MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[kiko]

Tough one in Naperville tonight as Cal Lutheran's Mason Johnson hit a pair of free throws with 5.3 seconds left to give the Kingsmen an 80-79 win over North Central. The Kingsmen scored 32 points off 21 Cardinal turnovers and NCC went just 15-24 at the free throw line.

Matt Helwig led the Cardinals with 21 points, Blaise Meredith had 17 (including getting fouled on a made three with a minute and a half to go, but missed the free throw), and Ethan Helwig notched 10 in his Cardinal debut.

Johnson scored 21 to pace the Kingsmen, Jacob Alonzo put up 16, and Jake Martin added four threes ; all three guys came off the bench.

Was great to hear the hangar that loud again, just wish the outcome was different.

If Cal Lutherans pressure got to NCC, the game in Greenville on Saturday may be closer than I initially thought.

Yeah, I'm not gonna lie, it has me a little nervous. I'd like to think Todd Raridon will have them ready to go.

And as long as the Cardinals make their free throws...

I'm not as concerned about this; Cal Lutheran's roster starts at a higher talent base than Greenville's does.  I'm more concerned as to whether CCIW teams are also able to exploit this, or if the Sons of Warden are able to file it away under 'it was the first game, bruh' and move past any lingering issues on this front.

And I concur: hitting their $%#@ free throws would add a nice tailwind to things...

Cal Lutheran's roster may start at a higher talent base than Greenville's with regard to aspects of the game such as shooting accuracy, rebounding, etc. However, their team speed doesn't exceed that of Greenville (especially considering their always fresh troops), and often the primary asset of teams that excel at pressure/trapping defense is their speed. Teams with lots of guys with very quick feet and very quick hands that seem to be everywhere, and that drive teams that don't pass out of pressure well crazy. The Cards need to see the floor and know where they are going with the ball before they receive it. They also need to avoid passing the ball into the corners on inbounds plays, and giving up the dribble just over half court after advancing into the offensive end. Areas of the court that are prime territory for a quick team to swarm to for the steal. Lastly, while they do need to make their free throws, they also need to successfully advance the ball up court to take advantage of the many layup opportunities that The System defense presents.

As I mentioned... not especially concerned about this.

North Central 137, Greenville 108

The brothers Helwig led the way with 42 (Matt) and 21 (Ethan), while Blaise Meredith had 20 as the Sons of Warden had six players in double figures, 12 who entered the scoring column, and 15 who logged minutes.

[Gregory Sager]

Millikin improves to 2-1 on the season with a 66-54 win over Spaulding in the Bluegrass State. Calvin Fisher led the way for the Decaturites with 15, followed by J.T. Welch with 14, Demarcus Bond with an even dozen, and Noah Livingston with 10.

Elmhurst flattened Principia downstate to the tune of 107-77 to stay undefeated at 2-0. Dominic Genco scored 19, Lavon Thomas added 18 and 6, Hunter Merritt chipped in 14, Wesley Hooker had 12 and 6, and Ocean Johnson and Jay Millitello each contributed 10, as John Baines got 15 Bluejays into the game.

Carthage improved to 2-0 as well by crushing Defiance, 81-47, in Kenosha. Elijah Blake came out of Stevie D.'s doghouse to lead the way with 22 on 8-11 shooting, followed by Fillip Bulatovic's 15 and 12 and Garrett Horner's 12 points.

And Carroll leveled at 2-2 by bouncing back for a 67-58 win over Aurora at Van Male. Justin Steinike paced the Pios with 19, while Ryan Mendoza contributed 16 amd Paradisio Dante added 13.

[Next Man Up]

Tough one in Naperville tonight as Cal Lutheran's Mason Johnson hit a pair of free throws with 5.3 seconds left to give the Kingsmen an 80-79 win over North Central. The Kingsmen scored 32 points off 21 Cardinal turnovers and NCC went just 15-24 at the free throw line.

Matt Helwig led the Cardinals with 21 points, Blaise Meredith had 17 (including getting fouled on a made three with a minute and a half to go, but missed the free throw), and Ethan Helwig notched 10 in his Cardinal debut.

Johnson scored 21 to pace the Kingsmen, Jacob Alonzo put up 16, and Jake Martin added four threes ; all three guys came off the bench.

Was great to hear the hangar that loud again, just wish the outcome was different.

If Cal Lutherans pressure got to NCC, the game in Greenville on Saturday may be closer than I initially thought.

Yeah, I'm not gonna lie, it has me a little nervous. I'd like to think Todd Raridon will have them ready to go.

And as long as the Cardinals make their free throws...

I'm not as concerned about this; Cal Lutheran's roster starts at a higher talent base than Greenville's does.  I'm more concerned as to whether CCIW teams are also able to exploit this, or if the Sons of Warden are able to file it away under 'it was the first game, bruh' and move past any lingering issues on this front.

And I concur: hitting their $%#@ free throws would add a nice tailwind to things...

Cal Lutheran's roster may start at a higher talent base than Greenville's with regard to aspects of the game such as shooting accuracy, rebounding, etc. However, their team speed doesn't exceed that of Greenville (especially considering their always fresh troops), and often the primary asset of teams that excel at pressure/trapping defense is their speed. Teams with lots of guys with very quick feet and very quick hands that seem to be everywhere, and that drive teams that don't pass out of pressure well crazy. The Cards need to see the floor and know where they are going with the ball before they receive it. They also need to avoid passing the ball into the corners on inbounds plays, and giving up the dribble just over half court after advancing into the offensive end. Areas of the court that are prime territory for a quick team to swarm to for the steal. Lastly, while they do need to make their free throws, they also need to successfully advance the ball up court to take advantage of the many layup opportunities that The System defense presents.

