MBB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[Grutte Dirk]

Best... dunk... ever...

(OK, ever for D3, but still)

Yup, the VS/Cramer dunk was the best I've ever seen in a live BB game . . . something I can believe they might try in practice, but in real game time on the spur of the moment?  Well, maybe when you're 30+ points ahead.

Just a couple of thoughts:

- That Cramer dunk (and the assist by DVS) would be enough for instant introduction into the Super Sweetness Hall of Fame for both.  I even heard that the folks on "media row" were ranking it very high.  I have only seen a dunk of that quality in a NBA game.

Please fill in the gaps .....

At the Civic Center .... Josh Meckes makes a dunk so far from anything ever seen in the MIAA the officials don't know what the right call is .... maybe the first time a guy has dunked, been called for a charge AND the basket counts.

oh my

If you saw both, which was better?

[AndersDY]

------If it wasn't for that one, everyone would be talking about Scott Glaser's serious throwdown late in the game.  Give the guy some love.  Equally as impressive.

Glaser's dunk was definitely good enough to be the most impressive slam in almost any other D3 game. For a third teamer to come in and not just dunk on the break, but do it in some pretty significant traffic, was enough to surprise me and about everyone else in the crowd.

How ironic that I was getting jealous of those who saw what was apparently a pretty fun Cramer dunk at Adrian on Wednesday. But I think we would have to start polling the D3 fans nationally to find out who else might have had as impressive a slam in an actual game as the one today. He may have already been #1 before today, but Cramer is now definitely the most fun dunker I've seen play at Hope, in front of Kyle Plank.

Bilk - it might be hard to compare the two dunks. Cramer didn't throw down over anyone today so his did not have that element to it, but his certainly is head and shoulders above anything else in terms of being acrobatic when you can connect during an actual game on an off the backboard alley-oop to the trailing man on the fast break. Meckes may have had as thunderous a dunk as you might see get thrown down in someone's face, but people do get dunked over with at least some regularity in games. For DVS and Cramer to combine on a play that is normally reserved for practice or a dunk contest, that's just something we probably won't see repeated in D3 anytime soon.   

[sac]

Meckes' was good but no......

1. Cramer today--you just don't see that in D3

2. Cramer last year vs Albion

3. Kleersnyder vs Adrian 3 years ago

Cramer also had a nice reverse his Fr year but I  can't remember against who, also had one vs Elmhurst on opening night of DeVos but I wasn't there so it can't make my list.


The only Hope dunk that might have been better was Tom Helbert and Wade Gugino trying to both dunk a rebound and tearing the rim off the backboard at the Civic in 92 I believe vs Concordia.  The only suspended game in Hope history.

Mark Lodewyk had a better one vs Hope than Meckes way back when.....can't remember who, but they probably have the LA Gear logo on their forhead.

but Cramer is now definitely the most fun dunker I've seen play at Hope, in front of Kyle Plank.

Oh yeah, Plank threw a few down, some nice reverses too.

Seriously we've to find a way to get this on Youtube.

[MIAAFAN3002]

actually the best dunk ever happened against hope about 3  years ago at the civic  center against tri-state.  Dave hutter of tri-state stole the ball, dunked it over i believe Imminck and the ref called it a charge.  It was the sickest dunk i have ever seen in a d3 basketball game.

do any hope posters remember this one? 

[bulldogalum]

Tri State 75
Adrian    59

To quote the late, great voice of Michigan football, Bob Ufer, "I just ache in every ounce of my body."

I mentioned in a previous post or two that this game would be about pride for the Bulldogs, but it sure didn't have that look to it.  The cold shooting continued (something, I might add, which simply happens from time to time, and is not indicative of effort), but more than that, Adrian simply didn't execute its gameplan with precision, especially on the defensive end.

Instead of forcing Tri State to earn each basket, the Bulldogs were frequently beat on back door cuts, giving the Thunder too many easy buckets.

It all comes down to doing the little things that win games.  A week ago, this team specialized in the little things.  Today, they looked listless out there.  Here's hoping the guys can refocus and rebound on Wednesday before heading into Round II of the conference schedule.

Sidenote:  I apologize for the lack of specificity in regards to this game.  It hurts too much to look at the statistics.

Side Sidenote:  I wish to submit that Tri State is the dirtiest team in the MIAA.  Do not take this as sour grapes, Adrian didn't play well enough to win, didn't deserve to win, and shouldn't have won.  However, the difference between the way the Hope players and staff acted on Wednesday and the way Tri State acted today illustrates just what makes a program like Hope's so well respected.

On Wednesday, Hope was confronted with inappropriate acts by the student section, and all the while they played on, didn't whine, and let their actions on the court do the talking.

Today, with a much more appropriate, but still loud student section, at least 2 Tri State players regularly talked trash to the students, taunted them, pointed at them, and generally tried to show them up.  This was especially difficult for the students since it was made clear to students that individual players were not to be singled out in cheers or chants.  I know that back in my playing days, I was always taught to ignore the crowd, and I always found that if I was doing what I was supposed to do on the court, I really didn't hear the crowd anyway, whether they were cheering or heckling.  It strikes me as a profound lack of discipline for a player to taunt the crowd on a regular basis, and and even greater indictment of a coach for allowing it to continue.  Anyway, that's my rant for the day.

[gohope]

For me, going to basketball often brings balance into my life.  After a long day/week of work, or volunteering or doing things at home, its just a lot of fun to go and cheer on the teams from Hope.  And when there are the "Not-so-good" days where you wonder what side of the bed people got up from, or you wonder if they were just born with that chip on their shoulder, or you wonder why you're the lucky person that they choose to take out all of their hostility on, you look to something to bring a little sunshine into your life.  Well today, the sun was shining VERY brightly, both outside and also on the court at the DeVos. Stephen Cramer's dunk was just unbelievable.  And now all I have to do is close my eyes and I can see it all over again. That's my sunshine for the day and for those times you'd like to be in another place when people are not the nicest to you! And... having seats located near the person who does the filming for the Hope team, I was able to view "The Dunk" over and over again after the game on the game film.  Ahhhhh, the sweetness!

