MBB: New Jersey Athletic Conference

[Knightstalker]

Saw the NJCU at TCNJ game yesterday.  NJCU is aggressive and has a couple of good outside shooters, but the bench is a little thin and not much size.  I expect the bench to expand some after the break.  Tucker did not play, I was told he missed the bus, he was on the bench but never got out of his warmups.  Josh Lopez got some significant playing time and scored Twenty all on threes and foul shots.  NJCU should have won this game, but for a three or four minute strech at the beginning of the second half.  During this strech for some reason the Knights thought they could leave the TCNJ gunners alone along the perimeter and they wouldn't make shots.  Coach called a time out, chewed them out, asked them if they understood what defense is about, then asked one player "Who is the player and who is the coach here?".  It was a classic Coach Brown rant, the Knights went back out and started to play smart again.  But they just got too far behind and started trying to force plays inside again, they made a comeback when they started setting up for the outsides shooters.  Great end of the game, very exciting, TCNJ played great D on the final play, did not give a clean shot but made no stupid fouls.

[goramapo]

since Ramapo lost to Kean last week they are now not even in the top 53 anymore. Hopefully we win some games soon starting with Rowan Dec 6th hopefully.

[mean]

Even though RCNJ has only one lost, there is always room for improvement. I haven't been to a game as of yet, but from the stats and box scores things are looking a bit shaky in many areas. This early in the season I noticed guys logging a ton of minutes. This could be a sign of lack of execution and due to that points aren't being scored as fast as they should be. If so, guys would be able to get more breaks after jumping out on teams early.I remember when RCNJ would got up a quick 10-15 points and had the reserves to maintain leads until the big guns came back in. Another stat that jumped out at me is the shooting %. Players must know and understand the importance of good shots and if they are going to take shots of high difficulty, they better do it with a high level of confidence, and make them. What allowed previous RCNJ teams to shoot high percentage shots was the rebounding of the wing players. We would get sometimes 3-4 chances due to us being sometimes overaggressive on the offensive end. The reserves have to come into the games flying all over the place. They must understand their roles and be able to execute when neccessary.
Another stat that jumped out at me was the turnovers. Way too many turnovers. Hopefully practice has been tough as it used to be and guys are focused more than ever. Especially the seniors and captains.Its only one defeat, but im always like a funeral anytime we don't win. Lets go RoadRunners!

The Lincoln and Ramapo game should be very interesting. We used to blow Lincoln out every time we played them, but I see this year in one game they put up enough points for almost 3 games. 

[goramapo]

Ramapo won tonight I think 85-73 or 83-71 soomething like a 8-12 point win. Omar alston had I think 24pts and 10 boards.
Yes Lincoln scored I think 204 points in the game something like that
I hope we can compete with them 204 points and a ton of points

[zebras83]

I guess maybe people need to stsrt looking at kean, they are for real. Lamar Wright got robbed of player of the week last week. YOU ALL BETTER START TAKING NOTICE.

[mean]

zebra,
its hard to say a guy gets robbed for a player of the week award. Try POY. Even though he had a reat week, remember there are many other guys that played just as well as him. Mosby and Alsto for RCNJ have been justa s consistant. And then you still have Barnes of Rut. Newark, and Byrnes of Rowan. And all of the other guys as well. Hopefully he can use this experience and try to work even harder. Personally, While at Ramapo, I went into game to win, but being a senior I wanted to get player of the week every week. I got it 3 times overall in '05. Its hard to figure. At least he's doing what he has to do on the court. the voting is out of his hands.

[mean]

Ramapo won tonight I think 85-73 or 83-71 soomething like a 8-12 point win. Omar alston had I think 24pts and 10 boards.

Good game for Alston. But like i suggested, when the right players are doing what they should be, good things happen for the most part. How about Wojik's 3-point shooting! he was lighting things up. When the guards are drivng hard and creating with this guy just sitting anywhere behing the long-ball line, just put up 3 points. Thats what good offense suppose to do. Recognize its strengths, and try to avoid weaknesses like unforced turnovers, poor shooters taking any kind of shots, and not taking advantage of mismatches and an inside presence. If this Alston guy is all he has been so far after the break, it only makes me wonder, what if the Roadrunners still had the gifted Rah Wilson? hmmm...(2nd title, without a doubt)

[njlincolnlion]

goramapo & mean:

Besides Omar Alston, who else are Ramapo's key players this year?  Do the Roadrunners have a deep bench?  NJCU's Lefty went to the Lincoln/NJCU game, and said the starting five of both teams were equal in talent, but Lincoln's bench was deep and there was not drop in the talent level with the reserves. 

