MBB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[ziggy]

Looks like we'll once again have a three way tie for second which is really just a race to see which team will lose out and have to draw Hope in a potential MIAA tourney semi final game.

[oldknight]

Tonight's game at the Fieldhouse might have included the earliest "the hay is in the barn" call in Doug Wentworth broadcast history. GK picked a good time to pick up rays in Florida. It's hard to know when this game was over but after Calvin controlled the opening tip things started going south for Alma. The game was only 3 minutes old when I commented to no one in particular that this game had the makings of a rout. The Knights shot very well from 3 point range but that was largely due to the fact that most of their shots were pretty wide open looks. Alma never looked particularly interested in playing this game and I understand their coach is having medical issues and was not at the game so that may explain a lot right there.

After taking a 50--22 halftime lead things got completely out of hand when the Knights outscored the Scots 38-9 over the first 10 minutes of the second half. I felt badly for Alma. I really don't like seeing an opponent embarrassed like that but at least Calvin didn't just play garbage ball the second half. I did hear KVS in the postgame show and he didn't say anything remarkable. What can you say other than "we played great and Alma had a tough night"?

The only real negative about Calvin's play for me was their rebounding. There is no reason why Alma should outrebound the Knights but they did. The only Calvin player who showed much rebounding desire was Mantel who--after missing his first 3 or 4 shots--had an excellent game. John is going to be an alpha male player at Calvin. Come to think of it now, that's pretty much what KVS said in the post game interview.

[KnightSlappy]

Final from the historic Kresge Gymnasium:

Albion: 69   Tri-State: 59

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The only real negative about Calvin's play for me was their rebounding. There is no reason why Alma should outrebound the Knights but they did. The only Calvin player who showed much rebounding desire was Mantel who--after missing his first 3 or 4 shots--had an excellent game. John is going to be an alpha male player at Calvin. Come to think of it now, that's pretty much what KVS said in the post game interview.

I'm seeing from the live scoreboard box score that Calvin outrebounded Alma 41-32

[KnightSlappy]

Calvin may have won the final rebound count but several times Alma had three and four chances to put it back in.

[ziggy]

Alma finished with 17 offensive boards compared to Calvin's 14.  Both teams seemed to get multiple second or third chance opportunities.  Not many defensive rebounds out there for Alma to get.

[oldknight]

The only real negative about Calvin's play for me was their rebounding. There is no reason why Alma should outrebound the Knights but they did. The only Calvin player who showed much rebounding desire was Mantel who--after missing his first 3 or 4 shots--had an excellent game. John is going to be an alpha male player at Calvin. Come to think of it now, that's pretty much what KVS said in the post game interview.

I'm seeing from the live scoreboard box score that Calvin outrebounded Alma 41-32

You're right ziggy. The box on Calvin's website does show those numbers. I was relying on what Doug Wentworth said on the radio. I should know enough to fact check Doug before disseminating info on the board but it did seem to me that Calvin gave up a lot of second shots tonight.

[KnightSlappy]

Well at least Doug is saying something on the air...  gotta keep talking bud.

Here is the scoop on Sir Isaac Smith, he makes a lot of shots because he takes a lot of shots.

[ziggy]

The only real negative about Calvin's play for me was their rebounding. There is no reason why Alma should outrebound the Knights but they did. The only Calvin player who showed much rebounding desire was Mantel who--after missing his first 3 or 4 shots--had an excellent game. John is going to be an alpha male player at Calvin. Come to think of it now, that's pretty much what KVS said in the post game interview.

I'm seeing from the live scoreboard box score that Calvin outrebounded Alma 41-32

You're right ziggy. The box on Calvin's website does show those numbers. I was relying on what Doug Wentworth said on the radio. I should know enough to fact check Doug before disseminating info on the board but it did seem to me that Calvin gave up a lot of second shots tonight.

Oh yes, thats the dougie fresh we all know and lo... we all know.

[ziggy]

Well at least Doug is saying something on the air...  gotta keep talking bud.

Here is the scoop on Sir Isaac Smith, he makes a lot of shots because he takes a lot of shots.

Tony Benford makes a lot of shots, because he takes a lot of shots.  Thats what happens when 24 is your role model.

