MBB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[Hopester]

Hope looks like they may have video tonight. Equipment is being set up. Purely speculatory, but definitely looks like it from Devos.

[Roundball999]

Interesting.  Looks like Snuggs and NVA are starting tonight.  I caught the very tail end of an interview on the radio pregame but it sounded like the explanation given was "we want to get out to a good start"??

[KnightSlappy]

what is wrong with the OC video stream?  It looks like garbage and sounds like I'm playing arcade games underwater.

Same, but I'm listening to the radio call.

[arena]

what is wrong with the OC video stream?  It looks like garbage and sounds like I'm playing arcade games underwater.

Same, but I'm listening to the radio call.

A breathe of Dougie Fresh air.

He;s not happy with his location that's for sure.  Keeps saying it his last trip to Olivet

[KnightSlappy]

Would everyone kindly get off Doug's lawn!?! Thanks.

[wiz]

He says "the hay is in the barn".

[KnightSlappy]

Calvin began conference play with wins by 6 and 3 points. Then they won the next five by an average of 21. They're clicking at the right time.

[ziggy]

So, does the Mike Thomas era begin next season?

[neilrocks]

Hmmmmmmmmm, absolutely, I single out trends that are consistent.  NVA is consistently in foul trouble, because he makes poor decisions defensively and get fouls in cheap spots.  He also is a below average FT, which has contributed to poor performances.  Those are facts and not disputable.  There is ample evidence to support it.  Plenty of game stats to review if u like.  Probably a big reason his PT has gone way down.  If you feel good in his 2nd half in a loss, that is fine.  Snugs had a good game too but hope lost.  So in my opinion it still hurts.  However, I realize some people like individual stuff or team and that is fine for them, but not for me.  If NVA, continues to play 11 min halfs like yesterday, it probably means more PT, and hopefully W's for hope.  The trend and history doesn't support it, but I will be one of the first to acknowledge him with positive affirmation if it does.  I will also be willing to refute to those, when he is in foul trouble and shoot close to 50 percent from the line.

Roundball, u r the man!!!

And as promised, I would be the first to praise NVA if he follows up the 2nd half!  And boy did he validate it tonight!  That is the NVA we have been waiting for!

14 points, 10 boards, 3 assists and 3 blocks and despite 2 quick fouls in 1st half, he got no more!

Now, many only request is many more like that

[neilrocks]

Even though every game counts the same in the standings.  I am of the opinion that Hope's game tonight against Trine will most likely determine the remaining direction of their season.  Three straight MIAA loses and a home loss, at that, would be almost crippling as far as regular season title hopes are concerned.

It will be interesting to see how Ian Jackson plays.  Hope has had success against him in the past with their tough, aggressive, in your face D.  However, we all agree that Hope's D this year does not match the last few years.  My thought is Billy Seiler will get the primary assignment and I believe he will be up to the task.

Trine is only shooting 30.1% from 3 land, and Hope will need to keep them from carving them up from outside as Calvin and Olivet did.  Nick Tatu has taken 90 three's for Trine.  Colton or Alex will need to keep close eye on him.

I think the wildcard for Trine and Hope is Scott Rogers.  He is an explosive and streaky player.  At 6'4" he is a leaper and I'm not sure Hope has a good match up for him on D.  My guess is Chase DeMaagd gets some extra minutes on him, as well as Grant Neil.  Not sure that Snuggs, Byers or Benson match up well on the D end, although they may have an advantage on the O end.

Felt like Hope did all the things they needed to do tonight to get a big win.

Held Ian Jackson to 14 points in 33 minutes - props to Seiler and Neil.

Control 3 pt shooting, 4-10 overall, but Nick Tatu was 1-5.

Limit Scott Rogers, 4-10, 8 points in 30 minutes.

[neilrocks]

Going to go out on a limb here but watching for 1+ games  this weekend, the starting lineup for hope come "important" game time will be...Overway, Edison, seiler, snuggs, and benson.  Chase is a solid role player, a spark plug and nva just isn't very good, nor can you count on him to stay on the floor/out of foul trouble, even if he is productive- scoring or maybe more than a couple boards.  He will come in to spell the others two bigs because the eluded to five is pretty darn athletic on both ends...or I don't know anything about basketball..we shall see

Edit-  forgot about whittenbach, replace AE with him.  AE is a great example of how "average" the OKRed can make most players look...to an outsider.

Shout out to Hoopdreams.  Your prediction is getting closer!  NVA for Benson, otherwise ur prophetic!

