MBB: St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

hopefan · February 26, 2014, 01:00:22 PM

Good stuff all as hopefan takes a vacation from posting....

ecreddevils · February 26, 2014, 02:45:12 PM

Quote from: Denny McKinney on February 26, 2014, 11:48:02 AM
WU Fan - I don't think you wrote anything that needs to be ripped. I for one am shocked at how DeGeare was used. At 6'8 and a 7' wing span, I expected to watch him slowly mature into a really good PF in the SLIAC. Then after about 8 games it was like what the heck. He spent the rest of the year jacking 3's and his rebounds dwindled to a miserable 1 last nite. The Vegas freemen were a bust. Sometimes the next level player on a Great Team are not the answer. The D1 kid on that team must of carried them. They could of really used Grant Tuckers size. But at 6'8, he had no desire to get physical and couldn't rebound to save his life. Guinn never earned his way off the JV squad. Not, the players we were led to believe. Question: Why were these kids brought halfway across country. Then there were some names I never saw. Maybe injuries. Richie D did an admirable job of moving to PG. Heyward is another Kid who's speed and athletism can fool you. He just can't shoot!!!

My big question is a the type of offensives FU ran, did they get the kids in the best position to score?

Two big recruiting classes and I'm still not sure what they have to build on. They need a lot of pieces, but could hurt retention.

Huge Congrats to Yada Demisee. The kid was there from day one. Will Rapier didn't last but Yada showed up every nite and never seemed to be a problem. Yada you finished what you started. Respect!!!

I didn't see the game, but regarding Degeare: Isn't a 6' 8" kid probably at the DIII level because of a strength or skill deficiency? He simply doesn't look to be a guy who's going to bang inside. Still, lengthy wing players are the rage right now at virtually all levels with the way the game is being played. A guy like Degeare has value as well he can shoot the 3 and then potentially step down into midrange post-up if you put a shorter 2 or 3 on him. I see him as a 3 and not a 4 or 5. Maybe that doesn't work at a place like FU or in the SLIAC where sometimes your 5 man is 6'4" or 5".

y_jack_lok · February 26, 2014, 05:28:13 PM

On the subject of Fontbonne, they were 6-10 in conference last year and 9-9 this year. If you want apples to apples, remove their two wins over Iowa Wesleyan this season and they improved by one game to 7-9. Still a work in progress.

I think it is easy to morph into a set of expectations about how a team will do in a new season based on the pre-season talk about who the new players are (and what players aren't returning either due to graduation or other reasons) and the assumptions that come with that talk. There are plenty of players on other teams that haven't turned out to be what their coaches and fans had hoped they might. This is not an apology for Fontbonne's season, as there is clearly a lot of work to be done for them to be able to challenge for a spot in the conference tournament. It's more a way of saying that we who post here, as followers of teams in the conference (and the conference as a whole) need to be careful about our expectations and how we articulate them. As the pre-game announcement goes, we should support the coaches, players and, yes, even the officials, in a positive manner.

And, to be very clear, I am not criticising ANYONE. Just trying to say that I am grateful for the opportunity to have fun watching college students who love to play basketball compete and hopefully enjoy it as one part of their college careers.

ecreddevils · February 26, 2014, 06:39:45 PM

Quote from: hopefan on February 26, 2014, 01:00:22 PM
Good stuff all as hopefan takes a vacation from posting....

You can't wait four days for the tournament to be over and then take it when the board dies off for 8 months??

Denny McKinney · February 26, 2014, 09:50:58 PM

I think this years tournament match ups are the best you could hope. It is Bulk vs Bulk and Fineness vs Fineness. I think both Semis could be classics. Each team has gamers I like. Barber, James, Slagle and Ward. I'm planning a road trip with Bunchtime. To cheer on the Gorloks. But, I think Spalding has the most complete team. And, they have Will Barber.

My Come Back POY- Kevin Miller. I'm humbled and Proud of his journey.

hopefan · February 27, 2014, 09:59:52 AM

ok.. I'm back... and off to Louisville for the men's semis... will have to miss Saturday's finals...

