MBB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

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In '05 when Calvin blew out Hope at their Fieldhouse they nailed an alley-oop right before the half, someone coming in from the left wing. I can't remember who it was, but that was a good dunk. I remember Meckes' over Philips also - I hate to admit it had some pretty serious wow factor.

That was Meckes also, he really flew on that play.

MIAAFan3002: If I remember right, that was against Carthage last year. My recollection is that it was one of their bench players - a tall, lanky guy with serious hops - and he did take it right over Voison. His head was about even with the rim, and he took off a good 8 feet from the hoop.

He was definately from Carthage, I believe #50.  That was one of the most powerful dunks I have ever seen.  The guy was 6'8" and ripped but his look was more intimidating than his actual game (other than the dunk).

[oldknight]

I still think Wednesday's dunk against Adrian impressed me more, because it was in traffic, right off the floor, in the middle of three defenders. While it did not make the student section erupt in excitement, it did put a cork in the student section, which might be better. 

Cramer's dunk wasn't as impressive to me because (based on the video I saw) it appears to have been set up by DVS deliberately missing the layup. It also wasn't really "in traffic"--he only was trailing the defender who had no influence on the dunk. By contrast Veenstra's dunk against Albion really was in traffic.

In '05 when Calvin blew out Hope at their Fieldhouse they nailed an alley-oop right before the half, someone coming in from the left wing. I can't remember who it was, but that was a good dunk. I remember Meckes' over Philips also - I hate to admit it had some pretty serious wow factor.

I don't think anyone has mentioned Meckes' dunk during his freshmen year against Adrian in the conference tournament. That one was impressive too.  I guess Hope fans might be forgiven if they've forgotten that game--hosted by Hope. We really appreciated Dutch hospitality in bowing out early that year to allow Calvin and Adrian to play the conference final at the Civic.

[ziggy]

I don't think anyone has mentioned Meckes' dunk during his freshmen year against Adrian in the conference tournament. That one was impressive too.  I guess Hope fans might be forgiven if they've forgotten that game--hosted by Hope. We really appreciated Dutch hospitality in bowing out early that year to allow Calvin and Adrian to play the conference final at the Civic.

That was fun to watch.  Hey, even Smalligan threw down in that game.

[HopeConvert]

I still think Wednesday's dunk against Adrian impressed me more, because it was in traffic, right off the floor, in the middle of three defenders. While it did not make the student section erupt in excitement, it did put a cork in the student section, which might be better. 

Cramer's dunk wasn't as impressive to me because (based on the video I saw) it appears to have been set up by DVS deliberately missing the layup. It also wasn't really "in traffic"--he only was trailing the defender who had no influence on the dunk. By contrast Veenstra's dunk against Albion really was in traffic.

That was Saturday's dunk against Alma. I am referring to the one Wednesday against Adrian, which really was in traffic. He had three defenders surrounding him, handled a tricky pass through traffic, elevated straight off the floor and into the face of one of the Adrian defenders.

[David Collinge]

[oldknight]

Well (under)stated.
Your silence was golden.
+ k for David.

[almcguirejr]

The best quote I've heard about a dunk is from John Wooden.
When he was asked what he thought of a player who just did 360 degree slam dunk, Wooden said, "I would have had him out of the game before his feet hit the floor." 

[Bushop]

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

(OK, ever for D3, but still)

You are absolutely correct with that statement!!! That dunk was unbelievable!

Someone must've put the wrong dunk on YouTube.  I can see the dunk shown on YouTube at any college practice, again and again and again. 

What's on YouTube isn't that special.

[diehardfan]

Three years or so ago Martin Trimiew of Wheaton, who's about the same size as Cramer although he played forward instead of guard, went up in traffic and had a putback dunk at NPU where he was just as elevated as Cramer was in that Youtube video.

I told Sac the other day that I thought that Trimiew had a few better dunks in his day. My personal favorite was @ NCC. It was super high, and he did a one handed pushup on the rim with one hand and slapped the backboard with the other, sending a huge sound echoing throughout the gym. Yes, he got a technical... but it was still pretty sweet! 

Trimiew was not primarily a basketball player in HS, and so in his 4 years at Wheaton he probably wasn't the prettiest basketball player to watch that I've ever seen, but he was so darn talented and athletic. He played a ton as a frosh, and was truly enjoyable to watch even in his quirkiest moments. (I think he shot 56% from the line for his career or something close to it which sure does suck for your team when you're getting 10+ chances!)

