MBB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[hope1]

i still think it will 2 losses to win  the league when hope plays    calvin it will be a different game hope did not play there game and calvin is very good  a couple of tough road game coming up at adrian saturday

[arena]

Last I looked, everyone has the same teams on their road schedule.  The same tough schedule.  And, Calvin just won the toughest game on its road schedule. 

[Dark Knight]

There was a funny quote in the Press this morning in the coverage of the Calvin-Hope game.

Apparently the H from D - U - T - C - H - M - E - N decided to drop his pants while Mantel was teeing up for a free throw. As the Press reports,

"Yeah, I saw him out of the corner of my eye," said Calvin center John Mantel, whose under-duress completion of a three point play could be viewed as the difference a a 66-64 win. "I just thought, 'I gotta focus on this one, because I've got a naked dude in the background.'"

I guess those Hope fans leave it all out on the floor (or in the stands) in support of their guys.

[northb]

There was a funny quote in the Press this morning in the coverage of the Calvin-Hope game.

Apparently the H from D - U - T - C - H - M - E - N decided to drop his pants while Mantel was teeing up for a free throw. As the Press reports,

"Yeah, I saw him out of the corner of my eye," said Calvin center John Mantel, whose under-duress completion of a three point play could be viewed as the difference a a 66-64 win. "I just thought, 'I gotta focus on this one, because I've got a naked dude in the background.'"

I guess those Hope fans leave it all out on the floor (or in the stands) in support of their guys.

Which frat should the vice squad go to on Monday morning?

[hope1]

that was really bad that the stutent did that  i hoped he got kicked out out the game for doing that

[KnightSlappy]

Mantel is good in the paint, but the freshman center from Trine did a decent job on Mantel until he got tired and in foul trouble.

I don't know that anyone in the league can really handle John and I think he is realizing this.  He has recorded a double-double in 3 of the 4 games, only missing in the game where he turned his ankle and played only about 25 seconds.  His league average of 14.0 points and 8.8 rebounds while only averaging 19 minutes is quite impressive.

[oldknight]

I am still confused as to why Bunn cannot play point when due needed?  Multi all-state PG, D1 PG simply cannot run a team after doing it his entire life?  No disrespect to Bosch, but he is 1/4 the offensive player ( ball handling, shooting, floor general- BB can make right handed layups) that Bunn is, but he can flip-flop between the 1 and 2 which he has done?  It just seems like alot of the stress of PG play could be reduced by this. 

You follow the Hope program closer than I do but I don't sense there was any dissatisfaction with Bunn's performance at the point  It's more likely that Hope saw Peter as the answer to the coaching staff's disappointment at the inconsistent play they were getting from the 2 guard spot. Bunn can play either guard spot well but GVS apparently decided to give the talented Krombeen a try at running the team. From what I can tell, that experiment seems likely to work out well for Hope and I think Glenn has a starting backcourt that he can rely on through the 2010-11 season.

[hoopdreams]

Calvin fans have a couple to look forward to:  although a little slow, the 6'7 kid did some really good things yesterday, as well as I believe #30 who hit some big shots.  He displayed a little moxie which I enjoy seeing in players.

Question #2 for hope fans, because i know there is no rational answer for my previous PG question, but just for s#$%'s and giggles, why is Nate King on varsity?  He is essentially being redshirted ( getting to practice and go to games) but he's not getting this year back.  The JV team doesn't need any other players? They (JV) have no use for a long, bouncy, athletic 3/4?  There just in case Reimink, bowser, nelis, osburn, tanis , cox fall ill?

I hope the comment earlier about Gustav playing pg was a play on all the seemingless pg's on the roster who do or no longer play point.  He is an average ball handler who only uses is right,  with one goal in mind- scoring.  23 shot attempts and one dribble over his head in transition.  He is more than ready physically, and is really fun to watch because his game is so "Euro" but his defense is lacking and the varsity usually is playing 4 on 5, sometimes 3 on 5 already.  (Subtle plug that 2 of the starters are average at best defenders)

As badly as I wanted the Dutchman to win, I feel pretty good afterwards, 3-24 3pters, jesse playing human for once, krombeen a non factor, to have a chance to win?  Calvin must feel pretty good as well with Smith and Veltema essentiallly nonfactors scoring-wise.  Other kids stepped up and got it done.

[hoopdreams]

Oldknight, I agree that they were not dissappointed with peter at point, but Hope is struggling without Krombeen in and its fairly unrealistic to ask a player who has never played in Hope's system, who hasn't practiced or played with his teammates for over two months to be thrown in and run a team.  In a perfect world he could have practiced over break, played a couple of non-conference games, etc... but for 2 games the O stalled, and yesterday it turned out to be a prettty important chapter to the story.  Will it pay dividends in the long run? probably so, I hope.  To get back into the race, and more importantly, into the questt for home court advantage come MIAA tourney time, the Dutch have to have Calvin get knocked off by someone else and based on what i've seen, I'm not sure that can happen.

I wish my wife cared about hoops so I wouldn't have to come on here to question, comment or celebrate this stuff.  Kudos to Calvin but I'm curious to see how Hope responds.  I think this loss will speed up the llearning curve of the youngsters quite a bit.

