MBB: St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[fcnews]

Doesn't sound like any SLIAC squad could match up with Miss College

[yjacklok]

Mississippi College may be in the toughest bracket. Assuming they get to the Elite Eight, to reach the final four they will have to get past either Hope, Calvin, Wittenberg, or Baldwin-Wallace. But they first have to beat Maryville (TN), then the winner of the Transy-Wooster game. I hope for their sake that their women's coach knows what she's talking about.

[yjacklok]

Tough loss for the Saints tonight. Another wake up call for the SLIAC.

[whocares]

so give some input on the game, stats, what happened?  hopefan?  anyone?

[yjacklok]

Mississippi College was too quick, too deep and, and played very tough defense. The announcer, who was excellent and did a very fair job under the circumstances, said the pattern all year had been that teams could stay with Mississippi College maybe until the final 10 minutes of the game, but then their depth would take over. Maryville was behind by 12 at the half, so if the announcer was correct (and he was) then things looked grim for the Saints. Mississippi college scored the first 8 points of the second half. They had nine different players score in the early going of the first half before someone finally made a second basket. Apparently their coach preaches, teaches and demands a TOTAL team concept so that no one player will have eye-catching stats. I haven't checked for a box score, but then anyone can do that themselves. Hope this was the kind of info "whocares" was looking for.

[hopefan]

sorry guys, my computer imploded last night  -  I'm at the office now listening to the Hope game  -  I'll talk to the staff tomorrow or Monday, let you know - friggin dial up connection is worthless trying to listen to a game.  Looking at the box score, looks like we were out rebounded badly, turned the ball over too much.

[hopefan]

shot in the dark,

If Hope wins on Friday night, is there anyone else out there in the St. Louis Mo area who would be interested in driving over to Witt to see Saturday's game?
Private message me and maybe we can hook up  -  I'm willing to drive  - drive back after game getting home late.
Note  -  could be Hope vs Mississippi College.
Best to private message me.

[hopefan]

So.. a general venture  from the above..
top 3   Blackburn, Webster, Maryville (especially if Bash recovers)
Middle 3    Fontbonne, Mac, Greenville
Bottom 2 Westminster, Prin

Last March, I took a look at each team, who graduated, who was coming back, and finished with a summary forecast....   I pretty much nailed this season last March!!!   Got the top three, missed on Fontbonne as both big scorers left school and most of the team was replaced with freshmen,  and while I acknowleged that Westminster would be better, didn't foresee the rise of Robert Davis to pull them up to the top of the middle pack.

This week I'll take a look at the rosters this year in the same way - already aware that if we can trust the Mac fans, much more is coming back than the stats indicate as several prospects sat out a year. 

Hopefully it will generate some interest in D3hoops during the offseason.  It would be nice if the fans close to the programs could report recruiting news also...

It would also be nice if anyone was close enough to a program to know what went on at the conference meetings to report it here.  I made enough noise with suggestions this year that I received some response back from various schools - some positive, some not so positive.  I only want to help make the SLIAC more attractive to fans and recruits so that our basketball programs can be recognized by a wider range of fans, and perhaps by a level of player who can make the league competitive in the NCAA tourney.

One of the main questions in my mind is what scheduling will look like next season - with 10 conference teams, will the league play 18 conference games, go divisional (which would be bad, as geographicly, the Missouri or South division would seem to be a little too strong), or go to an unbalanced play some teams twice, some teams once schedule?  And what will the conference tourney look like - 8 teams, 6 teams (3 vs 6, 4 vs 5, 1 and 2 get a bye) or still 4 teams?
FCnews, you're close to the inside, have you heard anything?

[fcnews]

Hope first congrats on Hope College getting both teams to the round of 8 and the women to the final 4.

On the conference. It will be an 18 game conference schedule. Eureka will be participating in post season tourney next year. LC will not because they have a three year probation before being accepted as a Div. III school. As we speak, the tournament next year will be four. That said there is disscusion now on expanding to 6 ( 1 and 2 get byes, ect. ) there are a couple of hold outs to this plan and it will need to passed by conference vote. My gut says we will have 6 in next years tourney.

