MBB: St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

hopefan · September 08, 2011, 02:34:00 PM

Only Webster and Macmurray schedules left... one a clearcut 2nd best over the rest, one a clearcut winner over our 2nd place..... 2nd place is..... tomorrow....

hs_pg_qb · September 09, 2011, 09:16:42 AM

Suspense is killing me. Great job so far! Looking forward to the #1 and #2 spots

hopefan · September 09, 2011, 12:53:09 PM

The readers are clamoring for a champ!!!

The number 2 Best non conference schedule belongs to....... WEBSTER!!!!

As ALWAYS, Coach Bunch plays an extremely challenging non conference schedule to prepare for SLIAC competition.... several other SLIAC teams refuse to go this direction, but Webster has had top notch competition each year I've folowed the SLIAC over the last 6-8 years. Webster has 2 'Blue Chippers' in Illinois Wesleyan (20-9) (always fun to play in front of the big Titan crowds) and in Lindenwood (the main program from St Charles) (30-4) coached by former SLU mentor Brad Sodeburg. The rest of the schedule is solid D3... Bluffton (15-11), Maryville (Tn.) (16-10), Luther (19-9), Nebraska Wesleyan (10-17), Wash U (13-12), Rust (17-8) and Austin (12-14). I love the schedule, and I'm hoping to take another trip down to Rust for good food, good hoops, and a quick stop in Tunica!!!!!!

That leaves Coach Creole's MACMURRAY schedule as the Number 1, top nonconference schedule in the SLIAC... and this despite having games with St Louis Pharma, and D3 Dominican (8-17). What pulls them past Webster up to no. 1? Games with 5 Blue Chippers yes, 5 of 9 non conference games against teams that any D3 team would absolutely love to play against.... the highlight .. invitation to a D1 tournament hosted by Tulane, playing Tulane and Southern... a weekend in New Orleans rubbing shoulders with D1 players and playing in a D1 atmosphere. Then there are D3 games against outstanding D3 competition Augustana (27-4), Illinois Wesleyan, (20-9), and Manchester (22-7) as well as perennial power Wash U (13-12), Jacksonville Ill rival Illinois College (16-8), and NAIA power McKendree (21-13)... note Mac won't play one of Illinois College, IWU and Manchester as they are all in the Illinois College tourney.... WOW, what a schedule.... Mac lost a couple of very good seniors, but has good depth returning and a couple of frosh who may contribute immediately... there may be some lumps, but they'll know what to do against SLIAC competition!!!!

hopefan · September 16, 2011, 06:29:48 PM

Practice starts in one month, official games start in two months..... I'm going to talk about each team, with a light review of last year's season, listing who graduated from that team and who is returning.... I have virtually no inside contacts, so all I'm doing is saying if a player is listed as a senior, I assume he is not coming back, if he's listed as an underclassman, I assume he is coming back... anyone that is aware of something different, please let me know... I'm also not talking about new faces... hopefully coaches will let me know and I'll write them up... but SLIAC coaches seem to me to be a pretty tight lipped crew.....

I'm going to review the teams alphabetically... and it may take me several writings to get through them all.

So we start with Blackburn... their young new coach has a bundle of talent returning and could be the dark horse of the conference.. Everyone is back with the exception of the aptly named Obie Farmer...You had to like Obie...the big guy didn't see many minutes, but he stayed the course....and he was rewarded for it, having the game of his life at the end of his senior season when his hoops from the pivot were key to Blackburn's stunning win at Webster. Everyone else is back, which means BC returns virtally ALL of their scoring and rebounding.... Leading the group is 5'10" guard Julian Lott, 3rd team All-conference last year (14.3 PPG, 4.4 APG, 4.0 RPG). Another potential All Conf is 6' 6" Madison Medley (11.6 ppg, 6.6 rpg). Unfortunately I missed seeing both of these guys play as they were in street clothes vs Webster, but both competed well all season. 6'0" Chris Williams (11.2 ppg) was inconsistant from the field, but put on a heck of a shooting exhibition against the 2 best teams in the league, going for 35 points vs Mac and 32 vs Webster. 6'4" Dakota Tucker (9.2 ppg, 4.2 rpg) is strong and a good jumper...I've liked his game. 6'2" Brandon Roberts (9.0 ppg) went for 32 vs Greenville, has good experience and should be a leader. Sean Stochl has been a consistant workhorse kind of player and should continue to play that role. Ira Williams, Grant Chandler, Brandon Adams all saw real time last year and can contribute in 11-12. Only Spalding returns so many players, and the ability level of BC's kids is no less than other contending teams in the conference. If these guys can figure out how to win.. QUICKLY.. under a new young coach, this team can be top four. I hope so.. LOVE watching games at the matchbox BC court if this team can get the student body back into the swing of things!!

