MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Denny McKinney]

Thanks Titan Q. The last time I talked with him last year he told me IWU or Maryville - St Louis. I explained all that he could experience at IWU athletically. Of all the things he needs to improve, I can tell you he will shoot much better from 3's. I have watched the Kid from a far this year. I'm very proud of him. Remember I told you he could be special.

[iwu70]

Agreed with Q's assessment on Dolan.  I think a big jump coming from FR to SO year, perhaps getting stronger and quicker too -- and once he finds his 3 ball stroke, could be a big big boost from the perimeter from him.  Of course, IWU still has Overstreet, Sodemann, Zimmer and others still there next year, but Dolan is going to play an important part going forward.  (Overstreet and Sodemann actually still have two more years -- so the future is bright).  Dolan just needs to keep working, getting better, and finding his way back to the kind of 3 ball shooting he had in high school.  It will come, I'm pretty sure.

IWU70

[hopefan]

Like I said last summer after seeing him in summer league action, Bryce Dolan impressed me as a player who could be very good at the SLIAC level, but I wasn't so sure at the CCIW level... as TQ and IWU70 said, he'll have to grow into it... I saw lack of size, quickness and strength, and a reluctance to penetrate with the ball,  as liabilities to be overcome... time will tell....  Jacob Martin, a 6'9" HS teammate of Dolan's also has a long way to go to make an impact at Fontbonne.... He sat out much of last season with injury, but looked woefully slow in the several games he played in for the Griffs.... Coming from Borgia, these guys have been given a great HS background, but college is a big step up....

[Titan Q]

Per Twitter, Brother Rice PG Jim Barista has "decommitted" frrom IWU.  I'm not sure what the deal is, but I am almost positive he is not considered an IWU recruit any longer.  I believe Barista is pursuing other options, including a couple CCIW schools.

Barista is going to U. of Illinois (no hoops). 

[Titan Q]

Like I said last summer after seeing him in summer league action, Bryce Dolan impressed me as a player who could be very good at the SLIAC level, but I wasn't so sure at the CCIW level... as TQ and IWU70 said, he'll have to grow into it... I saw lack of size, quickness and strength, and a reluctance to penetrate with the ball,  as liabilities to be overcome... time will tell.... 

I'd leave "quickness" out...Dolan is extremely quick on the floor, both with and without the ball in his hands.

For me, strength is the biggie - has was listed at 6-0/155 as a FR.  He's just really thin right now - like most young college players, he needs to hit the weights.

Even though Dolan was not a huge factor in 2012-13, there is just something about him that makes me think he's going to be a player down the road.

[Denny McKinney]

TQ- Now that your in the area you should keep an ear open to Borgia's senior classes. They have produced quite a few DI players and some really good DIII players. The previous PG at Borgia was kid named Musseman. He went to Miami, OH (I believe that is the mid major he attended) for one year, before finishing his career at Central Missouri. As for Dolan, I'd say 10 minutes a game as a freshmen on IWU is Huge. But, do agree he needs to add strength. I know in HS he tried everything to gain weight.

He would have made a Great SLIAC player. He visited and entertained going to Fontbonne as a dual sport athlete. He was also All State in golf. If my Dad would of been still coaching at FU, there would of been a good chance Bryce would of been a Griffin. FC had a pipeline coming out of Borgia for years. But, I was excited to hear he chose IWU. He's from my families hometown. Got to love it when you see one make good.

Again, Thanks for your and IWU70's comments. I'm going to try and get up there to watch him next year. Have a Great summer Guys.

[Titan Q]

TQ- Now that your in the area you should keep an ear open to Borgia's senior classes. They have produced quite a few DI players and some really good DIII players. The previous PG at Borgia was kid named Musseman. He went to Miami, OH (I believe that is the mid major he attended) for one year, before finishing his career at Central Missouri. As for Dolan, I'd say 10 minutes a game as a freshmen on IWU is Huge. But, do agree he needs to add strength. I know in HS he tried everything to gain weight.

He would have made a Great SLIAC player. He visited and entertained going to Fontbonne as a dual sport athlete. He was also All State in golf. If my Dad would of been still coaching at FU, there would of been a good chance Bryce would of been a Griffin. FC had a pipeline coming out of Borgia for years. But, I was excited to hear he chose IWU. He's from my families hometown. Got to love it when you see one make good.

Again, Thanks for your and IWU70's comments. I'm going to try and get up there to watch him next year. Have a Great summer Guys.

Thanks Denny.  Ron Rose and his staff have done a nice job recruiting the St. Louis area...

Nick Anderson, Jr (Edwardsville H.S.)
Mike Mayberger, Jr (St. Louis U High)
Pat Sodemann, So (Parkway West H.S.)
Bryce Dolan, Fr (Borgia H.S.)
Joel Pennington, Fr (Lafayette H.S.)

http://www.iwusports.com/roster.aspx?path=mbball&roster=92&

I hope they continue.

