MBB: St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[y_jack_lok]

That is a cool story.

I forgot to post this back in April, but Hunter Ward was awarded the Webster male athlete of the year award last year (would have thought a chess player would have won that...) and the Webster Journal did a great job telling his story.

http://websterjournal.com/2016/04/27/male-athlete-of-the-year-the-basketball-record-breaker/

Hadn't seen that. Thanks for sharing.

[TRI_STATE_ATHLETICS]

New to  the group. Following SLIAC this year and Greenville. A freshman at Greenville this year played in an All-Star game for us last two years and I've been following him ever since and what college would pick him up.

What teams look strong for the SLIAC this year and how are the teams new recruits looking?

[y_jack_lok]

New to  the group. Following SLIAC this year and Greenville. A freshman at Greenville this year played in an All-Star game for us last two years and I've been following him ever since and what college would pick him up.

What teams look strong for the SLIAC this year and how are the teams new recruits looking?

Welcome to the boards. Looking forward to your contributions. In answer to your question, this just in from Webster: http://websterathletics.com/news/2016/8/26/mens-basketball-quartet.aspx?path=mbball

[ecreddevils]

New to  the group. Following SLIAC this year and Greenville. A freshman at Greenville this year played in an All-Star game for us last two years and I've been following him ever since and what college would pick him up.

What teams look strong for the SLIAC this year and how are the teams new recruits looking?

EC will have a huge roster, I'm guessing most in program history.  Guard heavy (not a lot of incoming size), lots of athletes and scorers, a mix of incoming freshmen and transfers.   I would be very surprised if they don't compete for a conference tourney spot with such quality depth.

[WUPHF]

Thanks for posting the Webster roster update.

This may have also been discussed but Webster has their schedule posted and it looks like the they have two Division II exhibitions, Drury and UMSL with the game against the Tritons occurring five games in to the season.

Webster will travel to Illinois Wesleyan for a two game tournament...the Gorlocks will also play either Loras or Aurora.

They'll host Washington University at home to start the regular non-conference season and host a tourney with Rust and UW-Lacrosse. 

That is what I call a schedule.  I know not everyone here appreciates schedules such as this, but I love it.

Webster also plays a few conference games before traveling to Northland...no wait, it looks like Morthland again (still laughing about that reference last season).

http://websterathletics.com/schedule.aspx?path=mbball&;

[WUPHF]

OK, so I glanced at the Westminster schedule and noticed that the Blue Jays are playing both Milliken and Elmhurst in games that are referred to as the SLIAC/CCIW challenge.

I usually check the CCIW board as often as any other, but I have not been able to do that as much this off season.

Did I miss something or did the Westminster staff decide that they would unilaterally represent the SLIAC in a challenge with the CCIW?

[y_jack_lok]

OK, so I glanced at the Westminster schedule and noticed that the Blue Jays are playing both Milliken and Elmhurst in games that are referred to as the SLIAC/CCIW challenge.

I usually check the CCIW board as often as any other, but I have not been able to do that as much this off season.

Did I miss something or did the Westminster staff decide that they would unilaterally represent the SLIAC in a challenge with the CCIW?

The more knowledgeable hopefan can probably answer your question best, but I believe Westminster and Greenville have been the SLIAC teams playing against CCIW teams in this "challenge" the past few seasons. Webster usually hosts a "classic" that often includes Rust and another outside team, plus MacMurray -- as it does this season. And Webster going to IWU is another SLIAC/CCIW matchup.

[WUPHF]

I see, so Westminster and Greenville are participating in a tournament known as the SLIAC/CCIW challenge.  That is cool.  There are no rules as to how many teams you need in order to declare an inter-conference challenge.  Decatur is only a few hours away, so I am assuming we will get a full report on that one.

It looks like Blackburn plays at Carrol, though I think that was mentioned previously.

[hopefan]

Hopefan does a review/comparison of each of the SLIAC team's schedules when they all have been released... we are still waiting on MacMuray, Eureka, and Greenville... Blackburn, Fontbonne, Iowa Wesleyan, Principia, Spalding, Westminster, and Webster are each out there at their various sites...

