MBB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[goodknight]

From the Calvin website, (and in higher quality):

http://www.calvin.edu/sports/news/comments/flashback-bryan-powell-steal-and-dunk-in-calvin-hope-game-now-online/

[NW Hope Fan]

At 5-8 in boots as well, I always dreamed of doing that! 

Good thing he didn't hurt himself falling from so high!

[Happy Calvin Guy]

Good thing he didn't hurt himself falling from so high!

Are we still talking about the national rankings?   

[Civic Minded]

At 5-8 in boots as well, I always dreamed of doing that! 

Good thing he didn't hurt himself falling from so high!

Saw that happen last year at a Hope jv game at Spring Arbor.  Spring Arbor player broke his leg.  Never, ever, ever want to see that happen to anyone ever again!  Yowza!     While in awe of Powell's dunk, I did look to make sure all of his limbs were intact.

[gohope]

At 5-8 in boots as well, I always dreamed of doing that! 

Good thing he didn't hurt himself falling from so high!

Saw that happen last year at a Hope jv game at Spring Arbor.  Spring Arbor player broke his leg.  Never, ever, ever want to see that happen to anyone ever again!  Yowza!     While in awe of Powell's dunk, I did look to make sure all of his limbs were intact.

I just had lunch and you had to bring up that Spring Arbor game.   Don't forget about the part where you told people sitting near you, "Don't Look!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" and ofcourse, what do people do......??!!!  All I can say is that was a sight I don't want to see again, no matter what jersey they wear.

[Civic Minded]

At 5-8 in boots as well, I always dreamed of doing that! 

Good thing he didn't hurt himself falling from so high!

Saw that happen last year at a Hope jv game at Spring Arbor.  Spring Arbor player broke his leg.  Never, ever, ever want to see that happen to anyone ever again!  Yowza!     While in awe of Powell's dunk, I did look to make sure all of his limbs were intact.

I just had lunch and you had to bring up that Spring Arbor game.   Don't forget about the part where you told people sitting near you, "Don't Look!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" and ofcourse, what do people do......??!!!  All I can say is that was a sight I don't want to see again, no matter what jersey they wear.

Yeah, I apologize for that.   I was torn between looking to see how Powell landed and waiting for the crowd reaction so that I didn't have any more of "those" images floating around in my head.  Glad it all turned out just fine, and glad I got to see it.  It was quite a dunk for a 5'8" in boots guy.   

[Dutch_Man]

Looking forward to seeing how the Dutchmen show up in what could be there last true road game! (knock on wood)

[KnightSlappy]

Looking forward to seeing how the Dutchmen show up in what could be there last true road game! (knock on wood)

No need to be so pessimistic. I'm 100% certain they'll get a Pool C bid after Calvin beats them in the MIAA Tournament Championship game.

[HopeConvert]

After watching The Game at a watch party in Tampa, which I attended with my wife and an old college buddy, the latter of whom I couldn't convince to flip his allegiance to Hope, although I did help convince his son to attend Hope last year, and had to endure watching this Canadian friend lead the crowd through the Start-Spangled Banner, I rewatched it again last night. I don't have much to add in terms of observations, but will build on what others have said. I thought Hope's rebounding wasn't very good, and this is something they are going to have to improve. They shot great, however. Calvin seemed to really struggle from the charity stripe, although I haven't looked at the final numbers.

I looked pretty closely at how and what "Calvin's best player" was doing throughout the game, and my impression was that, while Hope did play good defense on him, he spent a lot of time wandering around the perimeter. Watching his play, his body language, his interactions with his teammates, made me think he just wasn't that "into" the game. Tyler Dykstra struck me as a young player with great promise. He went to a good high school, after all.

Of the four fouls NVA received, two of them were complete headscratchers, especially that illegal screen. I have not seen a player receive more questionable calls than Nate has. He has had foul trouble all year, and this is a problem, but to these eyes it looks as if there is at least one call a game where the ref is just off his nut. I am not sure how to account for this. One theory would be that they don't know how to ref someone with his size. Another would be that with all the screening and banging he is doing inside (and he does a lot of screening) he is going to get himself into odd positions. Like I said, I just don't know.

And so we are on to the final week. I am eager to see how this shakes out, and have to confess that one upside of the reduced tournament field is that it makes this week more interesting than it would otherwise be. It's a big week for Hope too. If they win out I would assume they host all the way to Salem, if they make it that far.

By the way, if people who organize watch parties read this: have an MC do some fun things. And for those who attend: please, for the love of all that is holy, put discussions of politics on hold for a day. Other than that, and the fact that my wife and I reduced the average age by about 8 years, it was a lot of fun. LeRoy Selmon's in Bradenton was packed with Hope and Calvin people, and every TV had the game on. It was pretty cool. I would say it was a pretty even distribution of both schools. I'm glad I wasn't asked to break the tie, as I was already getting strange looks when, decked in my Hope gear, persons asked me what year I graduated.

