MBB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[oldknight]

In other Michigan news tonight, EMU scored only 42 points - and won by 17!  NIU set several NCAA records for futility - including FOUR first half points, on 3.1% shooting from the field, and 13.2% shooting for the game.  After their only first half field goal staked them to a 2-0 lead, the Huskies missed their next THIRTY SIX shots in a row!  (Glad I was not in that halftime locker room! )

I don't think much was said. I mean, what DO you say to that? "Alright guys, I think we did some good things out there, we just need to improve everything".

For a number of years, my father-in-law was team doctor for the Central College (Iowa) football team and a good friend of its legendary coach, Ron Schipper. Skip always had winning seasons, including a national championship, was college coach of Miami Dolphin player Vern DenHerder and rarely saw (and never tolerated) a poor effort from one of his teams. On one occasion, the Dutch came into the locker room after a surprising and unusually horrific first half when everything went wrong. My father-in-law joined the team during the break to attend to a player expecting the fiery and emotional coach to blister the paint on the walls. Doc was surprised to hear nothing but stone cold silence the entire half time. When notified it was time to go out for the second half of play, Coach Schipper simply smiled, clapped his hands and said "OK ladies, let's get going."

[Dutchfan]

This was probably on here before and I just missed it, but can someone please tell me why Nate Snuggerud, Nate VanArendonk and Chase DeMaagd were removed from the starting lineup to begin with?

[almcguirejr]

This was probably on here before and I just missed it, but can someone please tell me why Nate Snuggerud, Nate VanArendonk and Chase DeMaagd were removed from the starting lineup to begin with?

They all had back injuries.

[Dutchfan]

This was probably on here before and I just missed it, but can someone please tell me why Nate Snuggerud, Nate VanArendonk and Chase DeMaagd were removed from the starting lineup to begin with?

They all had back injuries.

That's what I've heard but it doesn't make sense to me. They were all in Florida when it happened, they've been playing in a backup role, and the two that get their starting spots back are healed at the same time after missing 8 games. I'm not trying to call anyone a liar, it just sounds to me like those three might of gone out drinking or something while in Florida and gotten themselves in trouble with coach. They are all either old enough or close to old enough to drink after all.

That being said I will accept the back injuries as truth. I'm just saying it sounded to me like it might of been something else.

[sflzman]

NVA still doesn appear to be playing at full speed in my opinion. Although he didn't really have to considering he was a half foot taller than anyone guarding him tonight.

Boy alma's getting better. They've played hope 20, 30, 30 and now 34 minutes tight the last 4 meetigs between the teams. The problem for the Scots was they couldn't match up with the bodies of NVA and Snuggerud. Guard wise I think Alma's combo of Krause/Sulverthorn/Beckman/Law on the wing outplayed Hope's. It was the big men (for lack of a better term) for Alma that let them down. The guards did a great job of ball pressure and forcing their men away from the basket it seemed like the post players were a step slow rotating or helping. Overall Alma needs to rebound better as a unit. I know they're givin up a lot of height and size but just a body on some guys would make a difference. The biggest stat though from the game was 0-8 from the three point line in the second half. Hope did a good job of not giving any good looks to the Scots. Especially Silverthorn who didn't have a point in the second after dropping 16 in the first. He is now 20 away from 1,000 on his career.

But overall Hope is much superior athletically and physically. And as a much more veteran team they didn't get rattled at all being tight at an opponent they would think to be beating by much more late. Not to mention a very impressive turnout of students too (including appearances from Where's Waldo, an Ostrich, and some other very interesting characters). It's nice to see some involvement with the students. The three students who've come dressed as Crayola Crayons and then waldo ostrich and the other goofy costume seem to be leading a pretty decent stdent section compared to what has been around here lately.

One last thing I observed is that I am really intrigued to see the development of Hope's Brock Benson. I think he will develop into a very solid played for the Dutchmen in the future

[hoopdreams]

Oh good lord....no comment from me pertaining to hopes roster rotation extravaganza.  Thankfully everyone's back is healthy again.  Some smack d$&k took karma away for my MIAA picks today.  I must say...BP in no way ever resembled Drew...not for one day. Drew was the best pg around, one of the best WM point guards in decades who could not be contained with the ball in his hands.  Had the pleasure of watching him play about 2 dozen times in hs, no one is/was even close.

He just happened to be able to score 30 a game as well, mainly because the rest of his team stunk.  Anyone who watched The Park play Detroit Ren at the Breslin watched him almost single handedly beat a team that had 3 high-major d1 players, with a sg that literally sh$@ himself, a post that couldn't catch the friggin ball, no bench and an average at best coach.

Stating that .... "still doesn't appear to playing at full speed" is correct and precisely why he doesn't play more.  That's been the general consensus for the last 5 years.  Notice there were no names used

[Gregory Sager]

with a sg that literally sh$@ himself

Literally? Wow, that must've been messy. And smelly. And uncomfortable to watch.

[sac]

Not to mention a very impressive turnout of students too (including appearances from Where's Waldo, an Ostrich, and some other very interesting characters). It's nice to see some involvement with the students. The three students who've come dressed as Crayola Crayons and then waldo ostrich and the other goofy costume seem to be leading a pretty decent stdent section compared to what has been around here lately.

Its nice to see student support getting better at most places around the league.  I did get a kick out of the girls who painted 'Go Scots' on their stomachs and 'No Hope!' on their backs and then turned around every time a Hope player shot a FT, even down 15 late.  No one's ever told us we had 'no Hope' before, it made me cry. (that might be sarcasm)  Tonight might be the first time I've heard a 'Lets Go Alma' cheer and it meant something and didn't sound weak and pathetic because it was coming from 3 football players in ballerina costumes (miss those guys).