And to Basketballmom - not all the poster for Hope are boys!

[HopeConvert]

Hope 86 Alma 53

uh yeah.......Alma just had an "off-night"  

I don't care how down a league or a team is it takes a tremendous amount of effort, determination and downright good defense to get a 26-2 lead...........lets pause and read that again.........26-2. 8)

Not to mention some pretty phenomenal offense, VanSolkema got them going with 3 treys that barely touched the net and a beauty of a 3 point play, he had 12 points in about 4 minutes.  Alma seemed to compete very well with Hope's second unit, in fact I thought they played harder when Hope subbed out.  But they simply could not handle Reimink, Richardson, VanderHeide, VanSolkema and Cramer.  Alma had loads of trouble with the pressure and double teams...........how many shots did they even get off in the first 5 minutes  3? 4?

I was comparing the start of this game to the Adrian game Wednesday night. Hope didn't score 2 seconds into the game this time, but DVS was one with some early 3's, and you look at the scoreboard and see 26-2 and you think to yourself "I don't care how down the league is, you go up 26-2 on another team you're doing something right." Again, I give props to Alma for scrapping hard the rest of the game. It'd be easy to give up.

I was sitting halfcourt, second row, and as I saw DVS break up the court, I saw Cramer move behind him and immediately thought how cool it would be if DVS threw if off the board (in addition to which, given the position of the defender, it was the better basketball play). The pass, the leap, the positioning - everything was perfect.

It also occurred to me that when they are deciding all-america teams they ought to look at points per minute rather than points per game. Cramer was just superb today, hitting jump shots, threes, elevating just off the blocks and banking them in, played tough "d." It was a tour de force. And we haven't even mentioned the shot that MAY HAVE BEEN BETTER than the dunk - namely, that sneaky sick little triple-pump-reverse-in-traffic-switching-hands layup he made in the first half. I was gasping in disbelief over that shot. The dunk was raw athleticism and made the place erupt, but that layup was a true basketball move that left everyone in slack-jawed wonder.

Go hope: lucky you to be able to see replays of the dunk. I do hope it gets posted somewhere.

[bulldogalum]

Good news for those of us who didn't see Cramer's dunk live today, or for those of us who did and want to see it again.  It HAS, indeed, been posted on youtube.  Just follow the link below...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRmMeOkNWQI

[gohope]

"It also occurred to me that when they are deciding all-america teams they ought to look at points per minute rather than points per game. " (by hopeconvert)  

My thoughts exactly, but it was too late tonight to start putting a spreadsheet together to compare the points per game vs. points per minute.  Maybe tomorrow when I'm cheering the Colts and Bears on (My Steelers are history and have to cheer for someone else!)

[gohope]

bulldogalum -

THANK-YOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!

[sac]

Great find bulldogalum.........whoever made the outlet to VanSolkema should get an assist.  Richardson?

[AndersDY]

The only Hope dunk that might have been better was Tom Helbert and Wade Gugino trying to both dunk a rebound and tearing the rim off the backboard at the Civic in 92 I believe vs Concordia.  The only suspended game in Hope history.

I suppose I'm lucky enough to say I witnessed both. Eventful certainly, but that dunk wasn't particularly impressive other than the perfect timing in that they dunked perfectly in sync. It always looks more impressive to see a 6'3" guard shaking the backboard than when a 6'7" and 6'9" guy get up there. Also, I seem to recall the silliest thing about Gugino/Halbert was that their bucket wasn't going to count, I believe the shooter on the shot they were putting back had been already fouled.

I've already saved that YouTube link though, I can't stop re-watching it. Obviously they've been practicing ways to keep the crowd interested even in 40 point blowouts.

[Dutch_Man]

The only Hope dunk that might have been better was Tom Helbert and Wade Gugino trying to both dunk a rebound and tearing the rim off the backboard at the Civic in 92 I believe vs Concordia.  The only suspended game in Hope history.

I suppose I'm lucky enough to say I witnessed both. Eventful certainly, but that dunk wasn't particularly impressive other than the perfect timing in that they dunked perfectly in sync. It always looks more impressive to see a 6'3" guard shaking the backboard than when a 6'7" and 6'9" guy get up there. Also, I seem to recall the silliest thing about Gugino/Halbert was that their bucket wasn't going to count, I believe the shooter on the shot they were putting back had been already fouled.

I've already saved that YouTube link though, I can't stop re-watching it. Obviously they've been practicing ways to keep the crowd interested even in 40 point blowouts.

OH how could we forget that dunk!!! I was actually on the stage behind the hoop when Helbert and Gugino shattered the backboard! I was only about 6 years old when it happened so thank you for that wonderful reminder!

[GoKnights68]

It looks like Cramer is the undisputed favorite right now for MIAA MVP, with DVS second?



Anyways, a couple things about the Calvin game today.  Calvin went back to their old ways(well, more like a bad habit) of letting their opponent get wide-open 3 pointers.  If they do that against Hope in a couple of weeks, it won't be a pretty score.  Also, I hope they get their offense more organized again.  Too much standing around, not enough picks, and not enough leadership out there.

[Stinger]

That's the sickest dunk? Come on Hope fans let's not go overboard.    I was expected some sort of J Rich or Mo Ager special from Cramer.    It was a very nice play, but I woudn't call it the best ever.