MBB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[sflzman]

Alma can make noise in this conference and will shake something up by the end of the year. Need a mature post guy to go along with Erickson though...

[RuleBritannia]

The Kzoo-Albion game always felt like one Albion was going to pull out, even down 15. With Kzoo shooting 70+% and Albion near 20%, you knew that those numbers would balance out. That being said, Kzoo never folded and gave a game effort. They can give anyone in the league a game when they're playing well, their main weakness seems to be a lack of a third offensive threat outside of Prepolec and Clark.

Also, I have to commend the Kzoo audio guys, They do a good job of letting you know the action without rushing, they know the players and, many of their tendencies, and pronounce their names well. I thought they harped on the officials a little bit much, but then again, they saw the game and I didn't, so I'm not really in a position to judge. But they are, by far, the best game callers I've heard in the league.

Hope at Albion looms large this Saturday. Students are finally back on campus for Albion so it should be a good crowd. The series has been a good one, with the teams splitting their games 2 and 3 years ago, Hope one both games last year, but won the game at Kresge in a very close contest.

Albion...needs to be able to get some shots falling to open up the lane for JC Cruse. They have some shooters (Harville, Hutton, McDonald) but haven't shot a great percentage this year. If they can get the long ball going, they're difficult to stop with Cruse driving the lane and crashing the boards. Also, can Albion's inconsistent defense do enough to slow down Hope's balanced attack.

Hope...needs to be able to be patient on offense and not force the action into transition buckets for Albion. They're also giving up 75 points a game, they'll need to pick up their defensive efforts too, to get a win at Kresge, if you ask me.

Go Brits!

And Safe Drving

[ziggy]

McClary with 43 points tonight in an Olivet victory.  Anyone know when the last time someone has scored 43 more or points in a MIAA game?

Andy Phillips for Hope had 45 against Trine in 2004.

http://miaa.org/mbb/stats/0304/0107HOTS.HTM

Man, I forgot about him. He was a good player.

[sac]

McClary with 43 points tonight in an Olivet victory.  Anyone know when the last time someone has scored 43 more or points in a MIAA game?

Andy Phillips for Hope had 45 against Trine in 2004.

http://miaa.org/mbb/stats/0304/0107HOTS.HTM

Man, I forgot about him. He was a good player.

That was back when Trine was running the Grinnell style.  In a more normal paced game, I think you have to go all the way back to Steve Honderd's 61 in OT vs KZOO......1992? or so.

I thought Jeff Bell from Olivet had 42 or 43 vs Hope about 10 or 12 years ago but the last time I looked it was only 35 or something like that.

[OC_SID]

SAC, I have 42 for Bell's single-game scoring high and that was in a non-conference game. I am going to do some more research tomorrow. I don't have old final stat sheets here at home. I do remember looking up info before because a couple years ago, Brandon McClary had 38. What I have at home shows it as just third time in school history that an Olivet player scored 40 or more.

[HopeConvert]

A good home win for the Dutchmen last night. Some of the things that stood out to me were the play of Will Bowser, who is doing a much better job this year finishing around the basket, and an improved defensive performance from the Dutchmen. Hope forced Adrian deep into the shot clock on a number of occasions, often resulting in very bad heaves on the part of the Bulldogs (and an unfortunate set of 3 FT's for Wesley Reed, who can flat-out shoot). After shooting 71% from 3-pt range in the first half, the Bulldogs were limited to 30% in the second half (again, some of them heaves or blocked). Defensively, the Bulldogs do a nice job putting pressure on the ball, but I was particularly impressed with their ability to cut off the passing lanes.

Here's something I don't get. In two straight possessions, starting at the 15:20 mark in the first half, Adrian got the ball down to Ray Reed on the blocks, who backed down Snuggeruud with some ease and made a couple of bunnies. And then .. they didn't try it again. Hope didn't make any adjustment I could see. The Bulldogs could have had a nice high/low game going with Reed and Reed. They've had two very successful trips in a row down the floor. Reed had his way with Snuggeruud (even if the second backdown drew some exclaim from the crowd). Why would they not keep going to this?

Where was the Dew Crew?

[ziggy]

Calvin enters a key three game stretch on Saturday. Their game with Trine is the first of three straight home games. With Albion and Hope following, the Knights have a chance to pull into at least a tie for first place.

[sac]

Here's something I don't get. In two straight possessions, starting at the 15:20 mark in the first half, Adrian got the ball down to Ray Reed on the blocks, who backed down Snuggeruud with some ease and made a couple of bunnies. And then .. they didn't try it again. Hope didn't make any adjustment I could see. The Bulldogs could have had a nice high/low game going with Reed and Reed. They've had two very successful trips in a row down the floor. Reed had his way with Snuggeruud (even if the second backdown drew some exclaim from the crowd). Why would they not keep going to this?

Where was the Dew Crew?

After watching Adrian at Olivet, one of my great concerns for last night was how Hope would defend the baseline. 

--------------------------------------




Hope's still one of the lowest ranked teams for defensive FG% in D3, that is unlikely to change much as the year goes on........however the Dutchmen seem to be making improvements.

The last 3 second halves shooting for Hope's opponents.........

Alma 8-29
Olivet 9-27
Adrian 7-22

..that's a collective 24-78 or just 30.8%.   The last two games the outcome probably turned on Hope's 2nd half defensive improvement.   Pretty outstanding.

