MBB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[goodknight]

There was a micro chasm in Holland!
http://www.hollandsentinel.com/article/20150114/SPORTS/150119473/2000/

Copy editors have become ex-stinked!!!
I once heard about a micro gasm, but I kept it to myself.

Thought I'd comment on Calvin's newcomer Cam Denney. Observing him in several games now, I think his skill set could be a huge asset to Calvin this season in getting to that next level. He has great size and can mix it up down low, but his outside shot is true, ballhandling is solid, and his passing is superb. Also seems to have great basketball IQ--makes great decisions constantly, and seems to fit in the flow on both ends of the floor despite being brand new to our system.

Not much has been said about him or how he ended up at Calvin. Originally from Indiana, played college ball in Mississippi (perhaps on at least a partial basketball scholarship?), and then shows up at Calvin mid-sophomore year ready to play. Definitely a non-traditional path.I wonder if KVS had recruited him in HS? I hope he enjoys life and basketball at Calvin, he could have a very nice career here.

As a coach I know used to say: Too much french pastry.

Not sure how Denney ended up coming to Calvin, although a well-connected Hope poster told me that the Flying Dutchmen recruited him during his high school days.

HopeConvert, I expect (and trust) that over time Denney's pastry will fall off the menu of his offerings. He doesn't need it, and it doesn't add to his overall game beyond a bit of flash. His steak-and-potatoes will be a very satisfying item as his career develops. Denney's bacon, eggs and pancakes would be a grand slam.

Someone is on a roll.

Sometimes, the planets align. And when they do, oldknight is grateful for a knight off.

[oldknight]

Thought I'd comment on Calvin's newcomer Cam Denney. Observing him in several games now, I think his skill set could be a huge asset to Calvin this season in getting to that next level. He has great size and can mix it up down low, but his outside shot is true, ballhandling is solid, and his passing is superb. Also seems to have great basketball IQ--makes great decisions constantly, and seems to fit in the flow on both ends of the floor despite being brand new to our system.

Not much has been said about him or how he ended up at Calvin. Originally from Indiana, played college ball in Mississippi (perhaps on at least a partial basketball scholarship?), and then shows up at Calvin mid-sophomore year ready to play. Definitely a non-traditional path.I wonder if KVS had recruited him in HS? I hope he enjoys life and basketball at Calvin, he could have a very nice career here.

As a coach I know used to say: Too much french pastry.

First you criticize Thomas Jefferson's contributions; then you turn your nose up at French cuisine. What next? Dumping on Gilbert and Sullivan for presenting their comic operas at the Savoy Theatre?

[HopeConvert]

You know I'm an ardent Savoyard. I dare say I'm the only poster on this board other than OK who has watched Mrs. OK perform G and S.

GK: I worry about you. Have you considered some therapy for your punniness? I suspect you read too much Peter DeVries as a youth. On the basketball side of things, I suspect that Denney will rein it in at some point. All he has to do is watch number 12: not a wasted motion or superfluous act. It's how basketball is supposed to be played.

[oldknight]

You know I'm an ardent Savoyard. I dare say I'm the only poster on this board other than OK who has watched Mrs. OK perform G and S.

Better get your ticket early. The Sorcerer is coming up this spring and the inestimable Mrs. OK will be putting on another crackerjack performance.

[sac]

Keeping an eye on Adrian @ Albion today.  As we get closer to tournament time this could end up being a really key game in the fight for a tournament slot.  Albion can't afford another loss outside Calvin/Hope/Trine, let alone a home loss.  That would make things really difficult for them.

[wiz]

Also keeping an eye on Alma at Trine.  Could be a game changer.  Thinking Alma may work into playoffs this year.

[kzoo99]

Proud of kzoo.  They play like that the rest of the year and they will win more than they lose.  Final Calvin 62 kzoo 60

[realist]

Yes.  Kalamazoo played a very smart game, and their bigs are going to be even tougher once they get more game experience.
Calvin was terrible at the f.t line 15 of 32.  Evem Jordan Brink missed a couple today.  Make the f.t.'s and the game isn't quite as exciting.
FYI the Calvin women hang on to beat Hope 76-74.

[kzoo99]

Yes.  Kalamazoo played a very smart game, and their bigs are going to be even tougher once they get more game experience.
Calvin was terrible at the f.t line 15 of 32.  Evem Jordan Brink missed a couple today.  Make the f.t.'s and the game isn't quite as exciting.
FYI the Calvin women hang on to beat Hope 76-74.

K zoo's best shooter was 6 for 22.  Kzoo has another big freshman who was hurt. The bigs are starting to play better.  I think their defensive intensity caught Calvin off guard

[wiz]

Watched the Calvin/Hope women's rivalry online.  Kudos to Hope for their excellent video coverage. Now, they just need to do it all the time.  Very well done.

[realist]

Yes.  Kalamazoo played a very smart game, and their bigs are going to be even tougher once they get more game experience.
Calvin was terrible at the f.t line 15 of 32.  Evem Jordan Brink missed a couple today.  Make the f.t.'s and the game isn't quite as exciting.
FYI the Calvin women hang on to beat Hope 76-74.

K zoo's best shooter was 6 for 22.  Kzoo has another big freshman who was hurt. The bigs are starting to play better.  I think their defensive intensity caught Calvin off guard

There isn't to much doubt that Kzoo really dictated much of this game.  Calvin just never seemed to get into any sort of flow.

Well Hope wins, as do Adrian and Trine so things stay tight for now.

