MBB: St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[hopefan]

at Mac, 60 60 tie with 3 left  ....    turns into a 9 point Westminster win... Tolson played vey well...  Vislay did nothing unti the last 3 minutes, then dominated the game.......

Bizarre trip home AFTER talking to Yjak and Denny... stopped by Illinois finest 25 miles out of jacksonville   for 62 in a 55... are you kidding me?
only got a warning...

Then

Hit a deer 1 mile from the house   ...almost stopped cold, maybe no damage to the car, but the poor deer lay there struggling to get up... couldnt... it was awful.........

[hopefan]

Spalding beats Gville 90 - 76

My margins weren't exactly on, but I got 4 for 4 tonight....    (5 for 5 if you count the deer)

[Mr. Ypsi]

at Mac, 60 60 tie with 3 left  ....    turns into a 9 point Westminster win... Tolson played vey well...  Vislay did nothing unti the last 3 minutes, then dominated the game.......

Bizarre trip home AFTER talking to Yjak and Denny... stopped by Illinois finest 25 miles out of jacksonville   for 62 in a 55... are you kidding me?
only got a warning...

Then

Hit a deer 1 mile from the house   ...almost stopped cold, maybe no damage to the car, but the poor deer lay there struggling to get up... couldnt... it was awful.........

Bambi killer!!

I know the feeling - fortunately only once in 46 years of driving (the DNR officer I reported it to had already hit three deer THAT year ), but many other close calls.

My belief has always been that cops are gonna let you have five over the limit; 6-10 over is probably OK, but iffy.

[y_jack_lok]

Forgot to mention that the Blackburn gym has a beautiful new floor. A very light wood. Really brightens the place up -- maybe enough to affect the home court advantage.     Otherwise it still has the same great "old gym" charm that it has had since my wife first started watching games there when her dad became a prof in 1956.

Hopefan, you and the missus are going to single-handedly (well, double-handedly) put the deer population in Eureka on the endangered species list. Glad you weren't hurt.

[magicman]

Good to see you are still following the old stomping grounds Former sliaccommish -  

Personally, as a fan,  I like the tourneys that are amongst D3 schools only... one of the few opportunities to get a feel for how teams from different parts of the country compare....  When retirement arrives, I might even try to talk the wife into a trip to be where one is.... she can hit the beach or the shopping centers...  I'll watch four or 5 games of D3hoops per day..  
The Vegas touurney is VERY appealing

I also like the Vegas Tourney. Trying to get the Plattsburgh State coach to give it a whirl. Already gave him the contact people thanks to PC, now he just needs to contact them. They haven't made a trip in 3 years so I figure they'll be due in the near future. Unfortunately, New York State is in such bad shape they keep cutting the funding to the SUNYAC system. I may just see you out there one of these years though. Big win by Union Monday night over #20 Ramapo in Union's tournament. They got rocked by Trinity (Conn) in the championship game Tuesday night though, 77-44. Glad you avoided the ticket and also that your vehicle didn't suffer much damage from the deer.

[hopefan]

Magic, I suggest we set up a D3hoops poster retirees get together at the Vegas tourney, 2015-2016 season!!!!

[Denny McKinney]

I was on the phone with Hoprfan when the crime happened. Old Hwy 67 speed limit.... Could be 65...   Could be 35... Depends on the last sign you passed. I-55 Baby!!!!

Two springs ago, I was down in my home away from home, Branson. Climbing a mountain up to Murder Rock Golf Club at 4:45 am. I got blind sided by a deer. Right into the drivers door. It took 30 mins for my heart to get back to a proper rhythmn. I thought Bigfoot had just about rolled me.

[hopefan]

I think that could be a good move for Lisch.... If the coaching staff has lost confidence in his ability to be productive, a Solid JV game is a good way to show that he can make a difference in a game... of course, it's put up or shut up... if turnovers and bad shots remain the norm, then there is nothing to say.   But if defense is solid, and the ball is taken care of and distributed, and shots are under contol, hopefully going to the basket, then it may convince the coaching staff to find more minutes in a varsity game....

I still think Dan's defense can help Fontbonne tremendously, if he just does what the coaching staff is looking for on offense.

[hopefan]

Comments on the boxscores last night...

