MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[AndOne]

I think if the award was called  the MVP and not the MOP,Wessels would be the guy.  Without him, Augie probably wouldn't even be a .500 team in the CCIW (in my opinion).  However, the award isn't the Most Valuable Player, it is the Most Outstanding Player, which I believe goes to Ruch, Freeman, or Raymond.

Gentlemen/Ladies------

Think about it. Doesn't knarocky make a good point here?

The MVP is the guy who makes the biggest difference in a team finishing above the other teams.

The MOP is the guy who does the most things well.

Until the season is over, you really can't say who is either MVP or MOP. Its too bad   we don't have both awards.

I do know Wessels sure is valuable to his team which currently occupies 1st place. None other than Mr. Wessels hit the deciding shot in the NC/Augie game a few weeks ago. And, despite any offensive contributions he makes, his biggest value may be on the defensive side. Is he the best at the most facets of the game--hardly. But it would be hard to find a more valuable player.

As far as MOP, check the statistics. Seems to me that Mr. Ruch currently occupies the top rung on the ladder as far as the player who ranks highest in the most statistical areas. However, there are 3 games left, and final returns won't be in until then.

As far as 1st team all CCIW at this point, I'll take Wessels, Raymond, Ruch, Z. Freeman, and Dan Walton. I know there are other good players who also merit consideration, but I believe the accomplishments of those 5 players are hard to top.

[Gregory Sager]

Another tough night at the office for NPU against Elmhurst on Saturday night. Twice now this season the Vikes have had Elmhurst on the ropes in the final minute, only to see the 'jays slip away with the W. But, as tjcf said, unlike the first contest in the crackerbox this game wasn't one that NPU gave away -- this was one in which they had to fight back just to be in it at the end (down 15 midway thru the second half, and down 10 with three minutes left) but couldn't overcome clutch shooting at the FT line by Brent Ruch.

As tjcf also said, this was largely a game that saw Elmhurst score easily and repeatedly by getting the ball into the post and having Ruch and Nick Michael shoot four-to-six-footers right over the top of NPU's significantly shorter front line. Not much NPU could do about that, aside from doubling down and thus risking have Ryan Burks break all of his Manito forebear's Faganel Hall shooting and scoring records. And, defensively, the Elmhurst big men played much, much better than they played in the earlier contest in Chicago, shutting down the Vikings' PF/C rotation of Nick Williams, Stephano Jones, and Anthony Lenoir to the tune of a woeful seven points combined on only 3-11 shooting. Considering that Williams and Lenoir both average in double figures in scoring, that's some serious shutdown played by the Elmhurst bigs.

But what was galling about the Park's efforts, and one of the big reasons why they trailed so badly going into the game's final phase, was the complete inability of the Vikings to take care of the ball. NPU turned it over 24 times, which you simply can't do against a team as dynamic on offense as Elmhurst. The 'jays played their usual good D, true, but a whole bunch of NPU's miscues were of the shoot-yourselves-in-the-foot variety; I counted six unforced turnovers in the first half alone, and that doesn't include charging calls.

What got NPU back into the game -- and, again, you have to respect the enormous heart that the Vikings showed in that late comeback -- was the way that they attacked the basket. North Park shot 62% from the field for the game, but aside from that late flurry of three-pointers by Uriah Rice and Joe Capalbo they didn't do it with jumpshots. They did it with their characteristic style of spreading the floor and creating favorable one-on-one matchups, a situation that favored freshman Antonio Stevens more than anyone else. The one twist that was great to see was that, when the driver did get cut off before he got to the basket, he either made a nice kickout or found the back-cutter; Lenoir and Jason Gordon in particular did this very well.

Stevens, who has inherited Devin Burnett's role as the NPU freshman defensive stopper, also did a great job on Burks. The Elmhurst sharpshooter knocked down three treys within a two-minute span early in the first half, and it looked like he was off to the races. But Paul Brenegan brought Stevens into the game and put him on Burks, and Stevens proceeded to turn him off like a faucet. Over the last 30 minutes of the game, Burks would only score nine points on 3-11 shooting (including only one made trey), really poor numbers for a guy who often looks like Mr. Automatic. Stevens even blocked a Nick Michael layup, for which he didn't receive box score credit. I'm Antonio's size, and I'd need a stepladder to block a Nick Michael layup.

In the end, Brent Ruch made the six golden free throws in the last minute to eke out the win for the hosts, and Brian Lee (who was otherwise pretty effectively guarded by Uriah Rice all night) stepped up and made some big plays on the offensive end as well. I've seen Ruch play six or seven times now this season, and I can safely say that any coach who doesn't put him on his All-CCIW first team ballot is absolutely nuts. He is already a fantastic D3 big man, and over the next two seasons he is going to eat this league for breakfast. He proved to be the difference in Saturday night's game.