Denny McKinney · September 17, 2011, 05:24:34 PM

I do have relevent info regarding this years schedule. Dad had schedule complete with the exception of the Wash U game. A series that goes back maybe 16+ yrs. I spoke to Coach Edwards in Houston about the game. After Dad passed the next day, I have know info on what transpired from there. Looks like Coach Schaefer picked up the Augustana game. With his ties will this develop into a regular series? Along with North Park which is in the final yr of a 2 yr contract. I can see FU playing these two schools regularly.

The Missouri Baptist away game was to be the first time these two teams played. The game was going to comemorate the opening of MoBapt's new fieldhouse. This is the place they promised to build Dad his third year there

. If you've never seen the old MoBapt gym you haven't missed much. Dad was invited back 2 yrs ago to be one of the Silver Shovels when they broke ground.

The second game against MoBapt and Logan Chiro were not on the schedule. They replaced a two game trip for budget reasons. After it was clear they weren't going to have the Coaches Classic to fundraise the trip. It is a one year committment.

Central is a one year. Austin has joined the conference in other sports and are in town to play WU, also. Look for Austin to make a two game trip up most years

Franklin will be a 2 yr. Home and Home. RHIT has been a long running series. That pretty much covers it.

I have zero names of any of this years recruiting class. I do know John Reese returns after a year of resting some really bad wheels. Nolan Zeollner returns after a year of working on his studies. He was elgilable last year. Parental request. Nolan has 3 yrs left. And, Ronnie Rust returns from a year attending school back home. For the bad. FU has made it financially impossible for Raymond Woods to return. For the sad. Redshirt freshmen Alex Rolwing was set to return. Until Cancer struck a second member of his family. Believe me one is enough. Alex is commuting from Union, Mo (80 miles) round trip. This young man needs prayers.

Hs_pg_qb - It will take awhile before I'll return to watch someone else coach Pops team on his floor. And, I really would just as well cancell this season. But, there are fans out there you wouldn't go for that.

Enjoy the season guys.

Gregory Sager · September 17, 2011, 05:54:55 PM

Quote from: Denny McKinney on September 17, 2011, 05:24:34 PM
I do have relevent info regarding this years schedule. Dad had schedule complete with the exception of the Wash U game. A series that goes back maybe 16+ yrs. I spoke to Coach Edwards in Houston about the game. After Dad passed the next day, I have know info on what transpired from there. Looks like Coach Schaefer picked up the Augustana game. With his ties will this develop into a regular series? Along with North Park which is in the final yr of a 2 yr contract. I can see FU playing these two schools regularly.

I can see Augustana becoming a regular on the Fontbonne schedule, not because Steve Schafer is an Augie alum but because Augie plays Wash U every year, and it's more convenient to make the trip down to St. Louis every other season if you're going to get two games out of it. I do not expect North Park to renew the contract with Fontbonne, regardless of the fact that Steve's a former NPU assistant. Dylan Howard can find lots of non-conference games for NPU closer to home, as D3 schools are abundant throughout Chicagoland and southern Wisconsin, and there's no outstanding competitive reason to keep scheduling Fontbonne.

hopefan · September 17, 2011, 08:36:03 PM

Next on the list is Eureka... the devils had two of the best guards in the league coming into the season last year... neither was playing by Christmas, as Andy Leppert left inexplicably and Jordan Kindred went down with an injury... Don't know if either will be back, and another person who just disappeared was Tanner Shreck, who put on a shooting exhibition at Webster. Graduation takes big man Josh Wagner, who was a 3rd team All Conference, and steady swing man Craig Black.... With those losses, the cupboard is pretty bare...The big man in the middle, 6'7" Mark Lessen (10.9 ppg, 8.1 rpg) returns, and he was coming on strong at the end of the season. Austin Nicholas seemed to play more of a role in his Sophomore year than his junior year, probably because he was surrounded by better players. There just isn't anyone else that had any kind of stats on a 3-22 team.... only the return of Jordan Kindred and real contribution from new faces will get this team out of the basement of the SLIAC, where they resided all season last year....,. The one positive factor, an active good coach who can get things turned around if some talent arrives....

hopefan · September 18, 2011, 06:38:46 PM

Hopefan gets it done again... well kinda... grandchild no 6 arrives at 9:45 this morn...a boy evens it up at 3 boys and 3 girls... big hands good genes... the kid will be a player!!!!

Gregory Sager · September 18, 2011, 06:49:16 PM

Congrats, Hopefan!

hopefan · September 21, 2011, 07:37:10 AM

Then we get to Fontbonne, a program that disintegrated before our eyes last season... so many bad decisions, false hopes, a total failure. A coach far too ill to coach, players who either quit the team or in many cases did no justice to the uniform they wore with lack of effort and fundamental play, promises of a fantastic recruiting class that never materialized, an assistant coaching staff which from this fan's perspective only added to a moping I give up demeanor on the bench. Bad decision by the school from the get go to allow a gravely ill Coach McKinney to take the floor.... sure, that is what he wanted, but someone should have said 'NO, it's time'...
The team lost 4 seniors none of whom played to expectations... Frank Sheetz, Jarret Buford, Jamall Thomas, Freddie Fleming....I'm sure each have supporters, and each had their up moments, but consistant performance, leadership that was desperately needed... no way. Denny reports Ray Woods not returning, blaming the school.. Woods knew how to score, but playing 10 minutes per game doesn't help enough to be considered a significant loss.. and Alex Rowling, also mentioned as not retuning, played no significant minutes.

