MBB: Old Dominion Athletic Conference

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

  Interestingly with 33 seconds to play and Strong shooting free throws the VWC student section put Mr. Strong in his place by Chanting OVER RATED! Come on your team is ranked 14th Guilford is ranked 23rd Ben drops 30 on your head, and all you can come up with is OVER RATED??

I hate the "overrated" cheer in general... but this seems absolutely dumb!
I won't even go into why the overrated cheer is more of a slap at your own team then a dig at the opposition. But to say Ben Strong is overrated in a game he has put up 30 points and has helped his team beat yours ON YOUR HOME COURT, that is completely DUMB; stupid; assanine (sp?)!

By the way... the 30 points is a bit of a disappointment. Thought he might try and match his 59 from last season in one game and the 80-plus that weekend at the Batten Center! ;-)

[sludge]

By the way... the 30 points is a bit of a disappointment. Thought he might try and match his 59 from last season in one game and the 80-plus that weekend at the Batten Center! ;-)

You cruel man, and that was a 93 point weekend last year.

But anyway, the headline is that Guilford pulled an incredible team effort this weekend.  So many guys contributed  to both victories with stellar play!  It seems like Guilford won both the battle of the paint and the battle of the ball handling, and that is big!   Hats off.  8)
And since Sanborn played 28 minutes, it looks like he's getting back after his injury.

Watch out for a big game against Washington & Lee.  These guys are for real this year, and Bieneman and Kusimo anchor a great front court for them.

What a darn conference.  How do you get separation around here?

[GP05]

Anyone have any analysis or details relating to the game? I'm not all that concerned what fans were chanting.

Congrats to Guilford on a very good weekend, one that builds important confidence for a little further down the road.

[DeWayneCarter]

I'm a VWC fan, and I was very disgusted when those guys started chanting that. How is one overrrated when he comes in and drops 30 on your team and his team walks out with the W?

Both teams played hard, but Guilford deserved everything they got today.

[hasanova]

Congratulations to the Quakers - nice work this weekend!  I'm already looking forward to the W&L game.  Peace   

[FortyFour]

GP,

I put up some thoughts earlier, but I can expand a little more.  Ben Strong was Ben Strong - 30 and 7.  I thought the GC guards did a really good job of handling the Marlins pressure, and while no one else on Guilford had a huge game, they had a bunch of guys step up different times and make plays...Belkoski in particular, and Bonner with a huge three in the second half.  

Guilford led by 5 at the half, and had a working margin of about 6-8 most of the second half, and VWC never really got closer than that.  Any time the Marlins looked to make a run with a big shot or a turnover, GC would come back and make another play to answer.  In particular, about midway in the second half, TonTon hit a three to make it a 4-point game (I think), and GC responded with a Bonner three the next time down the floor.  When Balenga hit the three, I thought momentum was swinging, but the Bonner answer, to me at least, was one of the bigger plays in the game.  That, and the fact that GC was something like 8-8 from the charity stripe in the last two minutes, sealed the deal.  I thought the Quakers looked really good today, and were obviously well-coached and delivered on their game plan.

For VWC, Balenga had a solid all-around game, with 19 points and 7 boards.  Fields and Hassell added 12 each.  

[hasanova]

Anyone have any analysis or details relating to the game? I'm not all that concerned what fans were chanting.

Congrats to Guilford on a very good weekend, one that builds important confidence for a little further down the road.

Here's the boxscore and play-by-play:

http://www.guilford.edu/sports/Mbasketball/2007-08/HTML/gcm-18.htm

[steelyglen]

Well gurus, another Monday morning and another wild weekend of "pick'ems". Here's how it went...

Baselinejam              9-4  (nice call on the W&L v. Roanoke game)
jacketlawyer             9-4  (picking the favorites gets a share of the lead)
brianhamilton           8-5  (one of only 2 to pick GC over RMC)
denbowsroomie       8-5  (also called W&L ove Roanoke)
oldfish                      8-5  (went 2-1 with the home boys this weekend)
steelyglen                8-5  (hey who called Guilford over VWC?)
jaydubyadubya        7-6  (the Guilford call over RMC kept you over .500)
scottie                      6-7 ( are you with lynchburgcollege on Swickwrath?)

