MBB: St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[Ralph Turner]

Welcome, formersliaccommish, (but fsc is faster to type!    )

It is good to have your perspective on the board.

Here's hoping for another good season.

I also hope that you are a mainstay on the Baseball and Football boards in 2008!

[BunchTime]

Rumor has it that Fontbonnes best player, Trevor White, is not returning this season, which will put a road block into Fontbonne's chances of winning the SLIAC.  Nevertheless, they will be a contender this year! Webster has 4 junior college players that they have added to the roster and all are looking very good in the pre-season.  The Gorloks are lifting, running, and playing three days a week trying to get ready for one of the toughest non-conference schedules in the nation. There are 27 players in the gym every night and they are loaded at the top with 9 juniors and 4 seniors on the roster.  Hopefully, there hard work this off-season pays off!

I know that Fontbonne may have the most wins in SLIAC history, but here is a look at the records over  the last five years since Coach Bunch and his staff took over.

Webster 53-21
Blackburn 45-29
Maryville 41-33
Fontbonne 40-34
Greenville 37-37
MacMurray 35-39
Westminster 32-42
Principia 17-57
Eureka 12-6
Lincoln Chr 2-16

[y_jack_lok]

White would be a big loss for the Griffins, but they still have plenty of fire power. Terrence Lovette was a  joy to watch play when he got minutes on the floor. He was having such a great time, at his age, being able to play -- he couldn't stop smiling. It changed my whole attitude towards Fontbonne men's hoops. Don't get me wrong, I'm a Gorlok fan all the way. But I think the nature of the rivalry has changed a bit for the good.

Nice to hear the encouraging report about this year's Gorlok squad. Two  months and counting.

[hopefan]

FC  -  what say you to this newest rumor???  My enthusiasm toward the season is falling fast as players drop from rosters-  not something I'm used to seeing with my past alliances or with my brief 6 year association with the SLIAC.

I had my conversation with Coach Creal of Mac (how long before someone comes up with the moniker King Creal - oops, there it is)  Anyway, he's full of enthusiasm, VERY happy to be a D3 Head Coach and very happy to be at Mac.  And while he took the politically correct method of mentioning no names at all, he gave me enough indirect info that I can confirm that the Woody man's info regarding several players leaving Mac was correct.  It's too bad, because that seems to drop them out of the preseason top pack and down into the middle group - 

I'm excited about Bunchtime's report on Webster - hope a couple of those JC'rs are guards - Webster's returning group are mostly slashers - a perimeter threat or two would fit in perfectly - and of course a point to replace Scott Spinner.  Wonder if Benny is playing this year??

[BunchTime]

Hopefan, to answer a few of your questions Benny Roberts will not be playing this year.  However, 3 of the Juco recruits are guards.  2 are from Meremac and 1 is from Lincoln Land.  Along with fulltime starters Kuhn and Hoggatt returning, the Gorloks also return Josue Whitcomb, Steve Hrdlicka, Kyle Reagan, Ryan Turk, Brad Robinson, and Doug Steigmeier; all of whom started some last season. 

I hear that Juco recruit Eric Paradoski is looking good at running the point thus far.  The Gorloks also have the ability to play Regan, Turk, or sophmore Justin Endo at the point.

From the all accounts it looks like it will be very competitve for playing time and starting jobs this season with the depth and veteran-laden squad that the Gorloks have.  14 upper classman will battle it out with some good freshman and sophmores.  It will be interesting to see how everything shakes out.

[hopefan]

Funny, I haven't really thought of roles on various teams yet, but Bunchtime's mention of the many Webster names really gets me pumped to start hypothesizing about starters etc.... 
Webster could go with so many combinations as "starters"  -  Assuming Kuhn and Hoggat are givens, and I really like Steigmeier, Whitcomb, and Hrdlicka.   Of course that lineup offers no point guard (no matter how badly Kory Kuhn wants to be one).  Whitcomb looked so solid last year  -   Turk was terriibly streaky, he has to settle down, have a better shot selection, play smarter if he is to really fit into Coach's plans -  Bennie offered that smarter game 2 years ago, disppointed he won't be there.  The Paradoski clan has turned out a number of good heady guards -he could really be the answer at point  - 

Webster plays that pound it to the basket game that isn't as glamorous as the running game of Fontbonne or Maryville, but can be very effective.   And that schedule !!- they'll either be totally ready for SLIAC competition, or totally whipped from the brutal non conference competition.  As far as maturity and depth, Webster really has an up on most of the conference -the question is, can they defend against Westminsters guards and big man Davis, and against Fontbonne's talent level (which degrades significantly if White is not back)

[BunchTime]

Hopefan, Westminster's roster is posted and it does not list Davis... So he might be gone as well... Sorry to burst your bubble on another possible player leaving!  We'll have to wait and see!

