MBB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[pointlem]

Big announcement coming tomorrow AM from Hope College.

Perhaps this, Sac?
http://athletics.hope.edu/sports/mbkb/2017-18/releases/20171024ou53j3

[sac]

yes, just yanking chains, nothing was supposed to be announced until tomorrow.   

[Flying Dutch Fan]

Albion's roster is up:

http://gobrits.com/sports/mbkb/2017-18/roster

Maybe one of the more "experienced rosters with 10 guys who are Jr or Sr

No Darius Branch and no Kirk Douglas (who was injured most of the conference season last year)

[Young Knight 14]

yes, just yanking chains, nothing was supposed to be announced until tomorrow.   

Sounds like someone gave you some bad info.

[sac]

yes, just yanking chains, nothing was supposed to be announced until tomorrow.   

Sounds like someone gave you some bad info.

Gonna go with no, but not important.

[sac]

Albion's roster is up:

http://gobrits.com/sports/mbkb/2017-18/roster

Maybe one of the more "experienced rosters with 10 guys who are Jr or Sr

No Darius Branch and no Kirk Douglas (who was injured most of the conference season last year)

No Mitchel Rubio either who is now listed as a manager.

Albion's added 3 or 4 pretty good players including a pair of D2 transfers.   Nathan Kellum mentioned earlier this summer from Lake Erie and Quinton Armstrong who earned a scholarship to Davenport but did not play last season.  Armstrong was a very good player in the strong CAAC here in Lansing at Holt HS.  (was coached by Albion grad Matt Essell who has since stepped down).   Fr. Caden Ebeling returns from the leg injury that sidelined him very early in last season, to my eyes a promising looking player.  Albion will have more post depth than they've had in quite awhile.

You might remember Nate Collins played in about a half dozen games at the end of 2016, believe he scored 44 against Calvin's JV earned a call up.  Ended up shooting 7-12 from the floor with 19 point in a key upset of league co-leader Alma at the time at Kresge.  An upset that gave Hope the 2016 title outright.  Nate didn't play for Albion last year.

Darius Branch is a pretty big loss, he ended up the Brits 2nd leading scorer last year.  Grabbed the starting PG spot after Robert Ryan's early season injury and never gave it back, to me one of their most consistent players.  Branch is enrolled at Rock Valley College in Illinois, a cc school.

[sac]

Exhibitions:

Oct 30
Calvin vs Davenport at Hope  6pm
Grand Valley State at Hope  8pm
Alma at Northwood  7pm

All 3 games for Red Cross Hurricane relief


Nov. 4  Trine at Toledo 2:30
Nov. 4  Calvin at Trinity Christian  5pm
Nov. 4  Kalamazoo at Western Michigan 2pm
Nov. 11  Grace Bible at Calvin  7:30pm
Nov. 14  Olivet at Grand Valley St  7pm
Nov. 15  Olivet at Saginaw Valley St.  7pm

[sflzman]

Alma at Northwood  7pm

Alma's hosting Northwood for this one actually.

I think this is a really cool thing for the NCAA to be doing. Disappointed a bit that everyone isn't participating in this.

[shknowsbest]

I know its early and just exhibition games but I think alma has the best chance of winning.   Surprised how easily Lake Superior handled cornerstone on the 23rd.

[TUAngola]

Announced just an hour ago:

Trine will play at Capital in an exhibition game on November 10th @ 7:30pm to benefit the Red Cross & disaster relief!

[Mr. Ypsi]

Announced just an hour ago:

Trine will play at Capital in an exhibition game on November 10th @ 7:30pm to benefit the Red Cross & disaster relief!

Good to see that a number of schools are participating in this effort (and with NCAA blessing).  IWU had an exhibition at University of Illinois soon after Katrina.  I e-mailed both ADs about turning it into a disaster relief fund-raiser, but nothing ever came of it.

[gordonmann]

It's happening around here, too.

Duquesne just announced that it will play Chatham in a exhibition on Wednesday.

[Grutte Dirk]

I know this happens at all levels, in various degrees, at all schools, and it happened to my son at Hope 20 some years ago (never any bitterness from our family as a result), but you have to feel bad for those JV players from last year who likely tried out... and didn't make it... Probably recruited out of HS, thrilled with the decision to attend a place like Hope (or Calvin, or Wheaton or IWU etc), but someone else is a little better, and there are no roster spots left.... if they had shot just a quarter step lower in the college selection process, they might be looking forward to playing varsity for 3 years after their JV experience.... it's a shame if the kid has done everything right, but just wasn't quite good enough... then again, welcome to the real world...

While I do feel a bit bad for the cut players, I'm always thankful (not implying you're not) that they still get a world class education. Of the jv'ers who did not make a varsity roster, how many will stay at the school?

[goodknight]

Very sad news this morning for the family, friends and admirers of former Hope basketball player Chris VanderSlice, who lost his battle with leukemia. No obit posted yet, but I thought I'd share a newspaper feature that ran a year or so ago about his daunting health challenges. May he rest in peace and rise in glory.
http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2015/01/one_year_after_leukemia_diagno.html

[GreatScot!?]

Alma with their first test of the season tonight against Northwood at 7pm! Will be interesting to see how the Scots do tonight.