MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[dansand]

I'm kinda curious if Dan or someone else familiar with Augie has a feel for where Giovanine is going to go for his points this year with the two big scorers from 2005-06 gone. Will it be the Swetalla brothers and Pat Brusveen, or maybe just a couple of them? Or does somebody else figure to step up and be looked to for double figures every night?

My guess is that it'll be a combination of everyone. I'm sure Dain will be option number one, but I sure don't expect one, two, or three guys to make up the 35 points a game they lost.

It will also depend on who comes back. I've heard a rumor of one player leaving the team, but since I've haven't gotten any confirmation, I won't mention a name. He wasn't a major contributor last year, but could have been in the mix to replace Jay McAdams-Thornton. I think Nate Swetalla will definitely be relied on to provide more scoring.

I don't think that any of the candidates at the 4-spot (Rorer, Rose, Collins) while solid players, are going to be big scorers, so I think the 2-guard spot will really be depended on for offense also. Brusveen is a kid who I really like and, who in addition to being an excellent shooter, seems to have the confidence to take the big shot. That's something that a lot of the Vikings lacked, in my opinion, last year as they deferred to Rick and Jay. I've also heard that Jordan Delp might be in the mix at the 2-guard as well. He was a big time scorer at the Class A level in high school.

Finally, at the point, Wessels needs to at least be a threat to score like he was as a sophomore when he averaged about 8 a game and hit 41% of his 3's. Mike Kolze, another big time scorer in high school, should be much-improved offensively. I think he struggled finding a rhythm last year, going from playing 30 minutes and getting 15-18 shots a game in high school to playing 10-15 minutes and getting 2-3 shots a game.

I'm not sure how any of the newcomers (Kyle Waller?) or JV players (Alex Washington?) figure in all this, but I think Coach G seems to have a lot of options.

That was kinda long-winded...sorry.

[Gregory Sager]

My "outlook", whether rosier or not, is irrelevant to CCIW Chat. And that's my whole point. Politics has a negative effect upon the spirit of this board, regardless of the stance of any one particular poster.

Nor do I claim any authority whatsoever. As I said, I'm not the Topic Police. I'm the Topic Nag.  The only person here who carries a badge and a nightstick is Pat Coleman, and he largely leaves it up to the long-time regulars in this room to self-moderate. I don't think I've ever seen him delete a post that wasn't explicitly in violation of the Terms of Service. So don't assume that his declining to delete your post was tantamount to a seal of approval from him.

And even if Pat's fine with political commentary on CCIW Chat, Mark, I'm still going to appeal to your sense of judgment not to go there, for the sake of the room.

[Pat Coleman]

Straying into politics?  Not my implication.  I wrote about raw information that directly affects family, and this is supported by the moderator who chose not to delete my post.

Let's see ... publishing Kickoff 2006, getting D3football.com season started, moving to Connecticut, starting new job ...

Moderating the extremely self-sufficient CCIW Chat was not on the list that week. Sorry.

[Gregory Sager]

That was kinda long-winded...sorry.

Nothing wrong with being long-winded, as far as I'm concerned.  Thanks for a very thorough response, Dan.

Straying into politics?  Not my implication.  I wrote about raw information that directly affects family, and this is supported by the moderator who chose not to delete my post.

Let's see ... publishing Kickoff 2006, getting D3football.com season started, moving to Connecticut, starting new job ...

Moderating the extremely self-sufficient CCIW Chat was not on the list that week. Sorry.

I take it, then, that the cloning experiments have not been progressing as rapidly as you had hoped.

[Knightstalker]

Oh they have progressed, they've progressed.  Don't tell Pat, we are cloning him without his knowledge.  Eventually we will have so many Pats' we will have the D3 Quoits board.  (Insert maniacal laughter here)

[augie22]

Dansand,

I think that player you are refering to that may not be returning to Augie this year is Mike Thomas.  Shockingly, Mike Kolzie has also chose not to return to Augie.  I beleive that both players will be attending Junior Colleges this season and then will reevaluate there college choice after this year. 

