WBB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletics Association

[wwjjdd]

I think coach Morehouse needs to bench Philly Greene for the title game as a starter and bring her off the bench  and start Allie Cerone. She has absolutely stunk out the joint in the tournament so far, and even in the past 2 Elite Eight appearances she has not played well. I know she's a senior, but Coach Mo has to think about winning the game, not her feelings.
There- I said it!

At 32-1, I think Coach Mo probably has done a pretty good job of picking his starting five by himself up to this point. 

[kate]

From this rabid MAC, Del Val fan, i want to wish Hope ALL the luck in the world in their game today!  GO HOPE!!!

[HopeConvert]

If you can't be at the game:

Direct TV channel 613
DishTV channel 152
Comcast Cable channel 734

I've got the DVR set.

[WWWRHH]

md241....to follow up on a previous comment you obviously were not at the same game as the rest of us last night.

I will go further and say you do not know much about basketball and your observation skills are poor.  Philly is not on the floor primarily for offense.  She usually draws the toughest defensive assignment, brings energy to the game and often is the one that comes up with the key rebound or steal.

She is the team's leader and a big part of its heart and soul of the team would be ripped out to make such a change.  I can state for a fact that she charges up the rest of the team and gives them confidence that a true defensive stopper has their back in close games.

She and Allie do not play the same position or fill the same role.  

What's more if you are really a Hope fan it is pretty stupid to make such a comment today.  

[md241]

Am I really a Hope fan? No, not really. I haven't missed a home game (men and women) in 5 years. What a dingbat you are. Philly just does not seem to be in the game either offensively or defensively, as is the whole Hope team in the first half vs Wash. U. Even the TV commentators were saying Hope is not communicating defensively as a team. Hope is shooting less than 20 percent so far, and attempting  WAY too many 3-pointers. If Wash U. develops a double digit lead in the first five minutes of the second half(the most important part of any basketball game), and Hope continues its dismal(so far) shooting, get in the car and head back to Holland, it's over! By the way, I would LOVE to be proven wrong, but I don't like the way this game is headed. Hope is not used to coming from behind in big games, unfortunately.

[Ralph Turner]

Philana Greene's steal, behind-the-back dribble and pass to put Hope ahead 27-26 reminded me of HPU's Meia Daniels from the 2008 Championship team.  

Go Hope!  It is good to see the Hope players that we saw in Brownwood playing for the Championship.

[tniem]

I'll be real curious to hear from those that were at the game (or even television) about the defense in this game.  Shooting percentages seem to be pretty low (but that also includes FT shooting) and just wondering what seems to be most responsible.  Turnovers are not high but perhaps the Ds have done a great job closing on shooters...

[almcguirejr]

I think coach Morehouse needs to bench Philly Greene for the title game as a starter and bring her off the bench  and start Allie Cerone. She has absolutely stunk out the joint in the tournament so far, and even in the past 2 Elite Eight appearances she has not played well. I know she's a senior, but Coach Mo has to think about winning the game, not her feelings.
There- I said it!

I think you would have been better off keeping that thought unexpressed.

[fannie]

GREAT article - sentiments shared by many Hope Women's Basketball followers no doubt - perhaps md241 needs to read the article a few times...........I'm thinking Mr. Morehouse makes good choices as to whom he puts on the court.

http://www.mlive.com/smallcolleges/grandrapids/index.ssf/2010/03/philana_greene_leaves_heart_an.html

[pointlem]

Four years ago, Hope beat what arguably was a better Washington U team, 92 to 89, en route to its national championship—thanks to a red hot shooting night (54% shooting, including 11 3's).

This afternoon, Hope, despite being arguably a better team, lost to Washington U—thanks to an off shooting night.  Carrie and Philly (who was indeed amazing in the 2nd half) combined for 14 of 26.  Alas, the rest of the team was 6 for 38, and the team's 3-point shooting (limited to 2 each from Carrie and Jenny) was 21 percent on mostly good looks.  

Two turning-point moments in the game seemed to be Carrie's second incidental contact foul in the first half, which led to her sitting the rest of the half while WU built a small lead, and Jenny's hard-luck in-and-out 3 point shot that almost tied the game and 46. . . . but instead led to a quick WU basket and a 5-point lead.  If that shot had been a quarter-inch longer, I think we might be talking about how the two seniors, who played their hearts out, willed the Hope comeback for a national championship.

My verdict on the weekend is that Hope played well, with great defense and good offensive effort, but shot not so well . . . . although some of that on Saturday was hampered by referee no-calls, or so it seemed to the orange-clad 2/3rds of the near-capacity crowd that was cheering on the Hope women.

My verdict on the season is that this was as good as any Hope women's team I have followed, and a great pleasure to watch, thanks both to their athleticism and their radiant joy in the game and in each other.  Their achievements and spirit are a credit to their coach, their school, and, especially, to themselves.  

With a great lineup of players returning next year, many of us will be looking forward to next November.

