MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[X-Road Coug]

Gonna ignore that one Mr. Nichols.   

I also feel inept regarding the CCIW compared to these guys.  From what I know, which isn't much, you guys are right on with the Elmhurst analysis.  Even agreeing to disagreeing...all are pretty good.  I know they were happy with the Wisc -WW scrimmage.

I watched NCC and Benedictine 4x last year, so very familiar with those programs.  I hope to add commentary to a few freshman (Chicago area guys) at NCC (2), IWU (2), and Augie (1) that I watched all summer in the AAU circuit.  Very talented group scattered throughout the CCIW.

Looking forward to adding more after watching a full year of games. 

[Gregory Sager]

NPU is scrimmaging Dominican tonight at the crackerbox at 7 pm. I didn't get a chance to make it down to Greencastle to see the scrimmage at DePauw, but the Vikings put up 95 points in that scrimmage (44 of them by Jordan Robinson), so I'm pretty encouraged to see how they fare this evening ... keeping in mind, of course, that Dominican is most certainly not a CCIW-level outfit.

[petemcb]

NPU is scrimmaging Dominican tonight at the crackerbox at 7 pm. I didn't get a chance to make it down to Greencastle to see the scrimmage at DePauw, but the Vikings put up 95 points in that scrimmage (44 of them by Jordan Robinson), so I'm pretty encouraged to see how they fare this evening ... keeping in mind, of course, that Dominican is most certainly not a CCIW-level outfit.

Offensive output of almost Grinnellian proportions! 

[AppletonRocks]

Gonna ignore that one Mr. Nichols.   

I also feel inept regarding the CCIW compared to these guys.  From what I know, which isn't much, you guys are right on with the Elmhurst analysis.  Even agreeing to disagreeing...all are pretty good.  I know they were happy with the Wisc -WW scrimmage.

I watched NCC and Benedictine 4x last year, so very familiar with those programs.  I hope to add commentary to a few freshman (Chicago area guys) at NCC (2), IWU (2), and Augie (1) that I watched all summer in the AAU circuit.  Very talented group scattered throughout the CCIW.

Looking forward to adding more after watching a full year of games.

How did Whitewater look?  Were there a lot of transfers in again?

[X-Road Coug]

Sorry - I didn't attend the WW scrimmage.  Heard they were solid thou and Parrelli played really well for EC. 

[Titan Q]

IWU won both varsity periods vs Olivet Nazarene - 40-29 and 48-42.

The Titans open Tuesday vs Dominican.

[Gregory Sager]

North Park easily dispensed with Dominican this evening, 38-23 and 43-26. Juwan Henry scored 22 and Colin Lake had 19, while Jordan Robinson had a 17 and 10 night with three blocks.

NPU opens against Chicago in the Ratner Center on Tuesday.

[AndOne]

Greg,

I disagree with your disagreement.

... and I disagree with your disagreement of my disagreement. (This is going to be a fun season on CCIW Chat. )

As I must continue to disagree with your disagreement of my disagreement (And we'll have fun, fun, fun until daddy takes the car keys away    )

1. Of course all the Elmhurst people you've talked to are "over the moon" with regard to the quality of the newbies Baines and staff have brought in. Were you expecting them to say anything else? Perhaps "we really didn't bring in much in terms of quality this year, but at least we have bodies to fill the uniforms." When you asked Tom Slyder about this year's NPU newbies wasn't he also "over the moon" about them? Aren't ALL coaches going to say they are "over the moon" about their recruits at this point? You bet they are. At least until such time as said recruits play replicates a lunar eclipse and dims much of their early November glow.

Well, of course fans are going to hype their newbies. But you learn after awhile how to read between the lines when an insider is talking about his team in the preseason. Is he talking about the returnees to the complete exclusion of the newbies? If so, then the newbies are probably going to be relegated to the deep bench and/or the JV team. Is he talking about the newbies to the complete exclusion of the returnees? If so, it's quite possible that the returnees are either nothing much to talk about, or (as may very well be the case here) they're something of a mystery themselves, given that they've been playing JV rather than varsity for the past two, three seasons.

By definition the term "newbies" refers to those players new to the team, meaning freshmen and transfers. 

2. As you said, there are many unknowns in the Elmhurst picture. And I would venture that the majority of these unknowns are embodied in those players who are new to the system, and whom Baines and staff have not had much opportunity to get to know. On the other hand, what IS more well known are the abilities of the veterans. Accordingly, it should not have been very difficult to predict the 1st scrimmage starters as you, yourself evidenced when you said "I would've guessed that Baines would have turned to last year's JV players first.

