MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[voxelmhurst]

If you are an Elmhurst fan, you really need a win Friday vs NCC to breath easier...and you have to be a big Wash U Bears fan vs the Maroons.

Elmhurst finished the regular season 4-4 and are 2-4 against the teams in the CCIW tournament. As much as I hate to admit it, the Bluejays deserve to be on the bubble at this point. I think it's also fair to say that Elmhurst has not had a statement victory since the early January win against Augustana. In fact, after that game, they went 0-4 in their remaining games against Augustana, North Central, and Illinois Wesleyan. The Jays did well to clean up against the rest of the CCIW and earn their spot in the top 4, but they're going to need to turn in a performance that hasn't been seen from them in nearly two months.

[AndOne]

I'm blown away that Juwan Henry wasn't even a unanimous choice for 1st team... that seems off.

I sense that you are not alone in that feeling. 

[cardinalpride]

I'm blown away that Juwan Henry wasn't even a unanimous choice for 1st team... that seems off.

This would explain why he wasn't POY.
I believe the POY has to be a unanimous 1st teamer.

[AndOne]

2016 CCIW All-Conference Men's Basketball Team

2016 Fred Young Most Outstanding Player
Hunter Hill - Augustana

2016 CCIW Coach of the Year
Grey Giovanine - Augustana

2016 CCIW Freshman of the Year
Connor Raridon - North Central

FIRST TEAM   
         
Name    School    Pos.    Yr.     Hometown/H.S.
Juwan Henry    North Park    G    Jr.    Chicago, Ill./Bogan
Hunter Hill*    Augustana    G    Sr.    Byron, Ill./H.S.
Ben Ryan*    Augustana    F    Sr.    Washington, Ill./H.S.
Alex Sorenson*    North Central     F    So.    Dunlap, Ill./H.S.
Kyle Wuest    Elmhurst    G     Sr.    Edinburgh, Ind./H.S.

SECOND TEAM
            
Name    School    Pos.    Yr.    Hometown/H.S.
Brandon Motzel    Augustana    F    Sr.    Buffalo Grove, Ill./Carmel Catholic
Will Nixon    Elmhurst    C    Sr.    Plainfield, Ill./South
Connor Raridon    North Central    F    Fr.    Plainfield, Ill./Neuqua Valley
Jordan Robinson    North Park    F    So.    Schaumburg, Ill./Hoffman Estates
Trevor Seibring    Illinois Wesleyan    F     Jr.    Towanda, Ill./Normal Community

THIRD TEAM   
         
Name    School    Pos.    Yr.    Hometown/H.S.
Jonathan Berntsen    Wheaton    G    Sr.    Chatham, N.J./H.S.
Erik Crittenden    Elmhurst    F    Sr.    Crete, Ill./Marian Catholic
TJ Griffin    Millikin    G    Sr.    St. Louis, Mo./McCluer
Brad Kruse    Carthage    F    So.    Hawthorn Woods, Ill./Lake Zurich
Jayme Moten    North Central    G    Sr.    Spicer, Minn./New London-Spicer
Jawan Straughter    Augustana    G    Sr.    Bolingbrook, Ill./Plainfield East

Some of this is like reading a horror story.

* Kyle Wuest--All-Conference, OK. But 1st team? Wuest scores lots of points, but he takes a lot of shots to get those points. in the conference portion of the season, he scored 151 from the field. However, to get those 151 points, he needed 155 shots! These are stats worthy of a first team all-conference player?  To top that off he has problems staying between the basket and Mrs. Butterworth on the defensive end of the floor.

* Will Nixon--Not eye popping offensive stats, but Will is a defensive stalwart. Hard to argue with his 2nd team selection.

* Jayme Moten--Should be a 2nd teamer. For those of you who don't closely follow NCC what Jayme is, is a guy who sacrifices personal accomplishment for the good of the team. This is a guy who last season set an all time record for NCC for the number of threes made in a single season. He finished 7th in conference scoring at 14.3 ppg. Prior to this season, it was thought he would likely again finish at least that high in the scoring race. However, instead of solely concentrating on scoring he dedicated himself to becoming the best complete player he could be. To that end, he dedicated himself to contributing as much on the defensive end of the floor as on the offensive end. That dedication resulted in Jayme regularly being assigned to guard the opponent's top scoring guard. Like any player, he didn't always succeed, but he did a darn fine job. His on the ball defense is one of the primary reasons NCC finished 2nd in the conference after being picked to finish in the number 4 spot. Never once did Jayme complain that the energy he was expending on the defensive end was costing him as far as what he might do on the offensive end. In the end, he finished 13th (11.8 ppg) in conference scoring this season. Not too shabby in itself.