I'll be at the game Saturday with my friend from childhood, and Ramapo Basketball Hall of Famer Gerald Akridge.  Akridge is the Head Basketball coach at Dwight Morrow High School in Englewood, NJ.  Hope to meet you guys Saturday.

[BM10]

Mean,

You know just as well as me that you can't play the "What if" game when it comes to NJAC rosters.  If we did play that game, MSU would have a D3 dynasty.

[mean]

Mean,

You know just as well as me that you can't play the "What if" game when it comes to NJAC rosters.  If we did play that game, MSU would have a D3 dynasty.

You have to be kidding yourself! First of all, when you beat RCNJ that year, it was our only lost at home and we were the bullies of the entire conference. You guys won in 2-O.T. on a final second basket. Remember who ended your career in Wooster. MSU did not want to see us in the tourney before the seeding was even presented.
And here's a little F.Y.I:
     That year, I joined the team over the break. If I would have continued to sit that year out, then last season would have been my last year of elegibility. RCNJ were in the finals last season, not MSU! And another thing, last season when RCNJ went to the finals, they doen it on the road beating NJCU and Stockton. Without their better players in Todd Lowber and Rah Wilson!
What has MSU accomplished since then? Nada! Forget about "what if", because guys don't either remain elegible, or they end up leaving the team because they swear up and down they are the next Jordan or Koby. I know lots of players that after leaving MSU wanted to come to RCNJ before my final season began because they already knew we were taking the crown, but they couldn't get in because their grades were horrible. Sadly they still haven't done anything about that, which I personally think is much more important.
And Ben, here goes my final shot (which I think overshadows your buzzer beater):
The year you guys won the NJAC, you had a super size (height that is) criminal on your roster who was using a fake name in order to dodge the system (legal that is), in order to play (hide that is) at MSU. Yea, thats some dynasty. Honestly, your a good sportsman? If so, finding out such things about a player, if you were part of the NCAA, what you think should happen??? 
At RCNJ, for some reason All-Americans and NJAC Defensive POY's are being made year after year. Don't get me wrong, You guys still would have been pretty good, but you wouldn't have come close to us without that guy.
Msu a dynasty? I disagree. They are still rebuilding. How sad.

[BM10]

Ouch... I didn't think my attempt at a sarcastic comment would warrant such a response. I think you took my statement a little too far. All I was trying to infer was that if we were to play the "What if" game, MSU would be one of the top programs in the country right now.  Whatever the reason may be, there have been a number of good basketball players that have put on a Montclair uniform since I started there in 1999 and not return the next year. IF these players year after year were to stay all 4 years, there would not be many teams that I have seen that could have competed with those guys. 

I was not trying to take anything away from you or your teams' accomplishments along the way.  I know personally that I had alot of respect for the guys that I played against that played for Ramapo or any other NJAC team, including you.  I also respected every guy that I played with in my 4 years there.  Whether it be a criminal (like you put him) or a guy who left school because of grades, I can honestly say that I did not dislike any teammate I had there.  I agree that most of these players should have taken care of the academics or check their egos at the doors of Panzer gym;  hence the reason I alluded to the "What if" game.  But I won't sit here and badmouth them or their reasons for leaving MSU. I just wish they would have stayed around so I could have won some national championships   

[Truck]

zebra,
its hard to say a guy gets robbed for a player of the week award. Try POY.

Yep, a Ramapo player got robbed of the Player of the Year award in 2004-05.

[goramapo]

Like I said earlier I hope we stay with Lincoln and keep the game close. I am not at the game today like I wanted to be but I will be at some games in Janurary and Feburary. Go ROADRUNNERS....... IF we could ever beat Lincoln who scored (204) points in a game maybe we would move in to the top 40.

[Truck]

RCNJ crushes Lincoln - 91 - 75

Beanie went off for 32 on 10/19 shooting, 10 rebs and 8 assists - great game

Omar had 13 and 14

'Toine had 18 and Tim Wesley had 14

runners shot 52% for the game, compared to 39% for lincoln

[goramapo]

yeah I saw that too nice to see them score over 90 points and hold a good lincoln team to only 75 points AFTER they scored 200 points last game they played. I thought Omar Alston might not play after Wednesday but what a game 13 points and 14 boards and the guards once again played very well.
we weren't in the top 55 before Wednesday beating Rowan so maybe we might be in top 45 now after beating a top 10 team. Off to play Baruch Monday hopefully an 8th win that would be real nice going to the holiday tournament and into the new year. 7-1 start very solid great job ROADRUNNERS...........