MBB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[Civic Minded]

I had just gotten home from Calvin's whoopin of Mississippi College and caught the end on the internet.  It sounded like many of the JCU students missed the last shot as well.

I remember realizing that Sac hadn't seen the shot, more than I remember the actual shot myself.  Watching the realization dawn on him that the ball had actually gone in was priceless!

[kresgekrazy]

Can the Brits ride the win streak into the tourney?  I think so!

Good Luck to the Brits and their second half comeback this season.

Nate

[bulldogalum]

Can the Brits ride the win streak into the tourney?  I think so!

Good Luck to the Brits and their second half comeback this season.

Nate

Here's hoping the Bulldogs don't let them get a streak started.  It's a Blackout tonight at the Merillat Sports and Fitness Center, and you can expect an excited crowd and a motivated Adrian team.

[sac]

A few comments about the voting

If you were a Hope voter and only saw Adrian play in Holland, you didn't see Lamar Cardenas play, he missed that game.   Freshman of the year is always pretty tough to figure, because we just don't get to see every game.  I also think the voting pts makes our decisions look more decisive than they really are,  I had  Sierminski, Cardenas followed by a very hard decision between Mantel and Veltema...........I happened to see Mantel play very well vs Hope, but didn't see Veltema's nice game in Holland.  So I went with Mantel.  I also saw Sierminski 3 times as opposed to the one time I saw Cardenas (also probably his teams worst game of the year).


Cramer went through a tough 3 or 4 games after his brilliant performance vs Tri-State, he shot somwhere below 20% and committed a number a turnovers, if that was your only impression of Stephen this year, I can see how you'd leave him off your 1st team or MVP vote. 



As for Mr. Smith and the MVP, great numbers but at the risk of motivating the young man for tonight, I just didn't see a great player.  I saw a good player on a terrible basketball team carrying the load because no one else could.   How many  minutes would he see in a different colored uniform?   My own personal ballot came down to Cramer, Griffen and Silas..........all 3 impressed more as players than Smith.  Smith probably would have been 4 or 5 with VanSolkema for me. 

Its all good fun, also why I like to get a lot of ballots as it tends to balance out the "outlying" picks.  But no one should feel ashamed just because their ballot was wildly different........after all its just your opinion

[sac]

I remember realizing that Sac hadn't seen the shot, more than I remember the actual shot myself.  Watching the realization dawn on him that the ball had actually gone in was priceless!

What made the end of that game and that shot so dramatic was the furious JCU rally in the last 3 minutes to cover a deficit and take the lead........it left anyone from Albion very stunned.  Which made Thomas' shot all the better.  Albion had played pretty solid up untill the last 3 minutes untill, as JCU is apt to do, they cranked up the press and Brandon Mimes transformed himself into a D1 player.

I've never been to a game where both teams fans rushed the court.

It was a pretty wild streak of emotions for sure.........THAT shot should be on YouTube.


By the way, I made it on ESPN's sporstcenter.......or at least my back and the back of my noggin.................yeah, I'm the guy not going crazy.

[Flying Dutch Fan]

By the way, I made it on ESPN's sporstcenter.......or at least my back and the back of my noggin.................yeah, I'm the guy not going crazy.

And the legend of sac grows... I mean how many of us have been on SportsCenter?

[almcguirejr]

I was surprised Caleb Veldhouse was a first team selection.  I know it was close between him and Meckes.  I happen to think Meckes had a better conference season than Veldhouse.  Caleb shot the ball poorly (36%).    Meckes only had 3 less assists in league games than Caleb did.  Caleb is a good player but so far I would have to say his play is not at the level it was last year.  I think Meckes will be picked as a first team all conference player by the Coaches.

[dothedew]

I've been on sportscenter....twice.

giddyup

[sac]

Previewing the MIAA Tournament quarterfinal games.

Alma @ Hope--------Alma simply has to play the best game of their season to have a shot.  The Scots have competed pretty hard in both games vs Hope but they are badly overmatched on the floor.  Alma's had a history giving the Dutchmen a couple nervous moments in first round games, mostly living large on 3 point shots, so its possible that Alma could hang around with the Dutchmen for awhile.   For Hope this would be a great opportunity to find that hunger that drove them to dominate 7 or their first 8 MIAA games.  Hope should win comfortably.

