MBB: St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[Mr. Ypsi]

chuckle smirk etc... I'm either playing to a very tough audience, or no audience at all...

Don't get discouraged, Hopefan. I don't know if any SLIAC coaches or administrators have told you this, but you perform a valuable service here. And those of us from outside the SLIAC rely upon you to give us an idea of what's going on in that league and what to look for.

hopefan,
I agree with Greg and I check this board 3 or 4 times a week to see what you've been posting. I count on you to keep me informed concerning the SLIAC, and you certainly do a great job of that.

I, too, check the board every time there is a new post.  You've got an audience, after all!

[hopefan]

I was very pleased to hear from Coach todd Creal today - a very upbeat email on new faces at MacMurray -   last May, Titan Q did a writeup on what he had heard regarding Mac, and Coach Creal's note to me pretty much mirrors the info Titan Q posted...   here it is, with 3 names taken out of Q's writeup that coach did not include in his note to me.

Dylan Burton 6'4" G/F Girard HS
IBCA 2nd Team All State
AP Honorable Mention All State
All Tournament Team New Berlin Tip Off Tournament
All Tournament Team Waverly Holiday Tournament
Macoupin County Tournament MVP
2010 Stats 22.5 PPG, 9RPG, 4APG

Brian Suckow 6'6" G/F Altamont HS
IBCA Special Mention All State
National Trail Conference 1st Team All Conference
All Tournament Team St. Elmo
All Tournament Team Vandalia Holiday Tournament
All Tournament Team National Trail Conference Tournament
2010 Stats 18PPG, 7.5RPG, 57 Blocked Shots


Wyatt Washburn 6'0" PG Maroa Forsyth HS
Okaw Valley 1st Team All Conference
All Tournament Team Watseka Christmas Tournament
All Tournament Team Macon County Tournament
Member of Maroas 2007 State Championship team(Only Freshman to dress)
2010 Stats 14PPG, 5RPG, 5APG



Transfers:
Colton Pettyjohn 6'5 PF Mattoon HS 2009 from Lakeland Community College
2009 Big 12 1st Team All Conference
2009 HS Stats 15PPG 6RPG 60%FG

Cody Best 6'3" SF Staunton HS 2009 from Lewis and Clark Community College

Coach Creal also included the name of Cole Busch, 6'8" Auburn HS... a 2009 grad who sat out last year to work for education funds..   coach is really high on the two transfers and Busch  -

In addition, Coach reminds that Point Guard Clint Lee, who played in only a couple of games before dislocating his ankle, will be back, and Coach feels he'll step right in... TOUGH 3 man backcourt teaming with Slagle and McClelland... if one or two of the new faces can create a Big Man presence, and others lend some depth, Mac could be VERY solid.  (And don't forget Jerrel Robertson in the mix at forward either)

[hopefan]

Forgot to mention that I received an upbeat note regarding Coach McKinneys health the other day..  after a rough stay in the hospital, he's out and sounding pretty darned rambunxios...   and looking forward to Oct 15.....

[hopefan]

Time to review another schedule... Westminster's is up on their site.  Westmin opens up the first weekend of the season in the Greenville Classic...  Greenville and Westmin will be playing Rhodes and Hendrix...  Great openers for the 2 SLIAC schools as they are against teams that are at a similar level as good Sliac teams... Westmin plays these schools each year and I always expect 2 wins... but usually Westmin gets beat by one or the other. 
The following weekend, Thanksgiving, Westminster travels to the Nebraska Wesleyan Tourney.. Joining Presentation and Augsburg... if it's a tourney format, don't be surprised to see NWU open with Presentation and Westmin vs Augsburg... a win vs Augsburg would seemingly set up a game vs Nebraska Wesleyan... A challenging weekend.. then after 2 games vs SLIAC opponents, Westmin hosts tough Elmhurst from the CCIW on Monday Dec 6, and MWCs Illinois College on Saturay Dec 11.   The following Saturday, Iowa's Central College comes down from Pella to play in Fulton.   The team finishes off the non conference schedule with a New Years weekend in Hawaii vs Hawaii Hilo and Hawaii Pacific... don't know if these games will be competitive or not....
So very competitive schedule.. Westmin could win 5 or 6 games, or    2 or 3... but great prep for a run at a second consecutive SLIAC championship

[Denny McKinney]

Keep fighting the good fight, Hopefan.

Coach is still on the rebound. 30+ pound loss is hard to get back. He's dealing with radiation burns that make it tough getting things down. He will make his first public appearance at his own golf tourney this coming friday. Should be a nice day and raise enough money to help cover this seasons Holiday Travel.

October 15th will mark the start of his 50th season on the sidelines. Late Nite Alumni Game will extra special this year. It is the prayers of ALL the former players, student athletes. Fontbonne Family, friends...... That will make this season possible.

If you'd like to see a living testament to the Power of Prayer, take in a Griffin game this year.

