MBB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[realist]

No real surprise, except I thought Calvin would keep the game closer in the 2nd half.  Great win for Hope.  The better team usually wins in these games, and I think the better team all year has been Hope.  As several other have mentioned Calvin had flashes of brilliance during the year, but whatever the "magic" or "secret" ingredient for a winning year it certainly was missing.  We have considerable talent returning next year, and perhaps the chemistry or whatever will be better.  As a Calvin fan it has been frustrating.  I don't mind losing to a better team like today, but Calvin lost some games they just simply should have won.  The coaches, and players have no one but themselves to blame for being on the outside looking in. 
Good luck to Hope going forward.  Make the MIAA proud.

[realist]

It will be interesting to see where the selection comm. places Hope.   The only really important thing is beating any, and every team placed before you.  One game at a time.  Home games are nice, but if you have to travel.  No big deal.  Remember from your opponents perspective they "have to play Hope", and I doubt many of them are relishing that thought.

[NW Hope Fan]

No real surprise, except I thought Calvin would keep the game closer in the 2nd half.  Great win for Hope.  The better team usually wins in these games, and I think the better team all year has been Hope.  As several other have mentioned Calvin had flashes of brilliance during the year, but whatever the "magic" or "secret" ingredient for a winning year it certainly was missing.  We have considerable talent returning next year, and perhaps the chemistry or whatever will be better.  As a Calvin fan it has been frustrating.  I don't mind losing to a better team like today, but Calvin lost some games they just simply should have won.  The coaches, and players have no one but themselves to blame for being on the outside looking in. 
Good luck to Hope going forward.  Make the MIAA proud.

You are a gentleman and a scholar... I always appreciate you shooting straight. Stick around and join me here when Hope plays next week.

Peace!

[Hopetix]

I have said it over and over about Griffin. Pride comes before the fall. It happens every single time he gets and inflated ego. It's unfortunate that he hasn't seen how far a little bit of humility will take him. Tonight's game was one of the most exciting I've seen in all the years I've watched these two teams play.

It was a great crowd at the DeVos and one of the biggest.

[NW Hope Fan]

a trip to the New Holland Brew Pub

[Whining] I wanna go to New Holland............

Can ya send a guy a Hatter all ready???!!!

[Erm Schmigget]

a trip to the New Holland Brew Pub

[Whining] I wanna go to New Holland............

Can ya send a guy a Hatter all ready???!!!

Do they allow people to send (edit:) root beer via UPS?   

I'll see what we can do.   

[AlwaysHope]

Derek Griffin - 1st Half - three 3's and three consecutive point of his finger  at the Dew Crew

Derek Griiffin - 2nd half - zero 3's and ZERO pointing of his finger at the Dew Crew.

You are ZERO class Griffin and good riddance!!!!!!!!

If a recognizable group of fans singles out a player, can they really gripe if the player singles them out in return?

I found your post to be ZERO class.

Are you saying that Griffin was being singled out?

You got me, Erm - I wasn't there.  But as a graduating senior, knowing it might well be his last rivalry game (or even last ANY game), I'll cut him some slack.  (Unlike section7.)

Several comments about Derek Griffin.

He has a history of taunting.  At last year's tournament I was sitting behind the Tri-State fans when Calvin was playing Tri-State in the semi-finals.  Griffin was burning the nets, and after he made his three's he would come by the Tri-State fan section and yell something to the crowd, although I could not make it out.

Last night the refs had enough after another verbal taunt, and they stopped the game to give him a warning, and presumedly a T if it reoccured.  He just rolled his eyeballs and smiled.

Tonight he shot and made three treys in the first half, and pointed to the Dew Crew each time.  He also did the same after at least one other shot.  The second half comes, then Griffin cools off.  What goes around, comes around.  When he started to miss his treys (before he finally left with a 3 for 11 performance from behind the arc), the Dew Crew starts to point at Griffin.  Van Wiren eventually sees it, and motions to them to put their hands down and stop the pointing.

I know much was made of Van Solkema talking to the Calvin fans earlier this season, but DVS looked like a choir boy compared to Griffin's antics.  I like to see a player let his performance do the talking.

It reminds me of the famous quote attributed to former Cowbows coach Tom Landry, who when asked what he thought of players celebrating a touchdown in the endzone, replied, "I never want my player to act like it's the first time he has been there."

Having said the above, Derek was an incredible performer for the past two years, a money player that you wanted to give the ball to in a clutch situation.  Hope fans will not forget his performance in last year's tournament.

