MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Gotberg]

The Vikings have quite a crop of freshmen, and in addition to the ones already mentioned (Nick Williams, Antonio Stevens, Joe Capalbo, Dan Oziminski, Frank Theodorakakis, and Lukas Dahlstrom) there's a couple of others who look as though they have some nice long-term potential: 6'4 small forward Anthony Cruz of Maine South and 5'9 point guard Chris Brown of Rich East. Plus, there's another transfer who is a candidate to get a big chunk of playing time this year in junior center Stefano Jones. He transferred in from Lincoln Community College.

Anthony Cruz received IBCA Special Mention All State Honors last year.  Dan Oziminski received the same recognition.

http://www.ibca-il.org/Boys%20Class%20AA%20All-State_06.htm

[cardinalpride]

This has little to do with CCIW ball, but yesterday the documentary "Hoop Dreams" was on television here in the Detroit area.  I hadn't seen it in several years and had forgotten what a good movie that was. 

Edit: It was actually on Sunday 8/27, not 8/28 as originally posted.

On the contrary, Blake.

Scott Trost, then the head coach at Elmhurst College, made a short appearance in the stands at Marshall High School during the movie.  He was recruiting Arthur Agee.  That's good enough to be included, I guess.

TBF, actually Trost was the assistant at Elmhurst back then.  Arthur Agee was a '91 graduate from Marshall HS.  Jim Whitesell was the HC at Elmhurst at the time.  Trost took over the program in the 92-93 season.

[Gregory Sager]

This has little to do with CCIW ball, but yesterday the documentary "Hoop Dreams" was on television here in the Detroit area.  I hadn't seen it in several years and had forgotten what a good movie that was. 

Edit: It was actually on Sunday 8/27, not 8/28 as originally posted.

On the contrary, Blake.

Scott Trost, then the head coach at Elmhurst College, made a short appearance in the stands at Marshall High School during the movie.  He was recruiting Arthur Agee.  That's good enough to be included, I guess.

TBF, actually Trost was the assistant at Elmhurst back then.  Arthur Agee was a '91 graduate from Marshall HS.  Jim Whitesell was the HC at Elmhurst at the time.  Trost took over the program in the 92-93 season.

Good catch, CP. I haven't seen Hoop Dreams in ages, so I couldn't remember if it was Whitesell or Trost who appeared in the movie, but I clearly remember a recruiter standing on the sidelines holding an Elmhurst folder with the bird-head Bluejays logo on it as he waited for Agee to walk towards the locker room.

[matblake]

This has little to do with CCIW ball, but yesterday the documentary "Hoop Dreams" was on television here in the Detroit area.  I hadn't seen it in several years and had forgotten what a good movie that was. 

Edit: It was actually on Sunday 8/27, not 8/28 as originally posted.

On the contrary, Blake.

Scott Trost, then the head coach at Elmhurst College, made a short appearance in the stands at Marshall High School during the movie.  He was recruiting Arthur Agee.  That's good enough to be included, I guess.

TBF, actually Trost was the assistant at Elmhurst back then.  Arthur Agee was a '91 graduate from Marshall HS.  Jim Whitesell was the HC at Elmhurst at the time.  Trost took over the program in the 92-93 season.

Good catch, CP. I haven't seen Hoop Dreams in ages, so I couldn't remember if it was Whitesell or Trost who appeared in the movie, but I clearly remember a recruiter standing on the sidelines holding an Elmhurst folder with the bird-head Bluejays logo on it as he waited for Agee to walk towards the locker room.

Excellent, thanks folks.

[True Basketball Fan]

Speaking of non-conference schedules..........

North Central continues to schedule garbage opponents, and not just one, but several.  They open the season with East-West University?!  What are they?  Then they have games vs. Harris Stowe, Robert Morris Springfield (which they played twice last year), and Judson.  They will no doubt have another very good team this year, and should have no trouble handling these NAIA's.  However, they are putting a lot of pressure on their other non conference D-III games, as the NAIA's don't count on their regional record.  Upon further review, NC only has 3 regional games before conference (possibly 4, if they play Bluffton).  Basically, they HAVE to win the conference tourney again, as they will have no chance at an large.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Maybe its simply because they know that all their post-season chances come down to a decent showing in the CCIW and that the only thing a tough non-conference gets them is a chance for more losses.

I'm not saying its the tactic I'd go with or that its necessarily right, but there is a certain logic to it.

[True Basketball Fan]

There is a certain logic to it.  However, suppose they finish second in the conference next season, and lose in the conference tourney.  Even if they win 10 or 11 conference games (which is a very good showing in the CCIW) and even one more in the conference tourney, they still will only have 13, 14, or 15 in region wins at best.  Chances are, they'll be done, even if they are ranked in the Top 25.

I'll use an example from last year.  Albion finished 20-6 last year and were ranked in the Top 10 most of the year.  They also finished 10-4 in the MIAA, behind Calvin and Hope, but only had 12 regional wins.  They got left at home when the NCAA tourney started.  I'm sure they wished they would've played at least two or three more regional games, win or lose, in the non conference.  That's the same old tale told every year by several other schools throughout the country, and this is just one.

