MBB: St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[y_jack_lok]

Oops!!! MY mistake. Bunch has only coached Webster five seasons. Overall record is 74-56, SLIAC record is 53-21.

[fcnews]

Fontbonne has now won 164 SLIAC Conference games. This leads all schools in overall wins.

[fcnews]

Y_Jak - Coach Bunch took over a team that had alot of talent left from Coach Kanieserio, Coach Bunch has also proved he can win with his own. Lance came in with the closet pretty empty, did a very quick turn around and left for what he thought was better pastures in Europe. That's before returning to coach at SLU.

[sully309]

It is my displeasure to report that Coach Bruer will not be returning to the EC sidelines next season.  He recently submitted his resignation and will be leaving Eureka after the school year.  Coach Bruer's faith has always been a large part of his life and something that has helped make him an outstanding person and representative of our school, and he is planning on going into ministry. This is a good move for him and his wife as it will allow him more time with his family, which includes a newborn. Luckily, he wil be staying close to the area, so I'm sure he will be around from time to time. He will be missed by everyone that has known him here at EC, but especially by me as he quickly became a good friend of mine after I moved here 2 years ago. He has threatened many times to post on here, but he is a big fan of this message board. He really enjoyed reading everyone's comments on here this past season and even meeting some of our more "prominant" fixtures. I will always remember some of the great times and conversations we had on the road and at work. Please join me in wishing him well as he moves on to bigger and better things in his life.

[hopefan]

Wow - that's is a shame for the SLIAC, but a wonderful move for Coach B.  Knowing nothing about the program or school when they entered the SLIAC, I was already feeling close to the program after chatting with Coach several times, and of course the many communications thru this venue with Eureka SID.
With the major graduation losses Eureka has from this year, the new coach faces a real challenge - but with the spirited student body I witnessed when I went up to see a Eureka game and the beautiful small community and campus Eureka offers, it is a good draw for solid D3 athletes - they should be able to rebuild quickly.
Coach Bruer, I really enjoyed our conversations, though too brief   -  best of luck to you.  Now no longer officially on the "inside", your views from the "outside" would be more then welcomed here - join us!

[fcnews]

Big Loss - Coach B. was a very nice young man. By the looks of this years EC squad, he was a pretty good recruiter. I had the oppurtunity of sitting with him during the first half of FU's semi final game. He was definately good people. Hopefan, I agree with alot of your views on EC's future. That being said, we here is STL think there is alot of competition for players. Northern IL. is loaded with options for a kid.

Good Luck Coach

[sully309]

On the topic of next year's EC team, they will definitely enter the season with more question marks than answers. However, to coin a phrase from Mark Twain, the reports of the team's demise may have been greatly exaggerated. Though I would love to say differently, let's face it, Eureka is probably never going to dominate this league in any sport, much less one as competitive as men's basketball. But as we saw last year, it's possible on at least a one year basis, for EC to compete for a league championship.

It's hard to say where this team will be going into next season. Coaching changes are tricky. Obviously, there is no replacement on the current roster for Tarpley's total offensive game and Richard's low post scoring. On the flip side, having watched almost every game this past year, I believe that our top 6 defensive players will be coming back. How many games can a team win by not scoring over 60 points? We may find out. McComb, Darnall and Wildenradt are a nice place to start. Zasada is the best returning frontcourt player. Beecher brings good size and can really defend. McCoy is another big man that could step in to some minutes. I would expect more teams to be better next year in the SLIAC as opposed to worse. On paper it would seem that EC would be one of the teams that will be worse. I still think EC can be in the mix of teams fighting for a spot in the conf. tourney next year. We can only hope it's as close of a fight as it was this past season.

[fcnews]

Welcome Underrated. If Seth did not play his freshmen year, then there is no getting a year back. You have 10 semesters to complete your elgibility, starting with the first semester you play.

[Pat Coleman]

If he's been enrolled full-time that entire time, yes.

[fcnews]

Yes, the McCarthy Basketball Invitational (hopr that's correct) was discussed about a week ago. No SLIAC player was selected. I think the last SLIAC player to play any type of proffesional ball was FU's Duane Roth and that has been awhile. FU's Roy Woods had a season or two overseas in about '95. I don't think there is anyone in this years class that are at that level. Just my opinion.

[y_jack_lok]

My first chance to get on d3hoops all weekend and I saw the article about coach Bruer, then read everyone's comments. From personal experience in my family, ministry is a tough business, too. I wish coach Bruer well. I expect coaching is good preparation for this next venture. At the Eureka/Fontbonne SLIAC championship game my wife had the joyful experience of holding Coach Bruer's newborn part of the time while his wife was taping the game. It's too late for more children for us and too early for grand children, so I know that experience was meaningful to my wife.

I have been to Eureka, IL, but not to the EC campus. What I saw, however, leads me to agree with Hopefan that it is a good place to be for coaches as well as students. Two of my son's junior high classmates are on the EC team. It's nice to see those rascals I saw as 6th-8th graders getting a good college education and becoming fine young men.

[pantherpride06]

Pride is back from his sabbatical from the board!!!

I hate hearing that about the EC Coach. I actually was looking through job listing on the NCAA Board and seen that position open.  Unfortunate for the SLIAC community because EC and coach Bauer had something going in what former player Nathaniel Meiss would say is "God's Country."

As for the exposure of NAIA, D3, D2 tournaments.... I think some of it has to do with the great games such as the 4 overtime game with Concordia (California) and Robert Morris (Ill.) [NAIA] and Barton coming from behind to defeat Winona State on a wacky ending [NCAA II.]

I'm not sure if the NCAA III title games (M & W) were televised by CBS as was the NCAA II was, but I'd like to see ESPN (one of the networks) or CBS give the DIII tourney title game a shot.  If you are showing I and II, why not add III.

[hopefan]

Note - Panther - the D3 championship game has been on for a number of years, though you you have to be a DirectV or Dishnet subscriber  -  It was on the one of the Fox Sports Regional Networks for a few years, and has been on the College Sports Network the last couple.  Not mainstream, but available if you pay a couple bucks extra beyond basic for the sports package   (one of the Hope - Calvin games has been on the Clollege Sports Network each year also).

[fcnews]

Welcome back Pride and Y_Jak. I think we got off the origonal question asked by Underrated15. It was in regards to Tarpley or Spinner getting invited to one of the exposure events for non - D I senior players.

[fcnews]

With Florida going for the repeat tonight, what are the chances of WU or Mac winning back - to - back SLIAC Conference Titles.