MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Late nite]

Interesting thoughts as the season approaches---My take on Augie---The Vikes will be a MUCH better defensive team this year---Harrigan and McAdams-Thornton were dynamite offensive players that will very hard to replace, but they were also the two weakest defenders on the floor---Dain will be a force---He is a much more dangerous weapon than Nate, although Nate's scoring will be vital for the success of the team---The Vikes also have 6'10" Dan Rukavina, who is playing extremely well, and 6'9'' Joe Caricato back from knee surgery to bang with the big front lines of the CCIW---The 4 position will be fine with the toughness of Rose and the athleticism of Rorer---24 points a game from Harrigan will be hard to find at the guard spot, but Brusveen scored 20 in his only start last year and lead the CCIW in 3 point percentage---Jordan Delp is a terrific all-around guard who can play either the 1 or 2---Although guard play is a question mark for a lot of teams in the league, no team returns more big game experience than Wessels, Brusveen and Delp---all 3 played major roles in the conference tourney and NCAA run---The philosophy will not change---Guard success will be determined by the effectiveness of the big men---Augie will play the game from the inside-out---Look for the Vikes to play better team defense and be a much-improved inside team

[martin]

... as we all know Chris Martin did everything for Elmhurst except make the popcorn at the concession stand.

I think GS may be wrong on this.  I thought I saw Martin help out at the concession stand during the halftime rush.

Any prognositcators care to surmise who may have voted for Wheaton? 

I don't think coaches can vote for their own team so probably either Raridon or Giovanine. Keep in mind that Kent Raymond was 2nd team all CCIW as a freshman before taking a year off.  Going into this season, title of the "best guard in the CCIW until we know more" belongs to either him or Drew Gensler at Millikin.  Given the importance of guard play, I think Raridon may have vote for Wheaton.

[robberki]

Far be it for me to toot my own horn, but I believed I called the North Central domination a couple of years ago on this very board. I'm pretty familiar with Raridon and what he can do. Wouldn't be surprised to see NCC in the national title game in a few years.

[Titan Q]

As far as Wheaton's concerned, I see two big questions: Who will be the third starter on the perimeter alongside Kent Raymond and Johnnie Standard, and can they get consistent, every-night production from their bigs? Raymond is a surefire superstar, and Standard is the sort of slick shooter that will keep opposing teams honest and prevent them from cheating off on the perimeter to contain Raymond. But neither of their big men are proven at this point; Andy Wiele had the ups and downs typical of a freshman center in this league (although I'm guessing that he's going to be more consistent as a sophomore both offensively and defensively), and in about half of Wheaton's CCIW games last season Michael Fiddler scored in single digits and/or grabbed five or fewer rebounds. Wheaton's bigs will not only need to step up defensively, they'll have to provide a more steady offensive presence in order to balance Raymond and Standard.

It sounds like Ben Panner - who transfered from U. of Texas, where he intended to walk-on, but did not - will be the starting 2-guard for Wheaton.  Returning starter John Mohan will be back in January and get a lot of time.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

It's gotta be Augie who voted for Wheaton #1.  Think about it, you can guess that you'll be one or two in the poll, but you're not sure, so you don't want to give the big points to NCC and maybe make them the number 1 over you.  Elmhurst is also good and you don't want them sneaking up from behind and snatching 2nd from you, if it comes to that.  So who better than the young Wheaton team with lots of potential and one killer guard coming back?

I know the same thinking would apply to NCC, but I'm guessing Rairdon is the kind of guy who knows he's got a sleeper and wants to deflect attention from his boys, so he votes for Augie, hoping that they might sneak ahead of his team into #1.

[Pat Coleman]

Top 25 poll: http://www.d3hoops.com/

[joehakes]

Sorry, I was taking a nap.  What's this about a sleeper??

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

You're not a sleeper anymore Joe.  They picked you ahead of Wheaton.

[titan2000]

Regarding NCC...