* Jawan Straughter--Another example of where a player's team finishes matters as much as how good a player he is. Don't get me wrong. Mr. Straughter is a far above average player who is especially good on D. But one of the top 16 (there was a tie in the voting for the 15th spot) players in the league? I think not.

* Brad Kruse--When, where, how, and why all wrapped up in the same question. There can be no other explanation for his selection other than there must be an unwritten rule that every team must have at least one representative on the A-C team.
Its a complete mystery otherwise. Kruse's inclusion is a slap in the face of more than one player. Most noticeably, its a supreme screw job to Wheaton's Michael Berg who was 9th in scoring, 4th in rebounding, 8th in FG%, 12th in steals. and 9th in blocks in the conference. Many analysts would include Mr. Berg on their 2nd team, let alone their 3rd. Utterly baffling. 

[sac]

Statistically Hunter Hill was the more efficient player.

[Titan Q]

Hunter (I'm a fabulous shooter, but thats about all I can do) Hill was evidently a unanimous selection for POY. Proof that the Grey Giovanine Marketing Corporation produces a remarkable product which, although comprised largely of BS, it gets people to buy.
Also, that CCIW conference honors, in large part, continue to historically be tied to a team's finish rather than being a true reflection of some players talents and worthiness for distinction as compared to their often more talented, or at least equally talented peers. 

If the POY has to go to an Augie player, Ben Ryan is the name that should be appearing.

I don't agree with this assessment of Hunter Hill.  I view him as a tremendous floor general who makes the 13-1 CCIW champs, and #1 team in Division III, tick.  He is the heart and soul of this Augie team.

I had Ben Ryan sharing M.O.P. honors with Juwan Henry...but I went back and forth in my head on Hill vs Ryan before I posted that yesterday.  I don't have any problem at all with Hunter Hill being named M.O.P....but I think Henry deserves a piece of the award.

[AndOne]

Hunter (I'm a fabulous shooter, but thats about all I can do) Hill was evidently a unanimous selection for POY. Proof that the Grey Giovanine Marketing Corporation produces a remarkable product which, although comprised largely of BS, it gets people to buy.
Also, that CCIW conference honors, in large part, continue to historically be tied to a team's finish rather than being a true reflection of some players talents and worthiness for distinction as compared to their often more talented, or at least equally talented peers. 

If the POY has to go to an Augie player, Ben Ryan is the name that should be appearing.

I don't agree with this assessment of Hunter Hill.  I view him as a tremendous floor general who makes the 13-1 CCIW champs, and #1 team in Division III, tick.  He is the heart and soul of this Augie team.

I had Ben Ryan sharing M.O.P. honors with Juwan Henry...but I went back and forth in my head on Hill vs Ryan before I posted that yesterday.  I don't have any problem at all with Hunter Hill being named M.O.P....but I think Henry deserves a piece of the award.

If Hill was in your head, I'm wondering which part of your body made you type "Ryan"? 
Perhaps you should have gone with a Ryan-Hill-Henry triumvarite? 

[mr_b]

I'm blown away that Juwan Henry wasn't even a unanimous choice for 1st team... that seems off.

Who *wouldn't* have voted for him to be on the first team?

[GoPerry]

Hunter (I'm a fabulous shooter, but thats about all I can do) Hill was evidently a unanimous selection for POY. Proof that the Grey Giovanine Marketing Corporation produces a remarkable product which, although comprised largely of BS, it gets people to buy.
Also, that CCIW conference honors, in large part, continue to historically be tied to a team's finish rather than being a true reflection of some players talents and worthiness for distinction as compared to their often more talented, or at least equally talented peers. 

If the POY has to go to an Augie player, Ben Ryan is the name that should be appearing.