[scottiedawg]

Derek Griffin - 1st Half - three 3's and three consecutive point of his finger  at the Dew Crew

Derek Griiffin - 2nd half - zero 3's and ZERO pointing of his finger at the Dew Crew.

You are ZERO class Griffin and good riddance!!!!!!!!

If a recognizable group of fans singles out a player, can they really gripe if the player singles them out in return?

I found your post to be ZERO class.

Are you saying that Griffin was being singled out?

You got me, Erm - I wasn't there.  But as a graduating senior, knowing it might well be his last rivalry game (or even last ANY game), I'll cut him some slack.  (Unlike section7.)

We all know that fans can often cross the line.  But without doing so (swearing, ethnic slurs, etc.) the brunt of the ribbing/trash-talking will be directed at the opposition's best player.  Also, I would hope that players don't take student sections seriously (I know the refs don't).  Students most often substitute emotion for tact and common sense.  Tonight (and also past games) Derek Griffin decided that it was alright to not only taunt a student section after every made basket in the first half, but also throw a middle finger their direction.  Tyler Zoerhof also flashed a middle finger at the Dew Crew.  While totally classless by the players, I find it appalling that Kevin VandeStreek let this go on.  I would hope that in the future the MIAA is not represented by a coach that allows such behavior, failing to teach two of the kids under his control some character.  (Believe me, Griffin's does not need to taunt, he has more than enough game).  Derek Griffin, Tyler Zoerhof, and Kevin VandeStreek, represent your school with more integrity next time.

[GoVols]

After Griffin cooled down, it was time for the Dew Crew to taunt. Anyone hear the chant while he was shooting free throws?
"CC dropout! CC dropout!"
Funny. Clever.

[hoopdreams]

I'm not defending but the fingers may be hard to see from the other side of the floor where their bench was located.  I do find it hard to believe that three officials never saw it, or stopped it.  I personally did not witness the flipping off but it's inexcusable.  Did anyone see the bc guard in the first half against Carolina?  After his 7th consecrutive three ball, he was " cooling himself off" trotting back on d.  Is that too much?  I thought it was hilarious myself.

[gohope]

Tonight's drive home was a TON better. It's amazing what difference a day makes regarding the weather here in Michigan!

Some notes from tonight's games:

*  If we see another early first half like we did tonight, someone please get CM a TON of Tums, and then pass the bottle around to the rest of us!!  But as I have learned over the many years of watching Hope basketball is patience, patience, patience! 

*  Enter the picture, Ty Tanis and Zach Osburn. Both of them excelled especially in Dee-fence and assists!! At the 1:07 mark in the 1st half, "Swoosh" went the ball from Ty's hands from behind the arc.  Ty has been struggling a bit with his '"O", but thankfully he has used his frustration into becoming a very strong defensive player and tonight he made that "3" which was just very sweet for Ty and the Hope Team. 

*  From our unofficial stats we think that Hope was down 13 points in the first half with the score at halftime, Hope 38, Calvin 37. Truly an amazing turnaround.  And there must have been a LOT of discussion in the lockerroom at halftime as the guys re-entered the floor last night with 4:42 remaining in the half. Tonight it was 3:42 remaining. All I can say is whatever they said, did, planned, etc., KEEP DOING IT!!!

* 2nd half keys - 9 "3" pointers for Hope and once again, Ryan Klein playing very good defense on Calvin's Griffin (I KNOW there were others but it's getting late!).  Now I never saw Derek Griffin point a finger at Ryan, but.... okay I'll quit as others have "pointed" out stuff about this situation well enough in earlier posts (as well as on the Holland Sentinel Blog).

CONGRATULATIONS FLYING DUTCHMEN on being MIAA Conference and Tournament champions - Let's Dance!

[sac]

I have to say there were quit a few things tonight that lacked some class, and it disappointed me some because I thought and still think the rivalry deserves some better behavior(fans, players, coaches).  You can certainly chalk some of it up to a contentious game (seriously both teams and fans wanted it bad) and thats part of the beauty of the rivalry.  I kind of enjoy things getting a bit more feisty.  My evil side enjoyed the irony of the pointing incidents.

I've often wondered why people make such a big deal out of such small things such as pointing, I don't like it when people say Hope players were taunting, this and that etc........and I'd ask that my Hope friends restrain from doing the same.  We just won a big ballgame tonight, lets be happy, bask in the glow of winning 4 basketball trophies this season, something I'm not certain Hope has ever done, or for that matter maybe anyone in the MIAA.  I'd rather we talk about our terrific team and their success and possibilities for future success.


