused on the incredibly talented D2 team that is making the trip to Murvul this evening.  It is scary how talented this CN team is, but how poorly they are coached.  Orr and Blakely will have their hands full with Bobby Guyton, andy Tipton, and Clapp or whatever the big red heads name is.  I can't wait, the place will be packed, better get there early.

Go Scots

[mattgrubb]

Bowers, GSAC player of the week, good job lil Bow Wow

Piedmont has their rematch with Sewanee tomorrow, i think Piedmont should win in a landslide, but i would like to hear a prediction from the Esteemed Old Lion

[narch]

I am never short of amazed at some of the players that Methodist gets.  Some of you may remeber Sam Porter(I am sure the USA guys that read this board do), well they have another guy that is very similar.  A real man that just smacked us in the mouth all night long. 

there are similarities between sam porter and antwin shuford, but i think there are a lot of differences in their games - this is not a knock on shu, but sam could absolutely take over games on both ends of the floor and he was a tremendous leader...i don't think shuford is there yet - shuford has a similar ability to find every loose ball and really control the glass and he's got quick, sure hands which get him a lot of steals, much like porter did but shuford is a better pure athlete than porter was - shuford is strong, but he's not nearly as strong as porter...you couldn't move sam - shuford is much quicker than porter was, though, and he's got an electric first step - shuford is a fantastic talent, and he has the potential to be very similar to sam porter, but i don't think he's there yet...time will tell

I know what NCW had coming back from last years team that we played.  That league will be very interesting. 

the addition of arrington, who missed last season but was an absolute beast as a frosh, makes ncwc even tougher...i think they're the most talented team in the usasac...let's see if that translates to being usasac champs - they've been the most talented team in the conference many times - champs...not as many

[old_lion]

Bowers, GSAC player of the week, good job lil Bow Wow

Congrats to Bowers ... well deserved.

Matt, I remember last year when you used the term "volume shooter" to describe my least favorite type of player ... the type of player who scores a lot simply by putting it up early and often ... I have a lot of respect for Bowers because he is the antithesis of that type of player. Not only is he currently leading the GSAC in PPS (points per FG attempt) at 1.79, but he does a lot of the "other stuff" that often goes unnoticed by the casual fan.

Current GSAC PPS leaders:
Rank   T   ##   Player   GP    MPG    FG   -   FGA   Pct   3FG   -   FGA   Pct   FT   -   FTA   Pct   RPG   A   TO   Blk   Stl   PPG   PPS
1   MC   24   Bowers........   3    27.0    23   -   38   60.5%   7   -   15   46.7%   15   -   16   93.8%    5.7    6    12    0   3   22.7   1.79
2   PC   20   Baldwin.......   6    35.3     76    -   115   66.1%   8   -   17   47.1%   43   -   57   75.4%    8.3    8    24    6   10   33.8   1.77
3   PC   10   Green.........   6    31.5     20    -   34   58.8%   5   -   12   41.7%   15   -   23   65.2%    2.7    42    22    0   9   10.0   1.76
4   MC   11   Blakely........   3    18.7    4   -   7   57.1%   0   -   1   0.0%   4   -   8   50.0%    3.7    3   3   1   0   4.0   1.71
5   LC   10   Baize.......   4   19.3   9   -   18   50.0%   2   -   3   66.7%   10   -   12   83.3%   1.3   9   9   0   4   7.5   1.67
6   PC   32   McCoy........   6    11.3     9    -   15   60.0%   1   -   2   50.0%   6   -   7   85.7%    2.5    5    3    1   2   4.2   1.67
7   MC   22   Johnson...   3    18.0    7   -   14   50.0%   1   -   5   20.0%   8   -   8   100.0%    4.3    3   5   2   2   7.7   1.64
8   HC   24   Boyd.........   6   13.7   17   -   23   73.9%   0   -   0   0.0%   2   -   4   50.0%   2.8   2   7   3   2   6.0   1.57
9   PC   11   Coppage.....   6    26.7     26    -   61   42.6%   10   -   31   32.3%   29   -   33   87.9%    3.3    12    21    0   10   15.2   1.49
10   LC   55   Render....   6   32.7   54   -   94   57.4%   1   -   3   33.3%   26   -   43   60.5%   7.2   5   13   2   6   22.5   1.44

Sorry about the presentation, but I lack the skill to get the columns aligned any better than that. If anyone has any helpful hints, send me a message and I'll try to do better next time.