I don't agree with this assessment of Hunter Hill.  I view him as a tremendous floor general who makes the 13-1 CCIW champs, and #1 team in Division III, tick.  He is the heart and soul of this Augie team.

I had Ben Ryan sharing M.O.P. honors with Juwan Henry...but I went back and forth in my head on Hill vs Ryan before I posted that yesterday.  I don't have any problem at all with Hunter Hill being named M.O.P....but I think Henry deserves a piece of the award.

Surprising to me also that Juwan Henry was not unanimous and I also thought he would be MOP.  It's an easier argument to make in favor of Henry but equally difficult to make against Hunter Hill.  It brings up the common question: How do you recognize a great player on A. a very good all around team where Hill is not required to do as much or B. a mediocre team(not saying NPU was mediocre but you know what I mean) where Henry had to shoot more, rebound more, score more, simply do more?

Obviously these voters, the head coaches, seem to hold A in higher regard than B.  This also goes to why the MOP tends to be from one of the better teams in the league each year(which I know will do nothing to persuade many posters, but there it is).

I really thought Robinson would be 1st team also.  2nd in scoring and 1st in rebounding?  Averaging a double-double(all games)?

I was surprised that Jeremy Berntsen was named over Michael Berg for Wheaton.  But grateful that someone wearing  Orange/Blue got recognized.  I never believed both would be named from a 1-13 team.

[iwu70]

Some the of the All-CCIW decisions are just bizarre.  How could Juwan Henry not be unanimous.  Truly bizarre. 

As you know, I thought Dolan deserved recognition over some on the third team.  And Robinson clearly first team over Wuest.

Gracious me!

I think EC goes down in the semis, on the bubble now, and perhaps even popping.  Who would have thunk it just a few weeks ago?

IWU'70

[AndOne]

I was surprised that Jeremy Berntsen was named over Michael Berg for Wheaton.  But grateful that someone wearing  Orange/Blue got recognized.  I never believed both would be named from a 1-13 team.

Bernstsen came on strong beginning somewhere in the middle of the season, and was very good at the end. Berg played well basically all season so I think the nod should have gone to him. It certainly wasn't realistic to think more than one Wheatie would be chosen from a 1 win team.

[markerickson]

I agree that Juwan Henry whines too much - usually with body language as opposed to verbally - when called for a foul.

I agree that Jordan Robinson talks too much.  Case in point.  The refs had to intervene twice during a FT.  At one point Honn's emotion got so bad that his teammates intervened and Coach Raridon called in a substitute for Honn who had a great game...probably a career high in points scored for the senior.  He stepped up while Sorenson got benched.

Regarding the ref situation that has stirred acrimony on this board, my first conversation occurred when I said under my breath, "No", as TJ Cobbs chucked up a trey that missed terribly.  The ref agreed with me.  Then we started talking.  He refs HS games in the 'burbs, and is friends with the guy seated to his left whose son played HS ball in the 'burbs and plays for NPU.  These two also travel to CCIW games, I learned.  So it is not inconceivable that the ref has seen more than one game in which the freshman POY played, contrary to the visceral argument posted earlier.  BTW, the ref's comment about being dirty was unsolicited.  Obviously, I believe, the ref has some prior visual experience.

Once again, Henry got a lack of respect.  Robinson also got robbed, big time.

[izzy stradlin]

I was surprised that Jeremy Berntsen was named over Michael Berg for Wheaton.  But grateful that someone wearing  Orange/Blue got recognized.  I never believed both would be named from a 1-13 team.

Bernstsen came on strong beginning somewhere in the middle of the season, and was very good at the end. Berg played well basically all season so I think the nod should have gone to him. It certainly wasn't realistic to think more than one Wheatie would be chosen from a 1 win team.

Berg shot 40% from the field during the conference season.  That's a super low number for a PF/C and probably what did him in.   Nonetheless Berg and Berntsen were clearly Wheaton's top two players all year by a wide margin and they both graduate.   Wheaton likely takes another step back next year.   Anyone know how things are at ZRG?

[GoPerry]

Some of this is like reading a horror story.

* Kyle Wuest--All-Conference, OK. But 1st team? Wuest scores lots of points, but he takes a lot of shots to get those points. in the conference portion of the season, he scored 151 from the field. However, to get those 151 points, he needed 155 shots! These are stats worthy of a first team all-conference player?  To top that off he has problems staying between the basket and Mrs. Butterworth on the defensive end of the floor.


