MBB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[Civic Minded]

From the Holland Sentinel today:

"All-star hoops at Cornerstone

Retired Hope College basketball coach Glenn Van Wieren is coaching one more game.
Van Wieren, pictured, is leading a team of recently finished local college basketball players in Wednesday's Champions of Character All-Star game at Cornerstone University.
Tipoff is 7 p.m. at Mol Arena. Tickets are $5.00 at the door.
Van Wieren's team includes Zeeland native and former Cornerstone player Matt Kingshott. They will face a group of professional players, including former Michigan State point guard Drew Neitzel.
On Thursday, there are two high school all-star games.
The 7 p.m. boys game will feature former Holland Christian coach Mike Phelps as well as former Holland players Josh Weatherspoon and Taylor DeRoo and Zeeland West's Shane Tiemeyer.
The 5:30 p.m. girls game draws West Ottawa's Raven Trammell."

Anyone aware of other players, college or hs, of interest at this event?

[KnightSlappy]

From the Holland Sentinel today:

"All-star hoops at Cornerstone

Retired Hope College basketball coach Glenn Van Wieren is coaching one more game.
Van Wieren, pictured, is leading a team of recently finished local college basketball players in Wednesday's Champions of Character All-Star game at Cornerstone University.
Tipoff is 7 p.m. at Mol Arena. Tickets are $5.00 at the door.
Van Wieren's team includes Zeeland native and former Cornerstone player Matt Kingshott. They will face a group of professional players, including former Michigan State point guard Drew Neitzel.
On Thursday, there are two high school all-star games.
The 7 p.m. boys game will feature former Holland Christian coach Mike Phelps as well as former Holland players Josh Weatherspoon and Taylor DeRoo and Zeeland West's Shane Tiemeyer.
The 5:30 p.m. girls game draws West Ottawa's Raven Trammell."

Anyone aware of other players, college or hs, of interest at this event?

Here's the H.S. rosters:

http://highschoolsports.mlive.com/news/article/7796841404735117359/rosters-announced-for-all-star-basketball-games-at-cornerstone/

Here are the future MIAAers:

Tyler Kruis, 6-8, Calvin Christian (Calvin College)
Brendan McNeal, 5-11, Greenville (Alma)
James Slagter, 6-7, Grand Rapids Christian (Hope College)

[Norm Zylstra]

The Calvin Summer Slam is ready to roll next week.

The Summer Slam is a high school basketball tournament in the Spoelhof Fieldhouse Complex. The men's tournament consists of 16 teams from Michigan, Illinois, Iowa and Massachusetts and will be held from July 1 (first game at 7 p.m.) to July 3 (championship game is at 2:45 p.m.).

For more information on the teams and the schedule, see Calvin College Summer Slam.

BTW. did any of you folks attend the women's Summer Slam?

[Civic Minded]

From the Holland Sentinel today:

"All-star hoops at Cornerstone

...
Anyone aware of other players, college or hs, of interest at this event?

Here's the H.S. rosters:

http://highschoolsports.mlive.com/news/article/7796841404735117359/rosters-announced-for-all-star-basketball-games-at-cornerstone/

Here are the future MIAAers:

Tyler Kruis, 6-8, Calvin Christian (Calvin College)
Brendan McNeal, 5-11, Greenville (Alma)
James Slagter, 6-7, Grand Rapids Christian (Hope College)

Thanks, KS!

[sac]

Olivet's schedule is up

http://www.olivetcollege.edu/athletics/mbasketball/schedule.php

[ziggy]

Olivet's schedule is up

http://www.olivetcollege.edu/athletics/mbasketball/schedule.php

They must have quite a rivalry with TBA

[Knight2Day]

Grand Valley AND IPFW? Looks like the Comets want to be tested early and often

[sac]

Grand Valley AND IPFW? Looks like the Comets want to be tested early and often

Its a curious thing but I'm pretty sure Olivet has played more D2 opponents than any other MIAA program the past decade or so.

Add in some nice games with Witt and JCU and the Comets have had some nice schedules lately.

[sac]

Brief mention about Hope recruit James Slagter's performance and experience in the Champions of Character All-Star game.

http://www.hollandsentinel.com/sports/sports_hope/x370832768/Hope-recruit-James-Slagter-shines-in-All-Star-basketball-game

[OC_SID]

Grand Valley AND IPFW? Looks like the Comets want to be tested early and often

IPFW is an exhibition contest ... If I recall correctly, we also played them in an exhibition game two or three years ago.

