MBB: Old Dominion Athletic Conference

[narch]

what a fantastic season for guilford and vwc...good luck to the marlins going forward...i thought guilford might have a little magic left, but looks like the fish were just too much

[allsky7]

     Great run Quakers. Congrats!! Bring it home to the ODAC in Salem Marlins!
      I don't want to work...I just want to bang on the drums all day.......The horror....make it stop.........Please make it stop!!! 

[FISHTANKFAN]

 Congratulations to the Marlins and the Quakers tonight.  Guilford hung in the game and almost took it back.  A fine season for both teams.  No losers here.  Next year will be their even better for Guilford.  No doubt in my mind.   Congratulations to Ben Strong and Jordan Snipes for making the Marlins work so hard for the victory.  Well done! Now its on to Salem and the Final Four for the Marlins!!! Find a way to win!!! 

[justafan02]

Back from Batten and watching the Marlins achieve another trip to the final four.  The ODAC is the only team to beat the ODAC in this NCAA tourney thus far and hopefully the Marlins can secure that in Salem.

Congrats to Ben Strong...Most Outstanding player in the sectional.  Awards also to Adair, Balenga, Stephen Fields and Snipes.  I lost a little respect for Snipes tonight.  He plays hard all the time, but let his emotions loose in the final ticks.  Balenga (who frustrates and trash talks like no one else in DIII) stole the inbounds pass from Snipes and Snipes literally punched at him and threw him to the floor.  That was the flagrant foul that was called late.  It was a shame because it put a bad taste in peoples mouth for a kid that I know works extremely hard and had a hell-a-va season.

Ben Strong was Strong again.  You could tell he was, as well as most of Guilford, a little sluggish, but the kid BATTLED.  He also showed great touch from the outside with some 15 footers.

Player of the game for the Marlins was Stephen Fields.  He was HUGE tonight and certainly didn't play like a  rookie.   He will be something.

Again, Great year for Guilford and the ODAC.  Let's see if the Marlins can do it again....

[justafan02]

PS:  Thanks to the NCAA for allowing VWC to host again....talk about a sixth man...

[FISHTANKFAN]

 I just took a look at the d3hoops poll and  the teams ranked #2,#4,#6, and #8 are going to the Final Four.  Looks like  the poll was fairly accurate.  #2 plays #6 and #4 plays #8.   Well matched.  Amherst vs Wooster and Washington U vs. Virginia Wesleyan.  Should be a respectable Final Four by anyone's standards, but I would love to see the ODAC win a Back to Back National Championship.   GO Marlins!!!

[golden_dome]

Congratulations to the Marlins for their second straight Final Four appearance. As an ASC and Mississippi College fan, I had to take my medicine this weekend but I'll be pulling for VWC to win it again. After watching them play MC Friday, I would not pick against them if they continue to play like that. Represent the South Region well.

[algernon]

Congratulations to the Marlins for their second straight Final Four appearance. As an ASC and Mississippi College fan, I had to take my medicine this weekend but I'll be pulling for VWC to win it again. After watching them play MC Friday, I would not pick against them if they continue to play like that. Represent the South Region well.

I would have been happy to see either team win last night's game.  It was great to know, going into the game, that the ODAC would be represented in the Final Four for the 3rd time in 5 years!!!

I would not pick against the Marlins in the Final Four.  They can play with any of the other teams and I wouldn't be shocked to see another win involving a 10 or 20 point margin, like the win against Mississippi College.  Like other ODAC fans, I'll be happy just to see them play their best and represent the ODAC well.  They are very solid now .... and are certainly capable of back-to-back national championships.

If the Marlins win 2 more games -- against Washington and Wooster/Amherst -- Tiger fans will be able to say -- for the second year in a row -- we were the last team to beat the Marlins!

