MBB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[KnightSlappy]

goodknight, thanks for chiming in on the rotations. Here was my thinking:

Haverdink: KVS loves (loves, loves) Haverdink's defense. He's THE senior, and he's probably the best team defender on the team. He was regularly among the first off the bench last year.

Nadeau: You don't get put on JV and Varsity if the coach thinks you're in the ten or eleven man rotation. Now, perhaps he does show KVS enough to get plugged into the rotation, but he'd be removed from the JV team then. You can't play significant minutes with both teams; as long as he's also on JV, he's only seeing garbage minutes.

Rietema: Since Nadeau is probably at the end of the bench, Calvin is only left with two players capable of running the point: Powell and Rietema. Now, it could end up that both players do start but then go on to mostly rotate at the PG position (ala Veldhouse/Smith), but I think this would come at the expense of DeBoer, not Havs.

DeBoer: I'm looking for a step forward from him, that's why I put him in. Could very "easily" be replaced by DeVries, Vallie, Dykstra, or DeYoung.

Vallie: My dark horse candidate to be a major contributor. I'm (and I know ziggy is as well) loving me some Mitch Vallie heading into the year.

Most of my bench reserves: purely guesses. I'm only willing to bet strongly that Nadeau and Mantel are at the end of the bench, probably Henry too. Not sure on the rest.

[13wapiti]

Alma Roster Posted

http://www.alma.edu/athletics/mbb/roster

Some of the new to varsity players missing data-they don't look to have a lot of size

[Happy Calvin Guy]

Alma's roster posted:
http://www.alma.edu/athletics/mbb/roster

Top three scorers return, but it looks like the league's top scoring freshman from a year ago Brett Lackie is not returning for the Scots.

[Knightmare]

Alma's roster posted:
http://www.alma.edu/athletics/mbb/roster

Top three scorers return, but it looks like the league's top scoring freshman from a year ago Brett Lackie is not returning for the Scots.

Seems over the last few years that Alma is having a very tough time consistently keeping some of their promising players beyond a year or two.  Very very hard to turnaround a program when there is such turnover and inconsistency of the top players on a year to year basis.  I know in DIII it is much different than the higher levels where you are locked into a scholarship and not paying for school but Alma just seems to be having a tough go of it more so than any other MIAA teams in keeping players for a 3-4 year time period.

Just my observation, thoughts?

[ziggy]

Alma's roster posted:
http://www.alma.edu/athletics/mbb/roster

Top three scorers return, but it looks like the league's top scoring freshman from a year ago Brett Lackie is not returning for the Scots.

Seems over the last few years that Alma is having a very tough time consistently keeping some of their promising players beyond a year or two.  Very very hard to turnaround a program when there is such turnover and inconsistency of the top players on a year to year basis.  I know in DIII it is much different than the higher levels where you are locked into a scholarship and not paying for school but Alma just seems to be having a tough go of it more so than any other MIAA teams in keeping players for a 3-4 year time period.

Just my observation, thoughts?

Agree.

[sac]

Alma's roster posted:
http://www.alma.edu/athletics/mbb/roster

Top three scorers return, but it looks like the league's top scoring freshman from a year ago Brett Lackie is not returning for the Scots.

Seems over the last few years that Alma is having a very tough time consistently keeping some of their promising players beyond a year or two.  Very very hard to turnaround a program when there is such turnover and inconsistency of the top players on a year to year basis.  I know in DIII it is much different than the higher levels where you are locked into a scholarship and not paying for school but Alma just seems to be having a tough go of it more so than any other MIAA teams in keeping players for a 3-4 year time period.

Just my observation, thoughts?

generally true, but I thought Alma had been doing better at retention the last 2 or 3 seasons. 

[almcguirejr]

Alma's roster posted:
http://www.alma.edu/athletics/mbb/roster

Top three scorers return, but it looks like the league's top scoring freshman from a year ago Brett Lackie is not returning for the Scots.

Seems over the last few years that Alma is having a very tough time consistently keeping some of their promising players beyond a year or two.  Very very hard to turnaround a program when there is such turnover and inconsistency of the top players on a year to year basis.  I know in DIII it is much different than the higher levels where you are locked into a scholarship and not paying for school but Alma just seems to be having a tough go of it more so than any other MIAA teams in keeping players for a 3-4 year time period.

Just my observation, thoughts?

3rd coach in 3 years.  I would think if Hargraves can stick around that this would improve.

