MBB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[KnightSlappy]

Olivet has their roster posted.  Looks like 4 new players including 2 Freshman and 2 CC transfers:

http://www.olivetcollege.edu/athletics/mbasketball/roster.php

My gut tells me this team will win some games. I think they'd be very disappointed if they didn't finish in the top three of the league.

For sure - but then many of us were saying that a year ago, and I 'm sure they were disappointed with last year.  Consistency from this team (beyond Mr. McClary) would go a long way toward the Comets competing for a league title. 

Just thumbing through OC's schedule... got some pretty tough matchups.

@#14 Anderson
vs. ORV Case Western Reserve (at John Carroll)
potential @#18 John Carroll
vs. #11 St. Mary's (Md.) (neutral court)

plus Non-D3 games against AQ, GVSU, and Spring Arbor.

They will have played four games before Hope takes the court for the first time.

[hoopdreams]

yes leadership, although I cannot recall if that award is named The St. Thomas Aquinas Award or goes by another name.  It was $1000 and nearly every athlete, good or bad, picked it up. I'm sure many colleges/universities lend assistance by these means. Every penny helps!

[sac]

Well the "Carolina" offense serves it's purpose against the Calvins and Hopes of the world....we slow it down to get a 3 or a layup at the end of the shotclock and make them think they need to rush a shot....

It definately works, 2 years ago as the 8 seed playing at Hope we kept it to a 1 possesion game within the final 3 minutes......

So what's that, 0-10 with 2 close games against Calvin and Hope in two years? I'm not sure that qualifies as "works". I guess, maybe, if the expectation is 0-10 with 0 or 1 close games then you have a point.

Alma had the ball with a chance to win in regulation @ Calvin just this past February in the regular season's last game, then lost in OT.

[KnightSlappy]

Well the "Carolina" offense serves it's purpose against the Calvins and Hopes of the world....we slow it down to get a 3 or a layup at the end of the shotclock and make them think they need to rush a shot....

It definately works, 2 years ago as the 8 seed playing at Hope we kept it to a 1 possesion game within the final 3 minutes......

So what's that, 0-10 with 2 close games against Calvin and Hope in two years? I'm not sure that qualifies as "works". I guess, maybe, if the expectation is 0-10 with 0 or 1 close games then you have a point.

Alma had the ball with a chance to win in regulation @ Calvin just this past February in the regular season's last game, then lost in OT.

Sounds like something a Lions fan would say...

But seriously, the OT game against the Knights was included in the two close games I mentioned. The point wasn't really to pinpoint which were close or not, but that an 0-10 record doesn't indicate that the system is working.

[ziggy]

Well the "Carolina" offense serves it's purpose against the Calvins and Hopes of the world....we slow it down to get a 3 or a layup at the end of the shotclock and make them think they need to rush a shot....

It definately works, 2 years ago as the 8 seed playing at Hope we kept it to a 1 possesion game within the final 3 minutes......

So what's that, 0-10 with 2 close games against Calvin and Hope in two years? I'm not sure that qualifies as "works". I guess, maybe, if the expectation is 0-10 with 0 or 1 close games then you have a point.

Alma had the ball with a chance to win in regulation @ Calvin just this past February in the regular season's last game, then lost in OT.

Sounds like something a Lions fan would say...

But seriously, the OT game against the Knights was included in the two close games I mentioned. The point wasn't really to pinpoint which were close or not, but that an 0-10 record doesn't indicate that the system is working.

We can definitively say the talent isn't working. The system might not be working because the parts aren't working.

[wiz]

Well the "Carolina" offense serves it's purpose against the Calvins and Hopes of the world....we slow it down to get a 3 or a layup at the end of the shotclock and make them think they need to rush a shot....

It definately works, 2 years ago as the 8 seed playing at Hope we kept it to a 1 possesion game within the final 3 minutes......

I think being close still counts for something in horeshoes, but in basketball a team still needs to actually win the game to make it count.

So what's that, 0-10 with 2 close games against Calvin and Hope in two years? I'm not sure that qualifies as "works". I guess, maybe, if the expectation is 0-10 with 0 or 1 close games then you have a point.

Alma had the ball with a chance to win in regulation @ Calvin just this past February in the regular season's last game, then lost in OT.

Sounds like something a Lions fan would say...

But seriously, the OT game against the Knights was included in the two close games I mentioned. The point wasn't really to pinpoint which were close or not, but that an 0-10 record doesn't indicate that the system is working.

[wiz]

Well the "Carolina" offense serves it's purpose against the Calvins and Hopes of the world....we slow it down to get a 3 or a layup at the end of the shotclock and make them think they need to rush a shot....

It definately works, 2 years ago as the 8 seed playing at Hope we kept it to a 1 possesion game within the final 3 minutes......

I think being close still counts for something in horeshoes, but in basketball a team still needs to actually win the game to make it count.

So what's that, 0-10 with 2 close games against Calvin and Hope in two years? I'm not sure that qualifies as "works". I guess, maybe, if the expectation is 0-10 with 0 or 1 close games then you have a point.

Alma had the ball with a chance to win in regulation @ Calvin just this past February in the regular season's last game, then lost in OT.

Sounds like something a Lions fan would say...

But seriously, the OT game against the Knights was included in the two close games I mentioned. The point wasn't really to pinpoint which were close or not, but that an 0-10 record doesn't indicate that the system is working.

I didn't even get that last post close.  So, I'll lay it out here again to make it count.