I am a big believer in Todd Raridon's offensive system -- every Raridon team I have ever seen (going back to Nebraska Wesleyan) has reminded me of watching a Dennie Bridges team play.  Great ball movement, great spacing, getting scorers the ball in the right spots, and a lot of easy baskets.  NCC shot .529 from the field last year and .526 the year before.  The '97 NWU team that lost to IWU in the national title game shot .528 from the field on the season:

http://www.sportsstats.com/jazzyj/past/97nwu.htm

Like Bridges, Raridon can just simply teach kids how to put the ball in the basket.

Because of how strong Raridon's system is, I think two inexperienced guards can step in and succeed.  If this were a less structured offense - like Scott Trost's, for example, where you are giving the guards a lot of freedom and asking them to make things happen - I would have more concerns about the backcourt situation.  Also, I've done a little homework on those freshmen NCC guards - they have a chance to be really good. 

And that frontline is simply one of the best in Division III.  Walton, Simmons, and Krumtinger - again, in that system they play in - are just going to dominate a lot of D3 teams this year. 

Regarding Augie...

Similiar to my comments about Raridon, Grey Giovanine simply runs a great system, built around that hard-nosed, pressure defense.  It seems like whoever the players are in the system, he gets results.  Augie the last 5 years in CCIW play:

2006: 11-3 (1st)
2005: 9-5 (4th)
2004: 10-4 (2nd)
2003: 11-3 (1st)
2002: 9-5 (2nd)

Giovanine is just simply a good coach.

I think this year's Augustana cast - even without Harrigan and McAdams-Thorton - is really good.  You have a very good senior point-guard (Drew Wessels), who is one of the best defenders in the CCIW...You have a legimate 6-9 post player (D. Swetalla) who just kept getting better last year...and you have his 6-7 brother Nate, who actually has more upside than Dain.

Augie will be fine at the 2 with the Delp/Brusveen combo and they will be big and physical at the 4 with the Rose/Rorer combo.

I don't look at it in terms of who teams lost...I try to only focus on who they have.  I will take that Wessels/Swetalla/Swetalla nucleus, and Giovanine's system, vs a lot of Top 25 teams.  And I'll take Walton/Simmons/Krumtinger, two talented but inexperienced guards, and Raridon's system vs just about anyone.

(My placement of Lawrence is similar -- they lost an All-American and a couple key guys, but it is a great program, with a great coach, a great system, and plenty of talent ready to step in.)

WHO IS DENNY BRIDGES?   

[Titan Q]

Visited the campus of Guilford today, while here in Greensboro on business.  Another D3 school checked off the list...300 some to go.


Scott Trost and the Lewis Flyers take on the Illini tonight...

http://www.pantagraph.com/articles/2006/11/01/sports/doc4547f81712727363713995.txt

Q's line: Illinois - 30

[David Collinge]

Visited the campus of Guilford today, while here in Greensboro on business.  Another D3 school checked off the list...300 some to go.

Last month I was in Iowa, and made a deliberate side trip to Storm Lake just for the purpose of being able to say that I had been to the campus of Buena Vista U.--and I never found the campus.  I suppose that proves what a ninny I am, especially since Storm Lake is not a very big town.   

[sac]

Last month I was in Iowa, and made a deliberate side trip to Storm Lake just for the purpose of being able to say that I had been to the campus of Buena Vista U.--and I never found the campus.  I suppose that proves what a ninny I am, especially since Storm Lake is not a very big town.  

It was behind the 3rd cornfield past the blinking light.  Easy to miss.

I did the same with Grinnell last summer, just to say I went there.........but I actually found the campus.

[Titan Q]

Illinois 83
Lewis 58

The Illini jumped out to a 24-point halftime lead and this one was never competitive.

Scott Trost's D3 team last year played Illinois much, much tougher that his D2 team this year.  IWU was only down 6 at the half and had it tied with 14:00 to play...and that Illinois team had Dee Brown, James Augustine, and Brian Randle.  (Brown and Augustine are gone and Randle did not play tonight.)

