MBB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[HOPEful]

Trine 89 Hope 84 2OT
Hope will feel they gave this one away, because they really did....

Hope kept giving Trine opportunities to claw to a win, and Connor Jones kept taking them.

From fouling the three-point shooter, to turning the ball over due to fighting your teammate for the rebound, to your 78% career free throw shooter missing game clinching free throws not once, but twice... this one stings.

On the other hand, Evans presence seems to have immediately lifted this team back to a contender for the MIAA. The battle between Calvin, Trine, and Hope this year should be fun.

[sac]

On the other hand, Evans presence seems to have immediately lifted this team back to a contender for the MIAA. The battle between Calvin, Trine, and Hope this year should be fun.

Most notable thing was Evan directing traffic and the half dozen or more clear outs in the later 1/3 of the game.  Evan is not 100% or maybe a better description is not up to mid-season game speed.  I don't think Hope intended to play him as much as they did, but game flow and his play sort of made it ok to do so.   He played with two splints taped on his left hand but still had enough confidence to drive left handed a couple times so that was encouraging.  Pure guess, those splints won't be there sooner rather than later.  He was fiddling with them all night.

[Flying Dutch Fan]

On the other hand, Evans presence seems to have immediately lifted this team back to a contender for the MIAA. The battle between Calvin, Trine, and Hope this year should be fun.

Most notable thing was Evan directing traffic and the half dozen or more clear outs in the later 1/3 of the game.  Evan is not 100% or maybe a better description is not up to mid-season game speed.  I don't think Hope intended to play him as much as they did, but game flow and his play sort of made it ok to do so.   He played with two splints taped on his left hand but still had enough confidence to drive left handed a couple times so that was encouraging.  Pure guess, those splints won't be there sooner rather than later.  He was fiddling with them all night.

I was impressed to see him go left, and even more impressed he made a nifty left handed floater in the 2nd half.  I know the after halftime FT shooting really hurt, but for ET anyway I'm cutting him some slack - his first game in 49 days.  I think he performed exceptionally well considering the layoff and the injury.

... and the travel call (really???) on what would should have been an and 1 to potentially give Hope an 8 point lead with 1:50 to go in the 2nd really hurt. 

[TUAngola]

Good Hope-Trine game analysis from SAC, HOPEful, FDF and Pointlem.  As all of you have alluded to, it was one that Hope should not have lost.  At no time during the first 45 minutes did I think Trine had it figured out even though Hope didn't really jump out to big leads.  But we just kinda hung around, needless to say those last second game tying 3s in regulation and the 1st OT were heartbreakers for the Dutch.  Some random thoughts:

Evan Thomas:  Watching him warm up I honestly didn't expect him to play because he rarely if at all did anything with his left hand, was catching balls thrown to him one handed.  But I was glad to see him start and play the whole game, you always want your full complement of players.  My assessment is that he was at 75%, you could tell his legs were gone the last part of the second half, maybe the reason for the FT misses down the stretch?  But a 75% Evan Thomas is a whole lot better than no Evan Thomas for Hope and he'll continue to get stronger as the season goes on.

Connor Jones:  Just a huge monster game, sole reason Trine hung around and eventually pulled out the win.  He tied Trine's single game (NCAA results only) scoring record of 44 points with Ian Jackson.  Of the Trine players he was the only one whose game got stronger as the game went on.  Everyone else looked gassed.  In the OTs he scored 15 of Trine's 21 points, before fouling out.  He was also dealing with cramps but was able to get back in the game after some treatment from the athletic trainer.  His shooting style is so unorthodox, don't teach your kids to shoot like Connor, but he is so adept around the basket and his 3 point shot has improved tremendously.

Free Throws and Fouls:  Yikes!!  Both teams struggled, obviously Hope was stellar in the 1st half, but was stinky in the 2nd half.  Trine was stinky the whole game but both teams ended up shooting 65% so it was basically a 'wash' although Hope had 17 more attempts.  58 combined total fouls committed in the game!!  It didn't make for a good flowing game at all, but it was still an exciting game to watch nonetheless.

"Noodle Boys":  I am in agreement with Pointlem that the 2 "pool noodle boys" should not have been allowed to stand on the baseline of the floor the second half.  The first half they were in the stands, but when Hope shot to their side in the second half the boys eventually made their way to the floor.  I am somewhat surprised the Hope players and staff didn't raise a stink about it, or the referees or Trine admin talk to them.  I am all for the boys having fun, they could have stood in the stands behind the basket and waived their noodles all they wanted, but the pounding of the noodles on the floor when the Hope guys were shooting free throws I thought was a bit much.

Crowd:  Over 1000 for a Wednesday night game with no students on campus except for other sports teams and cheer squad, really solid turnout.  This was a game meant to be played in front of students, so was disappointing they didn't get to see it in person, but all schools go thru the same thing over the Holidays.  I heard there was a contingent of fans from neighboring Coldwater come to watch Hope's Ethan Crabtree, but unfortunatley he didn't get into the game.     

[HOPEful]

[HOPEful]

I'm less interested in the size of the screen and more in how it's used...

[sac]

[MaroonKnighty]

I'm less interested in the size of the screen and more in how it's used...

Looks a case of scoreboard envy.

[Flying Dutch Fan]

I'm less interested in the size of the screen and more in how it's used...