[pantherpride06]

Players leaving... ugh...  news report in from Greenville.. we've lost two as well..

Antonio Conquest ( 15.3 ppg, 3.2 rpg, .500 FG% )
Todd West ( 7.7 ppg, .919 FT%, .526 FG% )

Two major losses for the Panther program.  However, three new additions will fill the gaps of Conquest and West.  Andy Traeger, Ben Cochran, and Obinna Agomo.  There is another kid they may play that is a stud.  I watched him play with the team in some open gyms and he was pretty good.

Both Traeger and Cochran I have watched play and are good players.  I hear Agomo is a stud as well.  So, rocky times in Greenville, Ill.  That's the report from there.

[pantherpride06]

As I posted the previous, I have heard better news about Antonio.  He has been on campus but working out some technical issues.  Sounds like he may stay at Greenville.  More as it develops.

[hopefan]

If Davis, Conquest, Robertson, White, and Coleman are gone, that is virtually a preseason first team all SLIAC team minus Hoggat  -  what's going on?  I'll withhold comment until all are confirmed, but yes, the bubble is burst if this is a fact.   

[fcnews]

To answer the big question. Trevor White is not in school this semester at FU. It is purely for family financial reasons. He is not transferring anywhere else. It is hoped that he will be back next year when these issues are addressed.

Hope give me a holler back and leave your cell #.

Good to hear from FSC, Panther and Bunchtime.

[woody-paige]

Bunchtime- Hopefully, there hard work this off-season pays off!
 
   You just were grammatically wrong there pumpkin.....there should be their.  Oh well as far as my writing, I may not have punctuations, and i dont capitalize everything, nor do I space my paragraphs.   I am sorry....I must have gotten some negative karma for the pumpkin comment.  OOOps not a first.  I am sorry I am not sorry.  I re-read my posts and I did not have any 100+ word paragraphs with no punctuation.  I had 500 words+ blurbs with no space in between paragraphs.  But whatever I am wasting my time on you. 

Hopefan-  Did you really think I was lying to you.  My sources and comments were not lies.  I am not going to come on here and make statements that are not true, yes my "act" as Woody Paige as a farce, yes.  I am here reportin
g, the truth.  In your conversation with Coach Creal did he menton if they would be playing Arkansas State?  When? and if it were true???

Also do you wanna know why all these kids are leaving?  One the tuition is ridiculous, two some have better opportunities at another school, in a different state, and a different conference.  That is why.

Im out, I will be back and remeber to get your pets spayed or neutered.

[BunchTime]

Paige:  You can hardly be one to correct grammar.  Additionally, if you would have continued reading my post you might have noticed that I stated that SLIAC posters are not critical of other's grammar; however, when you write a 600 word run-on sentence no one bothers reading because it is too difficult to even follow! 

Again, Paige if you would have read why White is leaving (for financial reasons), that would be a direct contradiction to the reasons you provide.  Your speculations and nonsense are not even close to the truth you purport to spew!

[woody-paige]

Woody Paige- Also do you wanna know why all these kids are leaving?  One the tuition is ridiculous, two some have better opportunities at another school, in a different state, and a different conference.  That is why. 

Is it hard to follow guy?  Hooked on phonics worked for bunchtime!!!!!  Can you even read??  do you see that I say tuition is ridiculous?  Does that possibly mean, families not being able to financially afford it??? hmmm  well i  dooont knoow  maybe that is what i am trying to say........hellloooooooo.

Im out cannot wait to spar with you this season....dont forget to get your pets spayed and neutered!!!

[pantherpride06]

Most of the kids are at the NCAA III level because this is where they belong and cannot play higher.  Most NCAA III schools are private and spendy.  Not sure the conference had a hole lot to do with it.  It a topic that has been discussed and at least at Greenville, with it being affiliated with the church, it's even more of a draw back.  But, we get great kids and money sometimes is an issue.  But it can all be worked out or dealt with.  Either through FA or having to transfer to a state school.  It's the trials and tribulations of NCAA III.

Even out here in the Great Northwest, its the same thing.  Here at Puget Sound, it's $40,000 per year.  Which was a shock to me when I started here.  $40,000 a year and they have been in the NCAA Tournament three of the last four years.  Whitworth (who lost to DePauw at Wash U in the NCAA's) has a tuition of $32,000 and at Linfield it's $35,562.

It's the nature of NCAA III schools that are private.