MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Titan Q]

Here is the IWU/Wheaton boxscore:

http://www.iwu.edu/~iwunews/sports/mbb2007/iwumbb22.htm


If you told me before the game that IWU would, 1) get 61 points out of Darius Gant, Andrew Gilmore and Andrew Freeman, 2) shoot 60%, and 3) have 17 assists to 10 turnovers (by far the best A:TO ratio of the season for the Titans), I would have predicted a Titan blowout.  Last night, there was just no answer for Kent Raymond, however.

You could tell Raymond was feeling it in the opening minutes of the game.  He clearly had his good jumpshot going, but what led to his domination of the game was his aggressiveness in going to the basket.  Raymond got a Michael Jordan whistle at the Shirk Center last night, but the bottom line is he forced the issue and got himself to the line 20 times......and made all 20.  Amazing.  Our big news during the broadcast was when he hit the rim with one of the free throws...I remember feeling like that was a moral victory of some sort for the Titans. 

I've compared Raymond a lot of times here to Korey Coon (I guess it's fitting he broke Korey's Shirk Center scoring record of 42), but last night he played like Drew Carstens.  He was just the toughest player on the floor and wouldn't be denied.  IWU does not have anyone capable of containing Raymond, but I get the feeling he would have dominated just about anyone in Division III last night.

Lost in what Kent Raymond did is Darius Gant's performance.  6-4 Gant was 11-12 from the field and scored 27 points, with most of the the field goals coming on back-to-the basket post moves vs 6-6/6-8 Wheaton players.  Gant's inconsistency this season has been very frustrating, but his performance vs Wheaton encouraging for next season.  Darius is too talented to have some of the quiet games he's had this season.

Andrew Gilmore was also great.  The sophomore had 20 points and several big baskets down the stretch, when IWU was still right in the game.  As I've said before, if he can get healthy, he's going to be a very good CCIW guard the next two years.

Wheaton clearly wanted to take Zach Freeman out of the game and they did a nice job, holding him to 10 field goal attempts.  Zach's presence, and the way Wheaton defended him, created all of those opportunities for Gant, Gilmore, and Andrew Freeman.

It was a tough loss for the Titans since it knocked them out of the conference tournament race, but they battled hard.  This was a 1-point game with 3:51 to play.  As good as Raymond was, IWU was right there at the end and about two stops away from having a chance to win the game.

Raymond's quote in the Pantagraph article on the game:

"The type of ball I grew up playing in Indiana, I've never been the quickest. I've had to use my body to draw contact," said Raymond, an 86 percent free throw shooter entering the game. "I don't think the Shirk faithful thought I should have got all those, but I'm not complaining. They're freebies."

[Titan Q]

Breaking news -- the "old vs young" format has been scrapped.  Final rosters are:

(G) Jim Lehan '04
(G) Jason Fisher '06
(G) Nathan Hubbard '99
(F) Bryan Crabtree '97
(F) Steve Schweer '06
(F) Chris Jones '06
(F) John Lipic '94
(F) Matt Swingler '96

vs

(G) Adam Dauksas '06
(G) T.J. Posey '96
(G) Mike McGraw '06
(F) Steve Kuehl '93
(F) John Camardella '03
(F) Cory Jones '06
(F) Scott Peterson '96
(C) Steve Jeretina '05


This would seem to be about a pick 'em, but I'm going with Team Crabtree by 3.

Disturbingly, Steve Kuehl - my Class of 1993 mate - will be the oldest guy on the floor.

...and they enter the Shirk Center to the sound of John Cougar Mellenkamp sing "Glory Days".

Yes, it brings me way back to March of 2006.  Seems like just last year.  Ah, the good ole days.

I know. that is exactly my point. The way things are going at IWU right now it may be awhile and you will have to remember those days with fondness.

We'll see, I guess.  It all depends on recruiting the next couple of years.  There were a lot of recruits at the game last night and Ron Rose & staff are in on a bunch of high-impact type players.