Easy picks...everybody got EMU @ W&L, E&H @ VWC, LC @ BC and E&H @ RMC

a guru o-pher...HSC @EMU

go to the "pick'ems" thread somewhere else on this board and get this weeks games. Don't forget to pick'em over there lest you get that cyber ruler across your knuckles...sheesh!

[mybleedinghands]

scottie                      6-7 ( are you with lynchburgcollege on Swickwrath?)

Given I work in the athletic department here as an assistant sports information director, I will not make any comments on such things...

[oldfish]

Have to agree with Dewayne on the "chanting" episode at the VWC-GC game.  I wasnt there but am somewhat confused by the phrased used to taunt (?) Ben.

On the other hand, I am sure that there are a number of DIII basketball teams that wish they had fans passionate enough to chant anything!  Mom always said that I was a glass half full kind or guy.

Congrats to the Quakers...see you in Salem (I hope)

[hasanova]

Have to agree with Dewayne on the "chanting" episode at the VWC-GC game.  I wasnt there but am somewhat confused by the phrased used to taunt (?) Ben.

On the other hand, I am sure that there are a number of DIII basketball teams that wish they had fans passionate enough to chant anything!  Mom always said that I was a glass half full kind or guy.

Congrats to the Quakers...see you in Salem (I hope)

Having watched Ben play many times over the past four years, I'll have to say one of his better traits is not letting the crowd get to him.  In fact, he usually makes all his statements on the court by making a key play or hitting clutch free throws.  In a memorable game from last season's NCAA tournament, a minority of misguided fans at the Johns Hopkins game were razzing him and making inappropriate hand gestures related to Ben's native-American heritage.  Ben's only response? - 29 points and 9 rebounds in an 80-73 GC victory.

A lot of things can happen before the ODAC seeds are decided, but I fully expect the Quakers and the Marlins to both be in the thick of things!    So far, Guilford's gone 4-2 versus RC, VWC and RMC, but have both games to play against W&L.  The next few weeks should be very interesting!

[allsky7]

      Heck of a game in Salem Saturday night! It is with great shame that I admit this was my first in person appearance of the year at an ODAC contest.   Got to hang out with some former Maroon greats from the past. (mens and womens) Both the Gennies and the Maroons are capable of making some noise in the ODAC tourney. First time I have seen a W&L team in some time. I do believe they are for real. W&L folks... what's up with there not being a single player from Virginia on the W&L roster? Shameful!!  
   

[DenbowsRoomie]

I don't have the numbers in front of me, but I can almost guarantee that among the VA-ODAC schools, W&L has the lowest percentage of Virginian undergrads.  The number is probably around 35-40%.  Maybe lower, I don't know.  The point is, as a nationally well-ranked liberal arts college, W&L gets kids from all over the place.

[allsky7]

I don't have the numbers in front of me, but I can almost guarantee that among the VA-ODAC schools, W&L has the lowest percentage of Virginian undergrads.  The number is probably around 35-40%.  Maybe lower, I don't know.  The point is, as a nationally well-ranked liberal arts college, W&L gets kids from all over the place.

     Yeah....I know. Be nice if they could find just one honors hardwood hoopster homie to habitate their hallowed halls. 

[baselinejam]

I don't have the numbers in front of me, but I can almost guarantee that among the VA-ODAC schools, W&L has the lowest percentage of Virginian undergrads.  The number is probably around 35-40%.  Maybe lower, I don't know.  The point is, as a nationally well-ranked liberal arts college, W&L gets kids from all over the place.

     Yeah....I know. Be nice if they could find just one honors hardwood hoopster homie to habitate their hallowed halls. 

If you only knew; the admissions office at W&L is a pain in the butt