And I bet, with NVA's performance tonight, you would insert NVA over Benson if that became a normal night for Nate

[sac]

I would describe my drive to Holland as 'committed but looking'.....despite several opportunities and thoughts of turning back I made it just in time for the tip.

Hope played well last night led by great first halves from Nate Van Arendonk and Ben Gardner.  They built a nice lead and were able to protect it well in the 2nd half, Trine never was able to get it closer than 12 despite Hope struggling to shoot the ball well in the second half.

Not a lot to point to that was the obvious reason why Hope won other than they were just a little bit better most of the night.  Good win, lots to feel better about heading to Alma.

[Roundball999]

Hmmmmmmmmm, absolutely, I single out trends that are consistent.  NVA is consistently in foul trouble, because he makes poor decisions defensively and get fouls in cheap spots.  He also is a below average FT, which has contributed to poor performances.  Those are facts and not disputable.  There is ample evidence to support it.  Plenty of game stats to review if u like.  Probably a big reason his PT has gone way down.  If you feel good in his 2nd half in a loss, that is fine.  Snugs had a good game too but hope lost.  So in my opinion it still hurts.  However, I realize some people like individual stuff or team and that is fine for them, but not for me.  If NVA, continues to play 11 min halfs like yesterday, it probably means more PT, and hopefully W's for hope.  The trend and history doesn't support it, but I will be one of the first to acknowledge him with positive affirmation if it does.  I will also be willing to refute to those, when he is in foul trouble and shoot close to 50 percent from the line.

Roundball, u r the man!!!

And as promised, I would be the first to praise NVA if he follows up the 2nd half!  And boy did he validate it tonight!  That is the NVA we have been waiting for!

14 points, 10 boards, 3 assists and 3 blocks and despite 2 quick fouls in 1st half, he got no more!

Now, many only request is many more like that

Thanks for acknowledging.  I'm happy for the team, happy for him.  But as you said, it would be nice to see that kind of play and effort consistently.  We'll see....

[calvinite]

SAC, and/or other posters mentioned teams hitting a brick wall. With Calvin in the top 25, I actually looked at the D3hoops rankings and noticed numerous top 25 teams lost since last Monday's rankings were posted. Don't know if these teams necessarily hit a brick wall.... But 6 of the top 25 lost games this week, and that doesn't include this weekend's games where several more top 25 teams will likely lose (in several cases, they play each other).

Here are the 6 that lost: 1. St. Thomas,  5. North Central (Ill), 9. Williams, 13. UW-Whitewater, 18. Albertus Magnus, 20. Stevens. And, these top 25 teams play each other this weekend: Middlebury plays Williams, North Central plays Wheaton, Brandeis plays Rochester, and several other top 25 teams play some pretty tough competition. Even though a couple of the teams that already lost are in the list of teams that play other top 25 teams, it seems quite possible, if not likely, that there will be another 4 or 5 loses before Monday. It will be interesting, if nothing else, to see what the standings look like next week and how that affects Calvin's (and possibly Adrian's) rankings – who, of course, also play each other this weekend.

[Flying Dutch Fan]

Nice to watch a game last night and see guys being subbed out only to give them rest or to deal with foul issues.  Total team effort.  NVA - most impressive play he made won't show anywhere.  He tipped a ball away from a Trine player near the FT line, and then sprinted nearly full court, diving after the ball to try to save it.  Ultimately the ball went out of bounds back to Trine, but that hustle (IMHO) made a statement.  Here's HOPEing that it's the beginning of a big turnaround for this team.

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

Side note - strangest thing I think I've ever seen during a basketball game. 

During the 2nd half of the Hope/Kazoo womens game last night, the ball went out of bounds under the Kazoo basket and it's Hope ball.  Time-Out.  Hope subs in 5 new players.  Coming out of the time out, the Kazoo players step in to inbound the ball, the ref gives them the ball, and they inbound, go down the court (the WRONG way), and despite the defense played by the Dutch, get an easy basket (in Hope's basket). 

At this point there is a slight buzz in the crowd, but Hope inbounds the ball and starts down the floor.  Now some of us in the crowd are yelling at the officials that they are going the wrong way.  Hope brings the ball to the front-court and Brittany Berry has the ball for Hope.  She turns to the closest official with a big smile on her face and says something like "That's not our basket". 

Play stops, the officials huddle, then talk to both coaches for several minutes (during which coach Mo has his hands over his face - most likely so we can't see how hard he is laughing).  So they finally make a decision.  The 2 points for the basket is given to Hope, and Kazoo is given the ball out of bounds (just like Hope had made a basket).  So while the final score of the game was Hope 90, Kazoo 38 - Kazoo actually scored 40 points.