MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[markerickson]

Wait a minute...Greg changes positions regarding Phil S and E Crosby being on the court together!?  Greg was quite dismissive when I proposed at least twice such a strategy last spring.

Having Collins start is a mistake.  Having Greer see plenty of minutes is an even bigger mistake.  Greer can't shoot and Collins is by far too one dimensional, and that dimension is just average, at best

Perhaps Avery has really, really worked on his shooting.  I do not recall being awed the last two years by this dude.

The strength of the Vikings this year will be up to those players 6' 5" and taller.  In this connection, I see HUGE matchup problems for the opponent if Gonzalez is slotted at the small forward position.

[devildog29]

No charging OR traveling?

I have no dog in this fight, but when you watch the "ultra-mo" version, to me it clearly looks like only two steps.  As for the charge, I think on those plays you can pretty much flip a coin to determine charge/block.  Personally, I don't like the idea that a defender can slide underneath the offensive player on a drive like that (where the offensive player is clearly not lowering his shoulder on the way to the basket) and be set for just the splittest of seconds (I don't care if that's not a real word, it serves the purpose) and draw a charge.  It feels cheap to me and probably should require a shower after the call.  But hey, a dunk only counts two points anyway. 

[AndOne]

A stab at CCIW starting lineups at the start of the non-conference season.  Some projections based on opinions posted here, others via best guess.

Let me know where I'm off.

* returning all-CCIW player

North Central
G – Kevin Gillespie, 5-11 Jr
G – Brian Evans, 6-3 Sr
F - Derek Raridon, 6-6 So* (2nd Team) (national "Rookie of the Year")
F – Brad Hallstein, 6-8 Fr
F - Landon Gamble, 6-6 Fr

The only thing definite about the starting lineup for North Central at this point is that Derek Raridon will start (duh).
There are probably four guards vying for starting spots.
Along with Derek, there are as many as SIX Cardinals still in the fight for the 2 other front line positions including Brian Evans who may start at either guard or forward.

[Gregory Sager]

Wait a minute...Greg changes positions regarding Phil S and E Crosby being on the court together!?  Greg was quite dismissive when I proposed at least twice such a strategy last spring.

You're five days behind the thread, Mark. This is from last Thursday:

Paul Brenegan, NPU: "[6'11, 260 freshman center] Walid Mouzaoui is a very intriguing prospect. He has tremendous size, mobility, and has good hands and feet. With that being said, he has not played basketball in 5 years. He is still getting into shape and that may take him a while. However, because of his unique size and skill set, he should be a contributor for our varsity team."

"We have not established a starting 5 yet. Both players [Emanuel Crosby and Phil Schniedermeier] are working very hard in practice and there is a chance we may utilize them together." [Happy birthday, Mark Erickson! ]

I didn't change positions; Paul Brenegan did. And, having now watched Crosby and Schniedermeier on the floor together in intrasquad scrimmages on consecutive Sundays, I can see why. They're still both more center than power forward, but they're both more mobile than they were in the past and can defend farther away from the basket. Just as importantly, the team has added a true center (Walid Mouzaoui) who merits immediate varsity playing time -- and since that playing time is only going to come as a center, it means that Crosby and Schniedermeier will have to play some PF in order to get their fair share of minutes. So, basically, the situation has changed from last season.

Basketball players typically aren't static figures, like chess pieces. They're fluid; their skill sets can change from year to year, usually for the better. A classic example that you may remember involved North Park's 1986-87 national championship team. In 1985-86, starting center Michael Starks had been backed up by Dan Mulkerin, whom we all thought of as just an unskilled big body that Bosko threw into the game to bang underneath for a few minutes while Starks took a breather on the bench. Then word filtered out on campus in the fall of 1986 that Bosko was using Mulkerin alongside Starks on the first team in preseason practices, moving Starks over to power forward in order to get both of his 6'8 players in the lineup together. A lot of NPC fans thought Bosko was nuts. Starks had been an All-American at center in 1985-86, so why would you want to move him? And why start Mulkerin, who's just an oversized converted football player with no refinement to his game?