I think being close still counts for something in horeshoes, but in basketball a team still needs to actually win the game to make it count. 

[Flying Dutch Fan]

slfzman - I think I get your point and I agree to a point.  I do think that the style of play used by Alma in the last couple of years has given them chances to win games (or at least still be in contention at the end).  Without that style of play, I believe that the Scots would not have had those opportunities.  The fact that they may have failed to take advantage of those opportunities is a different issue.

[realist]

Coach Turner used the slow down on offense combined with an "in your face" defense for years.  He always liked his chances if in the last 3 minutes the spread was 5 or less.   One problem with this strategy is the players that can make it work many times are not able to change gears to a more up tempo mode when they have to play catch up.  Not a bad strategy for a team that doesn't have the players to run with the big dogs provided you keep it close.
As SFMAN points out perhaps it may get in the opposing teams head.  Not exactly an opposing fan favorite either.

[sflzman]

Well the "Carolina" offense serves it's purpose against the Calvins and Hopes of the world....we slow it down to get a 3 or a layup at the end of the shotclock and make them think they need to rush a shot....

It definately works, 2 years ago as the 8 seed playing at Hope we kept it to a 1 possesion game within the final 3 minutes......

So what's that, 0-10 with 2 close games against Calvin and Hope in two years? I'm not sure that qualifies as "works". I guess, maybe, if the expectation is 0-10 with 0 or 1 close games then you have a point.

Yea but (maybe the coach leaving is a blessing in disguise) we don't ever run it against any other teams...we've ran the fast pased "one pass and shoot a 3" offense...

[sflzman]

Coach Turner used the slow down on offense combined with an "in your face" defense for years.  He always liked his chances if in the last 3 minutes the spread was 5 or less.   One problem with this strategy is the players that can make it work many times are not able to change gears to a more up tempo mode when they have to play catch up.  Not a bad strategy for a team that doesn't have the players to run with the big dogs provided you keep it close.
As SFMAN points out perhaps it may get in the opposing teams head.  Not exactly an opposing fan favorite either.

Not a fan favorite at all! Especially not for kids 18-22 year old! I wasn't at last year's playoff game, but the one at Hope 2 years ago was filled with chants of "BOR-ING, BOR-ING, BOR-ING" the whole game...

[devossed]

Actually, I believe this one my be of "as much if not more" interest to Hope fans than Howenstine's appearance:

http://www.gowolves.net/roster/8/1/333.php


Or even this one for Alma fans:

http://www.gowolves.net/roster/8/1/330.php

Actually, I think this nugget trumps them all:

http://wakeforestsports.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/jennings_spencer00.html

+ He went from "making" the JV team at Hope last year, to being dissatisfied with that option and transferred to Albion at semester break, where he did have a great JV year during the 2nd semester, but was not called up to varsity per his expectation.

+ I believe reports were that playing D-1 was always his dream in the first place, so best of luck to him in that quest.

[sflzman]

Actually, I believe this one my be of "as much if not more" interest to Hope fans than Howenstine's appearance:

http://www.gowolves.net/roster/8/1/333.php


Or even this one for Alma fans:

http://www.gowolves.net/roster/8/1/330.php

Missed this post the first time around......


Jordan going to Dearborn was the general consensus here at Alma when he left. His displeasure for Coach Smith was getting to his head, and he liked the players and coaches at Dearborn the two years when we had played them in the MIAA/WHAC Challenge.....

All-in-all this is too bad for us, cuz if he had stuck around he would have been able to lead the team with "his style" this season with Coach Smith now at MSU.....as great of a coach Charlie was back in the day, he seems to be fading out of the coaching business.....

[sac]

Actually, I believe this one my be of "as much if not more" interest to Hope fans than Howenstine's appearance:

http://www.gowolves.net/roster/8/1/333.php


Or even this one for Alma fans:

http://www.gowolves.net/roster/8/1/330.php

Actually, I think this nugget trumps them all:

http://wakeforestsports.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/jennings_spencer00.html

+ He went from "making" the JV team at Hope last year, to being dissatisfied with that option and transferred to Albion at semester break, where he did have a great JV year during the 2nd semester, but was not called up to varsity per his expectation.

+ I believe reports were that playing D-1 was always his dream in the first place, so best of luck to him in that quest.

Ranks right up there with the kid who played at Calvin then transferred to Michigan and actually played.  Name escapes me, I'm sure someone can fill that in for me.

[goodknight]

Actually, I believe this one my be of "as much if not more" interest to Hope fans than Howenstine's appearance:

http://www.gowolves.net/roster/8/1/333.php


Or even this one for Alma fans:

http://www.gowolves.net/roster/8/1/330.php

Actually, I think this nugget trumps them all:

http://wakeforestsports.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/jennings_spencer00.html

+ He went from "making" the JV team at Hope last year, to being dissatisfied with that option and transferred to Albion at semester break, where he did have a great JV year during the 2nd semester, but was not called up to varsity per his expectation.

+ I believe reports were that playing D-1 was always his dream in the first place, so best of luck to him in that quest.

Ranks right up there with the kid who played at Calvin then transferred to Michigan and actually played.  Name escapes me, I'm sure someone can fill that in for me.

That was Mike Gotfredson, who played sparingly but enthusiastically at Calvin his freshman and sophomore years, then walked on in Ann Arbor.  As a senior, he appeared in 29 games for the Wolverines and averaged 12.8 minutes per game.