MBB: St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[hopefan]

revised hopefan standings

Standings based on 3 principles..
Teams that are contenders should not lose at Home  if they do, it is a -1
Teams that are contenders would hope to beat other contenders on the road... if they do, it is a +1
Teams that are contenders should never lose to Blackburn or Prin... if they do, it's a -1
When contenders win at home, lose on the road, or beat PRin and BC anywhere, it's = 0
Do what you are supposed to, you'll finish 10-6, with no guarantees... it's the teams that win that 1 extra game on the road, and defend home, that will finish ahead.....

Hopefan standings based on above

Mac +2  (won at Eureka) (won at Webster)
Spalding +1  (won at Westminster)
Eureka  +1  (lost at home vs Mac) (won at Fontbonne) (won at Greenville)
Webster 0   (won at Greenville) (lost at home vs Mac)
Westmin  0  (won at Fontbonne)  (lost at home vs Spalding)
Greenville  -2 (lost at home vs Webster) (lost at home vs Eureka)
Fontbonne -2 (lost at home vs Westminster) (lost at home vs Eureka)

[louhoopsfan]

Unfortunately haven't gotten to see much SLIAC basketball this season. I HAVE seen a bit of STL area HS hoops, and not really sure what to think. There are a number of great recruits from this area that are going to play at D1, D2 schools next year, but then I just see a BIG talent drop off.  Not really sure who would be good SLIAC candidates; then again, I wasn't sure who would be last year, but was pleasantly surprised, especially by Fontbonne's recruiting class

[hopefan]

Unfortunately haven't gotten to see much SLIAC basketball this season. I HAVE seen a bit of STL area HS hoops, and not really sure what to think. There are a number of great recruits from this area that are going to play at D1, D2 schools next year, but then I just see a BIG talent drop off.  Not really sure who would be good SLIAC candidates; then again, I wasn't sure who would be last year, but was pleasantly surprised, especially by Fontbonne's recruiting class

I agree Louhoops... I find it very difficult to evaluate high school kids I see... for instance, I saw a kid this summer whom appeared very solid, yet I hear he is struggling on a SLIAC JV team.. on the other hand, when I saw several high schoolers heading to Fontbonne in the summer league, I was unimpressed, yet these kids are starting out very well for Fontbonne...
I saw Eureka HS at Lafayette the other night, watching Eureka closely, as it is where I live and where my kids played... their best player is rumored to be D1, and I'm not certain he's at that level... the rest, on a pretty decent hs team, did not impress me as potential D3 players... HOWEVER, it is my ultimate opinion that SLIAC schools should take every big school kid they can get.. who can play, who wants to play, can sort itself out later....

[hopefan]

Huge week next week
Tuesday (happy birthday hopefan) is a little light, but everyone will root for Greenville to upset Spalding, I'll go see Webster at Westmin
Thursday Fontbonne at Webster, Westmin at Greenville, but I can't wait to see Spalding at Mac
Saturday fontbonne at Gville, but I'm going to see Spalding at Eureka, then Iowa Wesleyan at Mac on the way home!!

So what would be fun to see?.. well can Greenville play with Spalding... likely not, but we can hope... and a Webster win at Westmin would get them back in the race for a playoff spot...  Assuming Fontbonne simply is not ready to compete for a top 4, we stay on the Webster bandwagon against the Griffs, again hope for an unlikely Gville upset of Westmin, and yell our heads off for Mac to beat Spalding.... Saturday there is no question, go Eureka, beat Spalding... and Spalding readers, no offense, just looking for a tight race that Spalding is currently dominating... I have nothing but admiration for the Spalding team I saw beat Westminster in Fulton....

[hopefan]

a little more analysis shows how critical this week is to the men's title race... Spalding has already won at Westminster... this week they go the other two contenders' courts... Mac and Eureka... it's pretty obvious that if they were to come away with 2 wins, the competition in the conference will be for 2nd place, and the conference tourney will be in Louisville....  the conference needs wins from both Mac and Eureka!!!!

[hopefan]

Hadn't commented on other 3 games Saturday... 

Disappointed regarding the big point spread of Mac over Fontbonne.... perhaps Coach Creal got some points across after Mac's seemingly lackluster win over Blackburn...BUT what happened with Dylan Burton... hurt again or just being safe, waiting for the big upcoming game with Spalding... 4 minutes?  Fontbonne just shoots horribly... 5 starters go 11 for 38 from the field...thank goodness Stephens and Rucker go 10-13 off the bench...  some very sad stat lines from some key individuals....