On recruiting: We're still 6 weeks away from institutions start presenting financial aid packages.

The NCAA has audited all schools on packages presented to student athletes in comparison to non athletes. This may hamper some of our schools in the area of recruiting. I don't see this effecting FU. But, I have no info on how it plays out for schools with work programs.

I also would like to congratulate FU on being one of the top 20 div. III schools in the nation on graduation rate of student - athletes. I'll try to find the date this was released in the USA Today. I beleive it was based on 1999 in coming freshmen class. This is a big plus for our program.

Former FU player Kennard Davis has had his dream come true, of being able to get paid to play. He is traveling with exhibition team similar to 'And One", it's sponsored by the energy drink Red Bull. Let's say I beleive it'd Red Bull may be one of the others. This info came from former player Mike Horton. It would have been nice to see him this year on the floor with this young team. But you got to feel for a kid in his position, with family committments and trying to work and play to meet universities out of pocket expenses of a couple grand a year. He is a very nice young man and wish him the best.

Disscusion is on going to bring former stand out John Thomas to the FU bench in a coaching position. Hopefan you think he could teach FU's young post players a move or two. This is a young man that led the nation in all divisions in FG%. It would be nice to John around the program again. Remember he was the IL. state tournament MVP on the losing end of the championship game.

OK Hope I've done my part. We still need to firm up our wager on the Hope v. FU softball game at IWU. May be road trip time.

[fcnews]

Could some help me with the spell check icon above. Which one. English was not my best subject.

[hopefan]

Excellent stuff FC- you earn a Karma with that info - Very informative  -  I hope they go with 6 team tourney - would obviously keep more teams alive longer, and generally speaking, the 3-6, 4-5 games are good games.  It would also rule out the last league contest being the same week as the tourney  -  I complained about that this season.
The 18 game conference means less non league games, and will likely necessitate league games before Christmas.  Maryville played such a good schedule this season, but dropping the tough NAIA schools and/or the Bahamas competition won't hurt them  -  the inexperienced group that will be on the floor for them next season doesn't need that level of competition early on.  18 conference + the tourney with Webster vs the Indiana schools + likely Wash U already gets MU to 21 games.

[fcnews]

I failed to mention that FU has firmed up arangements to play St. Louis Univ. on next years schedule. Look out Savis Center the Super Sophmores in the house.

[hopefan]

Here goes nothing - My early early forecast for next season - who's leaving and who's coming back for each team and how it might affect them.  If they're a senior, I assume they're gone, if they're an underclassman, I assume they're coming back.
Recruiting is ongoing and new recruits are obviously not taken into account.

Blackburn  -  This year's cochamps lose 5 seniors :
2006 2nd team all conference, 2005 SLIAC MOP Luka Djedovich, Starting point man Todd Stevens, strong rebounder Matt Maddox, and role players Jake McWhorter and Josh Oswald.  This is a bundle to lose - Djedovich has been a 4 year star, and Stevens a solid perimeter threat and tough as nails attitude.  BUT coming back are two first team all conference players, Zeb Hammond, and this year's SLIAC MOP Zak Allen, along with Bryan Waters.  Three very good players, but Blackburn is REALLY hurting for size with Djedovich and Maddox leaving, and their depth suffers tremendously.  New faces are going to have to play alot of minutes next year.

Fontbonne  NO seniors on the roster - everyone back, and most of them will be sophomores.  This team didn't win many games this year, but it was a learning experience.  Frosh big men Ryan Kirkpatrick, Justin Storandt, and Brian Fogarty will be a handful as they develop, and Guards Patrick McCoy and Andrew Almany both are quick and can shoot.   The depth is there too...  any new recruiting will just make things better.
Maturity should lead to better shot selection by the guards and a better sense of the flow that will get Fontbonne wins.