Yes, the familiarity factor is why I would've guessed that Baines would opt for the returnees rather than the newbies, all other things being equal. However, here's the thing: We didn't know if all other things were equal. If the talent factor favored the newbies, then he could've very well gone with a new-look set of Bluejays in the UWW scrimmage. That's my whole point -- nobody posting here knew one way or the other.

But remember, while the newbies must certainly possess some degree of talent they are still in the learning stage as far as incorporating their skills into the EC system and learning the plays, some of which could have just recently been put in during practice.

3. As you said, Rogers was really pretty easy to project. He probably played the most last season.

Yes, aside from Loving. But his experience goes much deeper than last year. He played in 20 varsity games as a freshman, 24 (with two starts) as a sophomore, and 17 last season.

Baines is probably looking to Rogers, me a senior, to be one of the leaders of this year's team, including leading vocally when necessary. The question arises as to whether he is the type of individual who feels comfortable in such a role.

4. Of course Mowry & Parrelli were not varsity rotation members last year. We all know 9 of EC's first 10 players were now graduated seniors. I'm not sure about Mowry, but Chris Parrelli was pretty heavily recruited. Several teams besides EC would have loved to have secured his services. He had a very good senior year and and then elevated his play even more in the playoffs. EC overcame some very stiff competition to get him. It makes sense that worked as hard as they did to get him because they could see the potential he had to step up once last year's large crop of starters and other rotational played vacated the premises.

Parrilli's high-school career is ancient history and doesn't matter anymore. What matters is how he looks now (and, to a lesser extent, what he looked like last season).

Parrilli is only 2 years removed from that high school career. And the skills he learned and developed there are what helped make him a desireable recruit. As far as how he looked last season I think we can say virtually invisible as he only played 32 minutes all year.
As far as how he looks currently, the poster who observed him thought he looked good st this early juncture in the season.

5. I'm thinking Baines would not have started Loving if he had reservations about his being fully physically capable. And, if physically ready, he was certainly an easy projection with his being expected to be EC's best player.

I'm not talking about whether or not he's "physically capable", however you choose to define that. I'm talking about whether or not his game is back (physically and mentally) to where it was when he was hurt.

Do we know where he was from either a physical or mental standpoint prior to his injury?

6. Certainly John Baines is smart enough to adjust his depth chart if one of the newbies steps up as of 11/15.[/]

That goes without saying.

Something neither of us has an argument with.

7. Mueller looked at least somewhat improved when I saw him play a few times in summer league. He certainly didn't embarrass himself. Good of a guess as anyone else on the EC roster at this time.

I'm not making any guesses at all as to whom EC will start at center.

Be brave young hero. Go out on that limb!   

[Gregory Sager]

Too hard to read because of how you've re-formatted, Mark.

[iwu70]

Watched the Titans scrimmage last eve at the Shirk.  Agree with Q that there seems enough talent on the perimeter, the normal quality of trey shooters for the Titans to do well this year.  How well, yet to be seen.  Think it depends a lot on how much this team develops a strong defensive mentality and can defend the better teams on the perimeter.  Strong outings from Seibring, Beasley and Bausch -- seems to be the key rotation of the bigs, along with Tyler Burdine?  Brady Rose is clearly healthy and ready to play, seems more time at the PG than at the 2 -- with Bonnett and Stempel playing those other positions at the 2 or 3.  Not sure about the other folks coming off the bench.  Seems a pretty good 7-8 rotation, but not that much depth, at least in my initial impression.  We'll see.  Maybe one or two guys still out with injuries (Falitico) or playing down with the JV group so far.  Curry?   ONU didn't really have much of an answer for IWU's size and strong perimeter shooting. At points, the Titans didn't defend the three point line all that well.  On the other hand, for such an early season exhibition, the Titans also didn't turn the ball over that much.  A good sign. 

Look forward to the opening game of the season next Tuesday, at The Shirk.

IWU70

[old baseliner]

Halftime @ IWU. IWU JV 34- Danville CC 32

[old baseliner]

Final Danville CC 73- IWU JV 67.

[Titan Q]

Here is my 2016-17 IWU preview for anyone interested.

http://www.iwuhoops.com/preview16-17.html

[Gotberg]

What is the "over under" for North Park on whether they update their BB roster before next week's first game?

[iwu70]

Q, thanks for your ever-helpful season preview.

Look forward to opening night next Tuesday.

IWU70