[Knight2Day]

Grand Valley AND IPFW? Looks like the Comets want to be tested early and often

IPFW is an exhibition contest ... If I recall correctly, we also played them in an exhibition game two or three years ago.

I guess my biggest question is: what does it benefit a Division 3 team to play a Division 1 program? Even a mid-major like IPFW. Last year it didn't seem to help Hope to much in the long run to get drubbed by an Oakland ballclub, granted that Oakland team set a school record for wins, but they're a mid-major nonetheless. I realize that the mindset is that a school can pull a Grand Valley beating MSU, an Appalachian State beating U of M, and other big upsets and thus give a program a jump start even if its only an exhibition game, but more times than not, it results in a team getting the mess beat out of them, and it being nothing than a glorified practice for the Division 1 program. I guess for me it just doesn't make any sense. For me, play a Division 2 program like a Ferris or a Grand Valley, a game that can actually be competitive and put your players in the right mindset rather than just attempting to keep from being embarrassed.

[Pat Coleman]

There's a money aspect to playing D-I's that some programs can't necessarily afford to ignore.

[Knight2Day]

I understand it from a financial aspect, but my question stems from the athletic aspect and the overall benefit of a team which, from my own experience, isn't always found in playing a team outside of your talent level and getting your head kicked in

[Mr. Ypsi]

I understand it from a financial aspect, but my question stems from the athletic aspect and the overall benefit of a team which, from my own experience, isn't always found in playing a team outside of your talent level and getting your head kicked in

Yeah, but if a kid expects to get his head kicked in, I don't want him on my team.

In 2005-06, IWU played an exhibition at U of Illinois.  They had finished second in the nation the previous year, and had several key players returning.  It eventually finished the way a sane person would expect, but with 10 minutes left, we were very much in the game.  I can't help but think that contributed to an undefeated non-conference season and a unanimous #1 d3 ranking (before things kinda fell apart in the conference season - they redeemed themselves in the post-season, eventually finishing third in Salem).

I don't know the financial arrangements, but suspect that 'game' may have matched the rest of the IWU bball budget for the year.

[Gregory Sager]

I understand it from a financial aspect, but my question stems from the athletic aspect and the overall benefit of a team which, from my own experience, isn't always found in playing a team outside of your talent level and getting your head kicked in

You can't separate the two. Scheduling decisions aren't simply based upon whom you're most likely to be able to beat, or with whom you'll at least be able to compete. You asked what the benefit was to a D3 team playing a D1 team, and Pat told you the primary reason. Money, in case you haven't noticed, drives many scheduling decisions in college sports. That's true on the D1 level as well, in that mid-majors covet games against the big boys in the big boys' arenas, knowing full well that they're going to "get their head kicked in" but that it means a nice, fat gate payout that will go a long way towards funding the program. The elite teams get the Ws, the lower-tier teams get the bucks.

As far as the athletic benefit is concerned, ask any D3 player if he would like the chance to play a D1 team -- even in an exhibition game -- and he'll give you an enthusiastic and immediate "Yes!" The competitive drive inside every athlete makes him want to test himself against the best, and in college basketball D1 has the best teams and the best players. Playing against a D1 squad therefore gives a coach a great recruiting advantage; coaches prominently feature the fact that they've played this D1 team or that D1 team over the past two, three years when they give their sales pitches to prospects.

Furthermore, superior competition breeds superior results. Even if a game against a D1 team results in a blowout, the fact that your players are forced to match up against bigger, stronger, faster players will make them work harder than they'd normally work in a basketball game. They'll push their own personal envelopes, and if you can get that to carry over into the next game, and the game after that, you'll have succeeded in improving your players and your overall team.

Also, there's no risk involved. If the expected outcome occurs -- a blowout loss -- then so what? Sure, it'll count on the overall record, but it won't count on the much-more-important in-region record that plays such a pivotal role in determining Pool C bids and D3 tournament seedings. Heck, if it's an exhibition game it won't even count against your overall record. And I've never heard a coach or a player talk about a hangover effect occurring after a blowout loss to a D1 team. But I've heard plenty of them talk about how much playing a D1 team benefited them down the road. No risk, high reward ... what's not to like?

Finally, you never know what might happen. Every now and then a D3 team knocks off a D1 opponent. Who would begrudge his players the chance to make that rare opportunity pay off?