MBB: Ohio Athletic Conference

[BillyRayJimBob]

^^^ Good interview w/ VanderWal.  Learned that Etta leads the nation in asst/TO ratio, fewest TO and TO/game.  Not turning it over and having a pair of guards that shoot around 90% from the line is a good way to win close games come tourney time.  Plus as VanderWal mentioned, he has starters who have played in sweet 16 and elite 8 games in their career.

The most impressive thing I learned though is that is Etta runs the table they'll be the first undefeated OAC champ since I believe Dave said the mid 80's.  That's incredible.

1986 Otterbein went 16-0, fun fact Wittenberg was still in the OAC then.

There's only been a handful of unbeatens in the OAC since 1960.

I had to go back and look at Otterbein's 2002 National Championship season, figuring they could have only lost one or two OAC games.  Surprised that all three losses of their 30-3 record were in OAC play.  One of those losses was really ugly at Mount Union (106-59).

I'm going to visit my Mother in Westerville this weekend, so I will have the opportunity to see the Purple Raiders at the Rike Center tomorrow.  First Mount Union basketball game, in person, since the 1970s, me thinks.

[Dr. Acula]

I was in school then.  2002 was a pretty good Mount team.  Todd Richards was a really good player and Richard Jackson was a strong PG running the show.  That team was a late Zips run away from beating Akron at the JAR over Xmas break.  I think they lost by 4(?) ultimately.  It was a really good game.  That being said, Gibbs was an absolute man playing in D3 for Ott.  He was playing for Carmen's Crew in TBT I think this year and he was still abusing guys in the post.

[sac]

Jeff Gibbs was named player of the week this week in his Japanese league playing for Nagasaki.  Avg 12.7 pts and 7 rebs per game at age 42.

Something called the Japan B3 League, his team is 31-3 on the season.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Jeff Gibbs was named player of the week this week in his Japanese league playing for Nagasaki.  Avg 12.7 pts and 7 rebs per game at age 42.

Something called the Japan B3 League, his team is 31-3 on the season.

Nagasaki is a brand new club, so they have to play their way up from the third division. If the owner is investing to get to the top level (as Gibb's presence would suggest) they'll probably be pretty dominant this year as well as next, in the second division.

[Dr. Acula]

Etta 63, Mount 61.  Congrats to Marietta on running the table both regular season and tourney with their win last night.  That's incredible.  Despite not shooting well at all, Mount jumped out 8-0 and was in this game the entire time.  I don't recall either team being up double digits, but I may be mistaken.  Etta didn't shoot well either so credit should probably be given to the defensive effort on both sides.  I'm sure Mount has a lot of what if's today, but after the first two meetings with the Pios I am proud of their grit.

[D3fanboy]

imagine Parker and Gullery...lifetime contract for Fuline

[Dr. Acula]

Fuline is 80-17 the last 4 years.  If .825 winning % is gonna be the new norm I think we'd be crazy to not want him around as long as he wants to be, right?  At this point watching the Mount hoops games is as much appointment viewing as Mount football is for me.

Last I checked Gurley had not appeared in a game for YSU.  I'd imagine I'm not the only Mount fan wondering "any chance he comes back to Alliance next year?"  Gurley's perimeter scoring with Parker's interior scoring would be tough to stop especially when you add Stanislawski who is also returning.

[Dr. Acula]

Marietta and Mount will both host the first two rounds.  Berg heads over to IWU to play UW-Lax.  Berg definitely got a tough draw.  Anytime you get a WIAC school round 1 that's rough. 

If Mount advances to the sweet 16 they'll face the winner of the Emory pod which includes Wabash.  If they play like they can Mount has a good shot at making the elite 8.  If they don't shoot well or turn it over a lot they may not leave Alliance though.

[Dr. Acula]

I watched the Marietta/CNU game last night.  That was one of the best games I've seen in a while.  Just two excellent teams battling back and forth all night in a great atmosphere.  What a performance from Isaly pouring in 31.  And a quiet-by-his-standards Ellis stepping up with under a minute to go drilling the 3 to put the Pios up 5 while the roof almost came off the BanJo was a cool moment for a kid that deserved to go out like that at home.  Good luck to the Pios in the final four.  Go carry the flag for the OAC.

[Gregory Sager]

I watched the Marietta/CNU game last night.  That was one of the best games I've seen in a while.  Just two excellent teams battling back and forth all night in a great atmosphere.  What a performance from Isaly pouring in 31.  And a quiet-by-his-standards Ellis stepping up with under a minute to go drilling the 3 to put the Pios up 5 while the roof almost came off the BanJo was a cool moment for a kid that deserved to go out like that at home.  Good luck to the Pios in the final four.  Go carry the flag for the OAC.

That was quite a game to watch, and I was very impressed by the noise and energy generated in Ban Johnson Arena.

[ronk]

 Surprised that Marietta didn't foul before CNU got to half court, up 3 with 9 secs to go; it almost cost them the regulation victory.

[Gregory Sager]

Surprised that Marietta didn't foul before CNU got to half court, up 3 with 9 secs to go; it almost cost them the regulation victory.

I thought the same thing. In that situation, you always invoke the Fenlon Rule: foul before they can get off a trey attempt in the final ten seconds.

[Greek Tragedy]

How's next year's race look? Marietta looks to lose a ton. The Mount loses 3 starters, I think. Heidelberg? Anyone else stepping up?

[Dr. Acula]

How's next year's race look? Marietta looks to lose a ton. The Mount loses 3 starters, I think. Heidelberg? Anyone else stepping up?

Mount returns their starting backcourt of Stanislawski and Painter plus arguably the best returning player in the OAC in Parker.  Jeffery Mansfield who was 2nd team All-OAC (16.4 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 4.7 apg) at Wilmington transferred to Mount so that's a big addition.  Chaney played quite a bit as a freshman, but I think he was injured this season as he didn't play at all in calendar 2022.  His return would also be a boost as he's a versatile 6'5" perimeter guy.  Finally, Skeriotis logged significant minutes at PG as a freshman so hopefully he continues to develop.

I don't know in detail any other schools situations, but two things I would feel very safe betting on for next season:  Marietta is going to be good and JCU is not going to finish last again.

[Dr. Acula]

Big news in the OAC...per his twitter account, Collen Gurley is transferring back to Mount from YSU.  Things just got very interesting in Alliance as the Raiders went from having some holes to fill with young guys to now having 4 experienced All-OAC players starting.