MBB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[Dutchfan]

Brett Bultsma  6-4 G   Wayland Union will attend Hope.

Without knowing anything else about him, I do like the idea of a 6'4" guard.

According to Google, he is Also a F-16 pilot.

[sac]

Finlandia has announced its closing after Spring semester. 

From a basketball point of view I don't think Finlandia ever won more than a couple games against an MIAA opponent.  I haven't searched the whole archive but I've only found two. 

[Stertorous Thunder]

Seems strange that Wheaton would be a host site.  They had five losses, were blown out in the semi finals of the conference tournament on their home court by Elmhurst, who in turn was soundly defeated by North Park in the finals.

I was going to defend my team and provide a correction and point out that Wheaton is only a four-loss team but then I assumed that you are counting the Illinois Wesleyan game with its questionable final foul call - and that's probably fair. 

[sac]

Hope 79 Bethany Lutheran 65 F

Hope sort of overwhelmed BLU early and ran out to a big lead, never really looked back. Hope was real aggressive early knocking balls lose and blocking shots, seemed to fluster BLU as they shot very poorly the first 10 min or so.    The game was more even the last 30 minutes, a couple decent pushes by Bethany got the deficit around 10.  Hope did a wonderful job controlling tempo again, and while this game was far from slow is was not what Bethany would typically want I don't think.

Odd thing was Bethany attempting only 11 3's on the night, didn't make one until pretty deep in the 2nd half, not their lowest attempts of the year but close and considering they were chasing the game the whole way it was strange.  65 was their lowest point total of the whole season by 9.  Hope's really been playing very good defense for awhile now.

Clayton Dykhouse was tremendous, and when things got a little tighter late in the game he scored 8 straight points to put it away.  McKenzie had a nice game off the bench.  Evan was Evan.   BLU did a nice job on Quillan who at the same time had some nice post moves to finish.

Dykhouse 26, Thomas 13, McKenzie 10, Quillan 10


Oshkosh did pretty much whatever they wanted against Fontbonne as expected, they'll be a much higher level and maybe the highest Hope will have face since they played Oshkosh in game 2 way back in November.  Hope's probably better and Oshkosh is probably better.  Should be a good one.

[Flying Dutch Fan]

Great game by the Dutchmen last night.  Their defensive intensity in the first half really seemed to put BLU on their heels and BLU never really recovered. Hope is now 11-3 away from DeVos and 3-0 in games played in Wisconsin this season.

Rematch with Oshkosh today, and it should be a great battle. I remember Coach Mitchell had talked about playing in March after the November loss to UWO:

"They're ranked No. 3 for a reason. I know they didn't play well last night. They were on edge," Mitchell said. "Full credit to them. That's a great basketball team, one of the best coached teams in the country. They're so good for us to play that game. If we're going to be the team we want to be, that's a team we've got to beat in March."

Well then let's be that team and Let's Go Hope!!

[MaroonKnighty]

Nail biter.

[pointlem]

UW Oshkosh 51, Hope 50.  Sooo close . . . and such a thin line between glory and defeat. As so often in life, so in sport.

How often as a boy shooting hoops did I imagine myself launching a shot at the buzzer, with my team a point behind (and then, after missing, retaking that shot until making it with imagined crowd bedlam). Alas, in sport as in life, there often are no retakes . . . though afterward we can mentally replay that shot, or that action, with a different outcome.

Evan Thomas may have missed that fantasy-come-true outcome. But we credit him for carrying the team to that point, not to mention a wonderful four years of watching his marriage of athleticism with ballet. Moreover, the outcome wasn't determined by that one miss but also by 37 earlier missed baskets, any one of which would have tipped the outcome from defeat to glory.

Even so, what a great conclusion to this injury-ridden season, capped by two wins at Calvin, a league tournament championship, and a decisive opening NCAA victory. What a credit to the team and coaches to have hung in there through the adversity and to have become stronger in the end. May there be a life lesson there . . . and some enduring great memories for the graduating seniors.

[sac]

Younger me would have strung together some words, hopefully good ones, about last nights game.  I think Pointlem hit all the points.  Thank you.


Just wanted to briefly say thanks to the players and coaches who worked so hard all season long.  It was a hard one but I think this team achieved the level they thought they could way back in October.   The last 3 weeks was some pretty special basketball played.  From a real old dude, thanks. 

[HOPEful]

Just wanted to briefly say thanks to the players and coaches who worked so hard all season long.  It was a hard one but I think this team achieved the level they thought they could way back in October.   The last 3 weeks was some pretty special basketball played.  From a real old dude, thanks.

Yes. A very strange and tough year. But to have your best player taking a jump shot at the buzzer with the chance to beat the host and #12 team in the country... can't ask for much more to put yourself in position to win.

I feel bad for Evan. He makes that shot more often than he misses. He's been everything we hoped he'd be when he was recruited. He and Harrison have been hands down the two best players to play under Coach Mitchell. It's unfortunate that after such a great 4 years, it's the one missed shot that he'll replay in his memory. I wish him the best next year at U of M. He will be missed.

[TUAngola]

Trine commit:

Jayce Cusack, 6'4 Guard, Lakewood HS, Lake Odessa MI.

Held offers from Hope, Calvin, Olivet, Alma, Aquinas, Cleary among others.

[sac]

Parker Hovey 6-5 G/F Hart, MI will attend Hope

[Flying Dutch Fan]

Evan Thomas will be playing in the NABC All-Star game at noon on Saturday in Ft Wayne.  HOPE he gets along ok with the coach he has for that game  (KVS)

https://www.d3hoops.com/notables/2023/03/nabc-all-star-rosters

[Flying Dutch Fan]

Four MIAA players make the Region 7 all region teams, as well as Jalen Overway winning Rookie of the Year:

Player of the Year: Christian Parker, Jr., F, Mount Union
Coach of the Year: Mike Fuline, Mount Union
Rookie of the Year: Jalen Overway, C, Calvin

First team             
Pos.   Player            School   Yr.   Hometown
G   Mitch Prendergast   Case Western Reserve   Sr.   Dallas, Texas
G   Jack Clement   Ohio Wesleyan   Sr.   Bellefontaine, Ohio
F   Lyle Tipton   Geneva   Sr.   Bellefontaine, Ohio
F   Christian Parker   Mount Union   Jr.   Canton, Ohio
C   Jalen Overway   Calvin   Fr.   Holland, Mich.

Second team             
G   Luke Chicone   John Carroll   So.   Mentor, Ohio
G   Collen Gurley   Mount Union   Sr.   Akron, Ohio
G   Devon Darrell   La Roche   Sr.   Lockport, N.Y.
G   Evan Thomas   Hope   Sr.   Okemos, Mich.
F   Cole Frilling   Case Western Reserve   Sr.   Coldwater, Ohio

Third team             
G   Danny Frauenheim   Case Western Reserve   Sr.   Brielle, N.J.
G   Jamir Billins   Wooster   So.   Lorain, Ohio
G   Luke Frazier   John Carroll   So.   Mentor, Ohio
F   Uchenna Egekeze   Calvin   Jr.   Huntley, Ill.
F   Brent Cox   Trine   Sr.   Kendallville, Ind.

https://www.d3hoops.com/awards/all-region/2022-23/region-7-men

[calvin_grad]

Will the South/Unity state QF to be played at Calvin have more fans than the Calvin/Hope game?  Discuss.

[Flying Dutch Fan]

yep