[Gregory Sager]

Westmin hosts tough Elmhurst from the CCIW on Monday Dec 6

Elmhurst went 6-19, 1-13 last season and was the CCIW's punching bag, and I don't anticipate much of an improvement for the Bluejays in 2010-11. While I can see why they'd be considered "tough" by SLIAC standards, the one thing that they're missing most of all -- big and dynamic post players -- is usually the one ingredient above all others that separates CCIW teams from SLIAC teams. Westmo beat Elmhurst by three at Elmhurst last year, and I'd pick the Missourians to win the rematch on their home floor this coming winter.

The team finishes off the non conference schedule with a New Years weekend in Hawaii vs Hawaii Hilo and Hawaii Pacific... don't know if these games will be competitive or not...

Both UHH and HPU are D2 schools. Hawaii-Hilo went 13-13 last season, and Hawaii Pacific went 19-8. If you really are wondering whether or not Westmo will be competitive with either one, bet on "no." But, hey, it's two chances to face great competition, it automatically means gate revenue for the Blue Jays, and the games mean that the Blue Jays will ring in the new year in Hawaii rather than in central Missouri. What's not to like?

[hopefan]

Greg despite Elmhurst's down year, in my mind, (and from what I've seen), only Milikin has fallen out of the ranks of 'tough game'... they were not what I expected when I saw them last year......of course, I haven't seen several of the CCIW schools in a number of years, or in the case of North park, forever...  that's why I can't miss there trip down here this year!!

[Gregory Sager]

Greg despite Elmhurst's down year, in my mind, (and from what I've seen), only Milikin has fallen out of the ranks of 'tough game'

It wasn't merely a "down year" for Elmhurst. There's been a serious dip in Elmhurst's recruiting over the past couple of years, and with primary assistant coach and head recruiter John Baines having left the program last spring to helm a program of his own at NAIA St. Francis (IL), it promises to get even worse. Last season Elmhurst put the smallest starting five on the floor that I've ever seen in my thirty years of following the CCIW. It was essentially a five-guard lineup, with 6'3, 190 junior Aaron Schroeder forced to play center and the team's best off guard, 6'3, 190 sophomore Zack Boyd, forced to man the power forward position. Now, a five-guard lineup might be competitive if all five guards are extremely athletic and dynamic, but Elmhurst's weren't. The 'jays didn't outrun anybody, the outside shooting that is vital to an undersized team was nonexistent (.287 from beyond the arc for the year, .231 in CCIW play), and on defense they couldn't stop the opposition (opponents averaged .507 from the field against them, .513 in CCIW play). They did play hard -- Mark Scherer's teams always play hard -- but they were so woefully outmanned, even against several of their non-CCIW opponents, that they were doomed from the start.

Elmhurst did start the year with six freshmen listed on the roster who were in the 6'6-6'8 range, four of whom weighed between 200 and 210 pouonds, so the 'jays did recruit some size for 2009-10. But at least a couple of those lanky frosh left the team over the course of the season, and even the ones who were getting varsity tick at the start of the year ended up spending most of the season on the JV squad, and deservedly so. It's a matter of conjecture as to whether any of them will develop into a bona-fide CCIW-caliber big man, let alone more than one of them. And I'd be surprised if any of the two or three big men that Elmhurst is bringing in this year is any more ready to assume a starting role on the varsity than his predecessors were last season.

Millikin's in tough shape right now, inasmuch as the Big Blue lost their two best players from a team that already wasn't good to begin with. But Elmhurst appears to be just as much in the doldrums at the moment as does Millikin. As I said, I think Westminster wins that game in December.

[hopefan]

Macmurray's schedule is up and Coach Creal follows the trend of SLIAC schools playing a solid non conference schedule.

Mac opens With Wash U at home on what must be the first day of the season Nov 15  Wash U is playing three SLIAC schools  will be very interesting to see if any of the Sliac teams can take advantage in Wash U's 'rebuilding ' year.  Wish they could have worked in a game with Westmin too....  After Wash U on that Monday, Mac plays D1 SIUE on that Saturday the 20th and then opens its Sliac sched the next week.  On Monday the 6th of Dec, Mac hosts Robert Morris springfield, then plays at Illinois Weslyan on Saturday night Dec 11.  The Following Saturday they play up at Dominican, then host Augustana on Monday Dec 20.  Mac travels to Defiance Ohio for a Christmas Tourney on the 28th and 29th, facing Albion the first night (of special interest to me with my Mighigan/Hope background).  Ohio -Lima and Definace play in the other game  -  great competition if they could end up facing Albion and Defiance...  Finally in the midst of the Sliac schedule, Mac plays concordia Seminary of St. Louis... I told Coach I'd give him the tease on that.. Fontbonne and FC felt my Scorn when they used to play them (did I hear there starting PF was 50 years old?)  Not sure why any SLIAC school finds it necessary to schedule a non-entity like that for a regular season game....I'm sure some better REAL game could have been found..