Greenville - Only one senior is lost, Bryson Taylor, an All Conf HM this year.  Greenville's game was quickness and perimeter shooting, much like Blackburn, and most of their perimeter group returns with AJ Turner, Matt Greene, Ben Henold, JosH Reams, and George Atchison.  Trouble is, every one of these guys are pure guards, not forwards.  Lack of size and strength killed Greenville this year, and will again unless help comes from the recruits.  Brad Mutton and Darin Williams try hard in the middle, but... well, not quite enough.

MacMurray -  Mac loses my personal choice of League MOP, first Teamer Ryan Eberhart, along with 5 other seniors, Brad Cunningham, Kevin Downham, Stan Boyer, Brett Carroll, and Jim Michels.  I have to admit, I only saw Mac once, in what might have been one of their worst games of the year (at Maryville) - and only Eberhart impressed me.  But this team came on strong in the 2nd half of conference, and many guys who really played return, including Neil Compton, Dawson Huff, Jerel Robertson and Nick Hipsher.

Maryville  - OK, you all know this is the team I follow, and we are losing 6 seniors who have done wonders for this program - all Conf 1st team Ben Hebl, All conf 2nd team Matt Regan, All conf 2nd team (SLIAC POY 2 years ago) Steve Bash, Tim Elwell, Ryan Klein, and Jared Smiddy.
Fortunately, Coach Roger's substitution patterns got his bench some significant playing time, but certainly next year will be entered into with question marks at every position.  Returning are Mike Turpen, who had a string of double digit scoring games in the first part of the season ended with a month long knee problem, Matt McCarthy who subbed well for Bash, but ran out of steam towards the end of the season, Matt Baker and Aaron Steinke, two frosh with nice size who both need to bulk up and get aggressive, Casey Holland, who showed signs every now and then, but would mistake himself out of playing time on most nights, and Teddy MgGrath and Ben Arand, neither of whom showed much propensity towards being a point guard when given the chance.  The injury crew returning are 4 guys with size, none of whom contributed this year due largely to injury - Jason Rezabeck, Josh Andrews, Mike Bollinger, and Marcus Vanden Heuval - Rezabek's return would be huge, but major back problems are tough to overcome.

Principia didn't win a D3 game all season - they only lose 1 senior, big man Zeke Chiteri.  Everyone else is back, including leading scorer Chris Watts.  Nowhere to go but up, and hey, they did beat Lincoln Christian this past season.

Webster loses only 1 senior, athletic Christian Basilio - What a group returning!  That group is led by All conf 1st team Darin Hoggatt (I wonder if he ever followed up on that Valentine's Day setup from Kevin Slaton?), 2nd team all conf Corey Kuhn and 2nd team all conf Scott Spinner. Add to that mix point guard Benny Roberts, shooter Ryan Turk (who made the all conference tourney team), small forward Doug Stiegenmeier, and big man Brad Robinson, and all bases are covered  -  Webster is loaded - good shooters, an inside post presence, a solid point guard.

Westminster loses one senior, David McDormand HM all conf, but it's a big loss- he was a leader and played hard - and he had his best games against Maryville. 
Returning is the outstanding Guard combo from Lafayette HS, Andrew Buxton and Landon Kurz, Robert Davis in the middle, and Cade House on the wing.  Depth comes back with Scott Dygert, Kurt Kuschel, and Dylan Schram.  I knew this team would be much improved over two years ago, but I underestimated how far they could come - and who would have thought  Davis would have some of the big games he had at the end of the season.  Good coach, a real threat.

Eureka is one of two new teams coming to the conference  -  they move from the NIIC, where they had a poor record this past season, but one only needs to know that they beat Westminster and Greenville, and split with Webster to know that they will be competitive in the SLIAC.  They graduate 3 seniors each of whom averaged around 4.5 points per game.  Leading scorers Tim Peffer (15.1), AJ Richard (14.6), and Chris Tarpley (11.4) return  -  Richard and Tarpley were also their leading rebounders.  Leading Assist man Matt McComb also returns.

