MBB: St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[Denny McKinney]

The SLIAC held there coaches and referee meetings at Fontbonne tonite. Should have preseason polls up soon. It's that time of year.

[Denny McKinney]

For discussion purposes only. I have no knowledge of the coaches pre season poll. Do to conflicts FU was not represented at the meeting.

My preseason poll

1. Westminister - Easy decision
2. Spalding - I believe they return everyone
3. Webster - Drew Moore can carry a team
4. Eureka - Best guard combo and a couple of good bigs. But, No Zasada
5. Mac - Has questions
6. FU - Horrible last year and have questions.
7. GC - Lost Ellis
8. and 9. pick BC and PC

That said, until we get some games under our belt, I don't see any seperation from the teams listed at 4-7. All have issues to resolve. This was just for fun.

[hopefan]

Beyond Westminster on top and BC and Prin on the bottom, I think the conference will be very level...... my responses to some of your comments...

Spalding - yes all are back, but very inconsistant last year... every trip for them is a long one, making it tougher to win on the road...

Webster - the one two of Drew Moore and Nick Jones may be the best 1-2 punch in the conference, but no one beyond them showed the ability to step up in crunch time last year

Eureka - losing two 20 point scorers - Very good guard combo back, but Im not yet impressed by others...  Big man Lessing still has a ways to go.

Mac - Robertson, Slagle, McClellan, is a very good nucleus, but performance of Ozee, Bishop and new faces is critical

Font - not a single returning player performed at a level that I would have expected from them last year... lots of new faces only muddies the outlook, will it be a team of youth (I hope), or are the old heads better?  And where does it put them in the standings?  This is the mystery team of the conference going into day 1.  Could be some tough roster decisions...

Greenville has Hilliard and Agomo back... athletic small forward types, but are really light elsewhere.... new faces are critical

BC  - anyone know if Todd West is back?   With him, they're "hurtin"... without him, they're  worse than hurtin'

Prin - seriously, unless they recruited a whole team in the incoming class, this poor team may be the worst in D3....

So I will Say
1  Westminster
2 T  MacMurray
2 T Spalding
2 T  Webster
5 Eureka
6 Fontbonne
7 Greenville
8  BC
9 Prin

Anxious to see how all the recruits fit into the programs....

[hopefan]

Oct 15 Oct 15 Oct 15 !!!!!!!!!!

[hopefan]

I just noticed that Ben Cochrane, former SLIAC rookie of the year at Greenville who transferred to Wheaton last year and was lost far down their bench, is NOT on the Wheaton roster this year....  Is there any chance at all that he might have found his way back to the SLIAC, and Greenville in particular?  Anybody... Anybody?

[Titan Q]

I just noticed that Ben Cochrane, former SLIAC rookie of the year at Greenville who transferred to Wheaton last year and was lost far down their bench, is NOT on the Wheaton roster this year....  Is there any chance at all that he might have found his way back to the SLIAC, and Greenville in particular?  Anybody... Anybody?

He is still in school at Wheaton.

[hopefan]

thanks TQ...  well, Wheaton is one of my favorites.... just wish that the hoops would have worked out for Ben there, or someplace in the SLIAC

[Gregory Sager]

I would imagine that Ben Cochran transferred into Wheaton last year with his eyes wide open, knowing full well that it was such a drastic step up in competition that he could go from Rookie of the Year to nonentity. At least, I hope he knew that going in. While you never want to see a kid give in and concede before he's even changed schools, at the same time you hope that he's realistic about what he's getting into.

Of course, the bottom line is his education, and there's no doubt that he's getting a good one at Wheaton. As long as that's his main concern, nobody should badmouth his decision to switch schools.

The irony is that 2010-11 might've been a season in which Cochran could've broken through and made the Wheaton rotation. As I discussed on the CCIW page, Wheaton is extremely thin in terms of experience this year. Only six varsity players are back from last year's team, plus two JV players and a pretty good junior who sat out last season. There's minutes to be had off the bench for that team, and Cochran's experience might've given him a leg up in terms of earning them. But I guess we'll never know.

[hopefan]

Had a lengthy chat with with Dennis McKinney after Fontbonne's first practice... he made me aware of several important roster changes that have already taken place, as well as how good many of the new faces were looking, but I think it best if Denny reveals them...   what do you say, Den?   More important, Coach McKinney was there for day 1 as promised... 

[Denny McKinney]

News from FU. PG Ben Rapp has decided not to play this year. Ben will graduate in May, but needs 18 hours next semester. Work load in Ben's major is just to much. He will be missed. But, Dad preaches graduation. Tough but mature decision by Ben. John Reese who has had multi injuries will be redshirting to let his body get back to healed.

All of the players are working hard and came into practices i pretty good shape.

This year will be a battle for Dad all the way through. Next round of chemo starts soon. Cancer can't keep a good man down.

[Denny McKinney]

Just noticed on Westministers 10-11 roster the omission of Britton Rudd. Rudd as a freshmen (Columbia Rockbridge) played 14 mins a game. I thought this youngman could of been a good SLIAC player. Any news?

[Titan Q]

Just noticed on Westministers 10-11 roster the omission of Britton Rudd. Rudd as a freshmen (Columbia Rockbridge) played 14 mins a game. I thought this youngman could of been a good SLIAC player. Any news?

Scoop from Columbia is that Rudd is no longer in school at Westminster...not sure why.

Westminster lists a bunch of newcomers, but I think several are "walk-ons."  I believe their top two recruits are Charlie Henderson (6-5 F, Columbia Rock Bridge H.S.) and Joe James (6-2 G, Vianney H.S - St. Louis).

http://www.westminster-mo.edu/athletics/sports/basketballm/Pages/Roster.aspx

I posted about Henderson here...

http://www.d3boards.com/index.php?topic=4409.8070


Looks like James (12.0 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 4.0 apg) was 2nd Team-all-Metro Catholic last year, behind and alongside some good players...

http://www.stltoday.com/schools/high-schools/cbc/article_22d5534e-bd29-5d7e-b047-bc017034ea34.html

Other D3 freshmen I'm aware of on the list are Tim Cooney (Wash U) and Mike Mayberger (Illinois Wesleyan).

[hopefan]

The Rudd disappearance has to be disappointing...  very athletic, solid 6'4" body... he would have certainly contended to start at strong forward...  a couple of other 'anomilies' on the Westminster roster are that neither of the transfers that Coach mentioned to me in late August are on the roster - Logan Ray and Jordan Maxwell -

Also for some interesting speculation.. two potential 1st team All Conference types... Jake Vislay and Kurt Kovach are NOT co captains.... instead Sr Adam Malette and Jr Mark Wright are... probably means nothing negative, just food for thought.....

[Denny McKinney]

Interesting. Does anyone have Britton's phone number? 

Couple of early roster moves at FU. Freshmen Matt Jett and Brendon Dowdy are omitted. Jett withdrew from school and will enroll again 2nd semester. Dowdy quit the 1st day of practice.

Dad has made every practice as promised. Next round of Chemo starts on Nov. 10th.

[hopefan]

Well Denny, once again, I'm about ready to give up..   no one seems to give a rip but you and me... It's amazing to me that on a site like this, friends of the programs don't post to give news, or at least stay in touch.. ie, I'd love to check out a scrimmage or two... does anyone post ... no...  in a bit of a bitter mood today....  maybe I'll just switch to hockey....