MBB: Ohio Athletic Conference

[Dr. Acula]

Oh Dr. , have you been to Capital's baseball field?

I've been Clowson many times.  I played there 15 yrs ago when I was at Mount and I go every time Mount is in town since I live in Columbus.  They've done a lot to improve that place, but unfortunately they haven't figured out how to pick it up and move it from the ghetto to Bexley.

[Bishopleftiesdad]

The field itself is nice but it is a terrible place to watch. A berm surrounds the field. Every time I have gone, I have ended up standing for the entire game.

[ohiofan1954]

The 3 best college fields I have seen are  these. 1. Ohio Dominican 2. Michigan 3. Wayne State (built like Fenway Park complete with green monster in left field).

[Bishopleftiesdad]

While I like OD's field, of those three I would flop OD and Michigan. I have watched my son play in both. When he was  playing travel, OD was his home field.

[EttaFan1]

Congrats to Mount Union on their Tourney victory.  I'm disappointed that Marietta wasn't a little better defensively and missed too many easy looks (which is the difference in the game).  You let a team shoot 55% from the floor, you will struggle to beat them. 

Now just waiting to see what happens with the selection. 

[Ohigy]

The OAC gets three teams in the tournament!  Congrats to all.  Mount Union and Marietta with favorable draws and could do some damage.  It looks like Marietta vs Wooster in the second round!

[EttaFan1]

Nice to see both Marietta and Mount Union hosting games.  I am surprised to see JCU in the mix. 

As a Marietta guy, I like having Wooster coming to town. 

Should be a good weekend for shooty hoops.

[Onward on, John Carroll]

So glad I was wrong about the OAC getting three teams in.  Heading into the semifinals, I was sure that Marietta was in either way and Thursday night's loser in the JCU-Mount Union game was out while the winner was likely in.  Again, glad my (limited) analysis was wrong.  I don't think the OAC has put three teams in the tourney since 1999 and have only done it two other times (1995 and 1996 (when they actually put four in the tournament)).  If the top of the OAC was as strong as I think it was this year (although the bottom was as bad as I can remember), I think all three teams could make some noise.  The bracket, however, certainly makes that easier to accomplish for Etta and Mount . . .as it should.  Well deserved draws and hosting privileges for Mount and Etta.

[Dr. Acula]

Awesome news about JCU!  Good luck to all our squads.  Carry that OAC banner!

[sac]

Gene Ford has retired from Muskingum.   http://www.daily-jeff.com/local%20sports/2015/03/02/gene-ford-retires-ends-38-year-coaching-career


Is Jay Burson still in coaching and would he be interested?

[Onward on, John Carroll]

The only current information that I can find about Jay Burson is a staff bio on the 97.1 THEFAN website.  It does not indicate that he is coaching but my research was far from exhaustive. 

If Muskingum wants to go the high school route, I would think that Scott Aronhalt, Zanesville's head coach, might be interested.  Like Gene Ford nearly 10 year ago, you would think that he would be able to retire, collect his STRS pension and coach at Muskingum for supplemental income.  Another choice might be New Philadelphia's Chad Spurgeon, an excellent young coach who I think might be tempted by college ball.  Of course after Gene Ford, they may want to get someone with college experience, presumably an assistant coach from another Midwest small college.  In that direction, the possibilities are endless. 

I find it hard to believe that Muskingum would be able to attract an up and comer with head coaching experience.  To land someone with head coaching experience, you would have to assume Muskingum would be getting a recently fired coach or a coach with a very mediocre record as it just does not seem to me to be an attractive job -- very little recruiting possibilities in your immediate area, average facility, average college in a small town and not known to throw money at coaches.

Otterbein is in the much better position, in my opinion, to get a high quality coach based on geography alone.

[Dr. Acula]

Aronhalt would be interesting.  He also has applied for numerous other high school HC positions so it's clear he's definitely not married to Zanesville.

The problem, IMO, is that you're just not set up for success at Musky.  The ceiling there may well be .500 in the OAC for the reasons Onward On mentioned.  I think your best case scenario is ending up like their baseball program.  Gregg Thompson does a very nice job and they still bounce around usually between 5th-8th place most years, but they're no pushovers.  They're competitive.

[EttaFan1]

funny thing, many of those same things could have been said (and probably were said) about Marietta's Basketball team prior to Vanderwal's arrival.  The facility got an upgrade at some point (don't remember exactly when, and I'm too lazy too look right now).   There is little along the way of a basketball recruiting base here in SE Ohio.  At least Muskingum is an hour closer to the Columbus area, and the Zanesville/Cambridge area has been a decent basketball area for a LONG time.  Souteastern Ohio....Not so much. 

Now in the past five years, Marietta has finished in the top 4 of the OAC each of those years, won the regular season crown twice, and the conference tournament twice.  They will likely be one of the top three teams in the OAC next year as well (only lose two seniors who have made significant contributions this season). 

I don't know if you find someone with head coaching experience or not.  But at least someone who was the #1 assistant somewhere (who gets and understands how to run a DIII college  program).  The only limitations one imposes on success are those which are self imposed.  Muskingum can find a quality guy who can win there, and compete for the conference crown each year.  It isn't like football and to a recently lesser extent baseball where there is one dominant name and everyone else vying for the table scraps.   The OAC basketball group doesn't have a dominant program.

[Onward on, John Carroll]

As to Aronhalt, I know, in the last 15 years, he has applied for the Jackson job (twice), the McKinley job and a job in suburban Columbus.  However, he always went back to Zanesville after they sweetened his deal.  I wonder if that was his plan all along.  That is why I focused on his age.  If he can retire, collect his pension and take the Muskingum job, it might be the right time to do something different.  No idea, just guessing.  Incidentally, Aronhalt was offered the Jackson job and turned it down when none other than current Mount Union Head Coach Mike Fuline was hired.  I remember how classy Fuline was about being runner-up saying something along the lines of "If I was in their shoes I would have wanted Coach Aronhalt, too.  But since it did not work out, I have am happy to get the opportunity."  That impressed me.

As for Muskingum and the possibility of success, I would have said the same thing about Marietta 7-8 years ago when they won like 3 or 4 OAC games combined.  New coach, some impact players . . . bam . . .they're in the Sweet Sixteen two years later.  I think you can win there but I do think, like Marietta, the deck is stacked against you a bit.

[ohiofan1954]

A comment was made in jest on the Ohio message board that if Wooster plays Marietta they should move it to the convo in Athens.  Too bad that isn't possible for as I said a Wooster-Marietta game would probably draw a bigger crowd then the two Ohio games this weekend put together. Considering the crowd Marietta brought for the exhibition in Athens it might just sell out. Oh well not possible due to prior commitments. Good luck to both the Scotts and Pioneers, would love to see them play.