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.

As tjcf said, the ailing Jones had an off night, and that was a part of why NPU shied away from the post for most of the game. But Lenoir and Williams were equally ineffective, and a lot of the credit has to go to Michael, Ruch, and Jared Hintzsche for that. But when NPU made the big comeback, the Vikings didn't do it by pounding the ball into the post. The only points NPU scored in that fashion from the 7:42 mark onward (when the Vikings traied 67-53) were from a pair of Nick Williams free throws. The only other points scored by a Vikings forward in the comeback were from a Williams layup after he'd made an excellent back cut and got a beautiful inside dish from Antonio Stevens, who'd been stymied on a drive to the hole by the white-clad wall of Michael and Ruch. Everything else the Vikes scored in the game's last thirteen minutes was by the guards and was either the result of a drive that led to a layup and/or FTs, or a jumper.

[AndOne]

Just a quick note from the NC - Carthage game last night, Brandon Smith is some kind of player for a freshman.   I'm very high on Sean Fendley from Carthage but after seeing Smith, wow !!!   

He absolutely hit the biggest shot of the night (yea, I know Walton hit the game winner) after Carthage had gone up by four, 68 - 64.   After a NC timeout, Smith gets a pass on the wing and calmly knocks down a trey in the face of Navaro Thompson.   Thompson was a little late getting out on him due to a pick but nonetheless, Smith stroked it and took away the momentum Carthage had gained.

Looking at his stats, and depending on where NC ends up, he very well might get some all-conference votes.

Kmark---

Those who know me will confirm I'm very high on Fendley and have been since last year. However, you are right on the mark (excuse the pun) as far as Brandon Smith is concerned. While he was probably not as well known as Sean last year, he has really stepped up big time, and made several huge contributions to the NCC team this season. As good as Fendley is, I would submit that Smith does even more things well. In fact, find me a better overall freshman player in the CCIW.

As far as the shot you referred to in the game Sat at Carthage, you're right. If Brandon doesn't hit that shot, Dan Walton's last second shot isn't the game winner. Also, if you will remember, Brandon showed no hesitation whatsoever in taking the shot. Money players WANT the ball in their hands at crunch time and aren't afraid to take the shot that can make the difference.

Some all conference votes for Brandon would be easily understandable. In future years, I expect to see the names of both Smith and Fendley on the all conference list. 

[Gregory Sager]

As far as 1st team all CCIW at this point, I'll take Wessels, Raymond, Ruch, Z. Freeman, and Dan Walton. I know there are other good players who also merit consideration, but I believe the accomplishments of those 5 players are hard to top.

I understand the Wessels-as-MVP argument, and I see its definite merit, but I've never seen the coaches give the Fred Young Award to a guy who didn't put a whole pile of points on the scoreboard by himself. It's a scorer's award, or a scorer/rebounder's award, which is why it's going to go to either Freeman, Raymond, or Ruch instead of Drew "Nuclear" Wessels.

The other four All-CCIW first team choices strike me as no-brainers, but I wouldn't be surprised if the coaches substituted Dain Swetalla, Brian Schlemm, or Drew Gensler for Wessels on the first team. It has to be awfully tempting for the coaches to put an Augie player on the first team, since the Doggies will almost certainly be at minimum the conference co-champs this year, so they might put Swetalla into that fifth slot. The CCIW hasn't had a championship squad go unrepresented on the All-CCIW first team since co-champ Illinois Wesleyan was shut out of the top honors for the 1959-60 season.

[Gregory Sager]

Those who know me will confirm I'm very high on Fendley and have been since last year. However, you are right on the mark (excuse the pun) as far as Brandon Smith is concerned. While he was probably not as well known as Sean last year, he has really stepped up big time, and made several huge contributions to the NCC team this season. As good as Fendley is, I would submit that Smith does even more things well. In fact, find me a better overall freshman player in the CCIW.

I'll put in my vote for Nick Williams of NPU, who is already establishing himself as a serious inside-outside force in the CCIW, putting up very solid numbers in spite of the fact that his average playing time is less than a half per game. No doubt, though, that Brandon Smith has emerged as a strong freshman force himself for NCC.

It's hard to argue with NPU having the league's outstanding freshman class, especially when you look at the performances of Williams, Joe Capalbo, and Antonio Stevens -- and I mean no disrespect to the Millikin crop of newbies (Zach Ott, Robert Rexroade, Charles Warren, and Joscar Demby) in saying that. It's also a deep class, as there are other Vikings plebes who could turn out to be strong contributors down the road (Glenn Woodside, Lukas Dahlstrom, Dan Oziminski, and Chris Brown).

