MBB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[sac]

There would likely be one less really awesome plaid suit in the world.

[MaroonKnighty]

Would one of you watching the Alma game please post scores periodically?  I'm unable to stream right now.  Thanks!

[sflzman]

44-25 Benedictine at the half. Simply put: Alma couldn't hit water in an ocean, while Bendictine can't miss.

[oldknight]

44-25 Benedictine at the half. Simply put: Alma couldn't hit water in an ocean, while Bendictine can't miss.

Several thoughts:  Alma is reeeeaaly struggling with Benedictine's size. Nikodemski in particular seems bothered by the inability to free himself for an open look. He had an awful half. As a team, Alma looks nothing like the one we saw during the regular season, taking shots far too quickly, failing to make the extra pass that was their hallmark this year, and taking far too many threes. The Scots were an exceptionally efficient scoring team this year but tonight are 9-35 and over half (18) of their shots were from the arc. Benedictine is very good but the Scots seem to think they have to match every made Benedictine triple with one of their own.

[sflzman]

44-25 Benedictine at the half. Simply put: Alma couldn't hit water in an ocean, while Bendictine can't miss.

Several thoughts:  Alma is reeeeaaly struggling with Benedictine's size. Nikodemski in particular seems bothered by the inability to free himself for an open look. He had an awful half. As a team, Alma looks nothing like the one we saw during the regular season, taking shots far too quickly, failing to make the extra pass that was their hallmark this year, and taking far too many threes. The Scots were an exceptionally efficient scoring team this year but tonight are 9-35 and over half (18) of their shots were from the arc. Benedictine is very good but the Scots seem to think they have to match every made Benedictine triple with one of their own.

I agree. Alma seems super out of their element. After being at both Devos and here this year, I'd have to say this seems like even a tougher environment to play in. The place is packed, and they have oversold the building both night for standing room only crowd.

The size is definitely a huge factor. The guy sitting behind me seems convinced going to a man to man is the answer, but I don't think that would change much.

Barring a great comeback I'd have to think that Alma has reached the end of its run. They had a great season, and it will be interesting to see who wins the inevitable all-Illinois national championship

[Gregory Sager]

Barring a great comeback I'd have to think that Alma has reached the end of its run. They had a great season, and it will be interesting to see who wins the inevitable all-Illinois national championship

Nothing inevitable about that. St. Thomas and Augie are neck-and-neck right now deep into the second half.

[oldknight]

44-25 Benedictine at the half. Simply put: Alma couldn't hit water in an ocean, while Bendictine can't miss.

Several thoughts:  Alma is reeeeaaly struggling with Benedictine's size. Nikodemski in particular seems bothered by the inability to free himself for an open look. He had an awful half. As a team, Alma looks nothing like the one we saw during the regular season, taking shots far too quickly, failing to make the extra pass that was their hallmark this year, and taking far too many threes. The Scots were an exceptionally efficient scoring team this year but tonight are 9-35 and over half (18) of their shots were from the arc. Benedictine is very good but the Scots seem to think they have to match every made Benedictine triple with one of their own.

I agree. Alma seems super out of their element. After being at both Devos and here this year, I'd have to say this seems like even a tougher environment to play in. The place is packed, and they have oversold the building both night for standing room only crowd.

The size is definitely a huge factor. The guy sitting behind me seems convinced going to a man to man is the answer, but I don't think that would change much.

Barring a great comeback I'd have to think that Alma has reached the end of its run. They had a great season, and it will be interesting to see who wins the inevitable all-Illinois national championship

Yup. Sometimes you lay an egg and run into a buzz saw at the same time as Benedictine hit 15 of their first 21 triples. Still a great season for the Scots. They should be proud and have to be the pre-season favorite to win the MIAA next year.

[sac]

44-25 Benedictine at the half. Simply put: Alma couldn't hit water in an ocean, while Bendictine can't miss.

Several thoughts:  Alma is reeeeaaly struggling with Benedictine's size. Nikodemski in particular seems bothered by the inability to free himself for an open look. He had an awful half. As a team, Alma looks nothing like the one we saw during the regular season, taking shots far too quickly, failing to make the extra pass that was their hallmark this year, and taking far too many threes. The Scots were an exceptionally efficient scoring team this year but tonight are 9-35 and over half (18) of their shots were from the arc. Benedictine is very good but the Scots seem to think they have to match every made Benedictine triple with one of their own.

