MBB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[tyrone]

Of note in the Hope recruit section on Saturday: Derek Van Solkema, Steven Kratz (Ludington), Dustin Miller (Marshall), Alex Wolf (Parchment), John Mantel (Chelsea), a few kids from Traverse City St. Francis, a few kids from Utica/Eisenhower, a kid from Florida, and DAVE KOOL??

Kool's 2 sisters went to Hope.

[devossed]

http://www.mlive.com/preps/muchronicle/basketball/index.ssf?/base/sports-0/113647951185700.xml&coll=8

Here are the best likely MIAA prospects in the state:
1. Ryan Zwier  6-5  Kalamazoo Christian
2. Robbie Harman  5-11  Traverse City Central
3. Matt Veltema  6-5  Grandville Calvin Christian
4. Matt Kingshott  6-5  Zeeland West
5. Steve Kratz  6-6  Ludington
6. Andy Venema  6-6  Tri-Uity Christian
7. Dan Kunde  6-6  Bridgman
8. Dustin Miller  6-1  Marshall
9. John Lierman  6-2  Holt
10. Alex Wolf  5-11  Parchment
11. Jimmy Strunk  6-1  East Kentwood
12. Matt Wayne  6-6  Riverview
13. Devin Tarrant  6-6  Bath
14. Austin Randel  6-4  McBain
15. Jon Visser  6-1  Tri-Unity Christian
16. Brad Dugan  6-6  Oxford
17. Dan Perkins  6-9  Lansing Christian
18. Richard Blair  6-0  Pellston
19. Will Bruinsma  6-2  Western Michigan Christian
20. Corbin Donaldson  6-0  Petoskey
--    David Stasiak  5-9  Saline
--    Spencer Olson  6-0  Grand Rapids Northview
http://www.bankhoops.com

Just revisiting Steve's list--anyone hear anything else about these guys? I know on Steve's website somewhere it says Perkins is getting looks from D-1 St Peters...

[tniem]

Brits number 3?  What the heck do the Brits need to do to get a number one ranking.  Coleman, what's with this horse*&^%?

My assumption is that your loss to Michigan-Dearborn is "killing" you on getting the number one ranking.  Most voters that haven't seen you guys play recently probably see a loss to a 4-12 team (with huge losses to Hillsdale and Aquinas) and judge that Wooster and Witt's one loss are to much stronger competition.  I don't disagree there, although with my MIAA bias, I would put you on top.

I would kill to play in your new facility, Hopefans!  My closet is bigger than Kgymnasium.

Are the official numbers wrong about the size of the arena?  Does it seat 1400?  I have been there many times with the place half empty and also when it is completely full.  It is a great enviornment.  But this year, the numbers say your best night was 540.  Why do you need bigger?  I have to believe that the stadium is great for the college at its current size.  And it is a beautiful/loud place (was envious for years).

[SBell]

Mantel would be a steal, get calls from MAC coaches every week about him, 6-8, athleteic and can shoot. But he was homeschooled so might not have that "DI or best" mindset.

Unfortunately, Alex Wolf's season is over, broke his hand Friday.

Miller very good, stuck on a bad team. He was the best American high school player in Europe the previous two seasons.

Also should be on that list MIAA list, Jared and Aaron List, 6-4 twins from Frankenuth, which could win Class B this year.

Kool's girlfriend goes to Hope.

[Pat Coleman]

I voted for Albion No. 1 both last week and this week but hey, I only have one ballot out of 25.

Remember that the D3hoops.com Top 25 stuck with Albion despite complaints from all sorts of people about the quality of players Albion lost. I wouldn't be griping about how the D3hoops.com Top 25 treats Albion.

[Old Snake]

Kresge is perfect for Albion.  It's pretty packed for big games, but seldom is it sro.  The crowd for the Hope game was sparse because they are on break until the 20th.  There were as many or more Hope fans at the game last week, so the gym environment wasn't an advantage for Albion, though it's always nice to be at home.   Kresge is far better than playing in the Dow, as there would almost always be empty seats.  Plus, no atmosphere.  Rule #l:  Never have a gym you can't fill at least some of the time.

[albionbritfan]

I voted for Albion No. 1 both last week and this week but hey, I only have one ballot out of 25.

Remember that the D3hoops.com Top 25 stuck with Albion despite complaints from all sorts of people about the quality of players Albion lost. I wouldn't be griping about how the D3hoops.com Top 25 treats Albion.

Thanks for the support, Pat.  What surprised me in the Top 25 was that Woo, Witt and Albion did not get all of the 1st, 2nd & 3rd place votes (their points add up to 1792, not 1800).  I thought it might consolidate around those three with IWU losing again and Hope losing to Albion.  Did Lawrence and Hope take 8 3rd place votes or grab a couple of the 2nd place votes as well?  Did anyone vote Woo or Albion lower than fourth?

