MBB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[MaroonKnighty]

Everything up to this doesn't matter.  Calvin made it farther than hope!

[sac]

Everything up to this doesn't matter.  Calvin made it farther than hope!

[sac]

Wheaton 71 Hope 69  F

Tough one to lose, but a great overall game down in St. Louis.  Quite a battle between the 4 best players on the floor  Thomas, Dykhouse for Hope,  Adom, Cruckshaink for Wheaton. 

Slice and dice this a lot of ways but Hope wasn't able to score much the last 3 or 4 minutes and that ultimately led to their loss.  There is no accurate box score posted as of this post, hopefully there will be soon.  Alot to be very happy about and a lot to be excited about for next year and beyond.  Special thanks to Hope's 3 Seniors Josh, Jeff and Tyler is been fun watching you grow on the court and wish the best of fortune in your futures. 


Super season for Hope overall, any reasonable expectations certainly would not have included winning the MIAA Championship, the MIAA Tournament, sweeping Calvin or even playing in the NCAA Tournament.  This Hope team showed tremendous improvement from the past couple seasons but also from the first tip this year right to the end. 

There's a lot to be thankful and grateful about this season, not the least of which the dozens of people behind the scenes at every MIAA institution that worked hard to make this season a go and as accommodating for everyone as possible.  I was just thrilled to be able to be in a gym and watch live basketball this year.  Thank you so much for your efforts.

I've posted here longer than I care to mention and have mostly enjoyed it.  As I've aged here, thoughts that I could process into words that used to come very easy to me seem to disappear in the time it takes me to drive from a gym to my home so I know I haven't had much to offer around here lately.  Even still  I think I could probably talk about MIAA basketball all day if you gave me a chance.  I still enjoy watching games very much but probably could use a few longer naps.  Thanks to those who have made it engaging and interesting here over the years.  Thanks to those who took a moment to introduce themselves to me or engage with me privately online  (most of these people seem to be gone now).  I know I'm not the most social person in the world, but your words and/or encouragement from time to time have meant a lot to me.

Our numbers have dwindled quite a bit, not sure what this place will look like next year and I have still a bit more to say about this year and next.  But just in case....its been fun.


Go Hope!


   

[wiz]

This writer didn't care for all the fouls called tonight.  I didn't either.  Let's hope for a better crew tomorrow.

https://gojohnnies.com/news/2022/3/4/johnnie-basketballs-season-ends-in-ncaa-tournament-77-71.aspx

[oldknight]

This writer didn't care for all the fouls called tonight.  I didn't either.  Let's hope for a better crew tomorrow.

https://gojohnnies.com/news/2022/3/4/johnnie-basketballs-season-ends-in-ncaa-tournament-77-71.aspx

I dunno, I think they could have called more. Looking at the game through my Calvin lens, It looked to me that the Knights ball handler was frequently bumped when getting a half-step on the Johnnies' defender. There were also several obvious over-the-back calls that didn't get whistled. Also, remember that SJU logged 6 of their 26 fouls in the final minute, when trying to get back in the game. Those were easy calls to make.

[ziggy]

This writer didn't care for all the fouls called tonight.  I didn't either.  Let's hope for a better crew tomorrow.

https://gojohnnies.com/news/2022/3/4/johnnie-basketballs-season-ends-in-ncaa-tournament-77-71.aspx

I dunno, I think they could have called more. Looking at the game through my Calvin lens, It looked to me that the Knights ball handler was frequently bumped when getting a half-step on the Johnnies' defender. There were also several obvious over-the-back calls that didn't get whistled. Also, remember that SJU logged 6 of their 26 fouls in the final minute, when trying to get back in the game. Those were easy calls to make.

The Johnnies were visibly frustrated with the officials on a few occasions tonight and let's just say I can't blame them. There were a couple calls, I believe both in the second half, that come to mind - one foul call that probably should have been a held ball and another that just looked like a contested rebound.

Stuff like that can happen over the course of a game and it can set up "if that is a foul, why isn't this a foul?" moments. There was some of that tonight but nothing I would say swung that balance of the game.

As for the other game of interest today on this board, eight players went into the halftime locker room with 2+ fouls. I'm more of a "let them play" kind of guy so I always prefer whistle be kept at a minimum. It's just better for flow and makes for a more enjoyable game, that's especially important to me on this stage. The more the stripes can stick in the background the better.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

I got to sit next to the observer for the officials at the Swarthmore-Keene State game tonight. I couldn't really decipher the page he was using for evaluation, but it was intense. The refs are under as much pressure as the players to perform well and advance. Fans like to complain, and sometimes rightly so, but there's definitely accountability there. It was a cool process to witness.

[pointlem]

Thank you, Sac. Your information and commentary, along with that of others here, are part of what draws me to this board. Keep on. And hopefully the pandemic will end and next year we'll see the return of more fans to games, and perhaps to this board.

A tough loss for Hope, especially after the Gamecast odds tracker had swung decidedly in its favor, with an 8 point lead and less than 6 minutes to go. Nevertheless, kudos to the team—and seniors Jeff Bikus, Tyler George, and Josh Lilja—for what hopefully will, in their memories be a satisfying season that achieved most of their goals and exceeded expectations. For their fans, the improvement from last year, and from the season's beginning to end, was a pleasure to watch.

With rumors of new recruits, and with 70 percent of its scoring returning next year—unlike others (think Calvin and Wheaton) that graduate their top scorers—Hope's prospects seem even brighter for next year.

[goodknight]

DeJuan Potts-Heard, a 6-3 sharpshooter from Cookeville High School in Cookeville, TN, announces his commitment to Calvin on Twitter.https://twitter.com/djpottsheard15

[NW Hope Fan]

DeJuan Potts-Heard, a 6-3 sharpshooter from Cookeville High School in Cookeville, TN, announces his commitment to Calvin on Twitter.https://twitter.com/djpottsheard15

Interesting get. Is there a Calvin connection?

[goodknight]

DeJuan Potts-Heard, a 6-3 sharpshooter from Cookeville High School in Cookeville, TN, announces his commitment to Calvin on Twitter.https://twitter.com/djpottsheard15

Interesting get. Is there a Calvin connection?

I found it interesting, too, NW Hope Fan. One of my Calvin friends tells me the young man's father has a connection to Bill Sall from his Ferris State University coaching days. Not sure if the father played for Bill or was a student assistant there, but evidently he wants DJ to play for Bill.

[Grutte Dirk]

... in a carefully-chosen section wedged between the Hope and Calvin contingents that we dubbed "Switzerland".

That's a great story. Thanks for sharing.

[MaroonKnighty]

Congrats to the Knights on beating the #5 team in the country.  Didn't quite see that coming but GO KNIGHTS!!!

[calvin_grad]

17 turnovers compared to 3 last night and only 16 of 25 from the line, but it helps when Morrison goes 7 for 10 from deep and pours in 37.  Go Knights!!

[oldknight]

17 turnovers compared to 3 last night and only 16 of 25 from the line, but it helps when Morrison goes 7 for 10 from deep and pours in 37.  Go Knights!!

You know it's going to be a good Knight when Jordan Katje makes a three-point basket. Going back through his career stats, they show the K-Christian Comet is now 1-2 on his career from the arc.