[hopefan]

New to  the group. Following SLIAC this year and Greenville. A freshman at Greenville this year played in an All-Star game for us last two years and I've been following him ever since and what college would pick him up.

What teams look strong for the SLIAC this year and how are the teams new recruits looking?

Tri State... I'm, assuming your freshman of interest is 6'5 Josh Anders... as I see it, there is quite an opening for Anders or sevral of the other new faces to fill this year.  Greenville's only true inside presence last year, Andrew Scott, graduated.  GC's second unit middle man was usually Jamal Daniels, who was only 6'1, but showed ability to score with his back to the basket...  There was NO other size on the varsity roster last year, as 12-13 perimeter players rotated in and out using the system... Competition for playing time for big men will all be new faces, 7 recruits 6'4" or taller.... Using the system, big men have to be able to go hard up and down the court 2 or 3  minutes at a time, and be able to score from the paint as opposing defenses spread to defend the 3 point line....

[WUPHF]

Hopefan does a review/comparison of each of the SLIAC team's schedules when they all have been released... we are still waiting on MacMuray, Eureka, and Greenville... Blackburn, Fontbonne, Iowa Wesleyan, Principia, Spalding, Westminster, and Webster are each out there at their various sites...

Yeah, I could not wait for that after seeing that Webster schedule.

[TRI_STATE_ATHLETICS]

New to  the group. Following SLIAC this year and Greenville. A freshman at Greenville this year played in an All-Star game for us last two years and I've been following him ever since and what college would pick him up.

What teams look strong for the SLIAC this year and how are the teams new recruits looking?

Tri State... I'm, assuming your freshman of interest is 6'5 Josh Anders... as I see it, there is quite an opening for Anders or sevral of the other new faces to fill this year.  Greenville's only true inside presence last year, Andrew Scott, graduated.  GC's second unit middle man was usually Jamal Daniels, who was only 6'1, but showed ability to score with his back to the basket...  There was NO other size on the varsity roster last year, as 12-13 perimeter players rotated in and out using the system... Competition for playing time for big men will all be new faces, 7 recruits 6'4" or taller.... Using the system, big men have to be able to go hard up and down the court 2 or 3  minutes at a time, and be able to score from the paint as opposing defenses spread to defend the 3 point line....

I've seen Anders play as also. Looking at him the past season he seemed ready to make the transition to help out immediately. Although I haven't seen the other big men play as much and some not at all live.  The actual freshman of interest was the small guard LaRon Anderson. He played in All-Star games in the wabash valley area of Illinois the last two years. He's a 1A player so immediately I doubted what he would bring to the games when typically large school 3A and above HS players in Illinois, Indiana and Kentucky are only invited. But his numbers his junior and senior year warranted an invite and seeing him play on film vs ranked 1A and some 2A teams. We were impressed. He's a southpaw and his quickness was unmatched on the floor. It's one thing to be a fast player and its another to be fast and not lose a step dribbling and be under control the entire length of the floor.  Lateral quickness was impressive. The height was the issue 5'9". I sat along Wabash Valley Coach, Eastern Illinois, SIUE, SIUC, Murray, Campbellsville, Southern Indiana as well as other JUCO schools all saying the same thing about Anderson, if he was 6'3" or taller he'd be a D1 lock. Hate to hear and not one to believe it after what Tyler Ulis a 5'10 guard did for Kentucky last two years all because he's ability to be controlled, pass, and drive to the basket and still score. Anderson scored last year I believe 38pts and was 6-7 from 3pt range and maybe missed 4-5 shots the entire game. Again controlled and drives to the basket when he knows he can score. His profile the school sends in to the all-star game said he's lead Illinois in all classes in scoring last two years averaging 27+ppg and broke the HS school record with over 1,700pts. Again 1A inflated stats but impressive in person.

Kyler Stork the 6'7" saw him play in Bloomington area and was impressed with this game against good competition. Needs work on being tougher inside but has good fundamentals for the game. Raw and will get good coaching to transition well. 