Lincoln Christian - had a rough season, and played level with Prin in two games.  They lost two seniors, including Howard Wickersham who averaged 12 points and 5.8 rebounds per game.  Returning is leading scorer Matt Searby (13.7 ppg, 5.3 rpg)  and two others who averaged around 8 per game, Adam Everett, and David O'Malley


So how will next season stack up?  Here's my prediction based on who's coming back

1  Webster    no holes, great attitude, know how to win

2  Westminster   Great guard combo, reasonable depth, need Davis to show up every nite.

3 - 4  Blackburn/Eureka
        Blackburn great nucleus of 3 returners, but the cupboard seems bare after that
        Eureka  -  competitive with the SLIAC this year and much back - sight unseen

5 - 6 Fontbonne, Maryville
   Fontbonne - babes this year - things will start to kick in next year - learn to play harder, smarter
   Maryville - lots of potential, great coach - could surprise, but need to stay away from injury bug - consistancy is a key

 7 - 8  Mac, Greenville
  Greenville - good perimeter players, gotta find some players with size inside
     Mac - lots returning from a team that had some good games - again, consistancy is crucial.

9  Prin
10 Lincoln Christian


Would love to hear some comments  Let's try to keep this board alive

[fcnews]

Great job Hope - 2 Karmas if I could. You are the biggest assest we to this site.

My Griffins finished this year with a couple of quality games. A one pt. loss to Westminister at the buzzer and a overtime win on the road at Webster (your #1 pick). The loss of Davis and a true point guard and I could see at least 4 more conference wins this year. It will be hard for me not to see this team in the top four.

Are there going to be any coaching changes next year?

Westminister will suffer a couple of losses to the rigors of the road and adding trips to EC and LC doesn't help.

Maryville's success will depend on which route coach choses, Juco or true freshmen. Maryville's bench could not hold leads against FU in both contests.

The loss of Dejavich of BC will be the hardest senior to replace in the SLIAC. His poise on the floor, leadership, scoring and rebounding are not going to be replaced by any one player. The Beaver Dome is always a tough place to win.

The biggest question of all will be how does GC replace "Panther Pride".

Next year will bring the most parity this conference has seen in quite awhile. I pray that the few hold outs vote for the six team post season tourney. Four is just way to few. All you have to do is look at the D.I tourneys and see. Who will be the Syracuse of the SLIAC.

Thanks again for all the info Hope, great job.

[hopefan]

I may be writing to only myself, or only FCnews, but I am amused...  I took note of the number of views the SLIAC room had at the time I posted my lengthy comment regarding each team's losses and returns of personnel and a projection of next year's standings.  Since I posted it, there have been 128 views of the room, yet only 1 person felt the urge to reply - it makes me wonder who reads the SLIAC room, and why they don't reply  (let's face it, having written something about each team, There could have been any number and type of replies - agreement, disagreement, modification of my projected standings, modification of returning personnel etc.)
so who views but doesn't respond at a 99.3% rate?

1) People within the programs - staff and players - who professionally or morally or by dictate (coach told players -DONT POST) feel they can't post.   That's understandable.  If there are a large number of these people, it's a shame they can't comment, because I would love to see the responses for conversation's sake.

2) Big D3hoops fans from outside the SLIAC who read all posts within their geographic region of interest, but don't know the teams and individuals so don't comment.  That's understandable. 

3)  The one I don't understand would be SLIAC fans who could post, but for some reason don't?  Remember, 125 viewings, one response.  I include for instance, parents of players.  If there are 100 SLIAC players, there are 100 sets of parents out there most of whom probably saw games.

When I read the posts of the active rooms such as the CCIW or MIAA, I get so jealous  - in those rooms are a handful of fans who can discuss games and players intelligently - talk about strategies, strengths, weaknesses  -  what I get a kick out of - I just can't find ANYONE (with 3 or 4 exceptions, to do that with regarding the SLIAC.)

ahhhh St Louis is a lonely place to be a D3hoops fan, even with FCnews and yjaclock  (Darryl Lloyd where have you gone?)