Olivet @ Calvin--------On paper it looks like an easy W for Calvin, however the Comets compete and at times play well.   Two things have to happen for Olivet to win....play great defense for 40, which I'm not sure they've shown they can do, and minimize the number of mistakes on offense.  A low scoring game would be to OC's advantage.  Otherwise I think Calvin wins comfortably, but if the Knights sleepwalk through this one they could find themselves in a closer game than they want with 10 minutes to go.  Calvin could build some nice momentum with a route.

Kalamazoo @ Tri-State--------TSU probably wins this with a healthy Tony Benford, but is Benford healthy?  Thats really the question, last week he was sporting some sort of wrist protection on the left hand, and was off on his shots all day, not sure he even attempted a second half shot.  Without him TSU's offensive options dwindle and tough physical defensive play will frustrate them.   Kzoo has 8 Sr's and those guys have to approach this as their final game and play all out.   They're capable of playing a solid game, I see a pretty close contest and the Hornets pulling it out in the end.


Albion @ Adrian-----------After a horrendous start by Briton standards, Albion has gone 8-3, upset Calvin and nearly beat Hope.  Silas, Cash, Holmes and Yancy have really stepped up their games and have made them a pretty tough team to defend.  They're playing better defensively and after losing twice to Adrian this year, I think they'll be ready for this one.  Adrian has sort of stumbled into this week having lost 4 of 6 and being taken to OT by Alma.  They are dangerous though when they make their 3's.  I'm sure Adrian will be hoping for a close margin at the end so they can put the ball in Young's hands and let him carry them.  Beating a team 3 times in a row is difficult and I see Albion and Adrian playing at opposite ends of the confidence spectrum right now.  Albion in the game of the night.

[Civic Minded]

How can it only be 2:30??  Is it 2:30 Thursday, and I missed everything?  (Man, this day is dragging...)

It's Senior Day for the Dutchmen.  I'm pretty sure they'll find the right inspiration in the locker room to carry the day.  Can't wait!   

[gohope]

It's Official!

I'm a Grand Aunt!!!!  Yep!  Not an ordinary Great Aunt, but a GRAND AUNT!!!

"Maia Nozome" was born today, February 21, 2007, 7:30 a.m., weighing 6lbs, 14oz.  Everyone one is fine. Her first name (pronounced My-ya) is American and her middle name (pronounced No-zom-e) is Japanese because my niece is from Japan, and means, are you guys all ready for this: HOPE!!  

[bulldogalum]

Congrats, gohope

[Civic Minded]

It's Official!

I'm a Grand Aunt!!!!  Yep!  Not an ordinary Great Aunt, but a GRAND AUNT!!!

"Maia Nozome" was born today, February 21, 2007, 7:30 a.m., weighing 6lbs, 14oz.  Everyone one is fine. Her first name (pronounced My-ya) is American and her middle name (pronounced No-zom-e) is Japanese because my niece is from Japan, and means, are you guys all ready for this: HOPE!!  

Congratulations!  (Must have been all that orange-and-blue brainwashing you've been doing...baby shower gift, indeed!)   

[sac]

No one's mentioned it but this years tournament pairings are exactly the same as last years pairing.......including the brackets.

Last year's QF results
Calvin 82, Olivet 76
Hope 85, Alma 63
Albion 69, Adrian 53
Kalamazoo 61, Tri-State 58

The seedings are different, with Adrian and TSU getting home games this year.........kind of weird how that worked out.

Home teams are 41-5 in QF games...........and I picked two visitors

Hope is playing Alma for the 10th time in a first round game, the only other first round opponent Hope's had was Kalamazoo in 2000.  Hope's average margin over Alma has only been 16.6 points, but 7 have been victories by double-digits, there were 2 close games in 92 and 93.  I've never thought Hope played particularly well in first round games despite being a perfect 10-0 coming into this year.

[SKOT]

By the way, I made it on ESPN's sporstcenter.......or at least my back and the back of my noggin.................yeah, I'm the guy not going crazy.

And the legend of sac grows... I mean how many of us have been on SportsCenter?

My hand was on SportsCenter's top plays a couple of summers ago when the Grand Haven Beach Vault (a pole vault competition on the beach in GH) made it on.  I helping run the competition when they filmed the clip that was on the SC top plays!