MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[John Gleich]

And now for something completely different...

Owen Handy has been named the head coach at Anderson University.


Link


When I was in college, I worked some of Wheaton's camps, and specifically the rebounding station with Owen. He always had so much energy and enthusiasm. I wish him luck in his new endeavor!

[BlueJay21]

Big blow for Wheaton in losing Coach Handy. He was a tremendous recruiter and an even better coach. He was always my favorite coach in the CCIW (besides my own) when I played. The CCIW is losing a good one, but I'm glad he got the opportunity. Best of luck Coach Handy!

[Titan Q]

And now for something completely different...

Owen Handy has been named the head coach at Anderson University.


Link


When I was in college, I worked some of Wheaton's camps, and specifically the rebounding station with Owen. He always had so much energy and enthusiasm. I wish him luck in his new endeavor!

Owen is one of the really, really good guys in the CCIW.  This is great news for him.  I'll be rooting for Anderson.

[Gregory Sager]

Great news! Glad to see Norman Dale  Owen Handy get the chance to run his own program! He's certainly worked hard enough for it, and deserves this opportunity.

I have a niece who's going to be a freshman at Anderson this fall. I'm going to encourage her to tell her friends to wear bowties to Ravens games.

[John Gleich]

I'm going to encourage her to tell her friends to wear bowties to Ravens games.

+1!

[dansand]

Tayvian Johnson with a game-high 28 points and North MVP honors at the IBCA 3A/4A All-Star game.

Also, Elmhurst adds two junior transfer guards:
Taylor Baxter, 6-5, Jr, Fieldcrest/NDSU/Loras (5.8 ppg, 1.8 rpg 1.8 apg, .391 fg%, .346 3p%, .649 ft%)
Nathan Ropp, 6-0, Jr, Fieldcrest/Illinois Valley CC (13.4 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 4.0 apg, .438 fg%, .419 3p%, .867 ft%)
The two formed the backcourt for a 29-1 Fieldcrest team in 2009-10. Baxter, in particular, has been discussed quite a bit on the boards before.

[Titan Q]

Below is a post I made on the IIAC board last year when Taylor Baxter transferred from D1 North Dakota State U to Loras.  I know Baxter had a pretty quiet sophomore season at Loras in 2011-12 but I still have to believe this is a huge addition for Elmhurst.  This is a very talented kid.  (Ropp could be very good as well.)

This is now a done deal - 6-5 PG Taylor Baxter (formerly of D1 NDSU) is heading to Loras.  Baxter averaged 16.3 ppg, 4.8 rpg, and 5.6 apg as a senior at Fieldcrest H.S. (Minonk, IL) last year, leading his team to a 29-1 finish.  He was named to the IBCA Class 1A/2A 1st Team all-state.  Last school year he was pursued aggressively by a host of strong Division III programs, had a lot of Division II and NAIA interest and, of course, accepted a full scholarship to NDSU.

Loras is getting a very good player with incredibly unique size and athleticism for a D3 PG.  Some links below...


Video - 2010 State Farm Holiday Classic championship (at IWU)


Video - 2010 dunk contest


Video - Fieldcrest vs Peoria Manual, Class 2A Sectional (3/3/10)


"The Perfect Pair - Ropp & Baxter guiding Fieldcrest to dream season" (2/4/10)


2009-10 IBCA Class 1A/2A all-state team


Video & story - News Tribune Player of the Year (3/18/10)


2010 Pantagraph all-area team (3/28/10)


Chicagohoops.com mention (4/20/10)


North Dakota State announcement of signing (4/26/10)


"Area trio sparks 1A/2A North comeback win" (6/26/10)


"A better Baxter - Fieldcrest star putting in summer work as he readies for DI hoops" (7/27/10)


Video - WDAY YV, "The new guys" (NDSU feature)

[AndOne]

Seven (so far) incoming CCIW freshman playing in Saturday's IBCA All-Star games in Bloomington:

1A/2A 5:00 p.m.
North
Hunter Hill, Byron (Augustana)
Michael Berg, Midwest Central (Wheaton)
South
Eric Leonard, Sangamon Valley (Elmhurst)
Peyton Wyatt, Newton (Elmhurst)

3A/4A 7:00 p.m.
North
Tayvian Johnson, United Township (Augustana)
Tyler Sutton, Neuqua Valley (North Central)
South
Ben Ryan, Washington (Augustana)

POINTS SCORED BY THE CCIW FRESHMEN RECRUITS IN THE ABOVE GAMES:

1A/2A

Hill (Augie)---11
Berg (Wheaton)---5
Leonard (Elm)---9
Wyatt (Elm)---8

3A/4A

Johnson (Augie)---28
Sutton (No. Central)---24
Ryan (Augie)---2

[iwu70]

Attended the IBCA games at Shirk last night.  A few impressions.

The 1A/2A game was far better, more skillfully played and much more competitive and entertaining that the big boys of 3A/4A, which at times were down right lousy, patchy, out of control, without team flow.  Much better basketball, better percentages, much better defense and intensity from the 1A/2A guys.  iA game went to double OT, great performances all 'round. 

