MBB: St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[WUPHF]

give Gay his 20...... key is what kind of game Richter has...  if he goes off for a big game, Wash U will win, but if he is stopped, or has one of his down games, Webster could be competitive.

You should get caught up in the excitement.  I am still caught up in the excitement of the past several seasons, though I am doing my absolute best to adjust to the new reality.  This is why I am prone to exaggeration though I should return to normal by the end of the UAA season.

I am convinced that Spencer Gay will explode for a few more career nights before the season is over. 

[hopefan]

With the schedule back to Wednesday, Saturday this week, more time to write projections on upcoming games (and to get myself into trouble   )

Blackburn plays at Prin on Tuesday... Prin really disappointed me when I saw them at Webster... I expected to see the Todd Zimmerman show with some decent support from teammates... instead, I saw Todd Zimmerman do little but give the ball up to teammates, and nothing being accomplished by them.... Zimmerman had a second tough game against Greenville, and I'm wondering if the 5th year senior is running out of steam and motivation....  BC had been competitive in a number of games and was leading at half vs Spalding... I think their players can have good games against Prin, particularly Madison Medley, who I havent' seen yet, but who made a great impression against Webster....   BC wins this one, maybe by double figures....

Fontbonne vs Mac...  Denny and Big Red think that Fontbonne will compete with Mac And Gville for the 3-4 spots....  I don't....   but let's really look into matchups here...
This is another game where Fontbonne seems to have enough players to compete, if only the potential would be met.... But they haven't done it yet... Wondering who will start....   One horrendous game doesn't earn Jamal Thomas a seat on the bench, he should start... I start Woods until he asks to come out, he's the best player Fontbonne has... Hamilton looked fine at point.... Fleming has done better than anyone else at the 2-3....  fifth spot is either Dioum, because he plays hard, even though he can't buy a hoop, or Garner, who played pretty well against Webster, and showed he can do more than stand on the perimeter.......  of course Frank Sheetz may be considered too..
Mac will start Lee at Point, McClellan at 2, Suckow or someone else, Robertson, and Burton.
Bush and or Pettyjohn may start for Suckow to even up the size in the middle

Matchups... Lee is very quick, and given the opportunity to go around Hamilton and penetrate, he will..... McClellan is just a quiet hard working savvy player who wins the matchup vs Dioum or Garner...I think Pettyjohn or Bush will start against wood in the middle.. Pettyjohn may get in foul trouble and Woods will eat up bush with his size.. fontbonne could really exploit that... Fleming vs Burton is interesting.. similar styles, burton has better hops and is quicker, but makes Frosh mistakes.... Robertson is a bull in a china closet, and may not be effective offensively against the taller Thomas....   BUT

Advantage at the guards.. Mac
Is Fontbonne willing to use Woods -- get him the ball enough to take advantage
Mac clearly has better depth.. I didn't even mention Ozee and Best.. both solid...
Who is going to score the 70 points that fontbonne has to have at a minimum to compete with Mac.....

Mac wins....

other games later...

[Denny McKinney]

We have a picture of Dad from July 7th. He weighted 196. What you see now is basically 5 months of torture. The ramifications of the first chemo (10 weeks ) and 35 radiation treatments have got us to this point. Previous chemo did nothing but cost him 40 lbs. The radiation burnt a nickel size hole and a 4 in slit in his treac. The holes allowed his lung to fill with fluid and that cost him a three week battle with pnuemonia. A 7" stent was placed in his throat to close holes allow to heal. The stent is stainless steal and makes swallowing real tough cause the muscles in the throat can't work around the stent.

He has 8 more cycles to go on this round. It is the same drug that was used 16 years ago and 8 years ago. So yes, he reacts very well. Improvement will not take place till treatments are completed and stent removed.

All of his nourishment is coming from a feeding tube in his stomach. And, he is now in the high 140's.

The first time Dad had the real colon cancer in his colon, my Grandpa was dieing from it. He went and immediately got it checked and it was found early. Both colon can tumors on the lungs, were detected ny an elevation in his cancer markers in blood work he has done every six months. So it was detected early.

He should be 21/2 months into recovery by now. But, Not.

[Denny McKinney]

The main reason Dad is trying to lead by example and has his own Foundation "Coach Cares" and all that he does with Coaches vs Cancer, is because it doesn't stop with him.