Well, we know how that turned out, don't we? Starks was the CCIW's Most Outstanding Player and an All-American as a power forward in 1986-87, Mulkerin joined him on the All-CCIW first team, and the Vikings came home from the Final Four with the Big Doorstop. Now, I'm not saying that Crosby and Schniedermeier are going to duplicate what the starting tandem of Mulkerin and Starks did. Not even close. But the point is that players improve from year to year, and some of those improvements make them more versatile and able to play different positions than they had been able to play the year before.

Having Collins start is a mistake.  Having Greer see plenty of minutes is an even bigger mistake.  Greer can't shoot and Collins is by far too one dimensional, and that dimension is just average, at best

Greer can shoot, at least in practice. He just hasn't done it in games; I think it's a confidence thing with him. He brings a lot to the table in terms of length, athleticism, and a wide range of skills at the small forward and shooting guard spots. His problems are: a) he hasn't stayed healthy yet; and b) he has been a tentative and unassertive player when he's played. I'm hoping that the fact that he's going to have to fight for playing time this year rather than simply have it handed to him, as had been the case in previous seasons, will light a fire under him.

Perhaps Avery has really, really worked on his shooting.  I do not recall being awed the last two years by this dude.

Avery's a career .375 shooter from downtown, which isn't bad. His bigger problem has been from inside the arc, where he's tended to try to get to the rim every time he has the ball and then has merely thrown it up there hoping it would go in. In other words, he's tried to rely too much upon his athleticism rather than technique and judgment. Now that he's playing with more finesse and court awareness (particularly in terms of positioning and passing) it's making his athleticism that much more valuable. He really does have the chance to be a standout player in this league. It depends upon how hard he's willing to work for it.

The strength of the Vikings this year will be up to those players 6' 5" and taller.  In this connection, I see HUGE matchup problems for the opponent if Gonzalez is slotted at the small forward position.

NPU's backcourt is just as impressive as its frontcourt. D3 is full of programs that would love to have Ro Russell, D.A. Robinson, Clayton Cahill, Issa Avery, Shaun Collins, Kendall Greer, Brett Peterson, etc., to say nothing of what looks like a very strong crop of backcourt freshmen this year. But, yeah, you're very much correct that Gonzalez presents a lot of matchup problems for opponents if he's playing small forward. Of course, he presents a lot of matchup problems of a different kind if he's playing power forward.

The thing that you have to remember, though, is that NPU loses shooting ability and quickness if it goes exclusively big. Of course, Christian Alsing and Nick Hoekstra are outstanding shooters who happen to be forwards, but if you have them in at one or both of the forward spots instead of a Gonzalez or an Avery or a Greer you lose quickness. There will be times this year, such as against Augustana and that skyline of a frontcourt it features (6'9 Kyle Nelson, 6'7 Brandon Kunz, and 6'9 Bryant Voiles, with a whole boatload of 6'6 to 6'8 guys backing them up), that it will behoove Paul Brenegan to play a big front line. But there will be times as well, especially against the likes of Wheaton and Carthage, in which it may be better for the Vikings to go smaller, quicker, and to feature more shooters.

[Gregory Sager]

A stab at CCIW starting lineups at the start of the non-conference season.  Some projections based on opinions posted here, others via best guess.

Let me know where I'm off.

* returning all-CCIW player

North Central
G – Kevin Gillespie, 5-11 Jr
G – Brian Evans, 6-3 Sr
F - Derek Raridon, 6-6 So* (2nd Team) (national "Rookie of the Year")
F – Brad Hallstein, 6-8 Fr
F - Landon Gamble, 6-6 Fr

The only thing definite about the starting lineup for North Central at this point is that Derek Raridon will start (duh).
There are probably four guards vying for starting spots.
Along with Derek, there are as many as SIX Cardinals still in the fight for the 2 other front line positions including Brian Evans who may start at either guard or forward.

