MBB: St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[Denny McKinney]

Hopefan - How do you see the Huskey v. Woods or Thomas match up? In mid jan.

[hopefan]

Interesting question Denny....  The one early thought I have is that both Woods and Thomas are 'anxious' defensive players... they like to get blocks.....  Huskey does a lot of drop step and ball fake activity... I think either Woods or Thomas has to be very careful not to get in foul trouble when Huskey gets the ball...

In reality though, Huskey is not the 'go to' guy on offense... he's just a piece of the pie.... Trimble kind of determines where the offense is going, and Nick Jones is always a threat...
and don't forget about Alex Kuhl, who is a consistent 10 point a game person...

To me, Fontbonne can defend any SLIAC team.. they have the athletes to do it... Somehow the offense has to get in sync so the Griffs get as many good scoring opportunities as their opponent, and they can't give up easy baskets off turnovers or rebounds....

[y_jack_lok]

To me, Fontbonne can defend any SLIAC team.. they have the athletes to do it... Somehow the offense has to get in sync so the Griffs get as many good scoring opportunities as their opponent, and they can't give up easy baskets off turnovers or rebounds....

Not being critical here, just presenting some facts. After subtracting the 112 points scored by Austin Peay FU is giving up an average of 76 ppg. Westminster scored 81 against them and Principia scored 83.

[Denny McKinney]

Hopefan - Good thoughts. Woods and Riva will use their alotment of fouls. Thomas has really improved his ability to come from off the ball for blocks. Woods is going to see his 25 mins and Riva 15. They will be a physical duo on Huskey.

One thing you didn't mention was how Huskey or Kuehl will be able to handle those two on the other end. Woods has corrected his dropping shoulder move. And, FU has gone to a pound it inside approach. RHIT (3-9) from three's.

With Thomas' length and hops. And, Woods bulk. I think these two would be defensive match up problems for most SLIAC teams.

Huskey and Kuehl are suspect for foul trouble, or giving up major pts in the paint.

Just my opinion. You've seen more of both teams.

[hopefan]

you are right Yjak, but it's my humble opinion that a larger than acceptable % of those points are coming  off of the turnovers and poor rebounding that I mentioned....  too many easy baskets after good defense... another factor, is that two very good defensive players, McKoy and Lisch, just kill them when they have the ball, with turnovers or shot selection.  I'd love to see those two get 25 to 30 minutes per game for their defensive efforts, but it just won't happen unless they refine their offensive attitudes....

Denny.. Thomas hasn't impressed me offensively yet, but Woods certainly has... and you are right, Kuehl in particular gets in foul trouble with silly fouls...  if Moore can't play, and Kuehl gets in trouble, Wood could have a big night - he's too big, I think, for Huskey to keep away from the basket.  Webster perimeters will have to dive inside if Wood keeps getting the ball

[Denny McKinney]

Hopefan JT impressed you last year. Let's look at a body of work..... Look at last three boxscores. Has been a change starters ( so ) and minutes..... FU is finding some what of a flow. So hard to tell with this schedule...... Look at Flemings out put and minutes.

How about PG by committee? 

[hopefan]

Denny      I'd love to see Lisch vs Jones and McKoy vs Trimble... but I just can't see how it can happen....

[Denny McKinney]

It won't. Lisch ? 2-20 and turnovers. McCoy is playing on a knee shot up with cortisone. He has to be super defensively and have a tremendous A/T ratio to make up for short comings. Hasn't been there. Maybe Santa at point next semester.

Trimmble, like Turk, will get his points. And. you can live with that if you do a good job on other's.

[y_jack_lok]

Webster downs Berry 76-71 at Sewanee. There is write up on the Berry website. http://berry.edu/athletics/sportsnewsdetail.aspx?id=13869

[Denny McKinney]

Here is one for Hopefan. Ever seen a game started in one HS gym and finished in a HS gym in another town. On the same nite.

Worden has a 8 pt lead over visiting Witt with 4:32 left in the game. This was for the Bi County Conference Title. Witt's best player on the bench fouled out and Worden in their close it out 4 corners. BAM!!! Lights go out.. Train derailed a nd took out town transformer.

Dad calls Principal at nearby Livingston HS. He goes down and turns the lights on in the gym. Dad convinces Witt to finish game. The whole show.... Ref's, scorer keepers, teams, cheerleaders and fans travel the 8 miles. After 3:00 warm up, Worden hangs on for a six point win.


You talk about a confused 5th grader. But I did a good job helping Dad coach.
My little brother's oldest is in 6th grade and spending his 2nd year on the bench at Sullivan HS. It's in the blood.

[Wydown Blvd.]