[Stinger]

DIII News names Kalamazoo Sr. C Joe Prepolec as MIAA pre-season MVP and HM All-American.

Hope at #13, Calvin #18.  MIAA finish 1. Hope 2. Calvin 3. Albion. 

http://gallery.mailchimp.com/2bc1f77ef4bb7b83f8004e126/files/D3NOctober2011_FINAL.pdf

[almcguirejr]

http://d3hoops.com/top25/men/2011-12/preseason

I am surprised Hope is not in the top 25.  I expect them to only lose 2-3 games this year and be a top 10 team by the end of the year.

[sac]

DIII News names Kalamazoo Sr. C Joe Prepolec as MIAA pre-season MVP and HM All-American.

Not to get WAY ahead of ourselves but if that were to happen it would be the first time since the mid 50's that the league had 3 straight years without a Hope or Calvin player named MVP or co-MVP.

http://d3hoops.com/top25/men/2011-12/preseason

I am surprised Hope is not in the top 25.  I expect them to only lose 2-3 games this year and be a top 10 team by the end of the year.

Maybe Pat can answer what it was based on.  Since Hope hasn't released a roster I don't know if its taking into account the return of Peter Bunn and the addition of Nate VanArendonk.  Based on returning players alone, they probably wouldn't get a top 25 selection based on not making the final top 25 a year ago.

[KnightSlappy]

I spent a portion of the day compiling offensive and defensive efficiency numbers for the MIAA since Trine joined the league. I'll probably do a blog post later, but what I found was [OEff-DEff = Very high correlation to winning percentage].

expected winning percentage = .018 x [OEff - DEff] + 0.5

2010 Calvin (efficiency margin +6.1): actual record 19-9, expected record 17.1-10.9
2011 Calvin (efficiency margin +7.3): actual record 16-12, expected record 17.7-10.3

So, the Knights were a bit "lucky" in 2010 (by about two wins), and a bit "unlucky" last year (by a win or two). Obviously it's not a perfect science, but it logically follows that the better you are at scoring points and preventing points, the better your team will do.

[HopeConvert]

So as it stands, I'd project the Calvin rotationto be:

Powell
Haverdink
Sinkkers
DeBoer
Kruis

The next five being:
Rietema
Vallie
Mast
Dykstra
DeYoung

Reserves:
Nadeau
Mantel
Henry
DeVries
VanEck

Looks like lots of PT for Powell this year.

Actually the best thing about this list is, with one change, it is the potential rotation for two years.  

To his credit KVS has never been afraid to play a fr. if they have the talent.

Just back from an 11-day recruiting trip to Italy, and found a number of robust Brunellos and a super smooth Amarone or two to work into the rotation.   

I was  to see this posting from realist.  Maybe he's found some mellow Italian wine, too.  I heartily recommend it.

KS, I have a different perspective on the rotations -- not better, not worse, just different:

Starters:
Reitema
Powell
Snikkers
DeVries
Kruis

Second rotation:
Nadeau
Haverdink
Vallie
Dykstra
DeYoung

I could see Dykstra working his way into the starting lineup during the year, and Haverdink working his way toward the end of the bench if the younger guys perform.
Lots of depth in the post and on the wings, but Brink's injury leaves a gaping hole in the back court.  Which is why I'd anticipate Nadeau getting a chance early to prove his ability to handle the ball and the point.
If he's not ready, KVS will probably have to yield to realist's advice and make an adjustment or two.

Oh come on. If growing up a Frisian Calvinist means anything it means you don't have to hide behind those old "Not better, not worse, just different" chestnuts. Get thee from behind thy chestnuts.

[sac]

http://d3hoops.com/top25/men/2011-12/preseason

I am surprised Hope is not in the top 25.  I expect them to only lose 2-3 games this year and be a top 10 team by the end of the year.

Maybe Pat can answer what it was based on.  Since Hope hasn't released a roster I don't know if its taking into account the return of Peter Bunn and the addition of Nate VanArendonk.  Based on returning players alone, they probably wouldn't get a top 25 selection based on not making the final top 25 a year ago.

I have voter confirmation that Hope did not submit a roster so a couple major pieces would not have factored into the voting process.  Its a pre-season poll so it matters little.

[goodknight]

I particularly enjoy thumping my chestnuts.

[almcguirejr]

I particularly enjoy thumping my chestnuts.