[79jaybird]

Very exciting/heartbreaking/tense game at RAF Hall yesterday with NPU/EC.  I thought the Vikings showed great heart in coming from behind to be 1 shot away from sending the game to OT.  On that note, while Elmhurst did leave the door open for the Vikings to storm back, I give credit for the Bluejays' clutch FT shooting in the heat of the moment.
Michael had one of the best games I have ever seen him play.  He was physical and not tentative with the ball, which really helped the Jays inside the paint.  You expect this from Ruch, but when Michael also does this,  the Jays are tough inside.
The Vikings are an up and coming group with a lot of promise.  While only a Freshy, Capalbo is a very good shooter and started heating up in the 2nd half.
The one question I have with NPU is this:  At the Crackerbox, the Vikings built up a big lead on EC by going inside to Stephano Jones and drawing fouls.  I remember the Bluejays got into foul trouble by the Vikings pounding the ball down low.  last night, NPU sort of "refrained" from going inside and kept the ball on the perimeter.  All of a sudden, when NPU started to make their comeback, they were pounding the ball down low.  Why wait until late in the game?
3 games left  for EC  @NC, W @ Mill  and all 3 are toughies.  North Central is fighting for that final tourney spot,  Wheaton is right there with EC and Millikin knows they can beat us as they did on our turf.  Sheesh!  This league is crazy.

[79jaybird]

I thought the officiating in the NPU/EC game was fairly good.  There were some questionable "phantom" calls, but they did not have an influence in the final outcome. 
I liked the lights out- introductions again at RAF Hall, with the spotlight.  It adds some flavor to an otherwise "quiet" building.
Nice contingent of North Park followers in the stands!  Great to see the fans get exciting about NPU Basketball again.  In the final 5 minutes, they were much louder than our fans.   One could have thought it was a NPU home game in the final stanzas.
the quote "Hey clown, let's leave that word out"  Pat,  had me laughing so hard! 

[ecdubb420]

Capalbo, Findley and Smith are definately exciting to watch.  With Gensler, Burks and Raymond with still two more years of eligibility, its going to be a logjam at the top of the CCIW scoring charts for the next few seasons.  If I omitted anyone, it must be from heat exhaustion on this warm sunday morning.
As for the performance of Kent Raymond, regardless of the free-throws and the "star" treatment, this could be the signature game of a MOP season.  Hopefully EC is able to shut him down next Saturday in a game that could decide which sophomore takes home the Fred Young Award.
At Elmhurst, though one could look at the boxscore and point to North Parks 52 second half points and say, wow, EC must have fallen apart defensively, its not that simple. Though I would agree that the team did not play its best game on the defensive end, they simply ran into a team that could not miss.
Stevens, Gordon, Rice and Capalbo were each shooting lights out and making tough, tough shots.  
Each of these players took over the game in stretches and nearly gave EC its second heart-breaking home loss in the past ten days. Luckily, EC continued to drain clutch free-throw after clutch free-throw and hold off the resiliant Vikings.
This North Park team has a ton of young talent and are a point guard away from really making some noise in the CCIW.  They are really close to becoming a top four team, but still are in search of that first breakout win over a CCIW powerhouse.
Jay Brizzolara and Robert Strzemp played a handful of minutes last night and really gave EC a nice boost.  Brizzolara has been battling back problems all year and gives the BlueJays another interior presense on offense.  Him and Aloisio are very similar players, but Brizzolara has a much, much better offensive game and doesn't get nearly as many touch fouls.  
Strzemp is still working his way into the rotation and was placed on the floor with Ruch, Burks, Michael and Lee. This is EC's "top" line and to me this indicates that Scherer is ready to give these five extended time on the floor.  I'd pencil Strzemp in for 8-10 minutes against NCC and if everything is wrapped up (as in 2nd place in conference), may see a start against Millikin (with the aforementioned four players).
Point guard Chris Childs continues to show great floor vision and has a great knack for finding the open man and making very smart decisions.  Though losing Lee will be huge for EC, he looks like a player who will fit in nicely next year and battle for that starting PG position.  Bacon, like Gershenzon just feels most effective as the teams 6th man.
Wednesday should be a great battle with NCC as the Cardinals and Bluejays usually save their best for the matchup in the fieldhouse.  

Note: I have mistakenly stated that Ryan Burks had made 49 straight free-throw attempts after the IWU game.  that streak is actually currently sitting at 45 as he missed his last attempt against Carthage.  thanks for the individual who pointed this out.