Pretty cool, DMcKinney. Glad the cheerleaders didn't drop out on the bus trip over...lol

I have been to a high school playoff game that started one night. Fight breaks out in the 4th quarter. The site becomes too violent/dangerous according to the referees. Game continues days (2?) later exactly where they left off with only minutes left on the clock... crazy. To me, that was more off the wall than the same night phenomenon I read on shatter rims.

I haven't seen it live (HS basketball is pretty down in my area) but have constantly been reading about high schoolers breaking backboards and locations forced to change (video)

http://www.rockfordindependent.com/main.asp?SectionID=16&SubSectionID=41&ArticleID=2930

[hopefan]

Never experienced a suspended game, Denny, but would love to hear about some of the gyms you played in....   I'm old enough that I have seen some very small or bizarre configurations in 1960's Western Pa..... but that is another conversation...

Let's look at SLIAC performance and box scores from Saturday, two solid wins by Westmin and Webster, Eureka gets crushed, Mac loses badly to Dominican..

The Mac  Dominican result disappointed me... not sure what could be the cause of a 20 point loss unless the kids were wiped out by finals week, or just looking forward to Christmas break... Dominican isn't bad, a 500 team who have basically beaten the teams they should beat this season, but I would have hoped that Mac, as one of the favorites of the SLIAC would be able to compete with a middle of the pack MWC team.... that is the conference that is ahead of the SLIAC in the Midwest region pecking order, the conference we would hope to catch... Mac was never in the game.  Looks like McClelland and Robertson came to play, but got little support from anyone else... Dylan Burton the frosh who ate up Webster, gets 2 pts , 2 rebs, 4 turnovers in 20 minutes?  Other 2 starters Lee and Best get 5 points between them...   team has 20 turnovers...  as I said, disappointing.....

Eureka.. wow.... it's going to be a long season without Leppart and Kindred.... down by 43 to Illinois Springfield, scoring low 50's again, 29 turnovers... besides a coach that has a firey attitude, I don't see much hope

Westmin's win over Central was probably the best win this season for a SLIAC team... Central came in with a 4 game winning streak including wins over league foes Loras and Wartburg... the Iowa conference, like the Midwest Conference, is the kind of conference, the level of play, that the SLIAC should aspire to, and getting this win was a real plum for Westmin... Nice too is they did it without a big game from Jake Vislay, (13 points, 4 rebounds)... they were led by Justin Gilmour (20 points, 6 boards), who seems to have come out of an early season funk that I witnessed over at the Greenville Tourney.  Frosh Charlie Henderson went 4 for 4 off the bench, and Skylar Tolson had 13 points despite foul trouble limiting his minutes.

Webster won a second close game down at Sewanee, beating Berry, 76-71... troubling in the box score is that back up point guard frosh Hollis Edwards played only 2 minutes, forcing 38 minutes on Willie Trimble... another Gorlock injury?  Drew Mooore sat out again too.....  the Webster bench is getting thin if those two are forced to miss conference games.  On the other hand, Cody Bradfisch and Alex Kuhl both have there normal solid relief roles to help get the win... Nick Jones and Willie Trimble both get 20, but little from Jarrod Huskey as I imagine he works to get his legs back after sitting a couple weeks with the ankle injury...

Mac plays Augie tonite... hoping they can find their game and make it interesting, but it could be ugly.....  I view this one as important to Mac as it sets the attitude for that huge first week after the holidays.....

[Denny McKinney]

Hopefan a lot of those gyms and schools aren't even standing anymore. Worden's gym is. The summer before Dad took over their. He, I and a bunch of town men completely painted the old place. Bleachers, walls, Trojan's sign..............

Comment for discussion: WC has a player who is starting or getting major minutes, who's Dad has been a conference ref since they invented the wheel. Now I realize he won't be calling any WC games, but is it a conflict of interest for him to call any conference game. He was front and center as a fan for our game with them. But, there is a huge conflict of interest situation here.

This down time is doing wonders for some of the FU injuries. Fleming has been playing with a broken finger that will require surgery after the season and a bum ankle. McCoy's knee can only improve with rest and another shot. Eric Hamilton's ankle was first thought to be broken, but after swelling xrays were negative and should be 100% by Tampa. Woods is enjoying another two weeks of conditioning, returning from a broken foot that was in a cast for 16 weeks this summer. Run Ray Run.

[RustCollege]

Denny      I'd love to see Lisch vs Jones and McKoy vs Trimble... but I just can't see how it can happen....

my money on Nick Jones i love watching that kid play

[hopefan]

Rust... thinking back to Webster Rust game... you witnessed Nick Jone's biggest problem.. inconsistancy...............    vs Rust, 0 points in first half, 20 in 2nd!!!!  but agreed, he's an exciting player when he gets going.....