Looks a case of scoreboard envy.

Which is easliy curable by having some Russ' pie and a cup of coffee.  Nothing like that chronic, incurable arena envy you all have over on the Beltline   

I know, I know - I should be kinder and gentler but it's less than a week till a rivalry game!!!



Cue for the banner envy comeback in 3, 2, 1... 

[wiz]

I'm less interested in the size of the screen and more in how it's used...

Looks a case of scoreboard envy.

Which is easliy curable by having some Russ' pie and a cup of coffee.  Nothing like that chronic, incurable arena envy you all have over on the Beltline   

I know, I know - I should be kinder and gentler but it's less than a week till a rivalry game!!!



Cue for the banner envy comeback in 3, 2, 1... 

There are only two arena's for men's basketball in the MIAA, the Art Smith Arena at Alma and the Van Noord Arena at Calvin.  Yours is a fieldhouse. 

[Grutte Dirk]

Trine 89 Hope 84 2OT

Was not expecting the high energy, high intensity and extremely enjoyable game to just be at in Angola.  A million things happened in this one and every one of them important.

Trine's fight and tenacity were something and you just had to applaud it.  I mean really, down 2 possessions once under a minute to go and once just over a minute to go in OT and hitting two game tying 3's ,  4 starters fouling out and somehow finding the energy and personnel to pull out that game in double overtime.  Bravo.

Hope will feel they gave this one away, because they really did.  Had the game clinching FTs in the hands of their best Ft shooter twice which never should have even come to the first one with a 9-19 team FT performance in the 2nd half and 3-7 in the first overtime.   On top of that a handful of bad errors that simply gave Trine a pathway to overtime and double overtime.


1.   Connor Jones was incredible
2.   Evan Thomas was maybe 80%, but sure nice to have him back
3.   Hope's bench played really well, which is now extended by one with Thomas back
4.   Hope's inconsistent 3 point shooting and propensity for turnovers eventually came back to bite them

Its been awhile since I watched a game where both teams looked tired halfway through the 2nd.   At one stoppage with about 8 min left everyone just stood around catching their breathe, Trine was exhausted, they subbed and their subs looked exhausted.  It was here Hope had the chance to maybe land the knockout blow and just couldn't do it.

Hope:  Thomas 24, McKenzie 17, Wiegerink 16
Trine:   Jones 44, Cox 16, Pahl 12

Here's the video link if you want to watch one heck of D3 basketball game.   Max lead was I think 7 btw. 
https://livestream.com/trinebroadcastingnetwork/events/10721762

Thanks for all the work you folks put into these types of posts.  Us lurkers appreciate it.

[almcguirejr]

https://twitter.com/itsantwright/status/1611796536123617280?s=42&t=3oX4_fCYAhS60H4Gjn4koA
Disappointing news from Albion.  This was a day to honor Mike Turner.  It's sad that this situation has happened.

[KnightSlappy]

https://twitter.com/itsantwright/status/1611796536123617280?s=42&t=3oX4_fCYAhS60H4Gjn4koA
Disappointing news from Albion.  This was a day to honor Mike Turner.  It's sad that this situation has happened.

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/college/2023/01/07/albion-basketball-players-want-coach-fired-after-alleged-racial-slurs/69787610007/

Here is the Detroit News' report on the story involving coach May and the Albion players.

[oldknight]

After a slow start, Calvin turned on the offense the last 12 minutes of the first half against the visitors from Alma, with the Knights taking a comfortable 46-28 lead into the locker room. Freshmen Trevin Winkle led the way, playing a terrific 7 minutes late in the half, going 5-5 from the floor and leading all scorers with 12 the opening 20 minutes.

The second half was arguably the ugliest 20 minutes of basketball ever seen at VNA. Both teams were awful, with Knights going 7-28 and the Scots 7-33 during the second frame. The lead mostly stayed between 20-25 points for most of the final 20 minutes. As the shooting stats indicate, Alma never made a run, but Calvin never turned the game into a total rout.

In addition to WInkle's 12, Jalen Overway netted 15 and had 13 boards for Calvin, while Sensing added 10. Frosh Luka Ressler got the start today, played a solid floor game, and scored 8 points. Riley and Walker led Alma with 15 and 11.

[KnightSlappy]

After a slow start, Calvin turned on the offense the last 12 minutes of the first half against the visitors from Alma, with the Knights taking a comfortable 46-28 lead into the locker room. Freshmen Trevin Winkle led the way, playing a terrific 7 minutes late in the half, going 5-5 from the floor and leading all scorers with 12 the opening 20 minutes.

The second half was arguably the ugliest 20 minutes of basketball ever seen at VNA. Both teams were awful, with Knights going 7-28 and the Scots 7-33 during the second frame. The lead mostly stayed between 20-25 points for most of the final 20 minutes. As the shooting stats indicate, Alma never made a run, but Calvin never turned the game into a total rout.

In addition to WInkle's 12, Jalen Overway netted 15 and had 13 boards for Calvin, while Sensing added 10. Frosh Luka Ressler got the start today, played a solid floor game, and scored 8 points. Riley and Walker led Alma with 15 and 11.

There was really no reason for Calvin not to win this game by 30. Coach Sall was clearly not happy with the way they were operating on the offensive end in the 2nd half.