MBB: Ohio Athletic Conference

[Just Bill]

The Otterbein coaching staff page appears to confirm the rumor...

http://www.otterbeincardinals.com/coaches.aspx?path=mbball&

[EttaFan1]

That is a program which has struggled to find its way since Dick Reynolds retired.  They were not just bad this year, they were really bad.

Not a real surprise.

The other one which won't surprise me is if Gene Ford is dismissed at Muskingum.  Guy is a legend in the Ohio High School ranks, but he has not done well at Muskingum. 

[EttaFan1]

Marietta survives and advances.

The Roth kid from bw is ridiculous. He probably should be the player of the year in the oac.  He had to work for everything he got tonight.

Mount wins by 1 in ot.

Should be a dandy on Saturday.

[NJBalla35]

It's now official at Otterbein. They are saying that Adrian "resigned".
http://hoopdirt.com/news/9625fb4a/official-otterbeins-adrian-resigns/

[EttaFan1]

Some thoughts on last night's Marietta vs. BW tilt....

The Roth kid, as mentioned before, is just ridiculous.  He had 6 points at the half and hadn't really had a good look the entire first frame.  I thought Marietta defended him very well all night long, but I was worried when the Pioneers trailed at the break and Roth hadn't done a whole lot.  It took him a while to get going in the second half as well, but when he did, he did so with gusto.  In a league where minutes are spread out and nobody really dominates the stat sheet (11-12 points per game seems to be the norm), Justin Roth with his 18 points per game is worthy of notice.  He can flat out score. He probably should be the player of the year in the OAC. 

With all of that said, Marietta did a good job defending him.  Roth's line was this, 8-26 from the floor, and 5-7 from the line.  He was 3-16 from behind the arc, and by behind I mean really behind.  Many of his three point attempts were from 3ft+ behind the line.  Marietta used Dollman and Garcia on him all night, and those two young men did a terrific job of keeping him at bay.

If Roth isn't the player of the year, it would be hard not to think RaNeal Ewing is one of the other leading candidates for the honor (DeAllen Jackson from Mount would be my third choice).  He is most often times the best athlete on the floor.  He also has a tremendous ability to score.  Last night might have been one of his better defensive efforts.  He rebounds extremely well (11 bourads last night).  His breakaway dunk  was a significant momentum changer (not to mention the fact it blew the roof off of the gym).  There really hasn't been a team, yet, who has been able to stop him.  He shoots from the outside, and he is devastating off the bounce.  He is likely a first team all OAC guy (at worst). 

BW came to play.  In the first stanza they outhustled Marietta.  They won most of the 50-50 balls.  They were aggressive on the offensive glass.  They brought the fight to the top seed.  It was similar in the last match up.  In the end they just didn't make enough shots.  They were +2 in rebounds (only the third time Marietta has been outrebounded this season).  But the Jackets were a dismal 37.5% from the floor, and an even worse 24.2% from behind the arc. 

The atmosphere was incredible.  It wasn't quite a full house (I look for Saturday's game to be a sellout) but it was pretty full.  And when the Pioneers stormed back into the lead, the place was deafening.  It hasn't been that long ago when you could hear a pin drop at the Banjo.  Not this year.

Saturday's matchup with Mount should be really fun.

[Dr. Acula]

That is a program which has struggled to find its way since Dick Reynolds retired.  They were not just bad this year, they were really bad.

Not a real surprise.

The other one which won't surprise me is if Gene Ford is dismissed at Muskingum.  Guy is a legend in the Ohio High School ranks, but he has not done well at Muskingum.

Otterbein has struggled for pretty much the last decade, most of which was Reynolds at the helm.  Not as bad as Adrian's tenure, but not good. If you do a side-by-side comparison of Cap and Ott over the last 10 years it's jarring.  Cap had really kind of left them in the rear view mirror in terms on the OAC program to beat in central OH.