Kealin McLean 6'4" could contribute right away. Grinder on the court and does the dirty work of ripping rebounds and kicking it out. Has to finish at the rim this year on offensive glass.

[Friend of the Program]

New website for Mac Athletics.

http://mchighlanders.com/

Schedule is up

http://mchighlanders.com/schedule.aspx?path=mbball

Non Conference Includes:
Augustana

Bill Merris Tip Off @ Illinois College:
Nebraska Wesleyan
IC or Concordia IL

@Illinois Wesleyan

Cavallo Classic @ Webster
Rust
UW LaCrosse

@ D2 Quincy U

[hopefan]

New to  the group. Following SLIAC this year and Greenville. A freshman at Greenville this year played in an All-Star game for us last two years and I've been following him ever since and what college would pick him up.

What teams look strong for the SLIAC this year and how are the teams new recruits looking?

Tri State... I'm, assuming your freshman of interest is 6'5 Josh Anders... as I see it, there is quite an opening for Anders or sevral of the other new faces to fill this year.  Greenville's only true inside presence last year, Andrew Scott, graduated.  GC's second unit middle man was usually Jamal Daniels, who was only 6'1, but showed ability to score with his back to the basket...  There was NO other size on the varsity roster last year, as 12-13 perimeter players rotated in and out using the system... Competition for playing time for big men will all be new faces, 7 recruits 6'4" or taller.... Using the system, big men have to be able to go hard up and down the court 2 or 3  minutes at a time, and be able to score from the paint as opposing defenses spread to defend the 3 point line....

I've seen Anders play as also. Looking at him the past season he seemed ready to make the transition to help out immediately. Although I haven't seen the other big men play as much and some not at all live.  The actual freshman of interest was the small guard LaRon Anderson. He played in All-Star games in the wabash valley area of Illinois the last two years. He's a 1A player so immediately I doubted what he would bring to the games when typically large school 3A and above HS players in Illinois, Indiana and Kentucky are only invited. But his numbers his junior and senior year warranted an invite and seeing him play on film vs ranked 1A and some 2A teams. We were impressed. He's a southpaw and his quickness was unmatched on the floor. It's one thing to be a fast player and its another to be fast and not lose a step dribbling and be under control the entire length of the floor.  Lateral quickness was impressive. The height was the issue 5'9". I sat along Wabash Valley Coach, Eastern Illinois, SIUE, SIUC, Murray, Campbellsville, Southern Indiana as well as other JUCO schools all saying the same thing about Anderson, if he was 6'3" or taller he'd be a D1 lock. Hate to hear and not one to believe it after what Tyler Ulis a 5'10 guard did for Kentucky last two years all because he's ability to be controlled, pass, and drive to the basket and still score. Anderson scored last year I believe 38pts and was 6-7 from 3pt range and maybe missed 4-5 shots the entire game. Again controlled and drives to the basket when he knows he can score. His profile the school sends in to the all-star game said he's lead Illinois in all classes in scoring last two years averaging 27+ppg and broke the HS school record with over 1,700pts. Again 1A inflated stats but impressive in person.

Kyler Stork the 6'7" saw him play in Bloomington area and was impressed with this game against good competition. Needs work on being tougher inside but has good fundamentals for the game. Raw and will get good coaching to transition well. 

Kealin McLean 6'4" could contribute right away. Grinder on the court and does the dirty work of ripping rebounds and kicking it out. Has to finish at the rim this year on offensive glass.

Lack of Height will not be a problem in the SLIAC... quickness and aggressiveness will easily overcome any height deficiency... 

[hopefan]

Hopefan does a review/comparison of each of the SLIAC team's schedules when they all have been released... we are still waiting on MacMuray, Eureka, and Greenville... Blackburn, Fontbonne, Iowa Wesleyan, Principia, Spalding, Westminster, and Webster are each out there at their various sites...

Amusing timing.... less than 24 hours after this post was up, new site including schedules has now appeared for Greenville ... nothing yet for Eureka... the New Mac site has obviously been there for a while, but there is not reference to it on D3hoops.com or on the Mac.edu site, so how is the reader to know?