MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[dogtired]

Stat,

Weak
Very weak
Bush league

Yes, that's my "thin-skinned" response. You delight in any even perceived Wesleyan shortcomings. As long as it makes you feel better to do so, that's all that matters.

[Gregory Sager]

And thus ends an enormously disappointing season for NPU. It sounds as though the Vikings were out of the game very quickly at Shirk; given the huge talent and experience disparities between the Vikings and the Titans, and the fact that the vast majority of the Wesleyan rotation was being honored on Senior Night, it wasn't the least bit surprising that it became a blowout very quickly. But it would've been nice if the Park had at least managed to hang around for awhile.

Now Paul Brenegan and his assistants can devote their full attention to the recruiting wars. He's begun his career with a pair of 4-21 seasons, and that isn't going to gain him any job security. Of course, nobody's more acutely aware of that than Brenegan. You don't get mulligans for losing seasons, but the way that this team was snakebit by injuries this season does lessen the onus slightly. Nevertheless, 4-21 is still unacceptable. NPU will tolerate endless losing from the football program, because that's all that the football program has ever known. But it won't tolerate it from the basketball program -- just ask Keith Peterson about that. And after NPU slid from mediocrity down to the bottom of the league in Rees Johnson's last two seasons, nobody in the administration tried to talk him out of retiring.

The unofficial rule of thumb in college coaching is that you get four years to turn a bad situation around, and if you aren't making any headway by then you're out the door. I still have a lot of confidence in Brenegan and his staff. I think they can get it done. I like what I've seen of the kinds of players that they're bringing onto the North Park campus this winter, although bringing them onto the campus for visits and actually getting them to enroll and then suit up next season for the Park are two completely different things.

Brenegan's going to have to show some tangible forward progress with the program next season, and it's going to take a very large infusion of CCIW-ready talent for NPU to accomplish that forward progress in 2006-07. There are holes all over the place on this team, especially at point guard, and the departure of Mathisen leaves another big hole. The Vikings coaching staff has their work cut out for them. But the payoff will be all that more satisfying if they can get the job done.

[Hoosier Titan]

TitanPride,

The film clips are fantastic--thanks!   

It was a great night at Shirk--totally upbeat and positive.  A large crowd stayed around for a long time just to share in the experience.  The eight seniors and their underclass teammates seemed to enjoy it too.

Thanks for posting the memories.  Now on to round 3 vs. Augie!

[titanhammer]

Greg, it was 8 - 4 NPU with 16:02 left in the first half.  At the 13:40 mark, it was Jones brothers 11 NPU 8.  Your vikings did shut out Keelan, Dauksas, and Zach Freeman for the first ten minutes of the game.

One thing I do like about Paul Brenegan is that he doesn't whine and moan at the officials all game.  It seems like all the other visiting coaches are complaining from start to finish about nothing.  He made a few complaints in the second half that were valid.

Dauksas was close to a triple double his last game in the Shirk Center (10 assists, 9 points, and 9 rebounds).  That would have been something.

[Gregory Sager]

Thanks, Mike. I didn't even bother checking the PBP. I only looked in the CCIW updates room, saw that Wesleyan was up 46-27 in the first half, and figured that NPU was out of it pretty quickly.

Dauksas was close to a triple double his last game in the Shirk Center (10 assists, 9 points, and 9 rebounds).  That would have been something.

Drew Gensler almost had a quadruple double against Carthage in Millikin's losing effort last night: 20 points, 8 boards, 8 assists, and 9 turnovers. It would've been a once-in-a-lifetime thing to see if he'd have pulled off that strange feat.

[emeritusprof]

Don't despair, Greg.  You won't find many Mulligan guys doing so well on the hardcourt, anyway.