McAfee 0-1 in 14 minutes vs BC, but with 6 assists?    Bizarre.....       BC 21 turnovers vs Spalding 8

Joe Prophet doesn't play for Westmin vs Prin... a day off?   hopefully not an injury....

I'm pumped for Westmin-Webster  (I'd better be.. early morning meeting on Wednesday...)

[Denny McKinney]

Points of Interest:
Spalding has won their last 3 games by a combined 133 pts. Even though POY, DNP vs PC and Does Not Shoot vs BC. But, has 28 vs Webster in the game sandwich between. Is SU that good? YES

When was the last time Webster had an 8 game losing streak? Not in the Bunch Era. Westminster on the road. Ouch!

FU's Blake Welch will miss another game due to stitches received in forehead during EC game. Hey SLIAC's Finest. Did you watch the Road to the Final Four last year? We all were educated to the new rule but you. Any, contact (intentional or unintentional) above the shoulders is a Flagrant I or II. Blake may be back for Thursdays game @ WU.

I did pay for Presto Live for the EC @ FU game. Yjak, the T on Dustin F was the correct call. But, the official who made the call had a perfect angle to see the frustration Dustin was showing (maybe because he was 2-11 fg). I could see it missed when viewed from a different angle Hopefan. FU is going on 4 years without a win, when games are officiated with "The SLIAC's Finest" on the crew. The EC game is a good example. I thought that vendetta would not carry into the Schafer Era.

FU's core is Freshmen and they are getting great experience.

Safe Travels All.

[y_jack_lok]

When was the last time Webster had an 8 game losing streak? Not in the Bunch Era. Westminster on the road. Ouch!

Webster started the 05-06 season 1-10, five losses, a win, then five more losses. At the moment the losing streak is at 7. We'll know whether it becomes 8 after tonight's game.

[Denny McKinney]

YJak- I was implying the same. Just saying road game at Fulton is a tough win. Question? Is Griffin still enrolled at WU and do expect him back next year? He is a big young man and can sure rebound. It would be a tough kid to lose.

Big Win for Bunch and the Boys. You asked for it. Three way tie at 3-3.

[y_jack_lok]

Question? Is Griffin still enrolled at WU and do expect him back next year? He is a big young man and can sure rebound. It would be a tough kid to lose.

Griffin was on the bench in street clothes for last Thursday's game against MacMurray. That's all I know.

[hopefan]

What a night in Fulton... Webster men and women go to Wesminster as decided underdogs, and both pull out last minute (almost last second ) wins...   The exciting ending of the ladies game had the small handful of Webster fans (and me) pumped for the men's game.. and Westminster started the game squashing Webster's hopes as flat as a pancake... Westmin hit their first 9 shots (including 2 free throws) to jump out to a 15 point lead....  but in the first half, Webster kept hanging around, mainly on 3 point shooting from Danny Zehner and a lot of activity around the basket by Roman Robinson... Webster cut it to 2 or 3 points, but Westmin scored the last 7 or 8 in the half to go up 10 at half time.....  Webster came out  scoring the first 5 in the second half, but again Westmin got hot (mainly Skylar Tolson and Mookie Velandra ) to build their lead up to 13.. then Webster started chipping away.. and Westmin started self destructing..
Jarred Huskey played his best game of the year, and his hoop at 2:09 made it 63-59
Verdis Lee comes down and quickly forces a horrible driving shot that Huskey rebounds
Webster works the ball, Roman Robinson misses a jump shot but follows it unchecked for an easy layup at 1:23 to make it 63-61
Westmin uses clock, but Ahmad Smith steals the ball at the top of the key and goes down for an uncontested layup  61-61 at 0:48   that may be the first tie of the game
Westmin comes down, works the ball, Joe James hits a 15 ft shot at the elbow, 63-61 Westmin at 21 seconds
Webster comes down, makes several passes, Dietrich Sooter drives to the basket (per usual, seemingly out of control), BUT finds Ahmad Smith wide open in the opposite corner, and Smith buries it from 3 for Webster's first
and only lead of the game....   Westmin has 6.2 seconds, they give it to Joe James for a runner and it is blocked.. and a huge win for Webster.

