MBB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[oldknight]

Heard disturbing news from the Knollcrest campus today that one of Calvin's prominent players from last year is not returning. I'm not sure this is set in stone, but the source is reliable. So, at the very least, one of Calvin's players is considering not returning . Ouch. Not happy about this.

The disturbing news is accurate. When I first heard it two weeks ago, I immediately thought we might be looking at the curse of AAU ball. I don't think that organization serves young athletes well--it mostly just wears them out, eventually causing them to see their sport as a wearisome job, not the pleasant diversion from everyday activities that it should be. Just this afternoon I had a lengthy conversation with a lawyer my age who I remember from his high school football days. He was a star who competed at the storied East Grand Rapids program followed by varsity football at Dartmouth. He totally agreed that AAU sports is the bane of prep sports--and college sports too.

[northb]

Heard disturbing news from the Knollcrest campus today that one of Calvin's prominent players from last year is not returning. I'm not sure this is set in stone, but the source is reliable. So, at the very least, one of Calvin's players is considering not returning . Ouch. Not happy about this.

And the non-returning player is...................?

[almcguirejr]

Heard disturbing news from the Knollcrest campus today that one of Calvin's prominent players from last year is not returning. I'm not sure this is set in stone, but the source is reliable. So, at the very least, one of Calvin's players is considering not returning . Ouch. Not happy about this.

And the non-returning player is...................?

It's not official introduction he doesn't come to tryouts on the 15th.  There is still time to pray for a change of heart.  Tell your Pastor to pray because the team and the games will be a lot better with this player.  I' m desperate, I may call Benny Hinn.

[MaroonKnighty]

Heard disturbing news from the Knollcrest campus today that one of Calvin's prominent players from last year is not returning. I'm not sure this is set in stone, but the source is reliable. So, at the very least, one of Calvin's players is considering not returning . Ouch. Not happy about this.

And the non-returning player is...................?

It's not official introduction he doesn't come to tryouts on the 15th.  There is still time to pray for a change of heart.  Tell your Pastor to pray because the team and the games will be a lot better with this player.  I' m desperate, I may call Benny Hinn.

Who should we be praying for?

[ziggy]

Heard disturbing news from the Knollcrest campus today that one of Calvin's prominent players from last year is not returning. I'm not sure this is set in stone, but the source is reliable. So, at the very least, one of Calvin's players is considering not returning . Ouch. Not happy about this.

And the non-returning player is...................?

It's not official introduction he doesn't come to tryouts on the 15th.  There is still time to pray for a change of heart.  Tell your Pastor to pray because the team and the games will be a lot better with this player.  I' m desperate, I may call Benny Hinn.

Who should we be praying for?

Calvin fans everywhere.

[knightvision]

If in fact he chooses not to play, Connor is not the first and won't be the last student athlete who chooses to step away from a sport for a year (or more), particularly at the D3 level.  I can think of a number of Calvin athletes over the years, who, for a variety of reasons, decided not to play--and I'm quite sure that fans of other MIAA schools on this board can think of plenty of young men and women at their respective schools who did the same.  If oldknight's immediate thought as to the reason why is indeed accurate, then some time away may be exactly what he needs. 

Blaming AAU for all the problems in college basketball, particularly at the D1 level, has been in vogue for several years.  Lots of stories about big time AAU programs and power hungry,attention seeking coaches, big name sponsor involvements, and rumors (and proof) of payoffs have no doubt helped create that monster.  I don't take oldknight's comments as jumping on that bandwagon, and for all I know, too much AAU (or just too much basketball for too long, AAU or otherwise) may in fact be a contributing factor.  I don't know, and given that oldknight usually knows way more about stuff like this, I will channel my inner Yogi Berra and cite #38 on the top 50 Yogi quotes list: "If you ask me anything I don't know, I'm not going to answer."  However, I will say this:  it's pretty easy to just blame AAU for both the kid and those on the outside looking in, when in fact decisions like these are usually far more complex.  Let's not be too quick to blame AAU-- I know a good number of current players at Calvin and other MIAA schools, who if asked about their AAU experience, would speak positively and indicate it helped fuel their passion for the game, in large part because their AAU program was well run by good people who love basketball and did much to help them improve. 

Thinking about a Calvin team without Connor this year is not a pleasant thought for any Calvin fan--he is a fine player and would be sorely missed.  But if in fact he is burned out on basketball, my hope is that some time away is a positive thing for him and reignites his passion for the game.   

   

[oldknight]

Knightvision is--as usual--thorough and measured in his assessment of the AAU circuit. And as he points out, while some athletes may lose interest by playing tons of basketball, others thrive on it. My days long pre-date AAU basketball but I can't remember ever being closely burned out by too much hoops. It's really an individual thing and the dynamics are complex because people are complex.