[calvinite]

As I recall, in today's game Calvin is up 2 with 20 seconds left. Kalamazoo has the ball with five fouls and uses most of the 20 seconds before missing the final shot - a 2 pt jumper.

Two questions: what are the reasons for Calvin not fouling other than the possibility of fouling on a shot that goes in? My inclination would be to foul even if Kazoo had 7 fouls because I wouldn't want to give up a three to lose the game.

2nd question: Kazoo, playing at Calvin and the underdog, goes for a 2 at the buzzer. Kazoo also had some foul issues which Calvin didn't: one player fouled out and another starter, Josh Miller, had 4, I think. With Calvin probably expecting the 3, it might make getting a good look unlikely, but doesn't it seem like this is one time you go for the win?

I can see pros and cons for any of these options, but I was surprised at what both teams decided to do at the end of the game.

[oldknight]

Well, that was an interesting afternoon at VNA. Calvin somehow--just barely--weathered a perfect storm that nearly stung the Knights with a costly at home loss to a game, hard charging Hornets squad. A combination of miserable shooting from the stripe (15-32) and the arc (7-28) contributed, as did a lengthy scoring drought from the floor the last seven and one-half minutes of the first half. The Knights led 28-16 before Kazoo finished the half on a 16-3 run with Calvin missing 11 straight floor shots and only hitting 3 free throws during the stretch. Dougal's boys smelled upset coming out of the locker room after the break and the rest of the contest was a dog fight. Calvin finally retook the lead for good mid-way through the second frame but never could establish a lead greater than five points. This is the first time this year I thought an opponent's physical style frustrated Calvin's players throughout. Even the normally unflappable Jordan Brink made some rushed playmaking, something you rarely see from the senior who made some poor decisions when he tried to make something happen. He even missed not one, but two second half free throws. To be fair to Jordan, he didn't get many calls. Fortunately, the Knights were very good on the boards grabbing almost as many of their own misses (of which there were many) as Kalamazoo grabbed defensive. The Knights had 19 offensive rebounds while the Hornets grabbed 21 on the defensive side. The biggest surprise for me was how good Kalamazoo's big men looked. There were times when Calvin's bigs were much bothered by Kalamazoo's shot blocking presence and that, in part, explains Calvin's willingness to settle for the three point shot. Twice Tyler Dykstra got swatted when he went inside so he wound up taking 5 threes, and that has to be a career high for him. What Kalamazoo did to Calvin was a bit reminiscent of what Hope did last week when Calvin's inside defense was very good. Other game notes:

--To show how good Jordan Brink really is, he had one of his poorer games of the year, yet he still scored 19 points on only 13 shots. He also snared 7 boards and buried a big three point basket with just over a minute left. Meanwhile, the most dangerous counterpart he had on the Kalamazoo side--Adam Dykema--scored 14 but Dykema needed 22 shots to do so.

--I wouldn't say Brad Visser had a great game but he did add 10 very valuable points off the bench. It's the first time in quite some time he has made a positive difference for Calvin.

--Jordan Daley had one of the more interesting triple-doubles I've ever seen. 11 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 missed free throws By contrast, at the start of the year, Jordan Brink had missed 19 free throws in his first three seasons of play. He's missed five more this year--three in his last two games.

--Kalamazoo's Josh Miller has made huge progress since high school. I saw him as a prepster and never would have guessed that he would be anything more than a role player in college. He gotten stronger, seems to have improved his athleticism, works very hard on both sides of the ball and is already a defensive force.

--a surprisingly good crowd for mid-January (nearly 1700), especially given the fact that the distaff side of the Calvin/Hope rivalry was being played at the same time. The student section in particular was larger than I've seen in several years other than when Hope comes to town. Fans were louder than normal too, though the closeness of the game and its physical nature no doubt were contributing factors.   

--The fact that Calvin had a foul to give on Kalamazoo's last possession was a huge factor. The Knights played in-your-grille defense on every Hornet player, no one left their man to double, and Dykema was forced to take a very difficult, off balance shot that really wasn't close to going in. Daley in particular was excellent on that possession and I sense Calvin anticipated that Kalamazoo really wanted a look from the arc to win in regulation. Exceptionally well played by the Knights.

[sac]

Hope 95. Olivet. 85

Olivet shot lights out today.   Zielinski,  krum, vondette make them a lot better.

Olivet missed it's last 7 threes

[oldknight]

As I recall, in today's game Calvin is up 2 with 20 seconds left. Kalamazoo has the ball with five fouls and uses most of the 20 seconds before missing the final shot - a 2 pt jumper.

Two questions: what are the reasons for Calvin not fouling other than the possibility of fouling on a shot that goes in? My inclination would be to foul even if Kazoo had 7 fouls because I wouldn't want to give up a three to lose the game.

2nd question: Kazoo, playing at Calvin and the underdog, goes for a 2 at the buzzer. Kazoo also had some foul issues which Calvin didn't: one player fouled out and another starter, Josh Miller, had 4, I think. With Calvin probably expecting the 3, it might make getting a good look unlikely, but doesn't it seem like this is one time you go for the win?

I can see pros and cons for any of these options, but I was surprised at what both teams decided to do at the end of the game.

Trying to understand the logic behind your questions with regard to how Calvin played Kalamazoo on the last possession. If Kalamazoo was in the bonus (they weren't) why would Calvin put the Hornets at the line with a chance to tie? There isn't a coach in America with half a brain who would do that. See my earlier post on how well Calvin was able to play that possession (without fouling) because they did have the luxury of a foul to give.