The PPS stat is a standard feature on ESPN stats. To put it into perspective, probably in the range of 1.1 ro 1.3 points scored per FG attempt is about avarage. You start getting much higher than that and you are very efficient indeed.

Matt, to test your volume shooter comment, I looked up Bo's career #s on the NCAA site ...
http://web1.ncaa.org/stats/StatsSrv/careersearch
His PPS was 1.29 (993/772) ... better than I would have expected. His saving graces were that he shot 3's very well his freshman year and he was a very good FT shooter.

Piedmont has their rematch with Sewanee tomorrow, i think Piedmont should win in a landslide, but i would like to hear a prediction from the Esteemed Old Lion

I don't know, Matt. The fact that we are so heavily dependent on outside shooting and staying out of foul trouble makes predicting outcomes of our games very tricky business.

However, I am expecting a win (not in a landslide) ... but then again, I was expecting a win last time too.  Obviously, Pursell blossomed under your tutelage this past summer.   

[mattgrubb]

Old Lion
Your statability is gangster.

[scottiedoug]

Murvul 87 - (previously undefeated D2) Carson-Newman 80

Murvul had 51 at the half and played one of the best halves of bball I have ever seen them play.  This could be a very good team.  Everybody who played scored, with 4 in double figures and one with 9.  Between them, Orr and Hernandez, sharing time at the post, scored 20 and had 10 rebounds and this is a team with mostly a wing game.  If they play with the energy and selflessness they showed tonight, they will do well for themselves!

CN had been averaging 94 points and had 27 (or 29) at the half.  They played more like their talent would indicate in the second half and got within 3, but the Scots sucked it up and held on.  If they had hit foul shots, it would not have been the nail-biter it turned out to be.

This could be fun!

[MCScotsFan]

What an atmosphere in Boydson Baird tonight! I love it like that and wish it was always so exciting. The crowd definitely has an effect on the players. Congrats MC on a very sweet victory!

First half for MC was awesome. Second half, they made me nervous. I guess they were just adding an exciting twist to the game. C-N looked bad during the first half. I think it is the coaching.    

Of course, Randy Lambert gets better and better every year also. What a fabulous coach that man is. I really respect him out on that court. Seems like he usually turns boys into men out there. On and off the court.
Good coaches are few and far between IMO. Killer, I really hope you took notes and have that influence on your guys. Sounds like you are doing good things at G-P.

So, who is on Grubbs team?  Killer's team sounds really good to me. I can't wait to see you all play.

[mattgrubb]

Several Points,
Grubbs team is strong, rest assured, it is full of fighting scots. (Tummel, Golden, Ellis, Deal, McCord Miracle)

CN is a very talented team and they certainly were not ready to play.  They tend to overlook the scots, but the scots have won two out of the past three.

The scots played very well, as for individual performances there were many.  Basically, everyone that needed to play well did.

Bowers-standard performance
Laverdiere-great job handling the ball and the offense
JJ-always in the right place at the right time, he is like having an old man out there with all his experience
Orr-wow, i didn't know 135 pounds could play like that
Posts-what a test, you won't see a player like guyton on the D3 level and they did a great job containing him
Watson-he can do big things now and just wait for the future

At one point when the PG had the ball on the wing, I counted 3 back cuts from the top of the key and then the 4th man in the rotation popped and got the ball then reversed it to the other wing.  Now, i am not going to go on about Randy being a great coach, but that is great movement for a game in early december.

It was an incredible atmosphere last night and the scots did play better every time the crowd got into the game.  I think this bunch of no names likes to do things as a group, now they need to get back in the gym and not have a let down.  Last night is over back to work.

Last comment, Blakeley is the MAN!!!

[old_lion]

CN is a very talented team and they certainly were not ready to play.  They tend to overlook the scots, but the scots have won two out of the past three.

Congrats on a good win over D2 CN.

Unfortunately for the rest of us, it looks like the Murvul juggernaut is rolling along as usual ...