He has one Grandson Ryan (brother's oldest) who at the age of four they found an inopertable tumor wrap around his brain stem. Six months of chemo and that was 8 years ago and he is now a 12 yr old basketball player. He has another Grandson (sisters oldest ) who 2 years ago had cancer removed like Lance Armstrong. He is cancer free. And, last he has a daughter in law (My ex and now Best Friend) who 18 months ago had 5 tumors discovered in her neck, nasal passages and behind one eye. It was so severe they just wanted to send her home. She refused and took a boat load of Chemo and Radiation and is now cancer free.

This year he gave a speech for one of the Race for the Cure events, then found out 2 days later that he had it again.

That's the story. We don't let it beat us.

[Denny McKinney]

Hopefan - On your matchups: Pretty much count on Fleming on McClellan defensively..... Dioum on Lee...... Hamilton on Burton and the other two I agree. Robertson is prone to dumb T's and frustration against someone as tall and long as Thomas. And Woods just clog up the paint guarding whoever. Ray is doing a much better job of staying straight up and using that wide body.

FU pounds it in the paint and kick out to Garner. Woods is a very good passing post and sees the floor well.

[Into_the_Blue]

Just went back to Sept. 4th and read the board and caught up.  Looks like I've missed a lot!

First, Denny I hope your Dad makes a full recovery.  You're doing the right thing by letting him do what he loves every day.

Hope, sorry for the absence, you've done a great job this year.  I've lost most insider connections with WC so don't have much to report other than the obvious. 

AA...wow, you've turned this place upside down.

I don't know about all the people upset that teams travel to Hawaii in season.  D3 players play because they love the game, especially in the SLIAC.  If a team from the conference was making deep tourney runs every year they might evaluate their road trips based on W's instead of player experience.   I'm not saying SLIAC teams don't care about wins, but it's about more than just that, it's about the love of the game, making lifelong friendships and experience life in and out of basketball.

Traveling to Hawaii with my team is an experience I would never trade for anything, not even a few more wins.  I know Ill. Wesleyan chose to go to Europe this summer and had a great time.  I don't know many kids who wouldn't love that as well, but a break to the beaches of Hawaii from the frigid weather in the Midwest can't be all bad for a team of young men.  Some schools prefer Hawaii, some Europe, some Vegas, some Florida, some none.  Who are we to decide what's best for a team we aren't a part of?

I'll try to be around more than I have been lately.  Keep it going guys. 

[hopefan]

From out of the Blue, it's into the Blue... good to hear you are still interested, Blue....

I'm going to tell a funny yet meaningful story about Blue...  He played at Westmin something like 5 years ago, a starter, but relatively unnoticed statistics wise.... in conversing on these pages I mentioned that his real name was familiar, but I couldn't quite place it......  he sent me an email copying a paragraph I had written back when he played... about how much I liked how he played, how hard he played, how he was my kind of player...  he obviously relished those words in remembering over 4 or 5 years....

That to me is why I like to be frank  on these pages...  it hopefully does serve to inspire the kids who read it, whether it be feeling good about someone recognizing their talents and efforts, or whether it's motivating them to play better to shut me up... just as I did with Tyler Garner in my last post comment that his game was becoming more rounded than simply shooting 3's, I won't hesitate to point out shortcomings, and I won't hesitate to speak up when I see improvement....   Some people think it is unjust to make some of the comments I do, but I think most appreciate the honesty....

of course parents may be a different story

In a way I disagree with Blue...  I think D3 is about winning games, winning the conference, getting to the tournament... as long as the trips don't get in the way of that, and as long as the trips don't become a financial burden on the kids and their families, I'm all for them.... On the other hand, I am still much more in favor of the tourneys of D3 teams than getting walloped by D2 and D1 teams

Blue... hope we'll run into each other...  trying to remember if you are in St Louis, or over in Columbia??

[Into_the_Blue]

Good points Hope.

In no way am I trying to diminish the importance of wins in D3 or the SLIAC. Every team thinks or should think it can make a run in the NCAA if it can get that AQ spot.

My point is coach Mitchell and coach McKinney and anyone else taking these trips probably takes a look on the effect these trips has on his team. If his team came back each time and lost 5 straight in conference then there would likely be an evaluation and some changes made.