With that said, Derek Griffin is a fine ballplayer and it scared me to death everytime he touched the ball to be honest.  When he was on, he was amazing to watch.  But like I said to someone earlier today, he's a better player when he plays with an edge (ie a little cockiness), so it should not have come as a surprise that a Senior playing his final game vs Hope, who was shutout in the previous game might be a bit fired up and excited.    We should expect nothing less.

At times he was a joy to watch, in the same way its a joy to jump out of an airplane then realizing you may or may not have put a parachute on..........at least for this fan.  Thats about how my stomach felt everytime he touched the ball.

So congrats to Derek on a fine couple years at Calvin, my nerves thank you for graduating.


I'll add that this reaction, usually followed most of Griffin's shots.

[sac]

Hope 88 Calvin 72

Pretty exciting stuff inside DeVos tonight, large fired up crowd and some pretty excellent play from both sides.  I enjoyed and I'd say every Hope fan enjoyed it alot, Calvin fans probably enjoyed it for about 15 minutes.

Calvin brought the 'A' game, hit some nice shots, caused Hope a lot of problems on defense and ran out to a big lead.  Unlike Hope a week and a half ago the Knights were unable to run and hide.  A critical few minutes midway throught the first half had the Dutchmen down 13, the odd way Hope got back in this game was at the stripe and rebounding.......they had yet to warm up hitting shots.

With about 3 minutes to go and still trailing Tyler Wolfe hits his a 3, followed the next posession by a Ryan Klein deuce then a Jesse Reimink  3 and finished off with a tip in by Osburn off a 3, that felt like a 3.  Up to that point Hope was 2-12 from 3, with only 1 3 in nearly 16 minutes, by Will Bowser of all people.  Hope fans had to feel like a million bucks after taking such a great first half shot and find themselves up by 1.  Hope was 11-33 from the field in the first half, but were 5 of their last 6, meaning they started out 6-27.  But Hope was warming up and that was a bad, bad sign for Calvin.

The second half was set to be quite a battle, but gradually you could just see the Dutchmen takeing hold of the game and controlling it.  The shots that fell in the first didn't for Calvin, and the shots that didn't fall in the first, began to fall for Hope.  At 14 or so left Ryan Klein stepped out and hit a trey, 2 min later same thing, followed a couple later by a Vanderheide 3........the bigs started hitting the treys, Wolfe started driving the lane and the Dutchmen started pulling away and the crowd was going wild.

Hope extended the lead to 21, from 13 down to 15 up in 20 or so minutes of basketball, and up to 21 in 33 minutes.............. a 34 point turnaround.  Domination.

Wolfe 25, Klein 19, Vanderheide 10, Reimink 10, Tanis 9

Griffin 23, Mantel 13, Veldhouse 13

When Hope's bigs are hitting 3's, your just in for a tough night.  I give Calvin a lot of credit they played some good minutes of basketball tonight, but ultimately Hope was just a little too good at both ends of the floor.  When Ryan Klein hit his first trey it was as if the flood gates had opened as a team.........Ryan was 0-4 in his last 6 games, all those attempts came vs Calvin 2 Wed's ago, he hadn't even attempted a 3 in the 3 previous games.

Sometimes basketball is simple and no matter what scheme, offense or system you use........it ultimately comes down to hitting shots.  Hope was 21/37 the last 25 minutes of the game, they got 14 3's from 7 different players.  Calvin was pretty consistent all night, but were just 5-22 from 3 and got 3's from only 2 players.

[AndersDY]

Ha ha, I can stay up later than you, Sac. No one else took up my question, so curiousity sent me to the MIAA web site. I was actually surprised that 3 times since 1993 has a team swept both MIAA tourneys while playing host to both finals. In 2000 Calvin did it, but the women were hosting the final because regular season champ Hope had been upset. The regular season standings were not available further back, but 1993 Calvin and 1995 Hope each took both men and women tournament titles at home, so this year's quad-sweep may not be a first.

[sac]

Ha ha, I can stay up later than you, Sac. No one else took up my question, so curiousity sent me to the MIAA web site. I was actually surprised that 3 times since 1993 has a team swept both MIAA tourneys while playing host to both finals. In 2000 Calvin did it, but the women were hosting the final because regular season champ Hope had been upset. The regular season standings were not available further back, but 1993 Calvin and 1995 Hope each took both men and women tournament titles at home, so this year's quad-sweep may not be a first.

You would be correct, here's the 4 times a school has won all 4 MIAA Trophy's.  (Its late this may be incorrect)

1993--Calvin
1995--Hope
2003--Hope.......men were co-champ with Albion, won tournament at Albion
2008--Hope

Pretty cool accomplishment though.  .............first time Hope's done it in one building.