[Titan Q]

Inaugural CCIW Conference Tournament (@ Augustana)

Friday, Feb. 24:

6:00pm North Central vs Elmhurst
8:00pm Augustana vs Illinois Wesleyan

Saturday, Feb. 25:

7:30pm championship game
-----


Augustana
Drew Wessels (6-1/170, Jr) - 5.2 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 3.3 apg
Rick Harrigan (6-3/210, Sr) - 23.1 ppg, 4.0 rpg
Nate Swetalla (6-7/202, Jr) - 6.8 ppg, 4.2 rpg
Jay McAdams-Thorton (6-3/225, Sr) - 14.5 ppg, 5.0 rpg
Dain Swetalla (6-9/225, So) - 8.5 ppg, 6.5 rpg

Illinois Wesleyan
Adam Dauksas (6-3/190, Sr) - 14.2 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 6.7 apg
Jason Fisher (6-2/210, Sr) - 5.2 ppg, 2.1 rpg
Keelan Amelianovich (6-6/210, Sr) - 18.7 ppg, 4.7 rpg
Cory Jones (6-6/215, Sr) - 8.5 ppg, 5.3 rpg
Zach Freeman (6-7/210, Jr) - 14.9 ppg, 7.5 rpg



North Central
Adam Teising (5-11/170, Sr) - 8.0 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 4.6 apg
Ray Viccario (6-0/175, Sr) - 12.3 ppg, 2.1 rpg
Daniel Walton (6-5/200, Jr) - 16.8 ppg, 7.2 rpg
Adam Krumtinger (6-7/220, Jr) - 10.4 ppg, 6.2 rpg
Anthony Simmons (6-6/225, Jr) - 18.8 ppg, 6.2 rpg

Elmhurst
Brian Lee (5-10/185, Jr) - 6.9 ppg, 1.6 rpg, 4.0 apg
Chris Ihlenfeldt (6-1/185, Sr) - 7.0 ppg, 2.1 rpg
Chris Martin (6-6/210, Sr) - 21.3 ppg, 7.5 rpg
Brent Ruch (6-9/255, Fr) - 8.2 ppg, 5.0 rpg
Nick Michael (6-10/230, Jr) - 13.8 ppg, 6.5 rpg

[advoice]

Am I correct that Penn Atlantic will be video broadcasting the CCIW tournament games over the internet?

Is anybody on this board going to the CCIW 60th anniversary dinner tomorrow? Miles Brand is the keynote speaker.

[cardinalpride]

Though it is still too early to give out my CCIW teams, can anyone convince me as to why Anthony Simmons deserves to be a first team player?  Harrigan, Martin, Dauksas, Amelianovich sounds good, but adding Simmons to that just seems to dumben down the team.
As for Simmons, after seeing him play in a handful of games in the last two seasons, is their any hope of him ever maturing and growing up?  If he can, good luck stopping him then, but as my broadcast partner and I like to joke, if he gives three sarcastic (what was that call all about) looks to the ref in the first ten minutes of the game the team is better off with him on the bench.

Since you don't feel Simmons belongs on the 1st team, who would you put in front of him?  Here are Simmons Stats:

20pts(4th in CCIW)
6.4 reb(7th in CCIW)
4 asst(4th in CCIW)
53% FG(7th in CCIW)
Team record 9-5(2nd in CCIW)

Please respond

[dogtired]

The times Titan Q listed for the tournament are probably still correct and that's what cciw.org was listing earlier this week.
But does anyone have any idea why the league web site is now listing all the game times for the men's tournament as TBA?

[iwufans]

cardinalpride,
I am not saying Simmons does not belong on the first team, but stats do not always tell the whole story of a player and his worth, or contributions.  Using just the same stats you listed:

Simmons:
20pts(4th in CCIW)
6.4 reb(7th in CCIW)
4 asst(4th in CCIW)
53% FG(7th in CCIW).
Team record 9-5(2nd in CCIW)

Harrigan: Augustana
21.4pts (1st in CCIW)
Rebounds (not ranked in top 15)
Assists (not ranked in top 15)
FG % (not ranked in top 15)
Team record 11-3 (1st in CCIW)

Many on here are touting Harrigan for the Player of the Year.
So the question becomes, what makes a "first teamer"?  The five players with the best stats?  The most valuable player from each team?  Or is it the five most valuable players overall in the league? 