Who is returning. only one player who really saw consistant time.. third team all conference Saliou Dioum.. things were so confused last year that Dioum seemed to be in a different position every game.. from point one night to in the middle the next.. what was obvious was athleticism and leaping ability... what was also obvious is that the kid has a woeful touch (37.5% from the field, 23% from 3 point) and many times seemed lost on the court, leading the team in turnovers by a wide margin. His raw talent will hopefully escalate his game this year... others returning who seemed to get a shot one game, then be forgotten thereafter are Eric Jenkins, Erich Hamilton, Dan Lisch.. Tyler Garner had his moments.. shot well early in the season off the bench, then felt any 3 pointer was fair game and forgot how to do anything else.... Nolan Zoellner, who saw action off the bench two years ago, may also return... problem is, all these guys with the exception of Dioum are pretty much the same player, the 2-3 position guy, not great quicks, or strength, or shooting... Fontbonne has no true point guard, no strong forward, no big guy in the middle..
Very good hire for the new coach, he has a real challenge..he's basicly starting with the cupboard bare.. wondering if we'll see a whole new group of kids?

hopefan · September 21, 2011, 09:11:44 AM

Next up... Greenville!!!!

Denny McKinney · September 21, 2011, 12:11:53 PM

Hopefan - You could of just used a season that was Sad, Bad or even Devastating and I think you would of done fine in reminding the board of FU's season last year. Everyone knows what transpired.

Quote from: hopefan on September 21, 2011, 07:37:10 AM
Denny reports Ray Woods not returning, blaming the school.. Woods knew how to score, but playing 10 minutes per game doesn't help enough to be considered a significant loss.. and Alex Rowling, also mentioned as not retuning, played no significant minutes.

I did not blame FU for Woods case. I said they made it financially impossible. Big difference. Increase in tution and new financial package made the out of pocket expenses impossible for this young man's family. You failed to mention Ray did not bounce back well from a fractured foot that kept him in a boot until well after school started. Alex Rolwing sat the season out because of a broken foot. It occured before the season. No significant minutes? He never played a game. And, this young man Did put up great HS numbers. Also, 6'7 Ronnie Rust could be a big help this year.

Gregory Sager · September 21, 2011, 12:14:15 PM

Quote from: hopefan on September 21, 2011, 07:37:10 AMWho is returning. only one player who really saw consistant time.. third team all conference Saliou Dioum.. things were so confused last year that Dioum seemed to be in a different position every game.. from point one night to in the middle the next.. what was obvious was athleticism and leaping ability... what was also obvious is that the kid has a woeful touch (37.5% from the field, 23% from 3 point) and many times seemed lost on the court, leading the team in turnovers by a wide margin. His raw talent will hopefully escalate his game this year... others returning who seemed to get a shot one game, then be forgotten thereafter are Eric Jenkins, Erich Hamilton, Dan Lisch.. Tyler Garner had his moments.. shot well early in the season off the bench, then felt any 3 pointer was fair game and forgot how to do anything else.... Nolan Zoellner, who saw action off the bench two years ago, may also return... problem is, all these guys with the exception of Dioum are pretty much the same player, the 2-3 position guy, not great quicks, or strength, or shooting... Fontbonne has no true point guard, no strong forward, no big guy in the middle..
Very good hire for the new coach, he has a real challenge..he's basicly starting with the cupboard bare.. wondering if we'll see a whole new group of kids?

Clayton Cahill, who has one year of eligibility remaining, should be a standout player in the SLIAC. He averaged 11.4 ppg in CCIW play for North Park last season, and that should translate into even better numbers in the SLIAC. He played point guard for much of his three-year collegiate career at NPU, but he can play off the ball as well. Steve Schafer recruited Cahill out of Cardinal Ritter down there in St. Louis, and then coached him for two years at NPU. I'd say that with Cahill on board Schafer knows that he has at least one guard spot nailed down already for the Griffins.

Denny McKinney · September 21, 2011, 12:19:54 PM

Sager it is my understanding that the NPU guard will be setting out this season and finish up his career next year. That is my understanding.

Gregory Sager · September 21, 2011, 12:26:18 PM

You may be right, Denny. I'm not close to the situation, so I have no direct knowledge of Clayton's intentions, other than the fact that he wants to be close to home and has played with Fontbonne in summer-league ball over the past few months.

However, if he's going to sit out this season he has to be careful in terms of his eligibility. He sat out a fall semester two years ago and then returned to St. Louis and didn't take classes at all in the spring. He's thus been in school for 3 1/2 years already, and if he takes classes at Fontbonne in 2011-12 without playing he must be careful that he has no more than four years of full-time enrollment used up by the end of the school year. Otherwise, he's going to lose at least a semester of eligibility for 2012-13.