MBB: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[countrylover]

Not even Chambliss???

[Greek Tragedy]

Before I go on my rant of Edgewood upsetting Stevens Point down in Madison, let me get a couple of things clear. 

I am a realistic Pointer fan.  I even said before the game that Edgewood had a better chance of beating Point than Dominican had of beating Lakeland.  Though my expectations of the Pointers (maybe unfairly) are high, I don't expect the Pointers to win every game.

I give credit where credit is due, on most accounts.  When Lakeland beat Point in Sheboygan at the beginning of the year, I had nothing but praise for the Muskies.  When Point lost to Mid-America Nazerene at the Clarke tourney, I gave discredit to Point for not defending and for coach Semling not adjusting to Nazerene's only "play" (give it to #23 and let him break down the defense).

With that said, I must have seen THEE worst reffing game in the history of games last night in Madison (and I'm not talking about the Badgers losing to Minnesota in hockey).  I usually don't complain about the refs because they try to do the best they can and everyone makes mistakes.  But, this was beyond bad.  It was comical, that's how bad it was.  I walked out of the Edgedome with a smile on my face because the reffing was just nonexistent.  You know the game is going to be bad when, on the opening tip-off, the ball goes out of bounds and none of the three refs have a clue who's ball it is.  After a split second of silence, one ref asks the other ref, "Jump ball?" and the other responds, "yeah" (basically conceding, I have no clue).

Apparently the Edgewood Eagles don't play in the LMC anymore because they must play in the NBA now.  Everytime their big guy (#15) got the ball in the post, he traveled.  It was amazing that the refs just let him do it.  The key play was on Point's last possession when Krull did his patented baseline spin move and was clearl fouled as he was going up for the shot and the ref calls the foul "on the floor".  Instead of an "and 1" opportunity, he instead gets two free throws and ties the game instead of giving Point a one-point lead.  The play at the other end of the floor was just a idiotic.  A scramble for the ball results after some great defense from Point and the guy from Edgewood barely gets a handle on the ball and basically tries to throw the ball from his knees and a phantom foul is called with nearly two seconds left.  The homer scoreboard/clock operator lets the clock run down to 0.6 seconds left.  What a complete joke.

In the end, Point played like crap.  They MISSED shots that were just horrible.  Bauer tossed up two airballs and to paraphrase Rick Majerus, "[Point] could guard someone if they had a badge and a gun."  Edgewood gets credit for banging it inside to #15 because that is Point's obvious weakness.  I guess it's a lot easier when you can travel all the time.

On another note, Edgewood have got to be the biggest whiners I have ever seen.  On every possession they cried more than my younger brother when he broke the arm off of his G.I. Joe guy.  There was a foul on an Edgewood player and he basically said, "Yeah, but he carried the ball before I fouled him."  Superstar Seth Cooper was the biggest whiner of them all (not impressed at all by his basketball).  I didn't know someone could run so well in a dress and high heels because he sure cried like a little girl out there complaining constantly. 

Anyway, I'm usually not bitter after a Pointer loss.  It happens.  Lakeland played lights out when Point lost.  Point played like crap when Nazerene beat them.  But, the refs were a complete joke.  Point played horrible and yet they only lost by one because (this is the first time I've ever claimed this) the refs handed Edgewood the game.

On an unrelated matter.  The Edgedome is really weird.  I felt like I was in a rec. gym.  It looked like I was on the set of "Saved By the Bell" during the basketball scenes because everything looked smaller. The floor looked smaller and the rims looked shorter.  Was it just me?  That's not to say that's why the Pointers lost, but I've been in other LMC and smaller gyms before, but the dimensions of the EdgeDome just didn't look right, IMO.

[Greek Tragedy]

Now that I have my complaints out of the way, here are some observations.

A couple of games ago, in fact, after a WIN, I believe, Coach Semling said that even he was making "rookie" mistakes as a coach.  One example was that he was relying on his veterans too much.  Hicklin, Bauer and Krull all seem to play 35+ minutes.

I think he needs to let his other players play more than to "just to let his starters rest" minutes.  Gbenga Awe made a rare appearence in the first half and played well (though his shot selection is still has a little to be desired, did I say that right?).  Looking at the boxscore, he only played four minutes in that span and had 1 steal, 1 assist and three rebounds.  Even the stats don't say everything.  I think he's a defensive presence and, in my opinion, he adds some spark.  But, after that brief appearance, he didn't play anymore!  Granted, no one is going to mistake Awe's offense prawlness to Krull's, but in some cases, especially this year, DEFENSE is sometimes more important and I think Gbenga brings that.