[Gregory Sager]

CCIW Coaches Poll:

Team - Points - First Place Votes 

North Central....47...5
Augustana........42...2
Elmhurst...........34 
Wheaton..........33...1 (huh?)
Ill Wesleyan......28 
Millikin..............18 
Carthage..........15 
North Park.........7 

This is how I figured the coaches would call it, although the #1 pick for Wheaton is not something that I was expecting to see. For the fourth consecutive year NPU has been picked to finish dead last, and for the third consecutive year all seven opposing coaches picked NPU to finish there (in 2003-04 three of the seven opposing coaches thought that the Vikings would finish seventh instead of eighth). This is locker room bulletin board material for NPU, of course, but over the past four years that's been irrelevant; the Vikings simply didn't have the talent to make good on whatever anger the snub from the CCIW braintrust produced in them. They're definitely more talented this year, but whether or not they can prove the CCIW coaches wrong by climbing out of the cellar remains to be seen.

Any prognositcators care to surmise who may have voted for Wheaton? 

Call it a hunch, but I'm guessing that Elmhurst mentor Mark Scherer is the guy who cast the #1 vote for Wheaton.

Far be it for me to toot my own horn, but I believed I called the North Central domination a couple of years ago on this very board. I'm pretty familiar with Raridon and what he can do. Wouldn't be surprised to see NCC in the national title game in a few years.

Props to my man Roberto. I never doubted you, big guy ... although I was hoping you would turn out to be wrong. Sure, I want the CCIW to be strong top-to-bottom just as much as does any other conference loyalist, but I didn't exactly stay up at night worrying about North Central's misfortunes when the Cardinals were floundering during the Bob Bray and Benjy Taylor regimes.

It sounds like Ben Panner - who transfered from U. of Texas, where he intended to walk-on, but did not - will be the starting 2-guard for Wheaton.  Returning starter John Mohan will be back in January and get a lot of time.

I'd heard the same thing about Panner before I posted a few days ago about CCIW starting guards, but I held back on saying anything definitive and I merely called Panner "a strong possibility" in light of the fact that it will necessitate a move to the point for Kent Raymond. He flourished as a two-guard two seasons ago during his freshman season, and a lot of coaches would be hesitant to move someone to the point who is almost guaranteed to be his team's preeminent offensive threat.

Jon Nielson was fourth on the team in shots attempted all three years that he started at PG for Wheaton; his predecessor, John Helm, was fifth and fourth in his two seasons as Wheaton's floor general; and his predecessor, Travis Senik, was likewise Wheaton's fourth most frequent shooter in 1999-2000. Tony Bollier was by far Wheaton's most prolific shooter last season, but considering the material with which Bill Harris had to work, it surprised nobody that Bollier was Wheaton's main gun. Still, given Raymond's high degree of basketball intelligence and the absence of John Mohan, Raymond's move to the point shouldn't come as that big of a surprise.

[Titan Q]

I'd heard the same thing about Panner before I posted a few days ago about CCIW starting guards, but I held back on saying anything definitive and I merely called Panner "a strong possibility" in light of the fact that it will necessitate a move to the point for Kent Raymond. He flourished as a two-guard two seasons ago during his freshman season, and a lot of coaches would be hesitant to move someone to the point who is almost guaranteed to be his team's preeminent offensive threat.

The player I compared Kent Raymond to over and over again his freshman year is Korey Coon (IWU '00).  I think his game is very similiar.  Coon was IWU's leading scorer his junior (19.7 ppg) and senior (22.0 ppg) seasons - and the CCIW's leading scorer in 1999 - while playing point-guard.  It is certainly unique to have your point-guard be your primary offensive threat and maybe not ideal, but in other ways, it makes you a very dangerous team.  The way Coon was defended created so many opportunities for the other 4 guys on the floor...Wheaton will find the same with Raymond.

When I watch Kent Raymond, I think point-guard.  He is a smart, hard-nosed player and someone who I'd want to have the ball as much as possible.