Also struggling on a night your opponent goes 15-20 from 3 at one point is a bad combo.

[sac]

Great season Scots, very happy I was able to see them so many times this year.  Fun to watch.

[sac]

Watching games tonight, very clearly the MIAA needs much more size. 

[gordonmann]

Alma press conference available here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJmxl6LfpIM&feature=youtu.be

[hope1]

good sessson alma

[GreatScot!?]

So proud of the Scots this year! Ran into a buzzsaw tonight with Benedictine shooting 70% from three and the Scots struggling to score points. Wish the end result would've been a final 4 trip, but I think they'll settle on the best season in Alma history! The team was 9-16 in Hargraves first year and finished at 24-7 this year. Just an incredible combination of players buying in, playing unselfish and having the talent to get the job done, proud to be a Scot!

[sac]

I hadn't really looked at it closely but the MIAA loses a bunch of good, talented players.

10 of top 15 scorers
7 of top 10 rebounding, including top 7  (a small league becomes even smaller really)

I imagine that will put the league back below the .500 win pct. mark in the non-conference next year, but you never really know I guess.

What everybody graduates:

Adrian
Christian Coville
Ricky Jackson Jr.
Ben Rodak
Jordan Denham

Albion
Jordan Herron
Travel Oakes
Dakota Kazen

Alma
Scott Nikodemski
DJ Beckman
Gus Merriweather
Ethan Woelke
JR James
Matt Launstein

Calvin
Jordan Daley
Austin Parks

Hope
Ben Gardner
Brock Benson
Alex Eidson
Sam Otto
Steve Wittenbach

Kalamazoo
Cam Schwartz
Mike Oravetz

Olivet
Lee Gardner

Trine
Jared Holmquist
Ben Syroka
Tarvis Malone
Braden Knight
Sloan Whitaker


Percentage of offensive points returning:
Kzoo:     90.0%
Olivet:    71.8%
Alma:      64.3%
Calvin:    64.0%
Albion:    57.4%
Trine:      51.9%
Hope:     47.2%
Adrian:   45.4%*  Including Davonte Harris

It should be noted while Kzoo and Olivet return the most offensively, they were also the 2 worst offenses in the league in efficiency by a lot.  Between them, Olivet and Kzoo will have 13 Seniors.  It would take a major leap for either to contend for the title but if either one has a much better season than this year, that is probably partly going to be why.  And you should note Kalamazoo returns 2 of the top 3 returning scorers in the league, Baysdell and Dickerson.

Efficiency returning
A couple notes.  One is I'm not sure this is totally helpful.  If you lost a bunch of post players, like Albion, your Eff is going to drop a lot because post players are generally very efficient.  If you lost a bunch of perimeter players, like Adrian, your returning Eff is going to actually go up because jump shooters are less efficient.

Also I didn't pull out all of the bench players I probably should have.  Bench guys can be much more efficient than their regular players simply by playing less minutes.  One made shot for a bench guy has greater impact on his individual eff than one make for a regular.

Returning offensive EFF
Alma      115.17
Adrian    111.4
Trine      107.74
Calvin    105.02
Hope       98.03
Kzoo       96.67
Albion     94.68
Olivet      83.88

So yeah, if you thought Lee Gardner held the Olivet ship afloat like me, there is your proof.  Hope and Albion have some work to do this off-season. 


Based purely on returning players, I think I might feel comfortable with this, with the caveat that I think 2 through 4 or 5 are very much interchangeable and reliant on a lot of things we just don't know right now.  I'd even throw #1 in that mix because the Scots relied so heavily on Nikodemski in end of game situations.  That comfort blanket won't be there next year.  I also think Kzoo might be able to creep into contention for a tournament slot but that still seems like a pretty big leep.

Most of these are just guesses, as in I really have no idea how to separate Calvin and Trine or Hope from anybody etc. and be reasonably confident in anything. 

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

[Grutte Dirk]

What's the current state of MIAA recruiting the Class of 2016?
Who has committed where?