I also think Drew Jackson looked good in extended play (12 minutes is a lot for him).  Play him more too!  Sometimes you just have to mix things up.  Bauer had a pretty bad night.  He's a senior and he's a leader, but sometimes you can't always rely on a guy because of those things.  Bring in some new blood and stick with them if they are playing well.  Heck, even Wotachek had 3 rebounds.  Also, Bryan Beamish has to start shooting more.  I'm not sure if he's afraid that he's going to miss or what, but he had a lot of open shots last night that he didn't take.  Rortvedt had a horrible shooting night, but I give him credit because he kept trying.  He didn't force anything, he just missed his shots.  But, 100% of the shots you don't take won't go in.  Start shooting Beamish! 

Anyway, another thing that I think that could be done is to change up the defense a little.  Everytime Point didn't start playing man-to-man until Edgewood was in their offense.  Play a little 3/4 court defense, throw in a zone or something.  Point doesn't have the defensive personnel they did last year.  The Mid-America Nazerene point guard ate up Point's man-to-man defense.  That was a perfect time to go zone and slow him down. 

In the Edgewood game #3, I think, had a hard time dribbling the ball up court.  Pressure him a little!  Anyway, I think Semling is doing a solid job.  But, sometimes he needs to change things up, even he said he's making mistakes!

One last note, I think Jason and Brad Kalsow's dad said this at the game (my friend can confirm this)...he made a comment about the 5th starter sitting in his dorm room back in Point.  I believe he was referring to his son, Brad, who is not playing basketball this year.  From his comment, I would translate that into something like it was Semling's fault.  But, from what I've heard is that Brad only wanted to play with his brother last year and actually likes football better.  Not sure if that's the truth or not.  Just a little interesting tibit my friend and I heard at the game.  Thoughts Point fans?

[BanditUWSP]

OS...Earlier in the season there was an extensive article in the Stevens Point Journal about Brad Kalsow and his decision to play football this season.  From what I can remember, it sounded like he simply wanted to give football a try.  I think he was all-state in Illinois as a receiver.  Coach Semling indicated that the door was always open for him to rejoin the basketball team.  When the article was written, it sounded like the door was open even this season after football had ended.  From how the article was written, it didn't sound like there were any underlying problems.  Maybe his dad just meant that he might have been a starter if he'd have played this season.  I think a lot of us had figured him to be a starter this year.  I hope he considers basketball next season.

[badgerwarhawk]

2. Platteville @ Whitewater: The Warhawks slip the first time this year at home to Stout.

Does that mean we don't have to count the loss to Oshkosh or will the Titan be making the trip down here twice, Downtown? 

[badgerwarhawk]

It was nice to see  and get a chance to talk with you again Stoutguy. 

Stout outshot the WARHAWKS[/color] 54% to 39% and that was pretty much the story.  We couldn't control Jacob Nonemacher once he got the ball in the low post area.  He was just too big and too strong for anyone we could matchup.  He could be the best big man in the league at this time.   Terry Farmer made some clutch baskets whenever we got close after Stout had built the 9 point lead and we just couldn't get over that 3-4 point spread.  He can leap and always seems to play well against us. 

The clock thing was a simple misunderstanding.   Later Eddie was encouraging me to be prompt and when I glanced over he was winking.  I thought maybe he was just kidding but I was prompt anyway.    

The Edgedome is an odd venue but its probably just you, OS.  A few years back the ceiling leaked and damaged the floor and the Eagle played their home games in the gym at Watertown Lutheran Prepatory School.  That floor was shorter than the standard.  If I recall correctly they put an entirely new floor in the Edgedome.   I've always thought that there were lids on the baskets in the Quandt.  Could you check on that for me.  

WHITEWATER[/color] scrimmaged Edgewood this year.  They played one half really, really well and I thought they had the potential to be a pretty decent team if they could play an entire game like that.

[Mr. Downtown]

my bad...thanks for noticing my mistake BadgerWarhawk...

I guess that's what you get for not paying attention to your memory and paying attention to the WIAC website. Man...that site takes awhile to update..

