MBB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[GoVols]

Stinger: you may want to purchase a copy of today's GR Press, as Howard Beardsley has a story concerning the Hope team's work with the homeless. I can't find an online link at this time.

Nothing against Howie because he does some nice work. But this story has been done before.

http://hollandsentinel.com/stories/120707/localsports_20071207074.shtml

http://blogs.hollandsentinel.com/lee/?p=36

[GoKnights68]

Very well-played game by Albion last night.  They played in-your-face defense all night, and they never seemed to panick when Calvin made a comeback in the last 5 minutes.

Calvin played alright, but I would've liked to see more 3-point shot attempts, and they allowed a few too many easy lay-ups.

I was pretty disappointed that the refs called a technical on KVS.  I was pretty close to the court, and all that caused the T was KVS yelling out "He pushed him in the back!"  and the ref immediately T'd  him up after that.  Especially in the final 4 minutes of the game....that really hurt.



It appears Hope is the obvious clear favorite to win the league as of now, but I think the league is more balanced than we may have all thought before the season started.   Each team in the MIAA has had a solid win in the MIAA so far besides Olivet, but Olivet seems to be improved from last season.

[SKOT]

Lovely Detroit Free Press article on Hope and DIII BB by Jeff Seidel, who once covered Hope sports for the GR Press:
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008801200510

Maybe my grammar skills are lacking, but this is the first piece written about Hope basketball I have ever read without a glaring misquote or grammatical error.  Good stuff!

[sac]

Lovely Detroit Free Press article on Hope and DIII BB by Jeff Seidel, who once covered Hope sports for the GR Press:
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008801200510

Maybe my grammar skills are lacking, but this is the first piece written about Hope basketball I have ever read without a glaring misquote or grammatical error.  Good stuff!

Jeff Seidel was the best sports writer I think Hope basketball will ever see.  I really miss his stuff.

Now, Jeff is just a good writer, period.

http://www.nieman.harvard.edu/narrative/digest/resources/bios/seidel-j.html

[AndersDY]

I have not heard mention of it by others yet, but the Adrian win was the sort of last 5 minutes I've wanted to see Hope be able to play. Prior to the conference season, when we Hope fans were lamenting the inability of the team to finish off a close win, this is the sort of game I was referring to that seems to get away from the Dutchman too often. In prior instances, I would have expected to see Hope waste possesions in the last 5 minutes, miss shots at a couple key moments, and let a single digit lead turn into a close loss. On Saturday, Hope's offense played effectively and made key buckets in the final minutes which, along with their continued defensive pressure, was enough to keep ahead of Adrian. Adrian certainly did not give that game away one bit in the end. They made 3 or 4 buckets at the exact moment it could make Hope fans most nervous (Gallus in particular as I recall).

Convert was also the first one to make mention of the intentional foul call made in the second half. That was certainly a tricky call and I could go either way on whether it should have been intentional. He certainly did not come close to the ball, but the main reason for the contact was that the defender had been effectively faked out. To me the call made me think of football and the difference between a 5-yd and 15-yd face mask. It appeared the defender came down and had already made significant contact with Reimink, but once he had his arm around Jesse, he simply finished the foul by dragging him down to the floor. I couldn't tell if it would have been reasonable to expect the defender to be able to let go on the way down, but the fact that he didn't let go probably sold the foul. It wasn't "intentional" in that the defender was doing something beyond trying to make the play, but I can understand needing to make the call to err on the side of safety.

[bulldogalum]

I thought a key moment in the game yesterday was the intentional foul called on Adrian's Brett Asher, and I have to say I simply don't like that rule. (For those who missed it, Reimink head faked and Asher came down on top of him). Asher played a tough game, and he instinctively went for a fake and tried to protect himself on the way down. It just isn't an intentional foul.

I'm glad you said it.  For the record, I agree, but I resolved to say nothing about the officiating yesterday.

[sac]

Andersdy, I would agree the Olivet and Adrian games have been good for the Dutchmen.

Last year Hope beat these same four teams by (Kzo, Oliv, Alb, Adr) 32, 29, 36 and 39, this year  28, 9, 15,  and 4.  While it was great to see last year because they just played some amazing basketball during that stretch, it didn't do much for them as a team.  So far at least it seems like Hope is getting some good shots from teams, unlike last year where teams wilted by midway through the first half the first time through the league.  The only team that played Hope tough consistently through the league last year was Calvin, truthfully the only 3 close league games played.  Hope went 1-2.

The only concern was the manner in which Olivet got back into it, but they were one fired up team in the second half.  Sometimes the other guy just plays harder for awhile and you have to withstand that assault.  Much harder to play when your the hunted.

No secrets when league play comes around.

[Flying Dutch Fan]

I think one of the keys for Hope playing better in these tight games is their FT shooting.  Percentage wise they're a little behind last year, but the number of shots per game, and more importantly, the number of points per game is a significant increase; 

07-08 --- 254-346 --- .734 --- 18.1 points per game
06-07 --- 429-575 --- .746 --- 13.8 points per game
05-05 --- 452-660 --- .685 --- 14.6 points per game

[Erm Schmigget]

I thought a key moment in the game yesterday was the intentional foul called on Adrian's Brett Asher, and I have to say I simply don't like that rule. (For those who missed it, Reimink head faked and Asher came down on top of him). Asher played a tough game, and he instinctively went for a fake and tried to protect himself on the way down. It just isn't an intentional foul.