[Titan Q]

Former Titan guard Connor Wheeler, who played at John A Logan JC this year, accepted a scholarship to  NCAA D2 Central Missouri today.

[Titan Q]

John Baines is the new head coach at Elmhurst...

http://www.elmhurstbluejays.com/news/2013/4/24/MBB_0424133109.aspx?path=mbball

[79jaybird]

Baines is a great hire for Elmhurst.  Glad to see him get a chance at Elmhurst.  Wish him much success.

[Gregory Sager]

The job was always his if he wanted it. The question was whether or not he wanted it. It appears that Baines views Elmhurst as a better situation than St. Francis, which doesn't terribly surprise me despite the relative disparity in terms of where each program is at the moment. As he was quoted as saying in the press release, Elmhurst plays in a "marquis" [sic] conference. St. Francis? Not so much. The NAIA-member Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference just doesn't have the CCIW's luster, especially in the wake of all of the CCAC schools now having to play at the NAIA-2 level.

[Naperick]

That is a great hire!  Probably the #1 choice among Bluejays fans.

[AndOne]

ELMHURST, Ill. -- After 17 years at the helm of the Elmhurst College men's basketball team, Mark Scherer has announced his retirement from coaching. Scherer, who guided Elmhurst to its first College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Championship in 2001, is relocating to Eureka, Ill., to be with his family full time.
New coach at Elmhurst

Taken off the CCIW website.
"There have been so many high points over the years that I feel extremely blessed," said Scherer. "I would like to take this opportunity to thank our players, assistant coaches, fellow co-workers, administration, faculty, friends and Bluejay fans for the wonderful support they have shown during the past 17 seasons. We have had a great run but now it is time to open a new chapter."

Scherer joined the Bluejays prior to the start of the 1996-97 season and leaves with a career record of 245-189. He holds Elmhurst coaching records for career victories, career winning percentage (.564) and single-season victories (22). Scherer guided the Bluejays to 20-win seasons on three occasions, also an Elmhurst record.

In 2001, he led the Bluejays to their most successful season in school history. The squad finished the year with a 22-5 overall record, won its first-ever CCIW Championship, advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament and were ranked ninth in final national poll. Scherer was named both the NCAA Division III Midwest Region Coach of the Year and the Division III Coach of the Year by the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association (IBCA)

In 2009, Scherer was named the Division III Co-Coach of the Year by the IBCA after guiding the Bluejays to an NCAA Tournament appearance. The squad finished the year with a 20-8 overall record and ranked 14th in the final D3hoops.com poll.

Scherer's teams have produced winning records in 10 of his 17 seasons. His players have totaled 32 all-conference, five All-American, and one Academic All-America honors. Three of his former players have played professionally overseas.

Scherer came to Elmhurst with six years of experience at the NCAA Division I level. He spent four seasons at Valparaiso University (1992-96) where the Crusaders posted a 73-43 record and three consecutive 20-win seasons. He also spent two seasons as an assistant coach at Western Illinois University.

"I'd like to thank Mark Scherer for the 17 years of dedicated service to Elmhurst College and the basketball program," said Elmhurst athletic director Paul Krohn. "Mark's teams had tremendous success both at the conference level and on the national stage and we wish him nothing but the best in his future endeavors."

Not really much of a surprise as there were whisperings about the possibility of this being Coach Scherer's last year as early as last summer. At the time, the feeling was that should Elmhurst have another season like the 2011-2012 campaign, this would only increase the possibility. Those early whisperings intensified at least a little when EC began this year 0-5. As we now know, things from last season until now have gone from bad to worse.
Piggybacking the rumors of Scherer's leaving were, and are, questions concerning the possibility of a return to the CCIW of former long time EC assistant John Baines, now head coach at NAIA St. Francis. I've really not heard anything solid concerning this, but given Coach Baines former association with Elmhurst and the CCIW, and his now 3 years of head coaching experience at USF, the possibility certainly seems tenable.   

John Baines is the new head coach at Elmhurst...

http://www.elmhurstbluejays.com/news/2013/4/24/MBB_0424133109.aspx?path=mbball

Again, not much of a surprise here at all. As soon as the opening was posted I thought of John Baines, and as Greg Sager said, about all he had to do to get the job was submit an application.
Recruiting just got a little tougher for the other CCIW staffs.

[Titan Q]

A nice honor for a good guy, Dave Wrath...

http://www.augustana.edu/x56820.xml

[iwu70]

Congrats to John Baines on the Elmhurst head coaching job.  Another Titan infiltrating the rest of the league!   

IWU 70