Not being funny or stupid, it was nice to see.

[sac]

Hope 92 Alma 74
http://goalmascots.com/sports/mbkb/2012-13/boxscores/20130126_lza3.xml
(some things about those stats are shaky)

Hope eventually pulled away in this one finally able to get a consistent set of defensive stops late in the game and converting on the offensive end.  Eventually Hope's interior was able to get loose.  Really the ability of one team to consistently go inside was the margin in the game, Hope made an awful lot of simple baskets in this one.

Colton Overway was on his way to having perhaps the best game of his career before going down with an injury a little into the second half.  After coming out for a couple minutes he gave it a go but came right back out of the game.  Obviously if he's out for any length of time its a pretty big injury for this Hope team.

Ben Gardner played very well in his place and was again a pretty big part of Hope turning this game is their favor along with Brock Benson and Nate Snuggerud.  Nate actually looked like his old self a few times tonight.

Alma's a tough match-up for Hope and the way Alma was trying to draw the big guys out and get them in a switch with a guard so the guard could blow by them was really difficult for those guys.  Eventually Hope adjusted but there were times when even having NVA or Benson on the floor was a defensive liability because they just couldn't match-up very well.

On Hope's defensive end Hope really contained Isiah Law and DJ Beckman pretty well, and at halftime adjusted and kept Greg Silverthorn from hurting them like he did in the first half. It was 63-61 with 10 to play and Hope held Alma to zero FG's over the next 9 minutes, most of the ones they did miss were not easy and contested.  Ultimately that stretch was the game.

Happy to get home with the W.

[maroonandgold]

What an amazing contrast in the box scores of the Olivet-Albion game!  Apparently Olivet did not score a single point with their reserves while Albion received 38 points from backup players.  No wonder that Albion won!

[oldknight]

  I must say...BP in no way ever resembled Drew...not for one day. Drew was the best pg around, one of the best WM point guards in decades who could not be contained with the ball in his hands.  Had the pleasure of watching him play about 2 dozen times in hs, no one is/was even close.

He just happened to be able to score 30 a game as well, mainly because the rest of his team stunk.  Anyone who watched The Park play Detroit Ren at the Breslin watched him almost single handedly beat a team that had 3 high-major d1 players, with a sg that literally sh$@ himself, a post that couldn't catch the friggin ball, no bench and an average at best coach.

They certainly aren't in the same zip code basketball wise, no doubt about that and that's why BP is a poor man's Drew. That semifinal game when the Mark White led Detroit Renaissance team--one of the finest high school teams in the country--simply couldn't guard Neitzel, was one of the finest performances in recent MHSAA tournament history.

[hoopdreams]

My apologies...he's not even a homeless or even comatose Drew! Let alone "a poor mans".  About that sg that needed a change of diapers?  I'm just going off of an urban legend floating around town and cannot verify the validity, so I'll refrain from using his name.  Guess thats where ill draw the line.  I can say, without question that BP has had a better collegiate career than him...where did that kid end up,again?

[sac]

standings with +/-........+1 for road wins/-1 for home losses

Calvin          8-0        +5
Hope           6-2        +3
Trine           5-3         +1
Adrian          4-4         -1
Olivet          3-5         -1
Alma           3-5         -2
Kzoo           2-6         -2
Albion         1-7         -3

Home teams now 21-11


What's left

Adrian:    @Hope, @Trine, OLIVET, @Alma, @Kzoo, ALBION
Albion:    @Calvin, @Hope, TRINE, KZOO, ALMA, @Adrian
Alma:     @Trine, @Olivet, CALVIN, ADRIAN, @Albion, @Kzoo
Calvin:    ALBION, KZOO, @Alma, @Hope, TRINE, OLIVET
Hope:     ADRIAN, ALBION, @Kzoo, CALVIN, OLIVET, @Trine
Kzoo:     @Olivet, @Calvin, HOPE, @Albion, ADRIAN, ALMA
Olivet:    KZOO, ALMA, @Adrian, TRINE, @Hope, @Calvin
Trine:     ALMA, ADRIAN, @Albion, @Olivet, @Calvin, HOPE

As far as the tournament goes I like Trine's position, the overall schedule is more in their favor to be among the top four going into their last 2 games, esp. if they beat Adrian next Saturday at home.  Adrian has much work to do and really need to win one of their next two road games otherwise they could get drawn into a real battle with Alma or Olivet for the 4th spot.  Olivet's next two games are simply must wins given their finish.

Not ignoring Wed's games or the results but it looks like next Saturday is the key day for positioning into the stretch run with Adrian/Trine and Alma/Olivet playing each other.

If we gave next week to the home teams Trine would have a 2 game lead for the 3rd spot with 4 to play and Adrian would be 3 back of 3rd.

[sac]

What an amazing contrast in the box scores of the Olivet-Albion game!  Apparently Olivet did not score a single point with their reserves while Albion received 38 points from backup players.  No wonder that Albion won!

Olivet really has little bench scoring anyway and with missing a player it practically disappears. 

Olivet played without starter DaunTrell Hill, he's a major catalyst for their offense.  Dakotah Ellis started in his place and he's basically been their bench scoring in league play.

[almcguirejr]

The Adrian Daily Telegram article on last night's game.

http://www.lenconnect.com/article/20130127/SPORTS/130129558/1020/SPORTS