[Dark Knight]

Did anyone else think that Griffin's missed slam dunk was the best missed slam dunk by a 6'3" guard so far in that game? Zoerhof's was a pretty nice one of the made variety, too.

[almcguirejr]

I wouldn't get too excited about anything I saw at Calvin tonight.  I think Alma may have been the worst team I have ever seen.  There wasn't 1 ounce of competitiveness in those guys tonight.  Calvin had 20 points just over 4 minutes into the game.

He was also happy with the play of Mantel and Veltema. He also (re)iterated the fact that they are commited to getting those two quality minutes and thinks they will develop very nicely. 

I would feel better if he said we are comitted to playing the guys that give us the best chance to win this year.  This team still has a chance to go the NCAA tournament and if KVS is more concerned about developing things for the next few years that is somthing I strongly disagree with.

[sac]

hmmmm.........looks like an interesting night around the ol' MIAA.

Thanks to Albion and Kzoo for the 3 game lead I guess. 8)


Not to burst any Knight bubbles with their big win and nice start tonight but Hope was ahead of Alma 26-2.

That is just not a very good basketball team.

[ziggy]

\I would feel better if he said we are comitted to playing the guys that give us the best chance to win this year.  This team still has a chance to go the NCAA tournament and if KVS is more concerned about developing things for the next few years that is somthing I strongly disagree with.

When it comes to Mantel and Veltema, I think playing them gives them the best chance to win as well as develop for the future.  I'm judging most of this on what I saw in the second Hope game.  If Calvin is going to turn into anything great this year I truly believe these two will have to come up with some big performances.

[sac]

Hope 79 Olivet 57

Workmanlike effort tonight from the boys in orange.  This was a pretty physical afair for most of the game, Olivet seemed intent on keeping things under control and really did play good defense for good stretches of the evening, but Hope's defensive effort was just better.

Hope was able to take control of the game very eary, again sparked by VanSolkema and VanderHeide's play but no big run as has been the mo in previous games.  It stayed around 10-15 untill Olivet made a nice 3 or 4 bucket rally to pull within 7.......within 1 minute it was back to 14, largely because of Tyler Wolfe and Ryan Klein and Hope went into the lockeroom with a nice and well earned 15 point lead.

Hope started the 2nd half playing terrific defense but were unable to put the knockout punch on the Comets with several empty posessions.  I suppose Olivet's fate was decided when Andy Sierminski picked up 3 fouls in 1 trip down the floor........2 of them very poor and foolish, the last being 25 feet from the basket on VanderHeide who had is back to the basket.   This was with about 14 minutes left.  Sierminski returned later but quickly fouled out.  Defense and foul trouble kept him incheck tonight, I don't believe he even attempted a 3 after haveing a big 3 point night in Holland.

The Dutchmen were able to sustain their 17-22 point lead most of the half, a Derek VanSolkema layup and steal to get the lead to 24 with 5 minutes left was really the first time you could see the Comets lose confidence and heart, they were done after that.  Both coaches rightly subbed and the ends of the benches played it out.

Olivet really overplayed the 3 point shot a little, at least on a couple guys.  They definately did a nice job on Steve Cramer, who seemed to have a tough night yet ended up with 10.  I don't beleive Partridge took a shot, again because the Olivet guy was wearing his jersey.

The standouts for me tonight were Tyler Wolfe who's 17 first half points really kind of rescued Hope from having a real battle.  Once again he was part of a 2nd unit that expanded the lead everytime they were on the floor.  Ryan Klein had a solid game as well, both scoring and defensively.  He was very active on the floor.  Finally Jesse Reimink had a really solid game and just seemed to be on the end of every good defensive play tonight, his 2 3's came at big times. 

Wolfe 20, VanSolkema 13, Klein 11, Cramer 10

Jeff Cooper had 24 for the Comets, Way 14..............I hadn't realized  Cooper had that good of a game and I believe he was gaurding Cramer most of the night.

2 things Hope won't be real happy with are the turnovers (22) but there was alot of pressing in the game and pressure defense, and free throw shooting.  In the boxscore it doesn't look near as depressing as it seemed in person.  However the starters were just 4-11.

All around a pretty solid effort from both teams tonight.