MBB: Old Dominion Athletic Conference

Matt Letourneau · March 01, 2007, 01:17:36 AM

Here's what I posted on Hood on the team profiles section:

Hood College Blazers:

Starters: Tim Abercrombie, Ryan Junghans, Darrell Edmonds, Jesse Gutekunst, Sean Robine
Reservers: Anthony Bennett

21-7, 12-4 CAC, CAC Champions. Key wins: @Catholic, Messiah, @York Key losses: Catholic, Catholic, @Marymount

It just its fourth year of existence, the Hood Blazers took the CAC by storm, finishing as the top seed during the regular season. Led by CAC Coach of the Year Tom Dickman, Hood plays its home games at Governor Thomas Johnson High School, lacking its own facility. The only team to win there this year was Catholic, who beat Hood for the CAC Championship and also won its regular season road contest.

Hood is led by Ryan Junghams and Jesse Gutekunst. Junghans, a sophomore, is a deadly shooter from beyond the arc that is also comfortable taking the ball to the rack. Very quick, poised guard. Guteknust is a physical monster with good hands, and is an excellent free throw shooter. He's both tall and wide and plays a physical game inside. Hood likes to play inside-out, and works to free up Junghams for 3's on screens.

Hood faces Hampden Sydney in the first round at Virginia Wesleyan, who plays Averett in the first round. In order to win, the Blazers will need to keep Gutekunst out of foul trouble--he is prone to pushing smaller defenders out of the way and can pick up quick fouls, depending on the officiating crew.

Let me expand on that a little---Gutekunst picked up 4 fouls in the first game against Catholic, which obviously made him much less of a factor. In the CAC Championship game, the officials seemed to make a concerted effort to let them play and keep him in the game. Hood had a 10 point lead into the second half, but Catholic adjusted and ended up playing more physical on Gutekunst.

Let me emphasize that this kid is a monster. Not athletic, but better hands than you think and he gobbles everything up. Catholic plays an interior game as it is and even they struggled against him. You can't double down on him too much because Hood will free up Junghans who will kill you from 3. He's their guy that will take the big shot, too. Can't give him any space. Their other guards can hit from outside too but won't take it unless it is there.

Coach Dickman has done an impressive job with such a young program. Not too many people expected them to contend so strongly in the CAC this year. They won early in the season at Catholic, before the Cardinals had really figured out what they wanted to do this year, but it ended up being the difference and giving them the #1 seed in the conference tournament. With a Pool A bid on the line, they did lose their composure late in the championship game when Catholic went on a run, leading to some bad shots and dumb fouls. They could struggle against an experienced postseason team.

On the other hand, they've got nothing to lose. Should be a good game.

allsky7 · March 01, 2007, 08:03:09 AM

Quote from: scottiedoug on February 28, 2007, 11:22:16 PM
Highlander and Allsky7: If Maryville can get out of Clinton, Mississippi, which will not be easy, they'd meet an ODAC team unless HS-C and Virginia Wesleyan both lose early. That would be fun.

Yeah.....that would be fun. I know Averett is tough but I think VWC advances on their home floor. H-S has a legit shot Friday...doubtful they can survive both nights. For the record...I am creating the same doubting mindset that I had last Saturday when I watched one of the most amazing games I have ever seen. If H-S can prevail, I'll be right here next week eating crow...uh...I mean taking the credit.

GO TIGERS!!
You are right....the Scots have their work cut out for them too. GO SCOTS!!

diehardfan · March 01, 2007, 06:27:13 PM

Speaking of previews...

We're collecting previews for each team in the tourney on one of the multiregional boards. If I get them by friday I may even be able to stick them in one document for people to peruse. A fun little tourney resource of sorts. Could someone here do one for VAWes, HSC, and Guilford there? Thanks!

http://www.d3sports.com/post/index.php?topic=5147.0

tigerphil · March 01, 2007, 08:30:23 PM

I did what I could for HSC, having only been to one game this year already.

hasanova · March 01, 2007, 10:01:14 PM

Quote from: diehardfan on March 01, 2007, 06:27:13 PM
Speaking of previews...

We're collecting previews for each team in the tourney on one of the multiregional boards. If I get them by friday I may even be able to stick them in one document for people to peruse. A fun little tourney resource of sorts. Could someone here do one for VAWes, HSC, and Guilford there? Thanks!

http://www.d3sports.com/post/index.php?topic=5147.0

I posted something for Guilford.

hasanova · March 02, 2007, 11:17:35 AM

Does anyone know if the Quakers went to Baltimore yesterday or did they leave this morning? That's a long bus trip (350 miles or so). I don't want them to be too tired to play!

Looks as though Guilford will have an audio link on their website and Manhattanville may have a video link on their site. JHU will also offer a link for live stats. All can be accessed through Guilford's men's basketball home page:

http://www.guilford.edu/athletics/mbball/

Six o'clock will be here before you know it for the Tigers and Quakers. Marlins two hours later. Go Quakers! Go Marlins! Go Tigers! Go ODAC!

diehardfan · March 02, 2007, 12:43:43 PM

Quote from: diehardfan on March 01, 2007, 06:27:13 PM
Speaking of previews...

We're collecting previews for each team in the tourney on one of the multiregional boards. If I get them by friday I may even be able to stick them in one document for people to peruse. A fun little tourney resource of sorts. Could someone here do one for VAWes, HSC, and Guilford there? Thanks!

http://www.d3sports.com/post/index.php?topic=5147.0

Well, thanks to hasanova we have Guilford, but there's still no VaWes or HSC previews posted.

Come on guys, this conference has way too many quality participants in the tournament to not be fully represented!!!

Please? Someone?

diehardfan · March 02, 2007, 06:54:43 PM

Two down, one more to go:

Could someone please do a Va Wes preview?? There are only like 8 schools that don't have previews right now... and the defending national champs are one of them!?

http://www.d3sports.com/post/index.php?topic=5147.0

jboogie33 · March 02, 2007, 07:39:46 PM

Guiford Has just won. they beat that team mahantanville pretty bad. Go quakers. They won 101 to 81

Brian Hamilton · March 02, 2007, 07:44:25 PM

HSC up 66-65 with 1 second left! The Tigers are inbounding!

Brian Hamilton · March 02, 2007, 07:46:17 PM

HSC shooting free throws with 0.8 left. 2 shots.

Brian Hamilton · March 02, 2007, 07:47:59 PM

Tigers win!!!!

Brian Hamilton · March 02, 2007, 07:49:07 PM

Does anyone know how to get tickets for the HSC game at Virginia Wesleyan tomorrow? I don't really want to drive 3 hours and not have a ticket.

Brian Hamilton · March 02, 2007, 07:59:03 PM

Tigers hit 19 of 21 free throws. Drew Prehmus has 23 pts. on 7 of 9 shooting including 5 of 7 from behind the arc. Sounds like Drew really picked up the slack.

hasanova · March 02, 2007, 08:12:44 PM

Quote from: jboogie33 on March 02, 2007, 07:39:46 PM
Guiford Has just won. they beat that team mahantanville pretty bad. Go quakers. They won 101 to 81

Quakers shot 61.3% (38/62). Strong had 24 and Snipes 18. Ten Quakers scored. Sanborn 10, Strickland 12 and Belkowksi 10 all in double figures. Kimbrough "only" had 8, but was a perfect 3 for 3, two were 3-pointers. Good all around game. Congratulations to the Quakers and Tigers! Now, go Marlins!