[ohiofan1954]

I have only been following d3 ball for about 8 years so I will ask this of others here.  Do you think the rise of Cap and the drop in Otterbein has anything to do with the facilities of the schools Pardon me for not knowing when the Cap Center was opened but it is one of the nicer places I have been, second or third in small college gyms to only Mt. Vernon Nazarene. Now I admit I have only seen gyms in Ohio and not all of them but Cap certainly is first class and Otterbein is not much to market the program with.

[Ohigy]

It could be a classic tonight in Marietta.  Mount needs to win to get in the NCAA's.  Marietta is in no matter the outcome.

[Dr. Acula]

I have only been following d3 ball for about 8 years so I will ask this of others here.  Do you think the rise of Cap and the drop in Otterbein has anything to do with the facilities of the schools Pardon me for not knowing when the Cap Center was opened but it is one of the nicer places I have been, second or third in small college gyms to only Mt. Vernon Nazarene. Now I admit I have only seen gyms in Ohio and not all of them but Cap certainly is first class and Otterbein is not much to market the program with.

The Capital Center opened when I was almost done with school so probably 2001 or 2002?  I remember seeing it when we went to Cap and being jealous.  It's very nice. 

As I've said before, Damon Goodwin is a good coach and he's well respected by the HS coaches in central OH from what I've heard.  Plus he's younger than Reynolds and that went a long way too with HS kids I'm sure.  Mount has seen a big jump in the talent level since Fuline came to town.  He's a younger, passionate guy.  That resonates with a lot of kids.  And I think that's also the good news for Ott.  If they hire a young, up and coming HC (preferably with ties to central OH) they can turn it around quickly.

I have to wonder if former Buckeye Tony Stockman would have any interest.  He's just down in Circleville at Ohio Christian and he's done a nice job there as HC.  And believe me, you think it's hard to recruit to play in the Rike Center try convincing a kid to come to Circleville.

[ohiofan1954]

I have only been following d3 ball for about 8 years so I will ask this of others here.  Do you think the rise of Cap and the drop in Otterbein has anything to do with the facilities of the schools Pardon me for not knowing when the Cap Center was opened but it is one of the nicer places I have been, second or third in small college gyms to only Mt. Vernon Nazarene. Now I admit I have only seen gyms in Ohio and not all of them but Cap certainly is first class and Otterbein is not much to market the program with.

The Capital Center opened when I was almost done with school so probably 2001 or 2002?  I remember seeing it when we went to Cap and being jealous.  It's very nice. 

As I've said before, Damon Goodwin is a good coach and he's well respected by the HS coaches in central OH from what I've heard.  Plus he's younger than Reynolds and that went a long way too with HS kids I'm sure.  Mount has seen a big jump in the talent level since Fuline came to town.  He's a younger, passionate guy.  That resonates with a lot of kids.  And I think that's also the good news for Ott.  If they hire a young, up and coming HC (preferably with ties to central OH) they can turn it around quickly.

I have to wonder if former Buckeye Tony Stockman would have any interest.  He's just down in Circleville at Ohio Christian and he's done a nice job there as HC.  And believe me, you think it's hard to recruit to play in the Rike Center try convincing a kid to come to Circleville.

Ah come on Dr. I have been to OCU a few times this year. I have always enjoyed going to church to watch a basketball game. Nothing compares to that rats nest at Urbana though. Terrible place to watch a game and with the financial problems at that school it isn't getting any better soon.

[joelmama]

Mount played well down the stretch tonight.  Clutch foul shooting.

[Ohigy]

Congrats to the Purple Raiders!  OAC is sure to get two teams in the NCAA tourney!

[Dr. Acula]

Mount played well down the stretch tonight.  Clutch foul shooting.

It's a good sign that DeAllen Jackson (So) was tournament MVP and JJ Kukura (Fr) poured in a team high 21 tonight including burying two enormous FT with 3 sec left to make it a 2 possession game.  Those are arguably the biggest FT in the last 2 decades to Mount hoops.

