MBB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[sac]

All 7:30 starts tonight:
Olivet at Alma
Kalamazoo at Calvin
Adrian at Albion

Tomorrow
Hope at Adrian 7pm

Crunch time for seeding for whatever next weeks tournament looks like.

It'll be interesting what happens if Calvin finishes 3-0 having not played Trine or Albion (or Hope or Alma for that matter). Would they get a #2 seed or would they determine seeding by number of wins rather than percentage? I'm not sure if the MIAA has made a declaration on any of that?

I kind of assumed it was by win% but I'm told that's not correct.  Hoping to find out later today.

[WUPHF]

Tensions between tradition and change has always been a staple of the American college or university as has been the need to evolve.  Proof: https://www.lostcolleges.com/

I do think most parents are still evaluating the university with a standard value proposition that considers tuition, job prospects, campus facilities, the potential for a safe, enjoyable experience and for the athletic experience for parents of student-athletes.

[KnightSlappy]

All 7:30 starts tonight:
Olivet at Alma
Kalamazoo at Calvin
Adrian at Albion

Tomorrow
Hope at Adrian 7pm

Crunch time for seeding for whatever next weeks tournament looks like.

It'll be interesting what happens if Calvin finishes 3-0 having not played Trine or Albion (or Hope or Alma for that matter). Would they get a #2 seed or would they determine seeding by number of wins rather than percentage? I'm not sure if the MIAA has made a declaration on any of that?

I kind of assumed it was by win% but I'm told that's not correct.  Hoping to find out later today.

I wouldn't be totally offended if the league retroactively declared Calvin's loss against Trine to be a conference match. I understand neither team expected it to count toward the standings, but we're all working with what we have right now.

[sac]

So the way seeding has been described to me sounds like part standings after Saturday, part smoke filled room.  Should be interesting.

[KnightSlappy]

Calvin 61, Kalamazoo 49.

I think both teams were shorthanded. Kalamazoo only played 7 guys, but that might be typical for them. Calvin was without Thad Shymanski and Brandon Paul, and a couple other normal reserves (Sam LaDuke, Jacob Williams) did not see action. I don't know if they still have players in COVID protocol or what the situation is.

Kalamazoo mostly opted to play zone against Calvin. That seems to be the go-to defense against the Knights. Calvin attacked it with Uchenna Egekeze in the soft middle at the top of the key and he responded with 18 points. Luke Scheffers had 13 points and Emmett Warners had a double-double with 12 pts and 13 rebounds.

Merritt Hamann and Ty Horky had very nice performances with 17 pts and 13 pts respectively, but Kalamazoo could not find much offense outside of those two.

[hornets76542]

Calvin 61, Kalamazoo 49.

I think both teams were shorthanded. Kalamazoo only played 7 guys, but that might be typical for them.
...
Kalamazoo mostly opted to play zone against Calvin.

From what I've seen this year, K usually only goes 7 or 8 deep, and plays exclusively zone.

[sac]

Hope 89 Adrian 86 F

Hope trailed by 9 with 12 to play, went on a 22-4 run to lead by 9 then held off plucky Adrian.  Bulldogs played without 3 regular starters and coming off a game last night at Albion.  Hung tough and bombed away hitting a season high 14 3's finishing at 49% but hovering around 70% for most of the game.  Hope was able to make some big time plays down the stretch.

Hope:  Granger 28, Bikus 16, Dykhouse 10
Adrian:  Ansara 19, McDevitt 19, Pelham 18, Sheffey 10

Ansara/Bikus combined for 9/13 triples


Next up for Hope is Kalamazoo Saturday, and I'm 90% sure it will be Hope/Kzoo Tuesday in the tournament at the Saturday winner.  Unless the MIAA coaches do something weird and flip Calvin/Hope.

[Flying Dutch Fan]

Pretty sure Ansara shooting the 3 was not a defensive scouting focus for anyone before the game last night - not that he should have been, but wow, what a first half by him and the entire team from 3. Thankfully some improved 2nd half Hope defense, a "return to the norm" in shooting percentage, and some tired Bulldog legs gave the Dutchmen the victory.

Side question - so mask wearing is required while playing the game, but dance teams or cheerleading teams (who are also considered athletes) do not have to wear them? 

[TUAngola]

Final from Angola:  Trine 82 Albion 53

Battle for the regular season MIAA conference crown goes emphatically to the Trine Thunder.  Trine jumps on the throttle early and didn't let up.  Just amazed at what these kids accomplished this year.  But in listening to Coach Miller he has said repeatedly that he's never been around a group of guys who thouroughly enjoy the game, enjoy doing the work to get better, enjoy hanging out as a team more than this group of young men.  It was nice to see them cut down the nets, albeit in a covid shortened and strange season.  Thank you to the MIAA, President Brooks, and AD Land for helping make a conference season happen when so many D3 teams didn't get that chance this winter.  It was also nice to hear the parents/families in the crowd cheering the boys on.