Shrek did not play for Eureka.... would his outside shooting have made a difference? Eureka only 5 of 20 from 3's....  Looks like Josh Wagner is the real deal, another double double....  Fontbonne again hits 20 turnovers... that kind of performance is not likely to win any more games in conference... Good job on the boards... team actually shot reasonably well except for Sheetz... he was a good shooter, but this year seems to have lost it... 30 % from field, 30% from 3's.

Mac was hurt big when Jerrel Robertson fouled out with 6 minutes left.... Clint Lee became a shooter last night, may have earned a little more respect from defenses.... McClellan is a savvy player- he makes my first team all conference.. Another frosh to watch out for is Brian Suckow...not real athletic, but beautiful shooting form and will fake it and go to basket... he'll be a player if he keeps at it....Westmin gets great bench play from Mallette, Henderson, and Hohenstein... when Henderson gets stronger and finishes his moves higher with the ball, he'll be very good - he is always looking to go to the basket - much like Huskey... Tolson was the key for most of the game... huge baskets to keep Westmin up by several.... then Vislay took over after sleep walking for 37 minutes....  Westmin outrebounded Mac badly.. Mac sub cole bush worked hard, but couldn't match with Gilmore and Henderson.. lobs to Burton that killed Webster didn't work vs Westmin

I though Willie Trimble and Nick Jones would have big games and they did... though Willie's 3 point performance hopefully won't go to his head... I think he's much better on the move to the basket or pull up 15 footer...  I mentioned Madison Medley in my pregame writeup  - he had a big game and really impressed Yjak....  Brandon Roberts had a disappointing night 0 - 7... he had been playing well...  Ira Williams missing from BC boxscore?

Spalding puts 5 in double figures, did not go to bench as much as in prior games... McAfee held to 14  (6-16 from field) .. Spalding wins the rebounding wars 47-33... Traeger 0-5 from 3 point land... 5 posessions wasted... Andy, get in the middle where you belong....REBOUND...  This shows it's going to be tough to win at Spalding

[hopefan]

3 games tomorrow... I see no upsets

Prin at Webster    Prin's Zimmerman may score a bunch, but Webster will still win easily....

BC at Westmin     If Webster can beat BC  by +20 at BC, Westmin will do the same in Fulton

Eureka at Greenville   Greenville will be happy to be playing at home and anxious to get a win

simply said, none of these games should be within 15.....


Note :  Spalding at Mac Friday should be a good one

[hopefan]

Well, Coach McKinney has good reason to want the word to go out about Fontbonne's recruiting.....   It appears to be the best recruiting class he's had at Fontbonne, yes, even better than the trio of Fogerty, Storandt and McKoy.... now granted, my source is infamous for seeing all things Fontbonne through rose colored glasses.... BUT, these guys are coming in with good numbers, All Conference and All District credentials, and or decent juco or college background.  It is an impressive list indeed....

Frosh :
Matt Jett  6'0" PG  Owensville  24.4 ppg  3 apg, 3 steals per game.....  first Team All State 4A, 1st Team All District 4A 2009,2010   1st Team All 4 Rivers Conf 2009, 2010
Heard on the street.... "This kid could start right away"

Tyler Garner  6'6" 2,3 man   Sullivan   15ppg  8rpg   46% 3's..........1st Team All District 4A 2010   1st Team All 4 Rivers Conf 2009, 2010   Heard on the street.... "athletic, defender, rebounder"

Alex Rowling  6'6" PF  Union     21 ppg, 12 rpg.....   1st Team All District 4A 2010   1st Team All 4 Rivers Conf 2009, 2010   Heard on the street...."mobile big man, good hands"

NOTE....Jett, Garner, and Rowling played on same AAU team for two seasons...

Jon Connell  6'3" Guard   St James   12.2 ppg, 7.2 rpg    1st Team All District 3A 2010   1st Team All 4 Rivers Conf 2010     Heard on the street...."shooter, athlete, defender"

John Bell  6'1" guard    Sullivan    11.8 ppg, 5 rpg, 5apg   2nd Team All District 4A 2010   1st Team All 4 Rivers Conf 2010

Yes... amazingly, 5 1st team 4 rivers All conference


Brendon Dowdy   6'5" Forward    Rolla    16.9 ppg, 9.8 rpg    1st Team All District 5A 2010   1st Team All Ozarks Conf 2010     56% shooter

Johnny Mudd  6'1" pg    Newburg    16.6 ppg, 7 rpg, 5apg     1st Team All District 5A 2010   1st Team All Frisco Conf 2010

Eric Jenkins  6'5" 2,3,4 man  Eureka...  1st Team All Suburban South....   Hopefan says... "Plays hard, plays smart... Craig Kennedy one of top HS coaches in area"

Kyle Roehler   6'2" Guard   Sullivan    2nd team All Conf   4 rivers

That's 9 frosh all with solid hs background, each All Conference, 7 All District...