Any win over Spalding is an upset, and I think Spalding would far and away our best representative in the NCAA tourney as far as competing for a win

But then, hopefan loves upsets

Hopefan's first team all conference

Kevin Miller Webster unmatched force in the middle
Brady Slagle Mac Mr Consistency
William Barber Spalding Clutch Shooter
Ahmad Smith Webster strong 2nd half of season
Joe James Westmin Got the Jays there

Dom Sangester of Spalding and Hunter Ward of Webster deserve mention.. they just started too late

2nd team..
Verdis Lee, Westminster
Ron Harris, Greenville
Alex Mumphard, Greenville
Thomas Blakemore, Spalding
Kenny Sydness, Principia

Denny McKinney · February 27, 2014, 11:16:37 AM

Great minds think a like. You nailed my 1st and 2nd teams. I tried to find a place for Moore (WC), just to crowded with sure things. So I put on HM.

BunchTime · February 27, 2014, 12:08:13 PM

Excited to tune in to watch the Gorloks tonight at 5pm. Denny, no can do this Saturday. Initially, thought the game was in the evening which I could've made work. Found out it's a day game. Wife signed us up for some class to learn how to take care of a baby. Can't be that hard, right?

Anyway, kind of a hard sell to say hoops trumps parenting. I'll be relegated to tuning in from my couch with a cold beer in hand on Saturday.

Denny McKinney · February 27, 2014, 01:20:39 PM

Buncher- Mom just said that Boy don't need to be on the road, with that baby coming. I thought there would be a conflict with your tanning sessions.

I wn't make it home for a 5pm start. Text me some updates. I hope Smith plays with in himself. My only concern. And, the first round jinx!!!

ecreddevils · February 27, 2014, 01:39:34 PM

Quote from: hopefan on February 27, 2014, 09:59:52 AM
ok.. I'm back... and off to Louisville for the men's semis... will have to miss Saturday's finals...

Any win over Spalding is an upset, and I think Spalding would far and away our best representative in the NCAA tourney as far as competing for a win

But then, hopefan loves upsets

Hopefan's first team all conference

Kevin Miller Webster unmatched force in the middle
Brady Slagle Mac Mr Consistency
William Barber Spalding Clutch Shooter
Ahmad Smith Webster strong 2nd half of season
Joe James Westmin Got the Jays there

Dom Sangester of Spalding and Hunter Ward of Webster deserve mention.. they just started too late

2nd team..
Verdis Lee, Westminster
Ron Harris, Greenville
Alex Mumphard, Greenville
Thomas Blakemore, Spalding
Kenny Sydness, Principia

Not much debate to be had here--pretty straightforward list. And no Red Devils...

Denny McKinney · February 27, 2014, 07:06:47 PM

Webster 36-32 @ Half

Denny McKinney · February 27, 2014, 08:09:11 PM

Winner! Winner! Webster 79-65

BunchTime · February 27, 2014, 10:37:49 PM

Good W tonight for the Gorloks. Tuned in to watch the 2nd half. Smith didn't have his best game. Hopefully he turns it around for Saturday. The frosh guards off the bench provided nice minutes for Webster in the 2nd half during Smith's struggles snd Edwards injury. Ward is a beast. You don't see players like him often in the SLIAC. He can really do it all -- very athletic, can 3 ball, good mid-range game and can also get to the rim. Score wasn't indicative of how close the game really was but I never got the feel that Webster was in trouble. Mac kept it close but couldn't get over the hump.

Anyone know for sure what time the final is on Saturday? Why is it listed as TBD everywhere on the web? They couldn't pinpoint a time until after the semis? Stupid!

Denny McKinney · February 28, 2014, 01:57:55 AM

BT - Think it may be the weather situation. May need to start earlier or later depending. Men will be the first game. Perfect weather I think they will be 1 and 3. Correct about Smith. But, when you have Miller to feed. And I think you can get as much as you want out of Ward. They can beat a lot of folks.

hopefan · February 28, 2014, 03:48:56 AM

1:00 &7:00, period... and thats 12 and 6 central time... very quickly... games much the same, tied or within one with 8 minutes left, the better team got a lead and slowly pulled away... key for Webster was Jon Odjo... took over point when Hollis Edwards hurt, handled it well... but there will be much more pressure from Spalding.. it could present a problem.. Edwards dislocated big toe, Saturday status unknown, but that has got to be extremely painful.... Spalding ate up the frosh guards a couple weeks ago, but all three were in at once... I don't think we'll see all three at once happen again.

Nailed the all conference team... only missed Pratt from Mac on 2nd team....

Brady Slagle MOP... well deserved

Brian DeGeare newcomer of year... 2 in a row for Fontbonne as Jared Greenley got it last year...

Question... wonder if Blackburn's Chris Davis was considered for newcomer... averaged 15.1 vs DeGeare's 10.4...
Unfortunately I never saw Blacburn play this year... have no clue how Davis plays.. but he is listed as a frosh....