I was impressed with Hill -- an Eliud Gonzalez type of player, with a good upside, very tough defender.  Was not so impressed with Berg, though he clearly has a good basketball body, fundamentals.  Just didn't really assert himself too too much, fouled out.  DI guy heading for Xavier was the big power on that side.  Berg reminds me of Tim McCrary and his style of play, so once he puts on more speed and muscle and adjusts to a higher level of play, I have no doubt he'll be a pretty good CCIW player, but I'm not so sure about all-conference, etc.  We'll see. 

Seems Augie has a very good class, as Tayvian Johnson, my friends, is the real deal.  Very fast, great hops, good movement without the ball, nice touch, good range.  He reminds me of a slightly thinner, somewhat more perimeter-oriented type of player similar to Victor Davis.  But, with a much better sense of the entire floor and a better overall ball-handler at this point.  I think he's a very good pick-up for Augie, with tremendous upside in top-level CCIW play.  To play the 3 or the 4.   IMHO. 

Lots of good wing players, shooters etc. esp. in the 1A game, but also lots of loose play, lots of show-boating and out of control moves, as you would expect in an All-Star game of this type.

In the 3A/4A, in addition to Tayvian Johnson, best performances put on by the local guys -- Austin Stewart and Mr. Bean -- both headed to scholarship programs -- Stewart to Central Michigan and Bean to SIU, as you'all know from earlier report.  LaTulip can clearly shoot it, though I doubt he can play the 1 or the 2 in the Big Ten. 

A pleasant evening in the Shirk, though alot of pretty disjointed basketball.  The Shirk was about half full, not a really big crowd overall.  Seems many of the top DI recruits in the State did not participate in this game. 

Gentlemen, for your information.

Ypsi, I became an "evil empire" Yanks fan when living in NYC in the 70s, early 80s, during the Reggie Jackson, Ron Guidry, Willie Randolph, Paul O'Neil phase.  Some great years, some good championship teams.  My favorite Yankee Stadium story was when Reggie came back to the Stadium as an Angel?  -- anyway, after he'd been traded away . . . and in that game back he hit a straight-line, line drive bullet off the facade in right field for a HR.  I was sitting in the RF stands and the thing went straight over my head, hitting the facade above my head, then dropping down in the bleachers there a few rows behind me.  As Reggie was rounding the bases, the NYC crowd was yelling . . . "F . . K, George, F .. K, George. F..k, George!!!!!   You know the NYC fans, ever gracious, especially to their generous and highly respected owner.  Many other good Yankee Stadium stories, evil empire stories . . . "only in New York,"  heh?  ms

[Mr. Ypsi]

Mark, I forgot about your long sojourn in NYC - you're forgiven!   (And even though I was a Yankee hater by then, I couldn't help being a Ron Guidry fan.)  I was also a huge fan of Thurman Munson - can't recall his years; did you see him in person?

[Gregory Sager]

As a kid I saw Guidry pitch numerous times when he was with the Syracuse Chiefs, the Yankees' AAA farm club in the '70s. That's where I learned to thoroughly and honestly despise the Yankees.

[Dennis_Prikkel]

i grew up a mile from Yankee Stadium.  My father lived the first 69 years of his life within a mile of Yankee Stadium.  We went often - and could watch all the games we couldn't go to on WPIX.  Mantle, Maris, Howard, Berra, Skowron, Ford, Richardson, Boyer, Kubek - the Bronx Bombers of my youth.  The first game my mother took me to was one of Joe DiMaggio's last as a Yankee.  My father and I went to several old timers games - wow were those guys great - especially when they brought back the old dodgers and the old giants.

[NCF]

i grew up a mile from Yankee Stadium.  My father lived the first 69 years of his life within a mile of Yankee Stadium.  We went often - and could watch all the games we couldn't go to on WPIX.  Mantle, Maris, Howard, Berra, Skowron, Ford, Richardson, Boyer, Kubek - the Bronx Bombers of my youth.  The first game my mother took me to was one of Joe DiMaggio's last as a Yankee.  My father and I went to several old timers games - wow were those guys great - especially when they brought back the old dodgers and the old giants.

You actually got to see those guys play?!! I'm jealous. Do you have any old baseball cards?

[hopefan]

WELL...   as a 10 year old in 1960 living in Pittsburgh who worshipped the ground the Pirates walked on, my all time nearest and dearest sports memory for ever will be Maz's HR to beat the Yankees, after they had crushed the Buccos in games 2, 3, and 6...  but the unlikeliest of heros emerged in game 7, backup first baseman Rocky Nelson, back up catcher Hal Smith, and Maz hits it into Schenley Park out of Forbes Field..... There will never be a match for such an amazing game 7..... and like Dennis, I too grew up watching the golden era of Baseball, only in Pittsburgh.... Groat Hoak Clemente Virdon Skinner Maz Friend Law Face.. heros all... except for Dick Stuart, the bum!!!!

[RogK]

iwu70, I think this :
http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/NYA/NYA198204270.shtml
must have been the game you were at when Reggie returned as a California Angel. The box says it was wet that day. The Angels' pitcher was Angel and he earned 1/4 of his career MLB victory total that day.
Greg, you sure saw a bunch of mediocre players on the Chiefs when Guidry was there :
http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/team.cgi?id=adcc830c
http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/team.cgi?id=014e68b1
Interesting that Guidry started 0 games at AAA in those seasons.
Bobby Cox managed those teams, incidentally.