MBB: St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[Mac Attack]

Both coaches will be missed. Class acts and tremendous role models for their student-athletes. I didn't always agree with Coach DeNeve's "system," but he did the very best he could with the talent that he had. His kids played their guts out for him every night. Best wishes to both coaches and their families.

Who can be expected to step in at Blackburn and MacMurray? I wouldn't think the assistant at MacMurray would be promoted, but you never know. He's never been a head coach and he's pretty young - but he's familiar with the program and the players, and I think he would be a hard worker and a good recruiter. The new AD may want someone from the "outside" who can come in and ramp up the program and put his own stamp on the basketball team.

What kind of coach would be attracted to a school like MacMurray or Blackburn? Older? Younger? Experienced? Previous success? An up-and-comer?

Whoever gets the MacMurray job will be inheriting some pretty good players - Hipshir, Compton, Kowa, Robertson, and Huff played a lot of solid minutes last year. From what I hear, Brady Greene will be back, after missing the last half of the season. Evan Birch and Craig Workman will also return, and I know they're hoping that Jeareau Sanders comes back. That's a pretty good group of players to start with, and they have two point guards coming in and possibly a 6'8" kid who can play some. The cupboard isn't bare.

Good luck to both teams in finding quality coaches - and best wishes to Coach DeNeve and Coach Kaneshiro.

[fcnews]

I was told Coach K is returning to Hawaii. I beleive his wife is too home sick. He will be tough to replace.

[hopefan]

yes, Coach K from Blackburn is going back to Hawaii with his family.....  Not sure of Coach Deneve's plans.  My phone conversation with Blackburn seemed to indicate that the search process has been going on and the prospective candidates have been significantly narrowed to just a few.  Will be interesting to see who they get - small school, very rural, but with a recent track record of getting some very good locals - good enough to win or contend for conference the last several years, with 3 or 4 outstanding returnees  -  timing is tough though, as a good class is needed this year to replace all the graduates from this past season.  I have grown to really enjoy Blackburn despite an unfortunate misunderstanding with the Blackburn AD.  The students do a great job of supporting the team and make the games a fun event worth the drive from St. Louis to see - the teams have been well coached and they play HARD.

[fcnews]

When Dave returned to the area a couple of years ago (after his short return to the west coast) the Blackburn position opened up at the perfect time. I anxious to see how many people are interested in Carlinville, IL. and the SLIAC.

[Mac Attack]

Does anyone know of any basketball camps that might be hiring D3 players to help? I've seen players in the past who were floor monitors in the dorms, helped referee games, etc. Any information would help. Thanks!

[mattgrubb]

Chris Bunch is the greatest thing that ever happened to the SLIAC and i met a girl who worked at hooters in knoxville and said she worked at the hooters in the Louis so i said i had a buddy who was a bball coach in the louis and she screamed Chris Bunch, now how many other coaches in the SLIAC roll that hard, none

Chris Bunch is a legend

[Thud Bucket]

My son, who plays basketball in the SLIAC,  has a chance to work at a St. Louis University basketball camp the weeks of June 12-15 (Academy of the Sacred Heart) and June 19-22 (St. Charles West High School) in St. Charles, Missouri. It's a commuter camp, so we're looking for a place for him to stay in St. Charles that's close to where the camp is being held. Anybody have any suggestions or advice? Thanks in advance for any help.

[Golions]

Thud-
How long ago did he get hitred to work those camps and how did he got about getting hired?

[Thud Bucket]

About a month ago he contacted head caoches in midwest. He had two or three offers, which was really amazing. Tremendous experience and lots of fun.

[diehardfan]

Awww, the coach at MacMurray left? He was a nice guy, came up and asked me if I was diehardfan when you guys played us a few years ago. I thought it was funny that he read the CCIW board at all,but especially funny when he said he knew it had to be me because I was the girl who got there early and stayed through both games. One of my funnier interactions with a coach from an opposing school for sure.

Someone will keep us updated about where he ends up, right?

[Knightstalker]

Interesting.

Do you think, Pat, that the divisional format in a 10 team conference is effective?

I suppose the farther apart geographically the schools are the more sense it makes to create divisions, with the schools being closest to one another in the same division.

For example, now that the SLIAC will have 10 member schools, the divisions might be Eureka, Lincoln Christian, Mac Murray, Blackburn and Greenville; then Webster, Fontbonne, Maryville, Principia, and Westminster. However, I am not advocating this. I think 10 teams, playing each other twice for a total of 18 conference games and 7 non-conference games is a pretty good system

With the NJAC the reasoning behind the split into two five team divisions was to enable the schools to play more regional competition out of conference.  The NJAC is playing the system to a certain extent in limiting the number of times the NJAC teams beat up on each other.  I do think the divisions work.  The northern NJAC team play the skyline and CUNYAC teams and these teams for the most part do not help the NJAC QOWI or whatever it will be called this year.  By reducing the conference schedule to 13 games from 18 allows the NJAC teams to play stronger teams from outside the Atlantic region but still within the regional limits.

[Mac Attack]

Any rumors on thoughts about head coach replacements at MacMurray or Blackburn? I would assume the assistant at MacMurray applied. He's an outstanding young man, but not sure that's he ready for a head job. Would think the Highlander AD would look to bring someone new in. Don't know anything about Blackburn. Anyone?

[gc_fan]

This does not have to do with Basketball per-sey, but on the d3football.com page the headline is that the SLIAC conference is going to be sponsoring Football again starting in 2008.  There are 4 schools from Minnesota (Martin Luther, Minnesota-Morris, Crown and Northwestern) that will join, creating 2 divisions.  Principia will join them to create the north division, Greenville, Blackburn, Wesminster, Eureka and MacMurray will make up the south division.  As far as Basketball goes, I believe these new schools will still stay in the UMAC so it will have no effect.  Rich Meckfessel, the SLIAC commish says "Even the four SLIAC schools that do not play football are enthusiastic about this."

[Mac Attack]

Word on the MacMurray campus is the Highlanders have hired a new basketball coach. He was calling players yesterday afternoon. Maybe Pat can find out who it is, his background, etc.

[Mac Attack]

New Coach for the Highlanders is Steve Hettinger, formerly the head coach at Olivet College in Michigan. A comment on one of the other league boards said the coach was a real competitor who got the most out of his players. Welcome to MacMurray, and the SLIAC, Coach Hettinger. You will be inheriting a solid nucleus of players, and some surprisingly good newcomers. I'm sure the delay between DeNeve leaving and Hettinger arriving impacted recruiting, but quite frankly, most of the recruiting should be wrapped up by March or April. Look for MacMurray to be in the play-off mix throughout the season. I have a feeling that our new coach is going to bring new energy, excitement, and success to our program.