MBB: St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[Long Distance Traveler]

Just got home from Milwaukee.  Webster did not look good at all.  MSOE scored way too many points in the paint.  Our interior defense was non-existent.  Also 19 turnovers for Webster added to the demise.  MSOE applied full-court pressure the entire game which took our guards out of their game.  One nice thing about the trip is that MSOE has a wonderful sports complex.  Completed in 2004.  Everything looks top notch. 

Hopefully this xmas break will help the Gorloks heal up.  At least three of the players have ankle sprains.

[Gem Shewz]

MacMurray goes down 55-52 to Lake Land (WI). Had a chance to tie with 4 seconds left but shot went in and out. Highlanders played hard and looked much better, especially in the second half. Long, Schmidt, Polston, and Compton all had nice games for the Highlanders. Defense was tough, but just couldn't get it done on offense.

[hopefan]

Thanks Gem, welcome to the board  -  hope we can count on you for more game reports in the future.... Lakeland has gotten off to a reasonable start this year and their 6-4 record includes 3 close losses - had to have been a good performance for Mac!!!!

[fcnews]

RHIT 87 BC 42 5 minutes to play. Wow!!!

[fcnews]

RHIT beats Blackburn 102 - 52  BC only had 38 fg attempts compared to RHIT's 66

[fcnews]

Walsh College (OH) NAIA II (9-2) #2 ranked - beat Westminster by 30 in Hawaii

[hopefan]

potpurri of comments:

Fontbonne playing Hope International is the only D3 team playing on the 26th...  FC, it'd be fun to hear tidbits about the trip  -  when is the team leaving? what families are going? how close is Hope Int to Caltek - will the travel on the 27th be difficult?   Free time after the caltek game?  any special site seeing arranged such as games, ocean etc? Any unique meals or restaurants?  when is the team returning?

That's a horrid score for Blackburn - Rose Hulman was fair in giving Fontbonne a good game; they shouldn't be 50 points better than any SLIAC team.  It's a shame that BC has fallen so far so quick in just two years - I was very disappointed at their level of performance last year in what should have been a high scoring Zeb and Zak show - this year the program has apparently hit rock bottom.   Not so sure that hiring a placid old head coach instead of a young press and run go get em type was a very good idea.

While Westmin also got kicked, I don't put much concern with that score... We know Westmin has 3 or 4 outstanding perimeter players with not much inside, so it they play a talented big,athletic team, they can't match up. But at the conference level, they'll do fine.

Not expecting a miracle tonite when Maryville plays Milwaukee Engr, but it will provide an interesting comparison vs Webster's performance vs MSOE two nights ago.   As I said before, while I'm not necessarily on the same page with Coach Rogers mass substitution policies, I think Maryville can be a legit contender for a playoff spot in the SLIAC, and could cause problems even for the SLIAC favorites with it's constant harrassing defence and pushing the ball up the court.  If they only had a couple of shooters!!!!

So with no D3 ball to watch, and still having to work next week after Christmas day - I think I'll spend some time over at the Merramac tourney - lots of HS ball Wednesday-Saturday.  Lots of kids playing who could play in the SLIAC - yet I rarely see SLIAC staff there being visible.  The SLIAC seems to settle, (or evidently has to settle) for mostly kids from smaller rural schools - if they could get 4th, 5th even 6th or 7th men from programs  in the Suburban South, West, Metro Catholic, GAC, the level of play would increase substantially - my impression is that the mindset in the SLIAC is that it can't be done  -  it's a shame.......

[buncheriffic]

I would have to disagree with your previous post Hopefan.  I am sure a handfull of coaches in the SLIAC recruit these area kids.  Most of the time, the good players get scholarships or prefer to go out of St. Louis to attend school.  Here is a look at some Sliac players that might have played in the holiday tournament in the past.


Josh Branch (Zum West) Fontbonne
Ben Rapp (Zum West) Fontbonne
John Ortwerth (Desmet) Webster
Robbie Meeh (Lindbergh) Webster
Mark Roettger (Troy) Webster
Eric Paradoski (Vianney) Webster
Jarrett Buford (Eureka) Fontbonne
Cartez Parker (Lafayette) Fontbonne
Frank Sheetz (Vianney) Fontbonne
Buddy Sodeman (Parkway West) Westminster
Ty Cochran (Vianney) Westminster
Kurt Kovach (Zumwalt South) Westminster
Andrew Buxton (Lafayette) Westminster
Landon Kurz (Lafayette) Westminster
Jason Warnke (Francis Howell Central) Westminster
Adam Mallette (Webster Groves) Westminster
Eric Amend (Kirkwood) Westminster


There are 17 current SLIAC players from 3 teams that competed in the Meramec Tournamnet.  I have a feeling that Rogers, McKinney, Bunch, and Mitchell recruit these kids

I know that Webster recruits 100 kids just to get about 2-4 kids to come to Webster.  I am sure the SLIAC coaches recruit the best kids in the area, but may just come up short in getting some of them due to Scholarships schools.