This is surprising news, and from and Augie alum I hope they can find players to replace them, in this instance a back up PG for Wessels.  However, Jordan Delp is back and had a great summer but im wondering what Coach G will do with him as far as playing him at the 1 or 2.  Time will tell... Go Viks!!!!

I wish both Mike Kolzie and Mike Thomas the best of luck in the future!!!!

[BeastMaster]

North Central should be the preseason favorite in the league.  Outstanding frontcourt who will be very effective if they have a few guards step in.

As for my specialty, The Big Blue, should have a pretty good season.  Losing 3 post players, Lance Brooks, and the Villa Grove Twins, Matt and Tyler Nohren should mean that freshman post players, Robert Rexroade, Zach Ott, and Joscar Demby will play huge roles in the front court.    The frontcourt looks great with returners Drew Gensler, Bryon Graven, and Mike Gavic.  Keanon Harrington coming off the bench with varsity newcomers sophomores Mark Patrick and John Harmsen in the backcourt.  It's a good mixture of veterans in the backcourt with young players in the post and I am excited to see how they develop.

[dansand]

Dansand,

I think that player you are refering to that may not be returning to Augie this year is Mike Thomas.  Shockingly, Mike Kolzie has also chose not to return to Augie.  I beleive that both players will be attending Junior Colleges this season and then will reevaluate there college choice after this year. 

This is surprising news, and from and Augie alum I hope they can find players to replace them, in this instance a back up PG for Wessels.  However, Jordan Delp is back and had a great summer but im wondering what Coach G will do with him as far as playing him at the 1 or 2.  Time will tell... Go Viks!!!!

I wish both Mike Kolzie and Mike Thomas the best of luck in the future!!!!

No, actually I was referring to a different player. I hadn't heard about either Thomas' or Kolze's departures. That's disappointing, but not catastrophic, news. The Vikes have an awful lot of depth in my opinion. It might mean that one of the frosh point guards (Larson or Pelton?) could get some minutes, especially if Delp does move to the off guard, which might be less likely now. I definitely hope it works out well for both Thomas and Kolze. Thanks for the info.

[petemcb]

Augie22, I'm guessing you're on campus and in a position to know this to be fact, but it really does surprise me.  Both those players played a lot of minutes for Augie in the Summer League at Prairie Lakes in Des Plaines this summer. 

Dansand,

I think that player you are refering to that may not be returning to Augie this year is Mike Thomas.  Shockingly, Mike Kolzie has also chose not to return to Augie.  I beleive that both players will be attending Junior Colleges this season and then will reevaluate there college choice after this year. 

This is surprising news, and from and Augie alum I hope they can find players to replace them, in this instance a back up PG for Wessels.  However, Jordan Delp is back and had a great summer but im wondering what Coach G will do with him as far as playing him at the 1 or 2.  Time will tell... Go Viks!!!!

I wish both Mike Kolzie and Mike Thomas the best of luck in the future!!!!

[petemcb]

oops.

[Jim Matson]

Greg, the whole Wheaton look is up in the air with Raymond's return.  I'm not sure what to make of our chances, but we played pretty good ball last year considering the preseason outlook.  BTW, one of the young Harris prospects left school in the first week.  I have no further details than that.

[augie22]

I am really interested in who in fact this other player is you are refering to. 
I hope its not a Swatella.

[diehardfan]

And I'd be really interested to know which wheaton frosh left! 

[dansand]

Sorry, Diehard I can't help with the Wheatie; but Augie22, I sent you a PM with an explanation. It's not either of the Swetallas, I'd definitely consider them both major contributors last year.

[petemcb]

Last weekend, out at a Wheaton soccer game, I was told that the kid who left was the kid with the D1 possibilities coming out of high school.  He spent a few days on campus and decided he wanted a bigger school with bigger basketball possibilities.  I was not told where he was looking.  Unfortunate that he didn't stick around long enough to play a season with Raymond.  I thought everybody loved Raymond........