[Pat Coleman]

I wish my wife cared about hoops so I wouldn't have to come on here to question, comment or celebrate this stuff. 

Well, you would be welcome here regardless.

[calvin66]

Good Calvin-Hope game yesterday.  I think the experience of Veldhouse and Mantel topped the one man experience of Reimink.  It's as simple as that.  The rest are role players this year.

[northb]

Mantel is good in the paint, but the freshman center from Trine did a decent job on Mantel until he got tired and in foul trouble.

I don't know that anyone in the league can really handle John and I think he is realizing this.  He has recorded a double-double in 3 of the 4 games, only missing in the game where he turned his ankle and played only about 25 seconds.  His league average of 14.0 points and 8.8 rebounds while only averaging 19 minutes is quite impressive.

I had a sense that he was feeling this.  The telling moment for me was actually a non-shot.  At the end of the first half, Calvin missed, all his teammates had headed back on defense, and Mantel stole/came up with the ball from the two Hope guys getting tangled upwith each other.  He went for the jam, although this was waved off as time had expired.  But he came down after that dunk and just stood there (maybe a little ticked that the stripes had waved it off).  His teammates were at the other end of the floor as was the rest of the bench.  He just stood in the same spot and let them all come past him, the big man having a good game in front of the biggest crowd in the big game.  I think he felt it right then. If he keeps that confidence, the rest of the league will have a rough time against Calvin.

[sac]

If Bunn move's to the point, that leaves only Tanis at the 2.......on the whole roster really.  With no ability to run a 3 guard offense.  Hope needs to be able to run a 3 guard set to give Bowser and Reimink a rest.  Venema will fill in for Osburn when needed.

You take any combination of guards to make a 3 guard set and Bunn moving to the 2 or 3 makes the most sense, since Krombeen, Jungling, Carter and to a certain extent Bosch are point guards. 

Its really a matter of depth, or lack of, on the frontline in my opinion.

To me its also not that big of a deal, since I don't really feel Hope uses a point guard in a traditional sense.  The balls not in the point guard's hands nearly as much as other teams.  Plenty of plays start with the ball in Bunn's hands, infact the last one could be argued Bunn was essentially in a PG position.

Question #2 for hope fans,why is Nate King on varsity?  

I have no good answer.   What I don't understand is why he doesn't play in the JV games and suit up for varsity and sit on the bench?  Especially with the JV also having its own injury problems.   I believe this is still allowed under the rules, in fact I think Calvin had a player do just that.  I think I understand the idea of team unity and running practices and all that,  but its been mentioned to me by more than a couple people that he could have used a year on JV to develop.

He may not be getting game experience, but I'm sure practicing with the varsity is still a big help to him.

[realist]

Sac:  Thanks for sharing your "dream".   That entire sequence was pretty much how I saw the game playing out in advance as well.  To me the key was forcing J Riemink to play hard the entire game, and I think Calvin did just that.  He faced pretty intense defensive coverage the entire game, and nothing would or did come easy.  There was no question who was going to get that shot at the end, and how many times is JR going to miss that 15 footer?  That miss was the culmination of the previous 39 minutes and 57 seconds. 
It is a great tribute to the entire team, and Hope's coaches that they stopped Calvin from running away with the game.  A lesser team, with lesser talent would probably have gotten blown out in that situation.  Hope fans have every right to be proud of their team.  I have sat in the bleachers at the end of rivalry games when the circumstances were reversed, and felt great pride that Calvin had forced a better team to beat them.

[sac]

Calvin 4-0   (+2)
Hope 3-1    (+1)
Adrian  2-2  (0)
Albion 2-2    (0)
Alma 2-2      (0)
Olivet 2-2     (0)
Kzoo 1-3      (-2)
Trine 0-4      (-1)

Wednesday, January 21
Adrian at Trine, 7:30 p.m.
Alma at Hope, 7:30 p.m.
Kalamazoo at Albion, 8 p.m.
Olivet at Calvin, 7:30 p.m.

All four of our 2 loss teams are back to 'par' with each making up for home losses.  Olivet's is the craziest, going 0-2 at home, 2-0 on the road.  But each is now affectively 4 games back of Calvin..........a whole lot of help has to come their way to make up that ground.  Winning at Calvin has become virtually a must........of those 4 Alma is the furthest back because they can't win at Calvin, the other 3 still can.


Adrian at Trine  --  Trine led Albion for 34 minutes before the Britons won the game in the last 2, thats pretty big coming off a loss to Alma.  I can only imagine where the Bulldogs are in their minds at the moment.  Key win for either team, it could spiral out of control for Adrian with another loss

Alma at Hope  --  The all important emotional letdown game after the big rivalry.  Its at home and that will help.  But Hope can't get caught at home with their........pants down.  For Alma this a great chance for a statement game.

Kzoo at Albion  --  Kzoo now needs to make up for 2 straight home losses.  I've seen nothing to suggest they can't beat Albion.  Maybe a 'tweener' game for Albion with Calvin coming to Albion next Saturday.

Olivet at Calvin  --  Olivets designs on a championship come to a head here.  Win still in it, lose and out.  Mild opportunity for emotional letdown but I think the opposite is more likely to happen, a team that builds on its big Saturday win and presses on.