MBB: City University of New York Athletic Conference

[NYBB]

Phipps is a beast for York.  I'm upset that Hunter didn't win but without a full strength squad, it's tough for them to compete.  I think if they had all 5 (Dodd, DeLuca, Ciarleglio, Smith, Millien) they would've been tough to beat.  Oh well.  Smith and Gerard are done so that will never happen again

[BubbaChuck3]

Phipps IS  a beast. A 25 year old FRESHMAN beast, imagine how much of a beast he's going to be when he's a 29 year old SENIOR?
Those beasts these days, you just can't get enough of them.

[CNU85]

Bubbachuck,

Nice name. I wonder how many people really know where it came from?

Go Bethel Bruins! 

[NYBB]

Phipps is 25?  LOL!  That's great.  Well Kassad on John Jay works for the NYC subway on the night shift and the other quality player on their team was in Iraq so they're both "adults" by worldy terms.  Gerard on Hunter is at least 26 but he's graduating...

Let's also remember how old Dana John from NJCU and Anthony Williams from SUNY-Plattsburgh are.  They both have children as well.

But once again, i think this is one of the wonderful things about D3. 

[Danny Weismuller]

Looks like the 3 point shot was a major factor in both games.
Hunter put up 28 three's while City Tech went 2-12 from behind the arc.
As they say... It's the fool's gold of basketball.


Any predictions on the finals??

I think John Jay is going to need to shoot extremely well to stay in this game. York seems to be the strongest team in CUNY in the paint and doesn't give up much in the half court game. My early call is York by 14.

[NYBB]

York will crush John Jay and then get annihilated in the NCAA tournament.  What a waste.

[bballgirl86]

York will crush John Jay and then get annihilated in the NCAA tournament.  What a waste.

I am just curious to know why you think it's a waste for york to go to the ncaa.

I know that you are a hunter fan and thought that hunter was going to win the CUNYAC and go to the ncaa and advance past the first round but the fact of the matter is that they lost to york. If they couldn't beat york when it mattered in the semis with a highly praised d1 transfer, than what really makes you think they would've done better than york is gonna do.

All 5 of yorks starting players were in double figures, including a double double from 2 of them. Now be real with yourselves people and give credit where credit is due and admit that of york has a game like they did last night they have really good chance of making it past the first round.

By  the way Phipps is a 23 year old freshmen not 25.

[NYBB]

I'm not so much of a Hunter fan as i someone who lives around the corner from the school and likes Coach Plevritis (i guess this makes me a fan).  Anyways, i think Marlon Smith could perform extremely well in the NCAA tournament and it's a shame that Hunter didn't have Lance Evans or Joe DeLuca because i think with a full strength squad, they could have done something whereas I do not think York can.

[BubbaChuck3]

I'm sorry BBallGirl. Didn't know that he was only 23 (If that is true, which I doubt). I guess it is cool to be starting your collegiate careers at the age most end their own. It's cool that Phipps is only 5 years older than the legit freshman in the CUNY conference.
  Also it is intriguing that Salamanaca is over 25 as well.
  Guess Coach St. John likes to take these old dudes onto his team to give them a sense of maturity and veteran leadership. That must be it.

[bballgirl86]

I'm sorry BBallGirl. Didn't know that he was only 23 (If that is true, which I doubt). I guess it is cool to be starting your collegiate careers at the age most end their own. It's cool that Phipps is only 5 years older than the legit freshman in the CUNY conference.
  Also it is intriguing that Salamanaca is over 25 as well.
  Guess Coach St. John likes to take these old dudes onto his team to give them a sense of maturity and veteran leadership. That must be it.

No wonder your karma is a -3. You are full of it. I don't know where you come from, but when I'm from, most kids don't get the opportunity to go to college right out of high school that's if they get to even go at all. Life happens (which is something that you probably don't have) and things don't always work out as planned. So phipps may be 23(which he really is) and salamanca over 25, but they are 2 of the best players in cuny.

By the way don't you think that's its a little strange that the older dudes (as you say) are the ones that are going to be playing for a championship, that just means that the younger guys just can't keep up. St. John is one hell of a coach, and if I was him I'd pick the old guys any day, why wouldn't you, they've given him 2 straight championships and maybe even a 3rd.

[NYBB]

no poop that someone would take older dudes over younger dudes for their team!  This happens more in CUNY/SUNYAC/NJAC then in private school leagues b/c of what you said, "life happens".

there's a distinct advantage to taking older guys onto your team, for size, strength and skill purposes BUT...

you dont see these teams with older guys winning do you?  Baruch had an older team a few years ago with Lou Karis, Robi Davidson, etc. and they got messed up by Villa Julie.  York loses every year. Case and point

[Rhodes Scholar]

York will crush John Jay and then get annihilated in the NCAA tournament.  What a waste.

First, York has to beat John Jay to get the tournament bid. Second, I'd hold off on making a prediction until I see who their opponent is going to be. Most importantly, York better not be looking ahead because one loss and it's over.

[Danny Weismuller]

I think all these upsets will keep York somewhat humble going into this championship game.

And a waste going into the Tourney is a ridiculous comment especially when some of the CUNY teams have hung in there and also knocked off some tough out of conference teams this year.

By the way don't you think that's its a little strange that the older dudes (as you say) are the ones that are going to be playing for a championship, that just means that the younger guys just can't keep up.

I'm not making excuses and I'm not going to bash older guys playing in the league as it is legal and some people don't have an opportunity to join school for whatever reason (military, personal, economic). But you can't discount the fact there is an advantage when you are talking about players in their mid-20's competing against players in the 18-20 year old range. If you know anything about physiology or even psychology... you know athletes hit their primes in the mid to late 20's. There is a clear difference in the development of someones physical, emotional and mental make-up when comparing these athletes.

That being said... I don't think any coach would deny an eligible student-athlete from joining their program just because they are "old".

[bballgirl86]

Everyone keeps talking about the 2 oldest people on the team. What about the players like wilson who is I believe is a 21 year old junior, or marcel who is 19 and very dominant in the post. But you know what the point is york is going for a 3peat. All the other teams that yoi guys thought were gonna make it (bc, hunter) didn't. The difference with this years york team and the past 2 years is that york has more depth this year than in the past. So if they play to their full potential, they have a good chance of making it past the first round of the playoffs.

[Zak Ivkovic]

Some of the negativity is getting absurd here. What are you trying to say NYBB and BubbaChuck, that young men that are older than the typical college student don't deserve to get an college education??? Is it not a credit to Division III, CUNY and other conferences that these kids / young men CAN go to college for 4 years, play sports and earn a degree so that they can all be better off in their future?

Let's not confuse bitterness over losing a game (that's all it is) with giving younjg men and women a chance at earning a college education. And if coach St. John and others like him help young men get a degree (in Division III they can be any age and do so), why would anyone have a problem with that?

Last time I checked we were in NYC where it's not exactly inexpensive to live, so clearly our students (to the tune of 65%) work and pay for their education and living expenses. They are not getting things for free - so give them CREDIT instead of your negativity. Good luck to York and John Jay tomorrow night!