[Dr. Acula]

I have only been following d3 ball for about 8 years so I will ask this of others here.  Do you think the rise of Cap and the drop in Otterbein has anything to do with the facilities of the schools Pardon me for not knowing when the Cap Center was opened but it is one of the nicer places I have been, second or third in small college gyms to only Mt. Vernon Nazarene. Now I admit I have only seen gyms in Ohio and not all of them but Cap certainly is first class and Otterbein is not much to market the program with.

The Capital Center opened when I was almost done with school so probably 2001 or 2002?  I remember seeing it when we went to Cap and being jealous.  It's very nice. 

As I've said before, Damon Goodwin is a good coach and he's well respected by the HS coaches in central OH from what I've heard.  Plus he's younger than Reynolds and that went a long way too with HS kids I'm sure.  Mount has seen a big jump in the talent level since Fuline came to town.  He's a younger, passionate guy.  That resonates with a lot of kids.  And I think that's also the good news for Ott.  If they hire a young, up and coming HC (preferably with ties to central OH) they can turn it around quickly.

I have to wonder if former Buckeye Tony Stockman would have any interest.  He's just down in Circleville at Ohio Christian and he's done a nice job there as HC.  And believe me, you think it's hard to recruit to play in the Rike Center try convincing a kid to come to Circleville.

Ah come on Dr. I have been to OCU a few times this year. I have always enjoyed going to church to watch a basketball game. Nothing compares to that rats nest at Urbana though. Terrible place to watch a game and with the financial problems at that school it isn't getting any better soon.

I haven't had the pleasure of visiting Urbana's gym.  I've been to a baseball tournament there, but it's hard to have an awful looking baseball field as long as they have a lawn mower and a rake!  Haha.  That was not an impressive campus though so I can only imagine what their indoor athletics facilities are like. 

[ohiofan1954]

I have only been following d3 ball for about 8 years so I will ask this of others here.  Do you think the rise of Cap and the drop in Otterbein has anything to do with the facilities of the schools Pardon me for not knowing when the Cap Center was opened but it is one of the nicer places I have been, second or third in small college gyms to only Mt. Vernon Nazarene. Now I admit I have only seen gyms in Ohio and not all of them but Cap certainly is first class and Otterbein is not much to market the program with.

The Capital Center opened when I was almost done with school so probably 2001 or 2002?  I remember seeing it when we went to Cap and being jealous.  It's very nice. 

As I've said before, Damon Goodwin is a good coach and he's well respected by the HS coaches in central OH from what I've heard.  Plus he's younger than Reynolds and that went a long way too with HS kids I'm sure.  Mount has seen a big jump in the talent level since Fuline came to town.  He's a younger, passionate guy.  That resonates with a lot of kids.  And I think that's also the good news for Ott.  If they hire a young, up and coming HC (preferably with ties to central OH) they can turn it around quickly.

I have to wonder if former Buckeye Tony Stockman would have any interest.  He's just down in Circleville at Ohio Christian and he's done a nice job there as HC.  And believe me, you think it's hard to recruit to play in the Rike Center try convincing a kid to come to Circleville.

Ah come on Dr. I have been to OCU a few times this year. I have always enjoyed going to church to watch a basketball game. Nothing compares to that rats nest at Urbana though. Terrible place to watch a game and with the financial problems at that school it isn't getting any better soon.

I haven't had the pleasure of visiting Urbana's gym.  I've been to a baseball tournament there, but it's hard to have an awful looking baseball field as long as they have a lawn mower and a rake!  Haha.  That was not an impressive campus though so I can only imagine what their indoor athletics facilities are like.

Well I have been to a lot of different campuses in Ohio, Michigan, Kentucky, West Virginia, and Indiana. I thought Wayne State in Detroit was the worst I had been too until I toured Urbana. Oh well congrats to Mt. Union for their great win in a great game to watch on the net anyway. Must have been some atmosphere in the packed house at Marietta. I am assuming Marietta will get a at large bid (we all know what assumption is the mother of though). I am guessing that Wooster from the NCAC will be out this year. Hard to believe they would get a spot over the Pioneers. Will Marietta or Mt. Union get the first weekend at home though? Oh Dr. , have you been to Capital's baseball field?