[realist]

Calvin has had 3 players score 50 points or more versus MIAA teams, and 2 more times non-conference.
S. Hondered  2-20-93  63 versus Kalamazoo
M. Veenstra   1-31-76  56 versus Adrian
D Rosendahl  2-20-52  50 versus Olivet

M. Phelps       1-27-68  53 versus Concordia
M. Veenstra    1-3-76   52 versus Biola

Technically the last MIAA player to score more than MM (in a conference game) would be C. Verkaik with 46 versus Adrian 2-17-10

[oldknight]

Calvin has had 3 players score 50 points or more versus MIAA teams, and 2 more times non-conference.
S. Hondered  2-20-93  63 versus Kalamazoo
M. Veenstra   1-31-76  56 versus Adrian
D Rosendale  2-20-52  50 versus Olivet

M. Phelps       1-27-68  53 versus Concordia
M. Veenstra    1-3-76   52 versus Biola

The amazing thing to me as I look at that list of five games is to realize that I was present at four of them. Your guess as to which one I missed.

[realist]

Calvin has had 3 players score 50 points or more versus MIAA teams, and 2 more times non-conference.
S. Hondered  2-20-93  63 versus Kalamazoo
M. Veenstra   1-31-76  56 versus Adrian
D Rosendale  2-20-52  50 versus Olivet

M. Phelps       1-27-68  53 versus Concordia
M. Veenstra    1-3-76   52 versus Biola

The amazing thing to me as I look at that list of five games is to realize that I was present at four of them. Your guess as to which one I missed.

Now that you mention it I saw a few of them myself.  Veenstra was so smooth.  Honderd was a bull, got cut, and if memory serves correct had to change his shirt because of blood spots from his elbow.  His 61 was against a very good Kalamazoo team with Passage.
For fun I think M. Phelps in 68 is my favorite,  like Honderd he was hitting from all over, but I remember some long range bombs that probably would be 3 pts. today.  

[Flying Dutch Fan]

Calvin has had 3 players score 50 points or more versus MIAA teams, and 2 more times non-conference.
S. Hondered  2-20-93  63 versus Kalamazoo
M. Veenstra   1-31-76  56 versus Adrian
D Rosendale  2-20-52  50 versus Olivet

M. Phelps       1-27-68  53 versus Concordia
M. Veenstra    1-3-76   52 versus Biola

The amazing thing to me as I look at that list of five games is to realize that I was present at four of them. Your guess as to which one I missed.

I'd guess you missed Phelps game   

[Flying Dutch Fan]

Curiosity drove me to look at the Hope stats for points vs MIAA opponents.  Here is what I found:

Most Points vs. MIAA Opponents
Adrian 40 Floyd Brady, 1968
Albion 51 Dan Shinabarger, 1970
Alma 40 Floyd Brady, 1968
Calvin 43 Floyd Brady, 1968
Kalamazoo 38 Jim VanderHill, 1961
Olivet 41 Jim VanderHill, 1962
Trine 24 Daane Griffeth, 2005


I guess Andy Phillips 45 against Tri-State (Trine) in 2004 doesn't count since the Thunder were not an official MIAA team at that point.

[northb]

Calvin has had 3 players score 50 points or more versus MIAA teams, and 2 more times non-conference.
S. Hondered  2-20-93  63 versus Kalamazoo
M. Veenstra   1-31-76  56 versus Adrian
D Rosendale  2-20-52  50 versus Olivet

M. Phelps       1-27-68  53 versus Concordia
M. Veenstra    1-3-76   52 versus Biola

The amazing thing to me as I look at that list of five games is to realize that I was present at four of them. Your guess as to which one I missed.

Now that you mention it I saw a few of them myself.  Veenstra was so smooth.  Honderd was a bull, got cut, and if memory serves correct had to change his shirt because of blood spots from his elbow.  His 61 was against a very good Kalamazoo team with Passage.
For fun I think M. Phelps in 68 is my favorite,  like Honderd he was hitting from all over, but I remember some long range bombs that probably would be 3 pts. today.  

I saw that Honderd game.  The down side was that Calvin needed all those points to win in overtime.  I think the Hornets had three or four guys foul out trying to guard him.  And he was money in the bank for free throws, too.
Yes he did change shirts, took the shirt from #52, Van Laar, I think, which was the most action that shirt saw all season!

[Knightmare]

Curiosity drove me to look at the Hope stats for points vs MIAA opponents.  Here is what I found:

Most Points vs. MIAA Opponents
Adrian 40 Floyd Brady, 1968
Albion 51 Dan Shinabarger, 1970
Alma 40 Floyd Brady, 1968
Calvin 43 Floyd Brady, 1968
Kalamazoo 38 Jim VanderHill, 1961
Olivet 41 Jim VanderHill, 1962
Trine 24 Daane Griffeth, 2005


I guess Andy Phillips 45 against Tri-State (Trine) in 2004 doesn't count since the Thunder were not an official MIAA team at that point.

Daane Griffeth with 24 pts. makes the list!?!?  That seems a peculiar inclusion to your list.  Surely there have to be a few other games of over 24 points by other Hope players against MIAA competition to bump him from that spot, isn't there?  Just curious.

I'd just be surprised if, in the long history of Hope basketball in the MIAA, a game of 24 pts. garnered a spot at #7 on the list.  Don't get me wrong, 24 pts. is a nice game, but it surely doesn't scream out top all-time type performance especially with a history such as Hope College's (that pains me to write that as a Calvin alum  ).