[fcnews]

We have reached a point in the season were we have common oponents for comparisons.
Milikin has made a trip through the Northern SLIAC teams
Millikin beat BC by 14, beat MC by 23 and EC by 12
Millikin also has a 6pt win over RHIT

Rose Hulman ( who has wins over Franklin and Earlham )
Loss to FU by 1 and beat BC by 50

Robert Morris College - Sprinfield has Blackburn tommorrow nite
Loss to FU by 14 and BC by 7
RMC-S beat Mac by18 and PC by 23
RMC-S also has a 17 pt win over North Park

North Park has beat EC twice.

Wash U has beat FU and MU, with a game against Webster remaining.

Just food for thought. I'm sure there are more.

[fcnews]

Great post Buncherific +1K for your time.

[hopefan]

Buncheriffic - But if you throw Westminster out of the mix, who obviously has done a good job of St Louis recruiting, there is only 1 current starter in the group you mentioned - Branch.  I just think that with a harder hit on area hs coaches, some kids that go to NAIA schools and get a lower level education could be persuaded to go to the 3 St Louis SLIAC schools.   Somewhere along the line, better education is worth the extra $ for the future benefits it brings.  It happens out east, where D3 is superior to NAIA hoops, why not here?  I don't think most local coaches have an understanding of what D3 basketball can offer a kid - they need to be educated...

I know we both think highly of the local colleges - I'd like to see kids from the local hs at least consider them in their decision.  It's probably wishful thinking..

[fcnews]

When looking at local NAIA schools rosters you don't see an abundance of these local kids. Being a product of the Suburban North, I am of the belief that alot of these kids are just ready to get out of St. Louis for school. Also, you have to consider the Juco factor.

Speaking only of Fontbonne, we have had great success with the kids from just outside STL. Yet still with in a 100 mile radius.

Look what our neighbor Wash U has done with these local kids. Yes, they are Wash U.

You also must ask yourself if the STL high school systems are preparing these kids for the rigors of a private school education. I know that I for one would have had trouble. Hazelwood ,before it split, was to crowded to be a place of learning. Class sizes of 50-75 are better made to send kids on to lecture halls of 200. Not a good road map to Private College requirements.

Now the Vianney, DeSmet, SLUH and Laffayettes are a different animal. They do prepare the students well. Before I catch FLAK from the public school posters. I was a product of public and had two parents who made a living in the public school systems. This is not a political forum.

I know of one FU assistant who will be at these tournaments.

[Titan Q]

I just think that with a harder hit on area hs coaches, some kids that go to NAIA schools and get a lower level education could be persuaded to go to the 3 St Louis SLIAC schools.   Somewhere along the line, better education is worth the extra $ for the future benefits it brings.  It happens out east, where D3 is superior to NAIA hoops, why not here?  

It happens at all strong Division III programs.  I know in the CCIW, most of the kids who end up being 1st and 2nd Team all-conference players had opportunities to go to school free somewhere (NAIA or maybe D2).  I'm sure that applies up and down the Top 25 poll.

I don't have answers for how the St. Louis area SLIAC teams can land these "scholarship" kids, but I do know that the great thing in basketball is that you only need to land about 1 per year, in addition to all of the normal "role player" types.  One "special player" per year in hoops and you're on your way.

Illinois Wesleyan came very close to landing 6-7 Brad Copelin from O'Fallon (IL) last year.  It was close to a done deal when the kid went for 24 & 16 in the state semifinal vs Stevenson...

http://www.ihsa.org/activity/bkb/2006-07/2box5.htm

NAIA McKendree, which had not recruited him at all up until that point, came in and offered a full ride.  He took it.  Brad is now a freshman starter at a strong NAIA I program, averaging 12.9 ppg and 6.4 rpg...

http://athletics.mckendree.edu/sports/mbball/0708stats/teamcume.htm

You win some and lose some in recruiting (maybe even lose a ton), but you have to be in the mix on a bunch of those types of kids and hope to land a few.

[fcnews]

So true Titan Q. Or sometimes you get the ones that come home. "Big Fish Small Pond Theory". I'm still planning on seeing your game on the 29th. Think maybe a few FU players may join.

[Titan Q]

So true Titan Q. Or sometimes you get the ones that come home. "Big Fish Small Pond Theory". I'm still planning on seeing your game on the 29th. Think maybe a few FU players may join.

That should be a good one.  Occidental knocked off #14 last night.

If you make it, stop by and say hi!