I've always said that it would take two back-to-back strong recruiting years for NPU to get back from the outhouse to the penthouse. As I see it, the Park is halfway there.

[AndOne]

The MVP is the guy who makes the biggest difference in a team finishing above the other teams.

The MOP is the guy who does the most things well.

Until the season is over, you really can't say who is either MVP or MOP. Its too bad   we don't have both awards.

I do know Wessels sure is valuable to his team which currently occupies 1st place. None other than Mr. Wessels hit the deciding shot in the NC/Augie game a few weeks ago. And, despite any offensive contributions he makes, his biggest value may be on the defensive side. Is he the best at the most facets of the game--hardly. But it would be hard to find a more valuable player.

As far as MOP, check the statistics. Seems to me that Mr. Ruch currently occupies the top rung on the ladder as far as the player who ranks highest in the most statistical areas. However, there are 3 games left, and final returns won't be in until then.

I understand the Wessels-as-MVP argument, and I see its definite merit, but I've never seen the coaches give the Fred Young Award to a guy who didn't put a whole pile of points on the scoreboard by himself. It's a scorer's award, or a scorer/rebounder's award, which is why it's going to go to either Freeman, Raymond, or Ruch instead of Drew "Nuclear" Wessels.

.

Greg----

Didn't I say I don't expect Wessels, but rather Ruch, to win MOP?

[Gregory Sager]

Greg----

Didn't I say I don't expect Wessels, but rather Ruch, to win MOP?

Yes, and I apologize, as I was addressing that portion of the post to knarocky rather than you.

While I'm a little wary of mentioning Kent Raymond's performance from the FT line against Illinois Wesleyan last night, and thereby running the risk of reigniting that whole Kent-Raymond-gets-MJ-whistles-from-the-refs fracas, it needs to be said just as an FYI on CCIW Chat that Raymond tied the league's single-game record for best FT performance on Saturday night. His 20-20 effort tied the record set by Elmhurst's Chris Martin against Millikin last season.

[AndOne]

As far as 1st team all CCIW at this point, I'll take Wessels, Raymond, Ruch, Z. Freeman, and Dan Walton. I know there are other good players who also merit consideration, but I believe the accomplishments of those 5 players are hard to top.

The other four All-CCIW first team choices strike me as no-brainers, but I wouldn't be surprised if the coaches substituted Dain Swetalla, Brian Schlemm, or Drew Gensler for Wessels on the first team. It has to be awfully tempting for the coaches to put an Augie player on the first team, since the Doggies will almost certainly be at minimum the conference co-champs this year, so they might put Swetalla into that fifth slot. The CCIW hasn't had a championship squad go unrepresented on the All-CCIW first team since co-champ Illinois Wesleyan was shut out of the top honors for the 1959-60 season.

As you said, it will be awfully hard for the coaches not to put an Augie player on the first team. But---------> I think that player will be Wessels as opposed to Swetalla. Wessels will be the Augie player it will be harder for the coaches to leave off the 1st team.   

[Gregory Sager]

I'd pick Wessels over Swetalla, too. I'm just saying that I won't be surprised if the coaches go the other route and pick Swetalla.

[Gregory Sager]

Since I first mentioned it a week ago, Brent Ruch has actually improved his CCIW field goal percentage to .716 after Saturday's game. At this point, he's beginning to look like a sure bet to break Brent Niebrugge's CCIW shooting record.

[74impala]

Instead of complaining how many FT's Raymond got, maybe the defense should have made an adjustment.  Try taking a charge, or double/ triple him, or deny him getting the ball.

[markerickson]

MOP

I have not seen Ruch play...what year is he?
Wessels - no way.
Swetella - ditto
Raymond - good story, but what are his stats excluding ppg?
Freeman - better or best stats, and he's a senior.

[OurHouse]

Instead of complaining how many FT's Raymond got, maybe the defense should have made an adjustment.  Try taking a charge, or double/ triple him, or deny him getting the ball.

I agree - this is why IWU has lost as many games as they have. Defense is a big key to any successful year - with a combination of injuries and lack of defense, this year has been a disaster especially when you have an All American on the team....

When you have a guard that knows how to go to the hole, your going to get the calls when you have a team that plays lousy defense.     

[knarocky22]

I also said that I didn't think Wessels would win the MOP because it goes to the Most Outstanding Player, not the most valuable player to his team.

[79jaybird]

Brent Ruch
Sophomore
6' 9"
250 lbs
Farmer City, IL (Blue Ridge HS)
2005-06 26 games played, 5 started 60% FG shooting, 38 of 60 from FT line, 130 total rebounds 32 assists, 17 steals, 15 blocks 220 total points, avg. 8.5/game