I have a hard time believing that Brian Evans won't start for NCC, Mark. And I'm surprised that you of all people have him in the "maybe" pile, given how much of a sales job you did on CCIW Chat on his behalf last season.

[markerickson]

In terms of Wali, could he impress folk as an NP player for two years, and then transfer to a D2 school with a scholly?  I know he can't at the D1 level because of that level's age restriction, but I don't know the rule at the D2 level.

[Gregory Sager]

In terms of Wali, could he impress folk as an NP player for two years, and then transfer to a D2 school with a scholly?  I know he can't at the D1 level because of that level's age restriction, but I don't know the rule at the D2 level.

I don't know. I'm not familiar enough with D2's rules to answer that. Frankly, I'll simply be happy if he impresses folk at NPU, and then let the chips fall where they may.

[bopol]

Starters were Thompson, Guzman, Cary, Kelly and Steve.   

I'm glad that Thompson is starting because I think his interior defense is outstanding.  I am a touch surprised that Guzman started over Pierce because it seemed like Guzman was in foul trouble so fast last year.  Maybe if Thompson picks up more of the interior D, Guz will avoid the foul trouble.

You mentioned that Pierce looked heavy.  I'm wondering how Guzman looked?

And did Thompson look ok on offense?

Looking forward to Nov. 16th...

[Gregory Sager]

You mentioned that Pierce looked heavy.  I'm wondering how Guzman looked?

Guzman's listed on the roster as 6'6, 280. Two hundred and eighty pounds looks OK on a 6'6 NFL defensive end with the trademark massive arms, shoulders, and chest that go with that particular species. But on a 6'6 D3 basketball player? That's another story.

Bosko says in his comments posted on Guzman's player profile that "his weight is down a little bit."

Pierce is only listed as 6'5, 230, by the way.

[Titan Q]

Guzman's listed on the roster as 6'6, 280. Two hundred and eighty pounds looks OK on a 6'6 NFL defensive end with the trademark massive arms, shoulders, and chest that go with that particular species. But on a 6'6 D3 basketball player? That's another story.

Last season I thought Guzman looked at least 25 pounds overweight (in terms of true "basketball shape")...and he was listed at 6-6/250 on the 2009-10 roster.  If he is truly now 30 lbs heavier (280) that would have to be a real concern for Carthage.

To put Pierce's 6-5/230 and Guzman's 6-6/280 in perspective, I think about IWU 6-5 freshman Victor Davis.  Davis (photo from last year at Galesburg H.S.) is a big, strong, well built young man...and he is listed at just 195 pounds. 

[John Gleich]

Pierce is only listed as 6'5, 230, by the way.

[kenoshamark]

bopol,

Thompson looked solid on offense....he hit one three and finished around the rim when the opportunity presented itself.  Also had a dunk or two.   I think his skill set is tremendous.   He is really a stud in my opinion.   

Guzman - heavy

Yes, both Pierce and Guzman don't look in playing shape but they are surprisingly effective on the court.  I only remember one time where Pierce didn't seem to get back on defense quickly and Bosko called him out.   Not sure how the overall rotation will play out but lets not count these two guys out quite yet. 

[kenoshamark]

PointSpecial,

What was your take on the scrimmage?

[Gregory Sager]

Guzman - heavy

Yes, both Pierce and Guzman don't look in playing shape but they are surprisingly effective on the court.  I only remember one time where Pierce didn't seem to get back on defense quickly and Bosko called him out.   Not sure how the overall rotation will play out but lets not count these two guys out quite yet.

Oh, I certainly won't count them out. I think that you take either one of them lightly (no pun intended) at your own peril. Still, their respective weights have to be a concern if you're a Red Men fan.

[kenoshamark]

Greg,

Fair enough but it would appear both of them won't be on the court at the same time (at least the majority of the time) so I don't see it to be a huge issue at this point.   They also can bring in freshman Nick Bauch, who goes 6'7" and about 220 if they need more size upfront.   Nick played the most minutes outside of the top six players.