Note : most stats for both teams are similar... EXCEPT Turnovers... Webster has only 10, Westminster has 16, including 12 from the threesome of James, Prophet and Lee....

This game, the 1 point game Eureka at Greenville,  it's why I love SLIAC D3hoops.....  VERY UPLIFTING.. Thanks Webster Men and Women, and Westmin Men and Women for that matter, for a heck of a great Birthday party!!!!

Anything else last night?
Spalding beats Greenville 76-58... Greenville shoots well from the field, but goes 4 for 15 from the FT line, and turns the ball over 18 times...  McAfee goes for 27, but is only 2-9 from 3's
Fontbonne routs Blackburn  70-51... early scores i saw were close, but fontbonne pulled to 10 point advantage at half...
Mac beats Prin 90-39... Coach Creal used 16 players.....

revised hopefan standings

Standings based on 3 principles..
Teams that are contenders should not lose at Home  if they do, it is a -1
Teams that are contenders would hope to beat other contenders on the road... if they do, it is a +1
Teams that are contenders should never lose to Blackburn or Prin... if they do, it's a -1
When contenders win at home, lose on the road, or beat PRin and BC anywhere, it's = 0
Do what you are supposed to, you'll finish 10-6, with no guarantees... it's the teams that win that 1 extra game on the road, and defend home, that will finish ahead.....

Hopefan standings based on above

Mac +2  (won at Eureka) (won at Webster)
Spalding +1  (won at Westminster)
Eureka  +1  (lost at home vs Mac) (won at Fontbonne) (won at Greenville)
Webster +1   (won at Greenville) (lost at home vs Mac) (won at Westminster)
Westmin  -1  (won at Fontbonne)  (lost at home vs Spalding)  (lost at home vs Webster)
Greenville  -2 (lost at home vs Webster) (lost at home vs Eureka)
Fontbonne -2 (lost at home vs Westminster) (lost at home vs Eureka)

[WUPHF]

I watched Fontbonne get the second of two wins over Blackburn on the season last night.  The final score was 70-51, but it took some late game offense by the Beavers to get the margin down to 19.  I have a few simplistic thoughts that are surely obvious to the veteran fans:

-Coach Baribeau might be the most relaxed coach I have ever seen.  He used half of every time out, it seemed, to contemplate his strategy before talking it over with the team.  I will not fault him for that, as each time out seemed to help solve one of many problems the Beavers had.  My only concern: he waited until the last 10 minutes to implement a plan to break the full-court press.

-The Fontbonne press did not directly generate a lot of turnovers, relative to the Blackburn season average, but probably rattled the offense a little.  Blackburn had seven players coming in off the bench, so fatigue never seemed a factor.  The turnover stats were comparable 14-19.

-Blackburn has an talent deficit and may come away with only one more win in the league this season.

-Greenlee has really won me over.  Good night for Demisse, Rucker and Chism, who may have played more if not for the travel violations.

-Overall, I think this game played out exactly as expected.

[hopefan]

-Coach Baribeau might be the most relaxed coach I have ever seen. 

Some might call it relaxed, others may call it as resigned to the outcome, very early on...I feel bad for the coach.. I hope he hasn't given up...

[Denny McKinney]

Question to those who may know: In Region Games?

This is pure speculation. But, I was looking at Spalding's schedule and Results. They are in the South Region.
Four games in question. 1 pt Loss @ Transy (12-4), 2 pt Loss @ Thomas More (14-3), 6 pt Loss vs Dickinson (12-4) and Win at Anderson. Are any of these considered in region games?
9 points from some big wins.
When are first regional rankings.

It's been a couple years and I just need refreshing. Thanks in advance

[y_jack_lok]

Question to those who may know: In Region Games?

This is pure speculation. But, I was looking at Spalding's schedule and Results. They are in the South Region.
Four games in question. 1 pt Loss @ Transy (12-4), 2 pt Loss @ Thomas More (14-3), 6 pt Loss vs Dickinson (12-4) and Win at Anderson. Are any of these considered in region games?
9 points from some big wins.
When are first regional rankings.

It's been a couple years and I just need refreshing. Thanks in advance

I think if the other school is within 200 miles it is also considered in region, so Transy & Thomas More would be. Not sure how far Anderson & Dickinson are from Spalding.