[cardinal20]

cardinalpride,
I am not saying Simmons does not belong on the first team, but stats do not always tell the whole story of a player and his worth, or contributions.  Using just the same stats you listed:

Simmons:
20pts(4th in CCIW)
6.4 reb(7th in CCIW)
4 asst(4th in CCIW)
53% FG(7th in CCIW).
Team record 9-5(2nd in CCIW)

Harrigan: Augustana
21.4pts (1st in CCIW)
Rebounds (not ranked in top 15)
Assists (not ranked in top 15)
FG % (not ranked in top 15)
Team record 11-3 (1st in CCIW)

Many on here are touting Harrigan for the Player of the Year.
So the question becomes, what makes a "first teamer"?  The five players with the best stats?  The most valuable player from each team?  Or is it the five most valuable players overall in the league? 

I'm not sure where you are going? Yes there are other things than stats to look at, but for the most part stats are all you have. This is especially true about Simmons. He does multiple things well and the stats obviously reflect that. If Harrigan doesn't score for his team, then he is rather useless. Before last night's game he had 17 assists in 24 games. Harrigan is a fantastic scorer, but Simmons is a more complete player and that is why he belongs on the first team.

You mentioned the obvious four and said Simmons would "dumb down" the first team. Who would you put up there then?

[cardinalpride]

cardinalpride,
I am not saying Simmons does not belong on the first team, but stats do not always tell the whole story of a player and his worth, or contributions.  Using just the same stats you listed:

Simmons:
20pts(4th in CCIW)
6.4 reb(7th in CCIW)
4 asst(4th in CCIW)
53% FG(7th in CCIW).
Team record 9-5(2nd in CCIW)

Harrigan: Augustana
21.4pts (1st in CCIW)
Rebounds (not ranked in top 15)
Assists (not ranked in top 15)
FG % (not ranked in top 15)
Team record 11-3 (1st in CCIW)

Many on here are touting Harrigan for the Player of the Year.
So the question becomes, what makes a "first teamer"?  The five players with the best stats?  The most valuable player from each team?  Or is it the five most valuable players overall in the league? 

IWU, you are absolutely right.  Stats don't tell the whole story.  Sometimes stats do not give just due to a player.  For instance, stats don't tell how often a player is double teamed, how much focus a defense pays to a particular player to try to contain him, and what other offensive players on the team are benefitting from being left open due to defensive game plans.  Simmons is the best 4/5 (power forward/center) in the CCIW.  Anyone that disputes that is insane. 

Harrigan is a great player.  He'll be an allamerican.  However, do you believe many would be touting him for POY if Augie doesn't win the league.   "To the victor goes the spoils"!

[iwufans]

"You mentioned the obvious four and said Simmons would "dumb down" the first team. Who would you put up there then?"

Cardinal 20...I didn't say that.  I was only responding to cardinalpride that stats aren't the only thing to look at. You are right that stats reflect a lot, as you pointed out in Simmons' case, but there are so many intangibles that also make a player valuable.  I am sure that is the same with Simmons.   I was just trying to point that out, not arguing that he does not belong.  Include all the other things, the intangibles, that he brings to the team.  . 

As far as who I would put up there?  I'll leave that to the "experts" but I think you can certainly make a case for several more players than there are spots to be given. Besides, I might be accused of being a little biased.

[dansand]

Which begs the question - at this stage, with each team having three weeks left (who's first team).

Harrigan, AC
McAdams-Thornton, AC
Daukas, IW
Amelianovich, IW
Simmons, NC
Jefferies, CT
Martin, EC

at least two on that list of the top seven players in the league aren't going to make it.

MW

At this point , the odd men out would probably be Jeffery and McAdams-Thornton. I hate to admit it in Jay's case, 'cause he's so steady and was the best player on the floor in the biggest CCIW game so far this year (AC @ IWU). But Simmons and Harrigan have just been too good this year to not move up to first team. Harrigan, the last two games not withstanding, has got to be the frontrunner for POY at this point. If Augie ends up winning the league by a large margin, say 3 games or more. They may drop someone in favor of Jay (I know he was a first teamer last year, but I think his incumbency is a little more tenuous than Amelianovich's, Dauksas', or Martin's). Anyway, there's a long way to go and nothings decided yet so it's all speculation at this point. 

I think Simmons is a pretty sure bet for first team All-CCIW, but cardinalpride, I think you miss the point a little with Harrigan. Augie won the league in large part because of Harrigan. If he wins POY (and I think he should) it won't be because he just happened to play on the team that won the regular season title, but because he was instrumental in winning that title.