* Jayme Moten--Should be a 2nd teamer. For those of you who don't closely follow NCC what Jayme is, is a guy who sacrifices personal accomplishment for the good of the team. This is a guy who last season set an all time record for NCC for the number of threes made in a single season. He finished 7th in conference scoring at 14.3 ppg. Prior to this season, it was thought he would likely again finish at least that high in the scoring race. However, instead of solely concentrating on scoring he dedicated himself to becoming the best complete player he could be. To that end, he dedicated himself to contributing as much on the defensive end of the floor as on the offensive end. That dedication resulted in Jayme regularly being assigned to guard the opponent's top scoring guard. Like any player, he didn't always succeed, but he did a darn fine job. His on the ball defense is one of the primary reasons NCC finished 2nd in the conference after being picked to finish in the number 4 spot. Never once did Jayme complain that the energy he was expending on the defensive end was costing him as far as what he might do on the offensive end. In the end, he finished 13th (11.8 ppg) in conference scoring this season. Not too shabby in itself.

Also, I agree that Wuest on 1st team and Moten on 3rd team doesn't feel quite right.  I can't comment about all you mentioned about Moten, but I do agree that he is a very high quality scoring talent and remembered it well from last year too.  He was clearly all conf caliber last year but didn't get named because he missed some games right? Injury?  Perhaps his stats weren't as impressive this year because his role changed.  But then these end of the year accolades are by their nature stats dependent since voters(and posters) simply don't see every game.  So you rely on the stats and try to presume the story they tell.

I was surprised that Jeremy Berntsen was named over Michael Berg for Wheaton.  But grateful that someone wearing  Orange/Blue got recognized.  I never believed both would be named from a 1-13 team.

Bernstsen came on strong beginning somewhere in the middle of the season, and was very good at the end. Berg played well basically all season so I think the nod should have gone to him. It certainly wasn't realistic to think more than one Wheatie would be chosen from a 1 win team.

Berg shot 40% from the field during the conference season.  That's a super low number for a PF/C and probably what did him in.   Nonetheless Berg and Berntsen were clearly Wheaton's top two players all year by a wide margin and they both graduate.   Wheaton likely takes another step back next year.   Anyone know how things are at ZRG?

A step back?  To where?  To the intramural A league(which is extremely competitive at Wheaton btw)??  They were 1-13/5-20! Even so, I think they will be better next year. 

And they certainly aren't losing as much as Augie or Elmhurst who both are losing pretty much 190 out of 200 minutes of playing time once this season is done(Elmhurst more like 195/200).  That fact has to be screaming loudly at John Baines if they are truly on the bubble as Q says and, gulp, end up not getting in.  It's even a specter hanging over an early 1st or 2nd rd exit I imagine.   

[Gregory Sager]

A few thoughts:

1.

'70 and Ypsi, there is an entire board dedicated to CCIW women's basketball.  I know you know where it is, because you post there.  Everyone who cares about the women's side of the league visits that board.

I can promise you, because I hear from people regularly, that this kind of stuff annoys IWU fans as much as it does non-IWU fans.

Well, it was a nice try, Bob, but I think that we all know by now that '70 is going to post here about whatever IWU tidbit happens to strike his fancy at any given moment, no matter how completely irrelevant it is and no matter how much it exasperates everybody else. I've long since given up scolding him about it. Look on the bright side; at least he no longer ignores the in-game updates board and forces this room to scroll with his in-game Titans updates. Now he confines himself to only giving us the halftime score.

2.

How many rebounds did Viking Jordan Robinson have tonite?  I know he had three in maybe seven seconds on the offensive glass.

C'mon, Mark. I had posted an hour and a half earlier in my CCIW Chat game recap that Robinson had seven rebounds. Plus, the box score and the gamer were already up on the NPU website by the time you posted. Do you really want to try to wrest the "Look This Up For Me, Please, Because I'm Totally Helpless" Award away from Mr. Ypsi?

3.

Said Bernsten was unstoppable driving to basket, place was packed, Wheaton fans shouting the predictable 'overrated" at end of regulation and Bernsten almost won it with a "hail Mary" shot at the OT buzzer.