[algernon]

So far, the VWC Marlins are 8-3 against NCAA Tournament participants:

Mon., Nov 27   at Averett                     L, 73-81
Sat., Dec 9       at Hampden-Sydney        W, 78-60
Fri., Dec 29        at Mary Hardin-Baylor     L, 62-63
Sun., Jan 7       vs. Guilford                 W, 75-55
Wed., Jan 24    vs. Hampden-Sydney        W, 75-49
Sun., Jan 28     at Guilford                       W, 72-69
Sat., Feb 24     vs. Hampden-Sydney         L, 67-70
Fri., Mar 2        vs. Averett               W, 63-60
Sat., Mar 3      vs. Hampden-Sydney           W, 61-51
Fri., Mar 9       vs. Mississippi College       W, 81-55
Sat., Mar 10     vs. Guilford                   W, 81-71

[sludge]

We made it back from the beach. <whew>.  I give Guilford full credit for leaving everything on the floor.  They  really did play with the kind of effort that can make them proud, regardless of the outcome (after time softens it, at least).  Ben Strong has become a remarkable leader; I saw a clear and visible display of will and heart on the floor.  And Guilford is much more than just Strong.  Let me make it clear:  I'm so proud of the Guilford team, I don't see how I could be prouder if they won last night.  

Airborne, I've mentioned before my sympathy for your not hosting, and I certainly acknowledge that VWC is a tough place to play!  I appreciate the class of Lincoln U. and Mississippi College fans on this board after the games.

Yeah, Snipes was frustrated.  He's been learning to keep his cool and has improved each year in that regard; he slipped back.  I give him credit for his great progress, which was crucial to Guilford's success this year.  No Ts for the year!  I wish him the best in his life efforts to self-mastery.  Balenga does have the worst mouth I've heard.

Thanks to the Guilford fans. You are a great band I'm proud to belong to.

Thanks to Marlin fans for being polite as the Guilford players as they were introduced.  After the game, I shouted for the Marlins to bring it home for the ODAC.  Brandon heard me, saw my shirt, and smiled.  Go ODAC!   Go Marlins!

And after a fine long time of rest, refreshment, study and hopefully joy, Go Guilford!

[hasanova]

Hasanova & the ODAC fans:

The Lions lost to Guilford will linger for a while, however I just found out the Men's Track team just won Lincoln's 17th NCAA Championship in Terre Haute IN, so at least I feel and will sleep a little better tonight.   

njlincolnlion - A loss such as that would have to linger, so I certainly understand.  In a way, both teams won and both will be immortalized for being a part of what I think is the greatest game I ever heard.  Congratulations for the Track championship!  Wow -  17 times!  That does ease the pain a bit, but I know you really wanted the Lions to win, just as I wanted the Quakers to beat the Marlins last night.   You're a class guy and I'll be watching the exploits of the Lions in the CIAA.  Good luck to you and Lincoln University!   

[hasanova]

Back from Batten and watching the Marlins achieve another trip to the final four.  The ODAC is the only team to beat the ODAC in this NCAA tourney thus far and hopefully the Marlins can secure that in Salem.

Congrats to Ben Strong...Most Outstanding player in the sectional.  Awards also to Adair, Balenga, Stephen Fields and Snipes.  I lost a little respect for Snipes tonight.  He plays hard all the time, but let his emotions loose in the final ticks.  Balenga (who frustrates and trash talks like no one else in DIII) stole the inbounds pass from Snipes and Snipes literally punched at him and threw him to the floor.  That was the flagrant foul that was called late.  It was a shame because it put a bad taste in peoples mouth for a kid that I know works extremely hard and had a hell-a-va season.

Ben Strong was Strong again.  You could tell he was, as well as most of Guilford, a little sluggish, but the kid BATTLED.  He also showed great touch from the outside with some 15 footers.

Player of the game for the Marlins was Stephen Fields.  He was HUGE tonight and certainly didn't play like a  rookie.   He will be something.

Again, Great year for Guilford and the ODAC.  Let's see if the Marlins can do it again....

Certainly, any foul by Snipes was inexcusable and it made the final score of ten even more pronounced than it should have been, but we don't know what was being said on the floor by Balenga - not just at that point, but throughout the game and the whole season.  Admittedly, you openly alluded to Ton Ton's well known style, but I think the webcast announcer said it the most succinctly, "Balenga is the most hated player in the ODAC."  Talk to any opposing team's players, staff members and coaches - they are frankly tired of Ton Ton's antics and his trash talk.   He's undoubtedly a great player with wonderful athletic skills, so why does he need to constantly bait other players?  I will wholeheartedly agree that Snipes was wrong.  He should not have reacted in the way he did.  I'm sure he was frustrated that his career was over and he was not going to Salem.  You do a lot of things when you're 21 or 22 that you might not do when you're older, but his actions late in the the game were clearly wrong.  Perhaps you lost a bit of respect for Snipes last night and I fully understand that, but, on the other hand, very few of Balenga's opponents (players, coaches and fans) have ever had much respect for Ton Ton.  Balenga brings it on himself.  I clearly saw it when the Marlins came to Greensboro this year.  I sincerely wish Ton Ton and the Marlins good luck and great play in the Final Four, but, honestly, I'm not a Balenga fan.

