MBB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[sac]

6-3 F  Ken Henry, Romulus will attend Adrian

"That's who Ken Henry is, an energized guy who wants to do what's going to help the team win," first-year Romulus coach Jerret Smith said. "He's about 6-foot-3, but has the heart of a 7-foot quick guy. He'll go after guys. He takes pride in what we're doing as a defense and that's the only way you win championships — at the defensive end.

[goodknight]

Class C first-team all-stater Bernard Smith, the 6-5 wide-body post player from Western Michigan Christian, is considering Alma and Olivet, according to his coach, Kyle Mastenbrook.

[calvin_grad]

In D1 its all about money and perceived prestige.  A stronger more successful conference ='s more money on the next television deal. 

In D3 its more passive but I think a conferences perception is still significant.  If you need any more evidence look at the regional rankings and pairings of the HCAC and OAC the last few years.  These are conferences that have generally struggled in the NCAA tournament for most of the last decade.  Or the PAC and AMCC which can barely get an ounce of respect in the regional polls, mostly due to very little success in the tournament.

I knew that D1 is all about money and perceived prestige.  I'd be curious to know how much a conference's performance in basketball and football affect the TV deals.  10% bump? 20%?

As far as D3 goes, I'll take your word for it as far as conference perception goes.  I don't have the time or energy to try and track all that stuff.  I'll leave it to you and the other experts on the board to keep me informed.   

[oldknight]

MIAA official, Kevin Kooiker, is in Salem this weekend and will be doing one of today's semi-final games.

[Flying Dutch Fan]

MIAA official, Kevin Kooiker, is in Salem this weekend and will be doing one of today's semi-final games.

Good thing Calvin is not playing there then - since we all know (or at least have been informed that) he makes bad calls against the Knights         

(yes, I know they wouldn't use an MIAA ref for an MIAA team)

[oldknight]

MIAA official, Kevin Kooiker, is in Salem this weekend and will be doing one of today's semi-final games.

Good thing Calvin is not playing there then - since we all know (or at least have been informed that) he makes bad calls against the Knights         

(yes, I know they wouldn't use an MIAA ref for an MIAA team)

Calvin has often struggled when Kevin has officiated their games, causing some minor heartburn for Knight fans when they have seen him wander onto the court during warmups. The worm may have turned though, because he was one of the refs during Calvin's recent comfortable win at DeVos with the conference tournament championship on the line. I have no problem with Kooiker as an official. I think he is a fine ref and I hope he achieves his current goal of becoming a MAC official.

[KnightSlappy]

MIAA official, Kevin Kooiker, is in Salem this weekend and will be doing one of today's semi-final games.

Good thing Calvin is not playing there then - since we all know (or at least have been informed that) he makes bad calls against the Knights         

(yes, I know they wouldn't use an MIAA ref for an MIAA team)

Calvin has often struggled when Kevin has officiated their games, causing some minor heartburn for Knight fans when they have seen him wander onto the court during warmups. The worm may have turned though, because he was one of the refs during Calvin's recent comfortable win at DeVos with the conference tournament championship on the line. I have no problem with Kooiker as an official. I think he is a fine ref and I hope he achieves his current goal of becoming a MAC official.

Second straight year, actually, as Kooiker was on the floor during last year's MIAA Championship at Van Noord as well. I think it's the Dutchmen who should be concerned now, the spell has been broken.

[almcguirejr]

Tom Crean  just entered Breslin Arena.  Security told him to stay off the floor.  He is hanging out by the Bloomfield Hills bench. 

[sac]

I imagine he's there to see Yante Mateen 6-8 Bloomfield Hills center, MSU is also chasing him.

[oldknight]

The honors are rolling in for Calvin recruit Connor VanderBrug who was named Chicago area Metro Suburban Conference MVP. The below comes from mySuburbanLife.com:

VanderBrug gave the Timothy program plenty to remember. He was the Metro Suburban Conference MVP this season and finished his career with 1,247 points. In his last four regular season games he scored 37, 37, 31 and 38 points.

Earlier in his career he was a strong 6-foot-6 interior player. He's a long way from that now.

This season, VanderBrug could be any of a number different types of players. He could be a passing forward that his teammates would play off of, he could be a shooter that his team would run plays to get open shots for, he could be the primary ballhandler and he could still be the post player.

The evolution of his game, which included occasional point guard duties once the team's starter went down around the New Year, surprised even VanderBrug.

"Sophomore year I don't think [playing point guard] would have crossed my mind," VanderBrug said. "I actually loved playing point guard. I know at the college level I'm kind of in between guard and big man so I like to have experience playing every role out there and I think that was good for me."

VanderBrug will play at Calvin College, a Division III program in Grand Rapids, Mich., that multiple members of his family have attended. To the surprise of LeGrand, no Division I offers ever came despite his all-around game and size.

"He was a problem for people because he's so versatile," LeGrand said. "We put him at every position. He stepped up to the challenge. Connor is one of the best players we've had. He's one of the best Timothy has had in a while.

[goodknight]

Coaches do go on, but I can readily imagine that Connor will be a match-up nightmare for some of the teams in our league.
Eager to see the young man next season in the maroon and gold.

[almcguirejr]

I imagine he's there to see Yante Mateen 6-8 Bloomfield Hills center, MSU is also chasing him.

Correct.  Mateen can really move.  He blocked a shot on defense and outran everyone to the other end for a fast breakdunk.

[sac]

Bobby Plump of Milan, Indiana high school fame.  "Jimmy Chitwood" 60 years later.

[pointlem]

The honors are rolling in for Calvin recruit Connor VanderBrug who was named Chicago area Metro Suburban Conference MVP. The below comes from mySuburbanLife.com:

VanderBrug gave the Timothy program plenty to remember. He was the Metro Suburban Conference MVP this season and finished his career with 1,247 points. In his last four regular season games he scored 37, 37, 31 and 38 points.

Earlier in his career he was a strong 6-foot-6 interior player. He's a long way from that now.

This season, VanderBrug could be any of a number different types of players. He could be a passing forward that his teammates would play off of, he could be a shooter that his team would run plays to get open shots for, he could be the primary ballhandler and he could still be the post player.

The evolution of his game, which included occasional point guard duties once the team's starter went down around the New Year, surprised even VanderBrug.

"Sophomore year I don't think [playing point guard] would have crossed my mind," VanderBrug said. "I actually loved playing point guard. I know at the college level I'm kind of in between guard and big man so I like to have experience playing every role out there and I think that was good for me."

VanderBrug will play at Calvin College, a Division III program in Grand Rapids, Mich., that multiple members of his family have attended. To the surprise of LeGrand, no Division I offers ever came despite his all-around game and size.

"He was a problem for people because he's so versatile," LeGrand said. "We put him at every position. He stepped up to the challenge. Connor is one of the best players we've had. He's one of the best Timothy has had in a while.

Perhaps another Steve Honderd, Old Knight?--with maybe even more agility with the ball?  (From a Hope fan's perspective that's an ouch.)  I know you don't want to raise expectations too high.  But someone who can put up those kinds of numbers in end-of-season games must be someone special.

Pretty quiet on the Hope recruiting front so far . . .

[HollandKnight]

I really like what there is to be had in Connor VanderBrug. With his coming Brad Visser might spend yet another year coming off the bench, even though he was hailed as a D1 recruit. My belief is that if he would have, like VanderBrug, would have committed earlier, and connected more with the team, he may have seen more minutes. VanderBrug, in my opinion, will start along with Dykstra, Stout, Brink and Daley.