As I mentioned... not especially concerned about this.

North Central 137, Greenville 108

The brothers Helwig led the way with 42 (Matt) and 21 (Ethan), while Blaise Meredith had 20 as the Sons of Warden had six players in double figures, 12 who entered the scoring column, and 15 who logged minutes.

Although the Cardinals shot an astonishing 14% from three, they hit an equally astonishing 71% from the field overall. Layups must have been free for the picking.
Matt The Helwig with 42 almost matched Matt The Cappelletti's 47 vs Greenville from a coupe years ago.
My eyes must be playing tricks on me, but I swear the box score shows Brian Johnson had 9 assists . In fact, Mr. Johnson just missed a triple-double with 11 points and 14 rebounds.
Newcomer James Ruzicka with 16 points in 2 games is already making a nice contribution. He led the subs in minutes today as he did vs. Cal Lutheran.
Newbie PG Terrance Moncrief turned in a very solid effort with 10 points and 7 assists.
It's nice to see senior Barak Diehl getting some minutes. He has been a loyal team member who has stuck it out for four years when many others would have and did throw in the towel. Great teammate and great guy.
Cards still need to get their act together from the line after posting an anemic 65%.

[Titan Q]

IWU G Cory Noe through 3 games:

20.7 ppg

.568 FG

.444 3-point

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Is Rhode hurt?  Do we know why he didn't play?

[Gregory Sager]

He's saving up his eligibility so that he can come back in 2022-23 as an eighth-year senior.

[petemcb]

He's saving up his eligibility so that he can come back in 2022-23 as an eighth-year senior.

This is hilarious! 

[Gregory Sager]

Overtime final from the North Side:

Cal Lutheran 79
North Park 75

Jalen Boyd: 17 pts
Jarviss Sutton: 15 pts
Michael Osborne: 11 pts
Jordan Boyd: 8 rebs
Gabe Johnson: 6 rebs

Didn't get to see this, of course, but I was told later by a friend of mine who works the table that the Vikings were totally discombobulated this afternoon by CLU's defensive pressure -- not so much the fullcourt press itself as the halfcourt and sideline traps and the constant reach-ins and swipes in the halfcourt. That sounds entirely in keeping with what I saw of the Kingsmen on Friday night in their win at Illinois Tech, and what the NCC posters said about the Cal Lutheran win in the airplane hangar on Wednesday. Russell White is clearly turning around the moribund CLU program in a hurry.

Jarviss Sutton finally made his Vikings debut today, scoring 15 in 29 minutes of action. That's huge, because the Vikings need to establish some effective depth.

Funny thing about today -- I was so engrossed in calling today's second-round D3 soccer tourney matchup between North Park and Wash U over at the Holmgren Athletic Complex, and so elated by NPU's big win over one of the best soccer teams in the nation, that when someone in the press box said after we'd wrapped up the postgame show, "I just got a text from the gym that they're putting the equipment away," I was shocked to realize that it hadn't crossed my mind all day that NPU was playing a men's basketball game in the gym at the same time that I was calling the soccer game. That's the first time in over forty years that I have not only missed a North Park men's basketball game but completely forgot about it. Such is the allure of national success, I guess.

Not to worry, as I will definitely be back behind the mic when NPU hosts Buena Vista a week from next Saturday.

[Titan Q]

My Q-cast conversation with Steve Djurickovic...and a special guest.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4UDmN-CLPQ

0:00 Growing up around the CCIW
5:38 Picking Division III; selling Division III
9:04 Coaching transition
12:16 Great start to 2021-22
13:54 2021-22 Carthage leaders
19:42 Steve's coaching style
21:58 UW-Oshkosh matchup
25:55 Playing great teams from across Division III
27:28 Sunny destinations
28:06 The CCIW
29:37 Bosko: CCIW history
31:32 48 yrs without an undefeated CCIW team
32:41 Transition to Steve
33:46 Bosko's luxury box
34:20 D3: then vs now
35:50 Best CCIW player Bosko has seen
37:40 White Sox
39:06 D3hoops.com era
40:00 Countering the Sikma Move
40:37 Bosko's CCIW book?
42:10 Key to the 2021-22 Carthage season
44:38 Steve's accomplishments as a player
46:50 Final thoughts

[kenoshamark]

Bob,

Just got done watching the Q cast.....nicely done....great memories for me, as you can imagine.   BTW, Happy Bday this week!   You still look 25.

[Titan Q]

Bob,

Just got done watching the Q cast.....nicely done....great memories for me, as you can imagine.   BTW, Happy Bday this week!   You still look 25.

Glad you found it, Mark...and thank you.  Doesn't seem like it could have been 20 years ago we were watching McDaniel, Wiertel, Garnes, & Co!

[markerickson]

https://www.eastportlandblog.com/2021/11/08/1985-division-iii-mens-basketball-championship-memories-with-pix-by-mark-erickson/  A blurb by me.

It has been over 30 years since watching Monegain et al winning NPC's FOURTH national championship. I love every picture, especially the last one.

[GoPerry]

Wheaton 95
Lake Forest  70

Alioth 26 pts, 12 rebs
Adom  23 pts
Eddie Scott  11 pts

Sean Espinosa 26 pts 5 asst

The Thunder were 38 of 64 from the field for 59.4%, mostly having to do with Forester defense not being much of a challenge for a skilled team like Wheaton.

[iwu70]

Q, really enjoyed your latest Q - cast . . . with the Carthage Head Coach . . . and former coach.  Great stuff.  Thank you.

'70

[iwu70]

Congrats to IWU's Cory Noe for being named to D3hoops' "Team of the Week."  Great stuff, a great run for Cory, as Q has mentioned, in the first three games of the season.

IWU'70