[oldknight]

It sure is interesting how different people see bias differently. I have never thought Tom Cleary was pro- Calvin. In fact, the last several years I have thought that he and his previous partner, Steve Lloyd Jones, trended towards Hope. Even my kids watching last year thought so--without any prompting from me. It was so bad last year that they gladly accepted my suggestion that we turn down the TV sound and listen to Mr. Hudsonville Ice Cream himself. I think mint chocolate chip was the flavor of the game. This year's substitution of Bret Bakita for Lloyd Jones was an excellent choice and I thought the coverage to be more even handed. Bakita is the best play by play announcer in West Michigan but he also did a very fine job of color commentary for the game.  As for the bias of the Holland Sentinel, don't get me started. Pat Coleman doesn't have enough space on his Board that would allow me to post all my thoughts on the Sentinel's bias towards all things Holland.

On another note, devossed apparently missed another fine high school player at the game--namely Matt Veltema.

[Carl Yastrzemski]

Holland Sentinel biased towards all things Holland? No way... what on earth would possibly give that away. Could it be the actual title of the paper?

Kresge gym will be around for a long time, you can see some archieved photos of Kresge at www.albion.edu. I swear in the 4th picture, that is Coach Turner holding the shovel for the ground breaking ceremony.

The Dow Center is nowhere near being capable of holding a NCAA basketball game. The floor is rubber, and the only available seating is on the stationary bikes that are along the walls, and the high jump landing mats.

Just saw in the transaction section of the Holland Sentinel the Lions signed a great free agent QB named Scott Mitchell. This guy has to be great, backing up Dan Marino is a great learning experience.

[Civic Minded]

It sure is interesting how different people see bias differently. I have never thought Tom Cleary was pro- Calvin. In fact, the last several years I have thought that he and his previous partner, Steve Lloyd Jones, trended towards Hope. Even my kids watching last year thought so--without any prompting from me. It was so bad last year that they gladly accepted my suggestion that we turn down the TV sound and listen to Mr. Hudsonville Ice Cream himself.

Now, that's funny!  We've had the same conversation at our house, claiming that Tom Cleary was obviously a Calvin grad, and have turned down the volume on the television to listen to the Hope radio broadcast.  Maybe he wasn't as far off as we imagined...

[sac]

... too funny ...... the Holland Sentinel too biased about all things Holland.

Uh yeah........!  I don't buy the Grand Rapids Press anymore, too many articless about the doings in GR. 



Ramblings......

As for the Kool sighting in DeVos, I don't know where he got his ticket or from whom but its not uncommon to see kids who have already taken a scholarship get a ticket for the Hope/Calvin game or other games.  Never stop recruiting........you never know when someone might transfer in.   



Remember Albion lost thier first game and stayed in the top10 while others around them dropped like a rock.  I think the D3Hoops poll has been all over the Britons this year.



Phillips won't make all-american mostly because he doesn't have to be one with this Hope team.  Crawford had better be a unanimous choice.  He's haveing an unbelievable season.



I'm a little surprised Hope stayed at 4, but there were enough teams behind them who lost that it softened the blow of losing to Albion some.

[oldknight]

At the risk of being accused of defending myself, I'll do it anyway. When I write that the Sentinel is biased towards all things Holland that is not a criticism of what the Sentinel covers, it is only a criticism of how they cover sporting events.

[diehardfan]

Holland Sentinel biased towards all things Holland? No way... what on earth would possibly give that away. Could it be the actual title of the paper?

Okay, that def deserves some karma!   

[kdoggy]

Wish I could make the trek to Holland on Wednesday night, but can't make it.  Things should be interesting for Adrian in front of the big crowd.  The boys are damaged right now, mentally and physically, but remember and I'm sure the boys from Hope do...Adrian has won three of the last five games.  Could the boys have a big let down. 

I'll look for Billy Collins Jr. to break out of his funk, for some reason Glen V is the only coach that forgets to tell his team about Billy's offensive skills.  In Adrian's last five games against Hope, three which Adrian won,  Collins' is averaging 20.6 points per game against Hope.  In the three games Adrian has won, Collins has went for 22, 31 and 20 points.

It could be Billy C. gets ready to play Hope?  Or Hope doesn't match-up well with him?  Will see Wednesday night.

Just my two cents, but if Collins' scores 20 points or more, AC is in the game.  Don't know even if Collins goes off if the rest of the supporting cast can help AC to a win.

Out!

[Picket Fence]

AP is usually on Collins. Look for VanderHeide, Cramer and Carlson to check him this year.

Anybody else notice how many mistakes Babbitt makes? Flat out mistakes, not poor opinions. It's embarrassing. I can't believe the sports editor doesn't catch them. 

Veltema was at the game from SBell's list, as was Matt and Derek Kingshot.  Heard the kid from Florida flew up with his folks just for the game, wow.

Who's the big kid from Chelsea that was there?

It's good to have the Albion faithful back.  Where'd all the Knights go?