Trine:  Cox 19, Bowman 15, Jones 14, Geller 11, Warzecha 8, Williams 7
Albion:  Ebeling 19, Garland 7, Barnes 7, Perry 7

[TUAngola]

My MIAA All-Conference team predictions:

1st Team
Nick Bowman  Trine
Caden Ebeling  Albion
Preston Granger  Hope
Thad Shymanski  Calvin
Cortez Garland  Albion
Cole Kleiver  Alma

2nd Team
Brent Cox  Trine
Evan Thomas  Hope
Emmett Warners  Calvin
Merritt Hamman  Kalamazoo
Eddie Thigpen  Olivet
Kendall Bellamy  Adrian

POY  Nick Bowman
Defensive POY  Nick Bowman

[oldknight]

Calvin beat Olivet 73-58, in a bit of a strange game. Shymanski and Laduke returned to action for Calvin, but Brandon Paul remains on the MIA list. i assume he will be available to play next week.

The Knights took a double digit lead fairly early on, leading by as much as 15, before going cold with 5 minutes left in the half. That let the Comets back into the game with the hosts outscoring Calvin 22-4 over a 12 minute stretch to take a 43-38 lead. The visitors from GR finally overcame their funky and indifferent play, and the game went back and forth for a few minutes. With the score tied at 54 at about the 7 minutes mark, Calvin scored 17 consecutive points, and that was all she wrote.

Calvin got 23 and 18 from their senior pair of Shymanski and Warners, even as the team's miserable free throw shooting season continues. The Knights needed to make their last two from the line to go 13-22, and as a team they are shooting 57% from the charity stripe. On the plus side, Uchenna Egekeze went 3-6 on free throws, raising his percentage at the line his freshmen year to 29%. That's not a misprint.

Olivet was led by Angell and Thigpen with 15 and 12. The Comets shot about as well (or poorly) as did Calvin, but lost the game by shooting far fewer free throws (22 to 6) and making 5 more turnovers than Calvin. It was nice to see Noah Wiswary get significant minutes (25). To my mind, Olivet's offense is better when the former Unity Christian PG is on the floor. Wiz simply forces action on a defense in ways I don't see others on the Olivet team do.

Congrats to Trine on their undefeated conference season. Clearly the best MIAA team in this short season.

[sac]

Trine beat every team in the league at least once by 18 points except Adrian and by 23+ except Adrian and Calvin.  They hung 30+ margins on Hope, Alma and Kzoo

[sac]

Here's all the Seniors as listed on their rosters.  Everyone is eligible to return without losing a year of eligibility.  That will be a tough ask for most of these guys.  Thanks and I enjoyed watching you play at different times over the last 4 years.

Adrian
Tyler Gillery
Conner Pelham
Rober Warrick
Kas Oganowski

Albion
Jaylen Ross
Frank Felix
Juwan Perry
Quinten Armstrong
Caden Ebeling

Alma
Matt Lark

Calvin
Caleb Cleary
Sam LaDuke
Thad Shymanski
Emmett Warners

Hope
Danny Beckman
Ryan Gamm
Jake Honor
Calvin Hackert
Sam Vree
Preston Granger

Kalamazoo
Jeremiah Vincent
Jack Smith
Rai Gundy
Merritt Hammann
Jordan Currie
Calder Pellerin
Thomas Cook

Olivet
Chris Martin
Eddie Thigpen
Tishaun Cooper
Delbert Redfield
Spencer Naffzinger

Trine
maybe a cheerleader or two

[KnightSlappy]

Tournament Seeding is out. League Champion Calvin will get the #4 seed.

1 Trine
8 Alma

4 Calvin
5 Kalamazoo

3 Hope
6 Adrian

2 Albion
7 Olivet

Seeding looks like straight win totals, which is fine. Games are Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday. Women play Monday, Wednesday, Saturday.

https://twitter.com/MIAA1888/status/1366026294408929282

[Flying Dutch Fan]

Tournament Seeding is out. League Champion Calvin will get the #4 seed.

1 Trine
8 Alma

4 Calvin
5 Kalamazoo

3 Hope
6 Adrian

2 Albion
7 Olivet

Seeding looks like straight win totals, which is fine. Games are Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday. Women play Monday, Wednesday, Saturday.

https://twitter.com/MIAA1888/status/1366026294408929282

From the MIAA press release:

All games were not completed due to COVID-19 protocols, so the seeding was determined by the coaches' postseason rankings.