Go Marlins!  Go ODAC!

[GP87]

TonTon is a passionate player on the court.  I've watched him defend players larger or more talented than himself and use the trash talk to get them out of their game.  It often works.  Adair does his share of talking, as do many other ODAC players; it is part of basketball.  To single out Balenga and claim that he has little respect around the league (from fans, coaches, or players nonetheless) is ridiculous.  Coaches still voted him to All-Conference after a shaky year; fans and players respect him as the one person other than Jordan Snipes that they don't want with the ball at the end of a close game.  Some of the greatest basketball players ever were/are notorious trash talkers; there's a reason why.  They're looking for exactly the reaction TonTon got last night, a reaction that screams "Look, my mind is no longer in the game".  If you don't like the way TonTon acts, it's understandable.  Some people will never like the concept of psychological chatter on the court.  However, it is an obvious part of the game today.  TonTon has talked his way to a ring, multiple clutch shots, and a faithful following of VWC fans.  If you can't respect that because he seems arrogant on the court, you should probably stop watching athletics.  You don't have to like Balenga.  You don't have to admire him either.  You do have to respect him.  He may be "the most hated player in the ODAC" but he's that same hated player every single game, good or bad, and it gives the Marlins a psychological edge every time he steps on the floor. 

[hasanova]

TonTon is a passionate player on the court.  I've watched him defend players larger or more talented than himself and use the trash talk to get them out of their game.  It often works.  Adair does his share of talking, as do many other ODAC players; it is part of basketball.  To single out Balenga and claim that he has little respect around the league (from fans, coaches, or players nonetheless) is ridiculous.  Coaches still voted him to All-Conference after a shaky year; fans and players respect him as the one person other than Jordan Snipes that they don't want with the ball at the end of a close game.  Some of the greatest basketball players ever were/are notorious trash talkers; there's a reason why.  They're looking for exactly the reaction TonTon got last night, a reaction that screams "Look, my mind is no longer in the game".  If you don't like the way TonTon acts, it's understandable.  Some people will never like the concept of psychological chatter on the court.  However, it is an obvious part of the game today.  TonTon has talked his way to a ring, multiple clutch shots, and a faithful following of VWC fans.  If you can't respect that because he seems arrogant on the court, you should probably stop watching athletics.  You don't have to like Balenga.  You don't have to admire him either.  You do have to respect him.  He may be "the most hated player in the ODAC" but he's that same hated player every single game, good or bad, and it gives the Marlins a psychological edge every time he steps on the floor.

With all due respect to you, my comments are not at all ridiculous.  It is not just my thoughts, but a general consensus that Ton Ton Balenga is unequivocably the most disliked player in the ODAC.  Ask around.  To your point, he is undoubtedly not the only player that trash talks.  To say he is would be naive.  Balenga's "style" just stands out.  I do respect Balenga as a player.  To not do so would be done at your own peril.  Also, "picking" him as a top player and "admiring" him as a top player are two entirely different things.  I can't abide by Allen Iverson, for example, and will not watch any game in which he participates, but I do grudgingly acknowledge his athletic ability.  For me and perhaps for me alone, it's the same with Ton Ton.  I personally do not like the current mentality in sports of "in-your-face-and-anything-goes-as-long-as-you-win."  It is an affront to the way I was coached.  Call me "old school" if you want, but I will gladly wear that moniker.  If Balenga works well for VWC, then that's great for the Marlins.  If I was a Coach and as a college basketball fan, however, I would not pick him for my team, even if that meant not winning a championship.  I do wish him and the Marlins well in the Final Four, however, and fully understand your passionate support of a member of the Marlins.  That protective instinct is something we all have and I respect.  Peace.

Go Marlins!  Go ODAC!

