MBB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[sac]

Exhibition Games in the next 2 weeks
Nov.  4   Adrian at Saginaw Valley State  7pm
Nov.  7   Ferris State at Calvin 7:30pm
Nov.  8   Albion at Eastern Michigan  12pm  (curious start time for a Friday)
Nov.  8   Olivet at Saginaw Valley State 7pm*
Nov. 11  Alma at Saginaw Valley State 7pm*
Nov. 14  Hope at Grand Valley State 7pm

The EMU/Albion is a real game for EMU.  The Olivet and Alma games are counting for SVSU.  I really wish the NCAA would do away with that.

[sac]

Western Michigan 88 Kalamazoo 59
http://hornets.kzoo.edu/sports/mbkb/2013-14/files/mbkb-11-2-13.pdf

Chase Baysdell and Josh Miller played the most of the Freshmen

[ziggy]

Calvin has a men's basketball preview posted. Included is an audio interview with KVS.

http://www.calvin.edu/sports/news/comments/2013-14-calvin-mens-basketball-preview/

Interesting points:

• Jordan Mast is expected to play a bigger role
• Kruis and Stout will probably see some time on the floor together
• Jordan Daley had "multiple" Division II scholarship offers, "will expect a lot from him".
• "hoping Austin Parks can help out at the point, don't yet know what that role will be"
• Kyle MacDonald is a true point guard
• both MacDonald and BJ Van Loo are expected to contribute early on
• Probably going to see a lot from Brad Visser - caveat: learning curve
• Rotation will probably change a lot as the season goes on

Terrible review. Should have mentioned KVS referred to Eric Brower as "Big E".

[knightvision]

If the first 4 games I've seen this year are any indication, expect to see a lot more hand check calls and significantly more blocking calls this year than you've seen in the past.  I really like the focus on keeping hands off, and I've already seen players making adjustments. 

Regarding the tougher standard for drawing a charge, my initial impression is that it has gone too far in favoring the offensive player.  Just as I saw defenders consciously getting their hands up in the air to avoid receiving a hand check call (a good thing), I also observed what seemed like players consciously sticking their head down and attacking the rim because charges were almost never called and what I would consider out-of-control drives to the rim were being rewarded with free throws (IMHO, a bad thing).  On several occasions, what in prior years would have been an easy charging call, blocks were called to the surprise of just about everyone in the gym.

Two additional points regarding the block vs. charge point of emphasis:  1) I've already seen coaches telling players not to step in for the charge--and it seems like good advice, because they are not getting the calls; and 2) After talking to an official this past weekend, I heard a slightly different interpretation of the standard for deciding on charge vs. a block--it's not necessarily about the defender being set prior to the offensive player entering the lane  but more about being set prior to the offensive player collecting himself  (i.e., the offensive player has picked up the dribble and is in the process of completing a move toward the basket/shooting). 

[AlwaysHope]

Sorry to break up all the discussion about basketball, but on a more serious note I just got an email from the Wall St. Journal with this breaking information:

SAC to Plead Guilty in Insider-Trading Settlement

[wiz]

Sorry to break up all the discussion about basketball, but on a more serious note I just got an email from the Wall St. Journal with this breaking information:

SAC to Plead Guilty in Insider-Trading Settlement

Humorous post, I guess. I am beginning to understand the designation "Second-stringer" a bit more clearly.

[sac]

Albion roster posted
http://www.gobrits.com/sports/mbkb/2013-14/roster

I am not familiar with any of the Freshmen.  This might be the smallest Albion team I can remember.

[sac]

The lack of upperclassmen across the league is pretty stunning.

[KnightSlappy]

Sorry to break up all the discussion about basketball, but on a more serious note I just got an email from the Wall St. Journal with this breaking information:

SAC to Plead Guilty in Insider-Trading Settlement

Humorous post, I guess. I am beginning to understand the designation "Second-stringer" a bit more clearly.

brrrrrrr. Just got a bit cold in here.

[knightvision]

Albion roster posted
http://www.gobrits.com/sports/mbkb/2013-14/roster

I am not familiar with any of the Freshmen.  This might be the smallest Albion team I can remember.

Two of their freshmen have some local connections:  Larr made a bit of a splash as a sophomore when McBain played in the state semis and/or finals, and he played for the GR Storm AAU club for at least 2 years.  Most likely a 2-guard, predominantly a 3 pt sniper.  Siegel played for ACB Bank Hoops B team last year.  I think he's mostly a wing--has some perimeter game from what I've been told and will also penetrate some. 

One local freshman that I think has a chance to do quite well is Chase Fairchild at Alma.  He is above average defensively, is the kind of guy that won't shy away from guarding a bigger guy (the rare 2 that would relish trying to shut down a bigger 3), has a high basketball IQ, and is an excellent perimeter shooter.  Alma probably has a bunch of guys at his position, but I will not be surprised if sooner rather than later he will be a regular part of their  rotation.

[goodknight]

Big changes coming for next academic year in the expansion of the D3 in-region territory boundaries from its current 200-mile radius to a 500-mile radius.

The NCAA also will no longer permit post-season conference tournament games to count as in-region games in satisfying the 70 percent threshold.

Look for MIAA and CCIW schools to get a lot more familiar with each other in the years ahead.

[Hopester]

Big changes coming for next academic year in the expansion of the D3 in-region territory boundaries from its current 200-mile radius to a 500-mile radius.

The NCAA also will no longer permit post-season conference tournament games to count as in-region games in satisfying the 70 percent threshold.

Look for MIAA and CCIW schools to get a lot more familiar with each other in the years ahead.

HALLELUJAH!!!

[sac]

500 miles takes most of the Michigan schools well into Iowa,  SE Minnesota and East well into Pennsylvania.  Not sure its going to help Alma a great deal, it will help Finlandia some.



500 miles from Holland is about 50 miles short of the Twin Cities, 50 miles past Des Moines and roughly Rochester, NY to a little East of Pittsburgh.   Basically adding almost all of the WIAC, the old NathCon, a large portion of the MWC and IIAC, most of the SLIAC, WashU, and some of the MIAC.  To the East, bits and pieces of various conferences in Western NY and Pennsylvania.

Adrian is going to pick up a large part of the East and Middle Atlantic Region teams.

[sac]

SVSU 71 Adrian 57

http://athletics.svsu.edu/sports/mbkb/2013-14/boxscores/20131104_ltsc.xml

Ben Rodak played 39 minutes in an exhibition game.   Eric Lewis did not play.

[HopeConvert]

Big changes coming for next academic year in the expansion of the D3 in-region territory boundaries from its current 200-mile radius to a 500-mile radius.

The NCAA also will no longer permit post-season conference tournament games to count as in-region games in satisfying the 70 percent threshold.

Look for MIAA and CCIW schools to get a lot more familiar with each other in the years ahead.

One hopes the NCAC and OAC as well.