First, I have to say that Mr. Asher played impressively, especially for one who came into the game with only 1.4 ppg.  (He's now at 2.8 ppg.)  That said, he also lacked control, fouling out in 18 min. of play.  The last foul was the flagrant foul in question.  If Reimink had not "faked him out", and instead actually gone up for the shot, it still would have resulted in a hard foul, Asher's 5th, putting Jesse at the line for 2 (in the act of shooting).  As it was, Reimink did fake, Asher bit, and made excessive contact, coming down squarely on top of Reimink, and finishing off by pulling Reimink down with his arm, as AndersDY pointed out.  Bottom line, Asher flew into Reimink in a way that would have resulted in a hard foul, no matter how the play unfolded.  No other way to call it.

Here's where I disagree with the most recent interpretation of the intentional foul call:

When an offensive player successfully fakes the defender (esp. in the post), then jumps into the defender on the way down, causing excessive contact.  If the defender jumps straight up, and comes down right where he was, why should he be hit with a flagrant foul when the shooter jumps forward, backward, or laterally into him?  He didn't move toward the position of the offensive player, rather, the offensive player took advantage of a defender who wasn't set.  Effectively, the shooter submarined the defender.  It should be nothing more than a blocking foul.  Good fake; go to the line.  Then it's your opponent's ball.

[realist]

The one word the Hope people need to keep in front of them is Elmhurst.  Granted it was a loss, but it is making them a much better team in tough situations.
Not much to say in the Knights defense.  Albion has come into the fieldhouse before, and played exactly the same game they did Sat.  It should have come as no surprise to the Knights they were in for a physical game.  
Sorry MWK, but it will take several strong beverages plus the maroon and gold glasses (plus mood altering drugs) for me to think Calvin even comes close to Hope in talent.  IMHO Calvin peaked early with the win over WashU, and hasn't done anything noteworthy since. Calvin will have their hands full in Kalamazoo on Wed., and next Sat. is liable to get ugly early.

[GoKnights68]

The one word the Hope people need to keep in front of them is Elmhurst.  Granted it was a loss, but it is making them a much better team in tough situations.
Not much to say in the Knights defense.  Albion has come into the fieldhouse before, and played exactly the same game they did Sat.  It should have come as no surprise to the Knights they were in for a physical game. 
Sorry MWK, but it will take several strong beverages plus the maroon and gold glasses (plus mood altering drugs) for me to think Calvin even comes close to Hope in talent.  IMHO Calvin peaked early with the win over WashU, and hasn't done anything noteworthy since. Calvin will have their hands full in Kalamazoo on Wed., and next Sat. is liable to get ugly early.

Nah, it won't get ugly.  It'll be close I predict.  Calvin seems to always play well against Hope at the Fieldhouse, or at least they come prepared.  Veldhouse and Griffin seem to shine in games like this, and I think Mantel has finally returned back to form.  I guess I'll wait till Thursday and Friday to comment more on the Game.

But yes, Calvin will have their hands full Wednesday.

[AndersDY]

Lovely Detroit Free Press article on Hope and DIII BB by Jeff Seidel, who once covered Hope sports for the GR Press:
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008801200510

Maybe my grammar skills are lacking, but this is the first piece written about Hope basketball I have ever read without a glaring misquote or grammatical error.  Good stuff!

Well I would guess that Glenn's socks are striped and not "stripped," but a very good article. The only shame is that they got a picture of Bill in there, but managed to not show the pants at all.

[hoopdreams]

I am assuming that Saturday's game will be another classic, Calvin will be more than ready because they cannot afford to give a 2 game cushion to Hope.  They should stress attacking the paint, which is what Olivet and adrian did so well and even if they don't score inside, it will surely free up their shooters for clean looks.  We all know that the veterans will be sharp and it may come down to the benches to decide the victor.  Although I have only seen Calvin play 3 times and their bench hasn't impressed, Hope unwillingness to sub in "closer" games concerns me... a lot.

[northb]

for the past four or five years, the Knights have struggled early and then put together a nice run once Feb/March rolls around.  While this is nice, it is also puzzling at the same time.  What makes them struggle during the first half and then thrive the last couple of weeks???  KVS always has something up his sleeve for the boys to learn.  tonight was no exception.  a "well timed" technical sends a message much greater than losing one game to a solid team in Albion...it is preparing the boys for the future...teaching them to play with passion and desire.  i recently read an article on espn.com about rick majerus and would recommend it to all; very well written and i can see some of the same qualities in KVS that Majerus has...the ornery almost pissed off attitude all the time, striving for perfection, always teaching, always competing.  the knights are definitely on the verge...how many times will griffin score 2 points???  how many times will our depth be matched...very few.  Time to step it up for good and be men, take it to the opponent, either Hope or Alma.  we lack that punch, that attitude, when we find that though, we can be scary good, nationally competing good (sorry Hopesters, you don't have the depth we do). 

the year goes on

While I agree that at times a technical and close loss can help a team as much as a win I certainly doubt that was KVS approach yesterday

Despite Calvin"s struggles yesterday was only their second regional loss! Yes! Thanks to the NCAA"s regional system Hope and Calvin were actually tied in the loss column up until yesterday. So while its unlikely its not totally impossible that Calvin could get a pool C bid. I think its unlikely because despite just 2 losses Calvin still lacks the quality in-region wins that Hope has.

All that to say that I rarely think a tough in-region loss is good.

But we have the potential for 3-5 quality in-region wins before the season is over

[realist]

gk68:  Obviously you have forgotten the HOF game at the fieldhouse in Nov of 06