[GP87]

TonTon is a passionate player on the court.  I've watched him defend players larger or more talented than himself and use the trash talk to get them out of their game.  It often works.  Adair does his share of talking, as do many other ODAC players; it is part of basketball.  To single out Balenga and claim that he has little respect around the league (from fans, coaches, or players nonetheless) is ridiculous.  Coaches still voted him to All-Conference after a shaky year; fans and players respect him as the one person other than Jordan Snipes that they don't want with the ball at the end of a close game.  Some of the greatest basketball players ever were/are notorious trash talkers; there's a reason why.  They're looking for exactly the reaction TonTon got last night, a reaction that screams "Look, my mind is no longer in the game".  If you don't like the way TonTon acts, it's understandable.  Some people will never like the concept of psychological chatter on the court.  However, it is an obvious part of the game today.  TonTon has talked his way to a ring, multiple clutch shots, and a faithful following of VWC fans.  If you can't respect that because he seems arrogant on the court, you should probably stop watching athletics.  You don't have to like Balenga.  You don't have to admire him either.  You do have to respect him.  He may be "the most hated player in the ODAC" but he's that same hated player every single game, good or bad, and it gives the Marlins a psychological edge every time he steps on the floor.

With all due respect to you, my comments are not at all ridiculous.  It is not just my thoughts, but a general consensus that Ton Ton Balenga is unequivocably the most disliked player in the ODAC.  Ask around.  To your point, he is undoubtedly not the only player that trash talks.  To say he is would be naive.  Balenga's "style" just stands out.  I do respect Balenga as a player.  To not do so would be done at your own peril.  Also, "picking" him as a top player and "admiring" him as a top player are two entirely different things.  I can't abide by Allen Iverson, for example, and will not watch any game in which he participates, but I do grudgingly acknowledge his athletic ability.  For me and perhaps for me alone, it's the same with Ton Ton.  I personally do not like the current mentality in sports of "in-your-face-and-anything-goes-as-long-as-you-win."  It is an affront to the way I was coached.  Call me "old school" if you want, but I will gladly wear that moniker.  If Balenga works well for VWC, then that's great for the Marlins.  If I was a Coach and as a college basketball fan, however, I would not pick him for my team, even if that meant not winning a championship.  I do wish him and the Marlins well in the Final Four, however, and fully understand your passionate support of a member of the Marlins.  That protective instinct is something we all have and I respect.  Peace.

Go Marlins!  Go ODAC!

My reference to great players was in no way pointing towards the likes of Allen Iverson. The player I had in mind was Michael Jordan, who never stopped talking on the court and made a few clutch shots in his career.  However, I understand your point.  I am also "old school" in many regards, but there has been competitive banter forever.  Historically, sports has always had its good guys and bad guys, the quiet stars and the showmen.  We both know where TonTon would fit into that equation; I just don't think it is a sign of the times.  Today's general athletic atmosphere may be "in-your-face-and-anything-goes-as-long-as-you-win" but I don't believe that's TonTon's personal feeling.  (Even more so, it isn't his coaches so he can't step out of line).  He will talk trash and get the crowd pumped, but that isn't "anything goes".  If he ever started picking up technicals or going beyond the acceptable level of showmanship, he wouldn't play.  VWC fans saw that last year with Hassell, who was a showman first and got little time on the floor because of it.  If anything, I agree with your disregard for the occassional post-shot symbols Balenga has flashed towards fans of the opposition.  These go past the limits of showmanship and into the realm of disrespect in my opinion.  Beyond this, however, I feel his trash talking is a sign of his passion on the floor and is a valuable psychological weapon.

This isn't just protective instinct.  It is analysis from someone who has watched Balenga play many games the last two years, throughout his progression from VWC starter to "Mr. March" to possible All-American.  I've never seen anything to make me lose my respect for TonTon, which isn't something I can say for all the Marlins (although most).  I've met him off the court multiple times and he is a solid individual, certainly not the overconfident jock he may appear to be on the court at times.  To be frank, he has struggled this year and it's been disapointing.  He finally had a big game against Guilford and, instead of drawing praise, Snipe's technical is used as an excuse to blast TonTon.  I respect your opinion because of you're participation on this board; your feelings are always rooted in experience and/or knowledge.  I do feel, however, that TonTon is not nearly as flamboyant and disrespectful as has been implied.