Supposing NC doesn't win the conference tourney, a decent showing in the CCIW doesn't guarantee anything.  Just like the upper levels (NCAA D-I and D-II), the selection committee looks at the body of work, the whole season.  And to make matters worse they focus more on the regional record at D-III for numerous reasons that we won't get into at this time.  All I'm saying is that they are eliminating their chances at an NCAA bid by their non-conference schedule.  Unfortunately that's reality, no one can argue that point.

I like NC's team this year, they will be very fun to watch.  It makes me upset to think they could miss the NCAA tourney, especially if they play as well as they did last year.  I hope they don't miss it because of some paltry NAIA foes in the non-conference.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

I tend to agree with you, honestly.  However, I do see the other side as well.  Say they schedule a non-conference run of top schools, but they get off to a slow start and enter CCIW play at 3-3.  Odds are they are already eliminated from any Pool C consideration at that point (unless they totally dominate the CCIW).

What it comes down to in this argument, is the fact that you'd have to go 5-1 or even 6-0 in the non-conference to have a shot.

I don't know if its the right strategy, but it certainly has its merits.

[devildog29]

This is just a question for discussion, I'm not an AD so I won't pretend to be one, but following up on the non-conference scheduling, why not schedule regional D3 schools which NCC has a good shot at beating, thus increasing their regional win total.  I think NCC would beat schools like Benedictine, Chicago, Rowan, Aurora, DePauw etc. plus many of those schools should have decent win totals which would translate into "quality" wins for NCC come Pool C time (if they aren't already Pool A qualifiers).

[cardinalpride]

Speaking of non-conference schedules..........

North Central continues to schedule garbage opponents, and not just one, but several.  They open the season with East-West University?!  What are they?  Then they have games vs. Harris Stowe, Robert Morris Springfield (which they played twice last year), and Judson.  They will no doubt have another very good team this year, and should have no trouble handling these NAIA's.  However, they are putting a lot of pressure on their other non conference D-III games, as the NAIA's don't count on their regional record.  Upon further review, NC only has 3 regional games before conference (possibly 4, if they play Bluffton).  Basically, they HAVE to win the conference tourney again, as they will have no chance at an large.

TBF, sometimes schools just do not want to play NCC for various reasons.  I do know NCC had a team drop out of their tip off tourny.  Capitol and Baldwin Wallace were two of many schools contacted about the tourny but an agreement could not be reached.  East-West was added to the tourny a few weeks ago.  Beloit and Chicago only agreed to scrimmages.  Contact was made with Hanover but they want to play in 2007-08.  There were other teams NCC attempted to schedule but couldn't for a number of reasons.  At that point, the NAIA becomes the only option.  However, all things considered, NCC still plays Franklin, Aurora, Albion, Benedictine, Lincoln, and possibly Blufton.  There is enough quality in NCC's schedule to test them before CCIW play opens.

This is just a question for discussion, I'm not an AD so I won't pretend to be one, but following up on the non-conference scheduling, why not schedule regional D3 schools which NCC has a good shot at beating, thus increasing their regional win total.  I think NCC would beat schools like Benedictine, Chicago, Rowan, Aurora, DePauw etc. plus many of those schools should have decent win totals which would translate into "quality" wins for NCC come Pool C time (if they aren't already Pool A qualifiers).

As I mentioned earlier Devil, NCC plays Aurora and Benedictine every year,  Chicago wanted to scrimmage only, Rowan is out of New Jersey, and I don't even know if DePauw talked with NCC about anything.

[devildog29]

Sorry CP, that should be Ripon, not Rowan.

[cardinalpride]

Sorry CP, that should be Ripon, not Rowan.

Not sure if Ripon and NCC had any talks.

[True Basketball Fan]

I understand that NC tried to get D-III's and probably D-III's that are in region.  Regardless of the reasons, it didn't happen.  The schedule that they do have will help them prepare for the CCIW, but it is unfortunate that those potential wins will be labeled not as significant as they should be.

They may have to consider playing some of the WIAC schools in the future, as they all count as in region games now.  Other schools in the CCIW are doing that, Elmhurst and Augie to be specific.  WIAC teams are obviously tougher, but the games will mean more. 

[diehardfan]

TBF - definitely. Whitewater has always been WELL within the 200 mile region for the chicago area schools... so they should have been on our schedules more in the past than than have been.

Since WIAC and the CCIW are generally regarded as the top two conferences in men's hoops,  I'm hoping for some good cross-conference rivalries to develop over the next few years. Perhaps a few schools can even set up a WIAC-CCIW challenge much in the same way we have the MIAA-CCIW challenge?

[markerickson]

OT:  Got word from my sister's 43 yr old hubby that he'll be shipped off to his second tour of duty in Iraq.  They have five children under 15, and he has an unusual position - certainly not a truck driver or one who carries heavy artillery.  Given his position, people, it is simply not getting any better over there.  If it was, then my brother-in-law wouldn't be going a second time.  He missed both the Persian Gulf War and Kosovo.  "Mission Accomplished" is total BS.  We're making many more enemies than we can imagine, and this current endeavor has not been a "coalition of the willing" for quite a while.

The relative will be stationed in Baghdad for 10 months.