Uh, Lanny, if there's one thing of which we can all be sure, it's that nobody affiliated with Wheaton College will ever attempt anything that can be described as a "Hail Mary" in any way, shape, or form.

4. Regarding the Robinson/Raridon fracas:

Last night at North Park I sat next to a non-CCIW referee who said he attends CCIW games along with a retired CCIW ref.  They attended two NPU games earlier this year when former NPC championship players were in attendance in the same seating section as I.  During last night's game, I lamented to the ref the lack of moving screen calls.  He replied, "Watch [Raridon], he's a dirty player, and I will tell you when."  The comment was not meant as a compliment.  Sure enough, with all three refs and the ball well ahead of Raridon and Robinson, the former underhooked the latter to impede progress and Robinson spun around to disengage.  When I expressed dissatisfaction, the ref turned to me and said, "Told you so."  Then the second whiniest CCIW coach started screaming and the refs inexplicably stopped play.  (I doubt they saw what happened, given their position on the court.)  The refs formed a circle and subsequently saddled Robinson with a foul, probably because the coach's son can't be guilty, right?  Watch the NCC freshman next year and you will see what I am talking about.

I have no idea what Mark is talking about with regard to those two referee-fans and their conversation with him. He sits on the opposite side of the gym from me and I wasn't keeping tabs on who his seatmates were. What I do know is that the play in question did transpire as he described it. Jordan Robinson and Connor Raridon, who were mixing it up all night both verbally and physically, trailed the play in the backcourt at the 6:16 mark of the second half after Robinson had stolen the ball from Raridon three seconds earlier and sent an outlet pass up the floor. Raridon grabbed Robinson's right arm and pulled him in as they ran parallel up the floor, and Robinson reacted by spinning free while shoving away Raridon with considerable force. As is often the case when these things happen, the refs did not see the catalyzing incident; they only saw the retaliation. (It's not hard to understand why, since, as I said, Robinson and Raridon were well behind the play and the refs were naturally focusing their attention upcourt.) Thus, after about sixty seconds' worth of a classic "Did you see it?" "No, I didn't see it. Did you see it?" "No, I didn't see it" three-man huddle, they charged Robinson with an offensive foul. Frankly, they should've given both players technical fouls, not just because they both deserved it for that particular contretemps but because it would've ratcheted down the tension some. Neither player covered himself in glory with his behavior on Saturday night.

As for Todd Raridon somehow getting his son off the hook on that play ... well, that accusation's kind of silly. One thing that amused me on Saturday night was the reaction that Ken Falkner got when I announced over the P.A. prior to the Senior Night introduction of Michael Hutchinson (I was the Senior Night emcee) that this would be the final game of Falkner's very long career as a basketball official. Falkner, a former NBA ref (where his nickname among the players, believe it or not, was "Mother") who is about as familiar a face as there is among CCIW officials, drew a mixed chorus of cheers and boos when I made the announcement. Tom Slyder, who, like most of his profession, does not view men wearing black-and-white stripes with the utmost of charity, had the same look on his face when I made the announcement about Falkner that the father of the bride has when he discovers a wedding crasher at the reception. But, stealing a glimpse down past the scorer's table, I noticed that the only person in the gym who looked unhappier than Tom at the prospect of Ken Falkner being honored for anything was Todd Raridon.

So, no, I do not think that Todd Raridon somehow managed to talk the refs out of giving his son a technical foul. Heck, I don't think you could talk Ken Falkner out of handing a T-bone to God Himself if he felt that the Almighty had one coming.

5.

And I've noticed the NCC coach has a penchant for yelling at the refs while the opposing player is about to shoot a FT.  Bush league.

Yeah, I used to get all worked up about this sort of thing back when Grey Giovanine seemed to be the only conspicuous offender, mostly because he always waited for the quietest moment to do it. But at this point, I've now heard so many coaches yell stuff when an opposing player is at the line that I hardly even notice it anymore. Heck, I've even heard coaches do it at women's basketball games, which are far more genteel affairs in terms of coaching deportment than are men's games. As bw said, we've reached the point where it's "anything goes" at a basketball game when a player is at the free-throw line.