But yes, I do definitely agree that because he was shorter... 6'3" max... the dunk did look more impressive than it does when a 6'7" guy does it. Personally, I've just enjoyed watching the Cramer dunk on YouTube repeatedly because, come on, how often do you get to see a DIII play of any kind in slow motion replay? 

Anyhow, as someone who has watched at least as many unsuccessful dunks as successful ones in DIII games, and in games when the dunking player's team really need the points, I'm usually with David... usually. I actually give the biggest standing ovations for good passes... I'll be the only one standing in the entire gym, but when a pass is good, it's totally worth the weird looks to celebrate it!    8)

[realist]

Tried to link in another video of some D3 dunks, but isn't working.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Please excuse a non-d3 dunk, but there's been talk about 'shorter' players being more impressive on the dunks than taller players.  You should have seen the crowd reaction when EMU's 5'5" Earl Boykins slammed one down on Kent State in the old Bowen Fieldhouse!!

Two things made it EVEN sweeter (one at the time, one in retrospect).  KSU's coach was a former EMU assistant who by all accounts would have been Earl's head coach at EMU if he had just had one more year's patience.  And secondly, the 'new' Convocation Center is often called 'The House that Earl Built' since Bowen was inadequate to hold the crowds that Boykins, et.al., attracted.  Ironically, so far as I know, there has not been a single game since Earl graduated for which Bowen wouldn't have had pleanty of empty seats.

[Flying Dutch Fan]

Some last thoughts about the dunk, and then I'm done.

1. You had to be there - video never does it justice.  And the most impressive dunk each of us has seen is one we witnessed in person.

2. DVS didn't miss his layup - that's called an assist.  And yes, players have done that in practice tons of times, but there's soemthing missing in practice - it's called your opponent.

3. I've personally witnessed at least half of the MIAA dunks being discussed (Meckes, the Carthage kid, every dunk Cramer has ever made, Bosma, Voisin over Crawford last year, Overbeek) and given the complexity of the play, the size of the dunker, and the crowd reaction, this dunk (DVS & Cramer) was for me the best I've ever witnessed.  That's my opnion.

[AndersDY]

Yes, I was going to confirm #2 after Oldknight's comment as well. The YouTube video is a little dark so you can't see the ball well, but there was no shot by DVS on that play, his full intention was to bank the ball to Cramer. Have to give him enough credit that he wouldn't have missed a layup by that much.

Most impressive, exciting, or powerful dunk is going to be entirely subjective, so I'm fine with ending any argument with simply: "I'm glad I was there to see this one." I have only seen one other crowd reaction as explosive as that one for a shot other than a game winning buzzer-beater. That was for a dunk in a Holland High game which was less impressive but came immediately after the opponent had bricked their own dunk on the other end so it had the full up-staging element to it.

I'm still a bit jealous I missed the prior noteworthy dunk from the Adrian game if HopeConvert is still more impressed by that play in traffic. Perhaps we can get someone who handles the Hope game film to put an entire highlight reel together at seasons end?

Also, Crow "you're talking about practice, not a game... not a game, practice!" I'll bet plenty of passers-by at the Dow Center had already seen DVS and Cramer toy around with that play, but putting it together in a game on the fly is another story.

[northb]

Yes, I was going to confirm #2 after Oldknight's comment as well. The YouTube video is a little dark so you can't see the ball well, but there was no shot by DVS on that play, his full intention was to bank the ball to Cramer. Have to give him enough credit that he wouldn't have missed a layup by that much.

Most impressive, exciting, or powerful dunk is going to be entirely subjective, so I'm fine with ending any argument with simply: "I'm glad I was there to see this one." I have only seen one other crowd reaction as explosive as that one for a shot other than a game winning buzzer-beater. That was for a dunk in a Holland High game which was less impressive but came immediately after the opponent had bricked their own dunk on the other end so it had the full up-staging element to it.

I'm still a bit jealous I missed the prior noteworthy dunk from the Adrian game if HopeConvert is still more impressed by that play in traffic. Perhaps we can get someone who handles the Hope game film to put an entire highlight reel together at seasons end?

Also, Crow "you're talking about practice, not a game... not a game, practice!" I'll bet plenty of passers-by at the Dow Center had already seen DVS and Cramer toy around with that play, but putting it together in a game on the fly is another story.

Sounds like the game was such a blow out, it could be treated like a practice at that point.

[veragrace]

My brother in law spoke with DVS after the game.  Derek said that they had been practicing that play and were hoping for a chance on Saturday to work it out.