[dogtired]

Hey bgbully,

Were you at Shirk on Saturday? If not, how do you know I'm so wrong.
I think it's quite possible for a player to have a tremendous game AND get the benefit of overzealous officiating.
Raymond was amazing, but IMO he did not deserve to go the line that much.
Even Q, universally lauded as objective, referred to it as a "Michael Jordan whistle"
And the Titans were certainly not employing a "hammer the star" strategy against Raymond. They knew any foul was an automatic two points and were clearly trying to avoid fouling.

Go try to bully somebody else.

[Pat Coleman]

Go try to bully somebody else.

Wow. Go take a nap and try to get up on the right side of the bed.

[tjcummingsfan]

The one question I have with NPU is this:  At the Crackerbox, the Vikings built up a big lead on EC by going inside to Stephano Jones and drawing fouls.  I remember the Bluejays got into foul trouble by the Vikings pounding the ball down low.  last night, NPU sort of "refrained" from going inside and kept the ball on the perimeter.  All of a sudden, when NPU started to make their comeback, they were pounding the ball down low.  Why wait until late in the game?

I think part of it was just disorganization on offense.  Brenegan has been shuffling the line-up a bit, and that probably contributed to it.  Also Jones' back has been giving him trouble lately.  The few times passes were made down there in the first half Jones mishandled them, which could have been why it stopped as well.  It certainly would have been nice to get Ruch and Michael in some foul trouble early, but it just didn't happen.

[OurHouse]

The only player I've ever seen get as many calls as Raymond did last night is Jordan, and I'm not even sure MJ got that many on the road.  I assume there was contact on every one of those plays...it's just that you never see a foul called every time there is contact like that.  I believe Raymond got to the line on all of his drives to the basket last night -- typically you see a few "no calls" in a physical college game.

That said, his performance really was amazing.  Kent Raymond, like Korey Coon and many other of my favorite players over the years, exemplifies everything I love about Division III basketball.  He is talented and smart and plays with a real passion for the game. 

I rest my case on Raymond - without him, Wheaton is NOTHING - thank you very much!

[Titan Q]

The only player I've ever seen get as many calls as Raymond did last night is Jordan, and I'm not even sure MJ got that many on the road.  I assume there was contact on every one of those plays...it's just that you never see a foul called every time there is contact like that.  I believe Raymond got to the line on all of his drives to the basket last night -- typically you see a few "no calls" in a physical college game.

That said, his performance really was amazing.  Kent Raymond, like Korey Coon and many other of my favorite players over the years, exemplifies everything I love about Division III basketball.  He is talented and smart and plays with a real passion for the game. 

I rest my case on Raymond - without him, Wheaton is NOTHING - thank you very much!

IWU would have won the game if Wheaton didn't have anything else.  There were 4 other Thunder players in double figures scoring (Wiele 15, Mohan 10, Panner 10, Standard 10).  And with 1:03 to play and IWU down just 4 points and the shot clock about the expire, it was John Mohan who hit to 24-foot 3-pointer to ice the Wheaton victory.

Wheaton may not have a second superstar, but they have plenty of other good players.

[dogtired]

Go try to bully somebody else.

Wow. Go take a nap and try to get up on the right side of the bed.

Sheesh, now Pat's on me for defending myself. When somebody comes after me like that, Pat, I'm going to respond.
But this is not what this board is meant for so I will return to lurking and let the board's sage veterans express their views without management rebuke.

[Pat Coleman]

I'm just doing what you did to bgbully -- using your name to make a joke at you. It wasn't worth deleting yourself over.

[Pat Coleman]

Hoopsville tonight: 5-8 p.m. CT. Guests include Augustana men's coach Grey Giovanine.
http://www.d3hoops.com/hoopsville/

[wheatonfanaddict]

At the end of the day, when you have finished all of your banal ranting over Raymond, what have you really accomplished? He is still a superior athlete who obviously knows the game better than you. I am so sorry that we have to put up with five more games of your pitiful whining.

[David Collinge]

Hoopsville tonight: 5-8 p.m. CT. Guests include Augustana men's coach Grey Giovanine.
http://www.d3hoops.com/hoopsville/

I just hope he doesn't shout instructions to D-Mac while another guest is talking...