[KnightSlappy]

Of the four fouls NVA received, two of them were complete headscratchers, especially that illegal screen. I have not seen a player receive more questionable calls than Nate has. He has had foul trouble all year, and this is a problem, but to these eyes it looks as if there is at least one call a game where the ref is just off his nut. I am not sure how to account for this. One theory would be that they don't know how to ref someone with his size. Another would be that with all the screening and banging he is doing inside (and he does a lot of screening) he is going to get himself into odd positions. Like I said, I just don't know.

Perhaps that illegal screen call was a headscratcher (I haven't gone to the video on that play), but the dude committed multiple illegal screens that weren't called in this game.

[Flying Dutch Fan]

Of the four fouls NVA received, two of them were complete headscratchers, especially that illegal screen. I have not seen a player receive more questionable calls than Nate has. He has had foul trouble all year, and this is a problem, but to these eyes it looks as if there is at least one call a game where the ref is just off his nut. I am not sure how to account for this. One theory would be that they don't know how to ref someone with his size. Another would be that with all the screening and banging he is doing inside (and he does a lot of screening) he is going to get himself into odd positions. Like I said, I just don't know.

Perhaps that illegal screen call was a headscratcher (I haven't gone to the video on that play), but the dude committed multiple illegal screens that weren't called in this game.

Oh please!!  An illegal screen (as defined in the rulebook) could be called on nearly every half-court set run by nearly every team in the entire season.

[HopeConvert]

Of the four fouls NVA received, two of them were complete headscratchers, especially that illegal screen. I have not seen a player receive more questionable calls than Nate has. He has had foul trouble all year, and this is a problem, but to these eyes it looks as if there is at least one call a game where the ref is just off his nut. I am not sure how to account for this. One theory would be that they don't know how to ref someone with his size. Another would be that with all the screening and banging he is doing inside (and he does a lot of screening) he is going to get himself into odd positions. Like I said, I just don't know.

Perhaps that illegal screen call was a headscratcher (I haven't gone to the video on that play), but the dude committed multiple illegal screens that weren't called in this game.

I'd be happy to review all the video to assess that claim.

Was just looking at some stats, now that it appears Chris Ray is down for awhile. (Broadcasters take note and do your homework.) My biggest question: what has happened to Logan Neil? After shooting 44% from 3-point range last year, he is shooting 23.6% this year. This is, as we say, statistically significant. My own feeling is that we are going to need him at some point (those of us in Rock Island last year remember his 12 points in the 2nd half as key to Hope's comeback).

[sac]

LeRoy Selmon's in Bradenton was packed with Hope and Calvin people, and every TV had the game on.

It disturbs me a little to know I'm old enough to remember LeRoy Selmon and probably not one person in either student section knows who he was or that he passed away this past fall.

[gohope]

LeRoy Selmon's in Bradenton was packed with Hope and Calvin people, and every TV had the game on.

It disturbs me a little to know I'm old enough to remember LeRoy Selmon and probably not one person in either student section knows who he was or that he passed away this past fall.

For those not in the Know:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Roy_Selmon

[ziggy]

Of the four fouls NVA received, two of them were complete headscratchers, especially that illegal screen. I have not seen a player receive more questionable calls than Nate has. He has had foul trouble all year, and this is a problem, but to these eyes it looks as if there is at least one call a game where the ref is just off his nut. I am not sure how to account for this. One theory would be that they don't know how to ref someone with his size. Another would be that with all the screening and banging he is doing inside (and he does a lot of screening) he is going to get himself into odd positions. Like I said, I just don't know.

Perhaps that illegal screen call was a headscratcher (I haven't gone to the video on that play), but the dude committed multiple illegal screens that weren't called in this game.

I'd be happy to review all the video to assess that claim.

This is a topic I was hoping to discuss. Not as a post-game bickering match but as a matter of getting some insight from people that watch NVA more frequently than me. I was wondering if illegal screens are something that he has been called for frequently or if what I also perceived as a common infraction on his part was a one game deal.

There were two occasions that stick out in my mind from Saturday:
1. Krombeen went in for a layup behind NVA who cleared out (not boxed out) the only defender back in transition. The potential illegal screen was mentioned by the broadcast duo. I acknowledge that it would be a tough call for a ref to make but I think it would be hard to argue against it if it was made.

2. Krombeen hit a three fairly early in the second half in which NVA interfered with the closeout defender. This was the worst offense that I noticed when watching live.

Sorry for not having time stamps for each event but if any of you with a biased view from the other side have the means to review these two plays, I would be interested in your opinion. I don't like to get too bogged down in the minutiae of single plays but it is worth it considering one player is at the center of it.