AND THEN, how about the transfers...

Jarred McKoy.....6'1" point guard  from Maryville..... exciting Point guard who can really run the court and create... great hands, good d....   hasn't played in 2 years, but was a real good kid at Maryville who finally couldn't take it anymore....  I REALLY hope he gives it one more shot...

Raymond Wood  6'8"   East St Louis, attende Seward JC in Kansas, but got hurt....
heard on the street... "a beast"

Sokulu Dioum   6'6" Nigeria  Oakton JC    heard on the street... "perhaps best vertical in SLIAC"

Ryan Wojtowicz  6'8" Kennedy HS... Merrimac CC.... "a sleeper - but just maybe"

Andrew Chism... Central Methodist....  Had been first Team All District at Rolla..."He can play"

Jeff Hinshaw....  played on Westminster JV last year

That's 15 new faces!!!  add that to at least 10 returners, each who has to prove they deserve a spot on the team, much less time on the court, and you get what should be some spirited sessions in the gym in September-October....

  Red......     Jett was there...

And I will be more than shocked if Fontbonne beats Webster....  that game is No Contest....   or were you talking about the ladies' game ?

[Gregory Sager]

The back and forth posts about the Hawaii trip(s) remind me of one of the failures I had as Commissioner. I couldn't convince the basketball coaches that it was so much smarter to play in Europe in mid August rather than make the trip to Hawaii, Puerto Rico, etc. after the season started.. Although Fontbonne went to Europe once, and I believe MacMurray also went once, for the most part the coaches have preferred to bask in the sun on a balmy island.

Here why it's so much smarter to go Europe based on the rules five years ago:

1) you get ten free practices before you go.

2) you get five to eight free games against pretty good competition.

3) You don't come back tired and sun-burned and have to play a conference game right away. Even if you do come back tired, sun-burned, or injured, you have three months to recover

4) Your players will appreciate the opportunity to experience other cultures, not now (they would much rather be on the beach ogling the girls as they walk by) but twenty years from now when they are mature enough to realize what they experienced.

5) There is nothing like being in a different country to bond a team together.

6) You can get bigger and better guarantees in Europe. One year (1987) we played six games but stayed in the same resort (Lake of the Ozarks level or below) the entire time as part of our guarantee and got a free breakfast every morning.

Things may have changed since I last had a team in Europe (I know the dollar is weaker versus the euro), and it's more expensive than a trip to Hawaii, but not that much. All you have to do is fund raise for another year, maybe two. I also know that freshman and transfers were not allowed to make a trip like that but can once the season starts.

It's good to get coaches away from players and players away from players during the Christmas Holidays. When you return for practice, it's like October 15 all over again; the petty grievances have been forgotten and everyone has a fresh start.

Ex-Commish, that was an awesome post. I spent tonight catching up on what's gone on in here since my post about the MacMurray @ Dominican game the week before Christmas, which was the last time I visited this room, and this post of yours about summer trips to Europe vs. December snowbird trips made wading through the unpleasantness of the past two weeks of SLIAC room posts worthwhile. Thanks!

[Denny McKinney]

The trips to Europe are great. Been twice. The Vegas tourney I have never understood. Where do you stay? What is there for the players to do? With a team full of 18-20's casino is out. In Florida you can take the team to the Dog track. But no one, even those 21, can place a wager. It has to be a trip just to see the sport of dog racing, per New Commish.

After the Christmas break in action I much prefer the snowbird trips. Hawaii has the beach, Pearl Harbour (which is a must on every FC trip), Diamond Head, The Cultural Center, Dole Plantation, North Shore..........

Difference of opinions.

[Pat Coleman]

There's a lot going on in Vegas. Plenty to do other than gamble. My wife and I don't gamble and we were far from bored in three days (even Cate, who attended half of one game, found enough to do).

[Denny McKinney]

I pay for my own trip. Glad you found something to do Pat. Desert v Beach no contest. I'm sure all 28 student athletes enjoyed their free trip to Florida this year. Could of been a little warmer. Some good practice time @ Eckard College. All in All good trip.