[jspiii]

Just back from the game:
 Greene left everything she had on the court in the second half...she should be proud of her effort.
 After the game was over, Snikkers was trying to cheer up the players on the Hope team for the accomplishments they had achieved, I was impressed with that.
 Congratulation to Jenny Cowen and Philana Greene for four great years, you will be missed.
  Media timeouts are not a friend to Hope basketball...the physical & mental strain put on opposing teams by Hope player rotations were non-existent in the Final Four.
 Shirk Center.....we will be back.
 

[HopeConvert]

Four years ago, Hope beat what arguably was a better Washington U team, 92 to 89, en route to its national championship—thanks to a red hot shooting night (54% shooting, including 11 3's).

This afternoon, Hope, despite being arguably a better team, lost to Washington U—thanks to an off shooting night.  Carrie and Philly (who was indeed amazing in the 2nd half) combined for 14 of 26.  Alas, the rest of the team was 6 for 38, and the team's 3-point shooting (limited to 2 each from Carrie and Jenny) was 21 percent on mostly good looks.  

Two turning-point moments in the game seemed to be Carrie's second incidental contact foul in the first half, which led to her sitting the rest of the half while WU built a small lead, and Jenny's hard-luck in-and-out 3 point shot that almost tied the game and 46. . . . but instead led to a quick WU basket and a 5-point lead.  If that shot had been a quarter-inch longer, I think we might be talking about how the two seniors, who played their hearts out, willed the Hope comeback for a national championship.

My verdict on the weekend is that Hope played well, with great defense and good offensive effort, but shot not so well . . . . although some of that on Saturday was hampered by referee no-calls, or so it seemed to the orange-clad 2/3rds of the near-capacity crowd that was cheering on the Hope women.

My verdict on the season is that this was as good as any Hope women's team I have followed, and a great pleasure to watch, thanks both to their athleticism and their radiant joy in the game and in each other.  Their achievements and spirit are a credit to their coach, their school, and, especially, to themselves.  

With a great lineup of players returning next year, many of us will be looking forward to next November.

Having watched the replay of Carrie's "second foul" multiple times, I can safely say that calling the contact "incidental" makes it seem like there was more contact than there actually was. I will allow my other judgments concerning the officiating to pass in silence.

That said, the killer in the game was Hope's off-shooting night, and the fact that WashU hit their free throws down the stretch.

Congratulations to the Hope women on a fine season.

[md241]

I could understand if this loss in the tournament was a one-time fluke, but this has occurred THREE tournaments in a row where the offense "took a vacation", and that's a pattern to me. This current team just can't seem to perform on the really big stage, at least offensively. Maybe Hope needs to go in favor of a coach who'd install a high-powered offense; these defense-oriented teams don't seem to perform in the big games. For two players to account for 40 of the 59 points is not good. Where was our vaunted bench? Erica Bruinsma might as well have stayed home for all she contributed. I just think it's time for a fresh approach to the womens' basketball philosophy at Hope.

[Titan Q]

I could understand if this loss in the tournament was a one-time fluke, but this has occurred THREE tournaments in a row where the offense "took a vacation", and that's a pattern to me. This current team just can't seem to perform on the really big stage, at least offensively. Maybe Hope needs to go in favor of a coach who'd install a high-powered offense; these defense-oriented teams don't seem to perform in the big games. For two players to account for 40 of the 59 points is not good. Where was our vaunted bench? Erica Bruinsma might as well have stayed home for all she contributed. I just think it's time for a fresh approach to the womens' basketball philosophy at Hope.

2010 32-2 (16-0)
2009 27-2 (15-1)
2008 30-1 (16-0)
2007 24-4 (13-3)
2006 33-1 (16-0)
2005 23-4 (14-2)
2004 23-4 (12-2)
2003 31-1 (14-0)


Hope needs a new coach?  Seriously??

[Ralph Turner]

I could understand if this loss in the tournament was a one-time fluke, but this has occurred THREE tournaments in a row where the offense "took a vacation", and that's a pattern to me. This current team just can't seem to perform on the really big stage, at least offensively. Maybe Hope needs to go in favor of a coach who'd install a high-powered offense; these defense-oriented teams don't seem to perform in the big games. For two players to account for 40 of the 59 points is not good. Where was our vaunted bench? Erica Bruinsma might as well have stayed home for all she contributed. I just think it's time for a fresh approach to the womens' basketball philosophy at Hope.

This post is almost farcical.  It almost certainly came from a Calvin fan who hacked your computer.

Let's parse this post.

-- "THREE tournaments in a row"  Wow! What a senior class of women!
-- "that's a pattern to me"        Well, 2 Elite 8's and a Championship game.
-- "really big stage"        Each loss was to the eventual national champion.
-- "Maybe Hope needs to go in favor of a coach."      Hope fans should be praying that Coach Morehouse is declining job offers for D-2 head job and D1 assistant job offers "right and left".
-- "I just think it's time for a fresh approach to the womens' basketball philosophy at Hope."     Coach Morehouse's leaving would surely give that, and the rest of D-III would be grateful.