It is easy to get on the bandwagon of demonizing AAU, a tendency that may have been fueled by Kobe Bryant, a strident critic of that organization, but mainly for the reason that he thinks it does nothing to develop player skills. I know Kobe is easy to dislike but he's still a smart guy who deserves a hearing when he alleges that AAU does not develop fundamentals and points to the increasing skill level of European players.

A few years back, the New York Times Magazine had an article on how the Dutch try to develop soccer talent. While a different sport, I do think it's worth reading in the context of the AAU debate.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/06/magazine/06Soccer-t.html?pagewanted=all&_r=1

The paragraph that most caught my attention was this:

Americans place a higher value on competition than on practice, so the balance between games and practice in the U.S. is skewed when compared with the rest of the world. It's not unusual for a teenager in the U.S. to play 100 or more games in a season, for two or three different teams, leaving little time for training and little energy for it in the infrequent moments it occurs. A result is that the development of our best players is stunted. They tend to be fast and passionate but underskilled and lacking in savvy compared with players elsewhere. "As soon as a kid here starts playing, he's got referees on the field and parents watching in lawn chairs," John Hackworth, the former coach of the U.S. under-17 national team and now the youth-development coordinator for the Philadelphia franchise in Major League Soccer, told me. "As he gets older, the game count just keeps increasing. It's counterproductive to learning and the No. 1 worst thing we do."

[Roundball999]

I suppose it's a matter of what the individual wants.  I know in my case, it was clearly never my sole goal to be the best basketball player possible - at all costs.  Had that been the case, a greater emphasis on drills, skills, individualized coaching and so forth, vs. playing games, may have made sense.  But I enjoyed the games far more than the practices and drills so more games and less practice was what I wanted.  I wonder if the level of burnout is different with a heavier games or a heavier practice schedule?

I've had a fair amount of AAU experience as both a participant and parent and while there are certainly problems (much more so on the boys side) on balance I believe we are much better off with AAU than without, in both player development and opportunity to play the game we enjoy.

[sac]

Olivet has a new athletic director
http://olivetcomets.com/general_releases/shockey_appointed_AD

[sac]

First pre-season love
http://www.smallcollegehoops.com/Home_files/D3NOct15FactSheet.pdf

[sac]

Holmquist writeup
http://www.trinethunder.com/sports/mbkb/2015-16/releases/20151012ydutbb

[ziggy]

First pre-season love
http://www.smallcollegehoops.com/Home_files/D3NOct15FactSheet.pdf

So, ipso facto, DIII News considers Brock Benson to be the preseason MIAA MVP?

I think he'll be in the running, but I don't even consider him the best player on his own team. I'd give that distinction to Harrison Blackledge and he would be my preseason pick for MVP.

[HOPEful]

I think he'll be in the running, but I don't even consider him the best player on his own team. I'd give that distinction to Harrison Blackledge and he would be my preseason pick for MVP.

Seconded. The progression Harrison made between is freshman and sophomore year was pleasantly unexpected. I am excited to see what his junior and senior years bring.

[sac]

First pre-season love
http://www.smallcollegehoops.com/Home_files/D3NOct15FactSheet.pdf

So, ipso facto, DIII News considers Brock Benson to be the preseason MIAA MVP?

I think he'll be in the running, but I don't even consider him the best player on his own team. I'd give that distinction to Harrison Blackledge and he would be my preseason pick for MVP.

I don't think D3News did anything more than pick the leading returning scorers from most of the teams they picked.  Benson avg'd 12.9, Blackledge 12.7

[sac]

Adrian set a school record today for earliest posting of their roster(sort of), I would guess it isn't the final roster.
http://adrianbulldogs.com/sports/m-baskbl/2015-16/roster

tried filling in some blanks with moderate success, I may or may not have the right guys in some cases.

Venson Bryant  is a JUCO from Wayne Co.  (I assume that's Wayne Co, Ohio)
Anthony Cannon is from Detroit Martin Luther King, his hs profile says he graduated in 2010 
Christian Covile played at Sienna Heights, which is interesting because they listed him as a Sr. last year
Isiah Crofford is 6-6 fr. from Redford Thurston HS
Michael Gold is a Fr. guard from Linden HS
Travon Johnson is a Fr. from Battle Creek Harper Creek
Devonte Harris is a JUCO from Black Hawk-Moline in Illinois
Ben Kill, 6-6 Fr. from Dexter
Logan Merrick is from Anchor Bay, played at Macomb CC
Chad Mossing 6-3 G from Evergreen, Oh ......if I have the right guy this is his 3rd school having previously played at Marietta and NW Ohio.
Khylen Watkins is a Fr. from Battle Creek Harper Creek


Guys who didn't come back who played significant minutes last year, or at least don't show on this roster  Justin Webster, Earl Swift.   Eric Lewis was also able to come back this year but after two knee injuries in about 12 months time it was probably asking too much. 

Adrian played about 22 guys last year, a significant number of them don't appear on this roster.