But otherwise.. great sched for Mac's preparation for the SLIAC season....

[hopefan]

Well, unlike the other SLIAC schools I have reviewed, Greenville has decided to maintain a non-NCAA schedule for its non conference games, which I hate to see....  I'm very pro-D3, period, and to me the perfect non conference schedule is 9 D3 games, but alas, Greenville plays only 2 D3 opponents....  On the other hand, ther are at least a couple very good non D3 opponents to keeps George Barber's team on its toes....

Greenville opens up its season on Tuesday the 16th of Nov at St Louis Pharmacy... (UGH).  They then host the weekend Classic with Westmin - as they each play Hendrix and Rhodes of the SCAC...  that's it for D3 schools in Greenville's non conference schedule.  Greenville comes back across the river to play St Louis Christian on Nov 23  (ugh again)....  then host a pretty solid tourney on Dec 3/4, with Lindenwood playing William Woods, and Greenville playing Mid Continent (an NCCAA/NAIA school out of  Kentucky)...   not sure of the level of play of Mid Continent, but Lindenwood is as good as anyone on Greenvilles schedule.  Greenville then finishes up December playing a weekend down in Kentucky at Asbury and at Union, both NAIA schools.  Later in the middle of the SLIAC schedule, Greenville plays at D1 SIUE - January 29.

Not sure why Greenville chooses to play this kind of schedule when there are so many good D3 schools in Illinois and Indiana to play.....  Granted there is the geographiy of playing the St Louis schools (though why not Mo Bap, Maryville, McKendree etc), and the religious affiliation of Mid Continent, Asbury...   

[Denny McKinney]

Hopefan. The Lindenwood on GC's schedule is L - Belleville. Not D2 Lindenwood.

I noticed that WU has up there roster. It list a Rob Murtha Jr. 6'10 from St. Louis / Metropolitain School. You didn't mention this kid in your comments and I can't believe a player this size would go un noticed.

[hopefan]

Denny

Coach Bunch didn't mention Mr. Murtha, and if 'Metropolitan School' is the same as 'Metro' in the Post Dispatch, the young man was not on Metro's team in the last 3 years....  maybe he had a recent growth spurt!!!

Disappointing that it's the secondary Lindenwood campus... was curious how a SLIAC team would fare against the main campus team.....     Thanks for the note...

[y_jack_lok]

Denny

Coach Bunch didn't mention Mr. Murtha, and if 'Metropolitan School' is the same as 'Metro' in the Post Dispatch, the young man was not on Metro's team in the last 3 years....  maybe he had a recent growth spurt!!!

Disappointing that it's the secondary Lindenwood campus... was curious how a SLIAC team would fare against the main campus team.....     Thanks for the note...

I refer you to the article (link below) in the Webster student newspaper about a new policy of encouraging walk-ons to try out for athletic teams. While the article mentions mostly men's soccer players, perhaps the 6'10" gentleman on the basketball roster is a walk-on. It also gives his class as junior, so it's also possible that he played somewhere we don't know about the past two years. And I also notice the absence of Kevin Miller from the roster, as well as Richard Ogunsalu, the young man from California who enrolled in the 2008-09 academic year. http://media.www.webujournal.com/media/storage/paper245/news/2010/08/31/Sports/New-Policy.Encourages.WalkOns.Competition-3926631.shtml

[dansand]

Denny

Coach Bunch didn't mention Mr. Murtha, and if 'Metropolitan School' is the same as 'Metro' in the Post Dispatch, the young man was not on Metro's team in the last 3 years....  maybe he had a recent growth spurt!!!

Disappointing that it's the secondary Lindenwood campus... was curious how a SLIAC team would fare against the main campus team.....     Thanks for the note...

I refer you to the article (link below) in the Webster student newspaper about a new policy of encouraging walk-ons to try out for athletic teams. While the article mentions mostly men's soccer players, perhaps the 6'10" gentleman on the basketball roster is a walk-on. It also gives his class as junior, so it's also possible that he played somewhere we don't know about the past two years. And I also notice the absence of Kevin Miller from the roster, as well as Richard Ogunsalu, the young man from California who enrolled in the 2008-09 academic year. http://media.www.webujournal.com/media/storage/paper245/news/2010/08/31/Sports/New-Policy.Encourages.WalkOns.Competition-3926631.shtml

Murtha was on Webster's roster last year.

http://www.websterathletics.com/roster.aspx?path=mbball&roster=50&;

[hopefan]

That's a heck of a catch DanSand, especially for a non SLIAC guy      +1K !!!!!

However, I can't say that any of us 'regular' remember ever seeing a guy that was 6'10" dress on the Webster varsity.... so he must have been a JV player last year....  at 6"10", every reason in the world for Coach Bunch to continue to work with him...