[foul_language]

Insert Quote 
Not even Chambliss??? 

Chambliss doesn't have a job to lose. He's interim. If he's in the application process, his credentials aren't any worse than anyone else's who steps into a team that hasn't had any recruiting done lately, has been in chaos for a couple of years, and has an administration and AD that are indifferent to the basketball program.

UW-Superior probably only fields its quota of intercollegiate teams, so it can offer a varsity hockey program.

What other school waits until its men's coach resigns in spring to announce that it's women's coach is also gone (resigned after the final game in February), then screws up its searches after wasting months, hires interim people--including a high school assistant coach for the women, and doesn't start another search until the next spring semester?

Does that really sound like a school that's interested in putting together competitive teams? Who cares who they hire? I'm surprised they haven't had the soccer coach do it; it's his off season, he already coaches both men's and women's soccer, he probably doesn't have a budget to use to recruit. What else has he got to do?

[badgerwarhawk]

No problem, Downtown.  Except, of course, it means we'll have to count the loss and play in the barn.   

[BDB]

So you were on the clock, badgerwarhawk? Funny stuff.

I was listening to stoutguy do the game, and all of a sudden he starts yelling to Eddie "Ed, the clock isn't running, the clock isn't running!"

You can then hear Ed talking to the clock official. I am sitting there wondering if that is badgerwarhawk he is talking to, and it was!

Nothing like live radio, with Eddie, stoutguy and badgerwarhawk on a Saturday evening. 

[badgerwarhawk]

Just to clarify the point, the clock was running it simply hadn't run long enough for a full second to elapse before the whistle blew the ball dead again.  Frankly even I was surprised by the quickness of my reflexes.    It probably ran for about 8-9 tenths because the second changed instantly when play resumed.   Also we were able to clarify it with the shot clock. 

Eddie's comments were directed at the game official, not me.  But I did seek him out afterward to explain what had happened.  I've made mistakes on the clock, I'll admit that.  But this wasn't one of them.  Fortunately as the game played out it became insignificant. 

But what surprised me more than my reflexes was that anyone noticed it.  It was literally less than 1 second.  If I had my preference I'd do the book.  You can make a mistake of one second duration in it and no one notices.  I did wonder how Eddie even noticed.    Should have known Stoutguy would be all over it.  lol

[BDB]

BW,

Yeah, Eddie told me he was cool with everything.

I think it's stoutguy's natural habit to always check the clock from his years as a head basketball coach.

It was just funny sitting in my kitchen listening to all the commotion on the radio with 3 of my favorite guys. 

[Just Bill]

One of the plusses of having tenths of a second on the display is avoiding just that kind of situation.

Of course one of the drawbacks is if you are even 3 tenths of a second slow on the clock, half the arena will scream about it.

[Champ99]

One last note, I think Jason and Brad Kalsow's dad said this at the game (my friend can confirm this)...he made a comment about the 5th starter sitting in his dorm room back in Point.  I believe he was referring to his son, Brad, who is not playing basketball this year.  From his comment, I would translate that into something like it was Semling's fault.  But, from what I've heard is that Brad only wanted to play with his brother last year and actually likes football better.  Not sure if that's the truth or not.  Just a little interesting tibit my friend and I heard at the game.  Thoughts Point fans?

From how the article was written, it didn't sound like there were any underlying problems.  Maybe his dad just meant that he might have been a starter if he'd have played this season.  I think a lot of us had figured him to be a starter this year.  I hope he considers basketball next season.

Don't both of you think if there was some Kalsow/Semling issues that Jason probably would not be sitting on Semlings bench regardless of who's accordance it fell under?  Just a thought.

[Greek Tragedy]

Don't both of you think if there was some Kalsow/Semling issues that Jason probably would not be sitting on Semlings bench regardless of who's accordance it fell under? Just a thought.

I agree Champ.  I definitely don't want anyone to think I'm trying to start something here.  I just thought it  was an interesting comment by him.  Coming from him and how he said it made me think (my first impression) that there was something more to it than just Brad deciding not to play.  He was pretty vocal during the game, so I'm sure he was just a little annoyed and said it in the sense of trying to help the team out. 

As many did, I also had Brad penciled in as a starter...not to take anything away from the other two players (Bauer, Hicklin and Krull were obvious choices).