My guess is each coach sees one conference game where his kids may or may not be jet lagged and probably thinks the trip is worth that risk. How do we know a trip to warm Hawaii that's a lot of fun doesn't motivate a team and make them play better?

I'm sure WC would love it if everyone they played the next few weeks would take it easy because they might have tired legs.

[Into_the_Blue]

He played at Westmin something like 5 years ago, a starter, but relatively unnoticed statistics wise....





Blue... hope we'll run into each other...  trying to remember if you are in St Louis, or over in Columbia??

There you go again, being brutally honest, Hope. Haha.

I'm in KC. May not make a game this year but I'll try. Got a team here that if I don't show up for I'm probably fired and we don't have a lot Time off. Hope let me know if you're going to any Saturday games at WC. If they win the league I might be able to make tourney Saturday too.

[Denny McKinney]

Hopefan it's better to make your comments on here, then standing in line for popcorn. "He's horrible" and that's his Dad standing in line in front of you. That was some good motivation, too. 

[hopefan]

one of my better screwups.....

[WUPHF]

one of my better screwups...

That is a great story.  I applaud you for that one!

[hopefan]

So let's look at Greenville at Westmin...   I gotta root for the underdog here, Greenville, as I love to see a log jam at the top of the standings.....  I think the world of both coaches, and the programs they've established, the way their kids conduct themselves, are what any family looking to send their kid to play D3 sports should be influenced by

Matchups

at point Seaton (G) vs Tolson (W)....   Seaton probably has more quickness, but Tolson much more of a shooting threat.... in a conference full of good point guards, these are two of the best...
(SLIAC points... Seaton, Tolson, Trimble, Lee, Kindred (out for season), McCoy (Gone), Zimmerman, McAfee....  that is a heck of a group)

unsung twos... McBride (G)  vs James (W)...  you have to be a fan to recognize these two, but James would clearly be on an all Frosh SLIAC team. McBride, who was a team manager two years ago has progressed to a bench role last year to a very efficient starter this year..  pleased to say I spotted him in a minor number of substitute minutes last year and projected him as a player in the future....

3's    Hilliard (G)  vs Vislay (W)....   two jumping jacks...  Vislay has struggled in Hawaii and since, but as I wrote, he pretty much took over at Mac in the last two minutes to help Westmin get a tough win..  Hilliard is averaging 20 ppg in conference, and is 26 for 26 from the line in conference!!!!   Great Matchup!!!
 
other two..  Agomo and Traeger  (G)  vs Gilmore and Weymuth (W)   Agomo is a mismatch here... only 6'2, but 8.5 rebounds per game and really goes to the hole... but out of control at times....  Will Gilmore be able to use size advantage, or does Agomo gain the edge with great quickness... interesting....    Weymuth and Traeger are similar, hard workers around the basket who can get some scappy hoops that hurt the other team

Both teams make nice use of the bench... Westmin big man Henderson is a threat inside and may be able to use his height against smaller Greenville... Hohenstein is very good off the bench at guard or 3... and Adam Mallette is a good perimeter shooter....  Greenville counters with Rutgerr Neece, who impressed me with his physical game earlier in the season, and a number of other guys who get significant minutes in Coach Barbers rotation...

So who wins this.... the teams are pretty even, but Greenville's propensity to turn the ball over, their sometimes poor shot selection... doesn't fit well against a team that is pretty disciplined... Also Greenville had a rough time on the trip to spalding... At Greenville, it might be a different story, but I think Westmin stays unbeaten in conference with a win.....

[Denny McKinney]

Hope - You never commented on my match up changes for FU v Mac. Does it have any effect?

[hopefan]

If they go big against Woods, no problem, neither Bush or Pettyjohn will hurt you offensively... if they start Suckow, that's a problem, because he's more of a small forward and pretty good perimeter shooter... but if they do that, there is nobody to guard Woods....

Lou vs Lee is better, but I don't know that Hamilton can keep up with Burton... Hamilton vs McClellan and Fleming vs Burton?     either way,Fonts at somewhat of a disadvantage.... Burton and McClellan are going to be better by a little..... though once again, burton is a frosh and makes frosh mistakes.... I think alot of Hamilton, will be interesting to see how he does if he gets 25-30 minutes of prime time, as compared to 10-15.....  like I said to you, it's time to go with the guys that are producing.....