MBB: Northwest Conference

[playball]

I like Castle, however I think Darrel Aune of Linfield was great too!

[(509)Rat]

If BP aproves then Aune must be good...

BP is not only the king of multi-sport posting, but also the resident guru of all things journalistic (is that a word?)

[(509)Rat]

Down goes Frazier!

Sorry Trymeteam, Whitman pulled off the upset. Whitman scored close to the last 15-16 points of the game.

A loss is a loss, it won't change much for the Pirates, but there goes any chance of them hosting after round 2 (I know, it wasn't gonna happen before, but now the NCAA has no reason to fly people out to Spokane) 

[playball]

Dang!  I wasn't able to listen to the last 7 minutes!!!!      Unreal...  Congrats Whitman on pulling off what the NWC hasn't been able to do since the 2008-2009 season. 

[playball]

Looking at the box score, it looks like the Pirates were doomed in the second half by two things.  #1 being Duckworth.  The kid has been unbelievable lately, there is a reason he is the NWC player of the week for last week.  Had a huge 2nd half.  #2 is that they couldn't buy a board!  Out rebounded by 15 in a half?  Whitworth?  Unlike them.  Giving up 10 "O" boards is surprising too. 

Wonder if Whitman mixed up the defense to try and slow down Taylor after half or if percentages caught up with him?  He didn't have a bad half, but 4-11 after going 7-8 in the first....

Felix only having 3 total shots?  Was Whitman running their 1-3-1?

[Pat Coleman]

Where are you finding a box score? We have nothing here.

[playball]

I had a hard time finding it also, my roommate found it first.  If you go to the Whitworth Athletic Website and then to the....  Nevermind.  The story with box score is now up on the Whitworth site. 

[Keandre]

LoggerNation,

You could go to page 31 and see a post from 2006...I don't expect you to remember me posting in these boards because you weren't around almost 4 years ago.

Williams Assist to Turnover ration was almost 2:1 between his sophomore and senior seasons against UPS. Sure, he's no Nakamura (who led the nation) but most teams would be happy to have that production against a UPS D under Bridgeland. As talented as those UPS teams were, at times, Williams made it look easy. You probably weren't watching games then either.



Lol, and guys went to Whitworth because of Wecker. Sure he was the one who visited and had a lot of the contact, but Hayford is the head coach. Ultimately it is the head coach that is going to attract players, especially at a DIII level where you don't have the huge budget and staff. Bridgeland was the head coach when A Williams, Krauel, Foster, Marsh, you name 'em was recruited. Look at the talent UPS has now...look at Whitman's upgrade in talent. So yes, Lunt did it in 08/09 with a bunch of guys who came to UPS to play for Bridgeland. Since he took over in 06-07, winning percentage, shooting percentage, opponent shooting percentage has all dropped. If I was involved with a program that was so good for awhile, I would be a little upset. It isn't all rainbows and butterflies in Tacoma...PLU is better than you guys for crying out loud.

On a different note. I like Dre's idea of switching up the D. I was pretty convinced that pressure was a bad idea but if you can effectively switch HOW you are applying pressure, then you might be able to force a few more turnovers. Big IF, but against Whitworth a big IF is all you got.

playball,
good call on Clark. Nice to have someone who knows every other teams' personnel. Didn't know that about Clark, consider me educated.

To me, basketball is more than just a numbers game. It's about the relationship you build with your players. Bridgeland doesn't care about anyone but himself. Yeah, he can recruit very well and win some games but the way he treats people sucks.

[etule]

Whit zoned quite a bit in the second half. WW also ran the clock down in the later stages but could not buy a bucket. Duckworth was awesome. I think that WW felt a little tight down the stretch. They haven't been in any close games!
The Gibbler brothers were in foul trouble and sat out quite a bit of the second half. Missed FT and layup killed WW! Whit played very hard and played lots of kids!
In the first half Taylor killed them knocking down jumpers from the top of the key coming off a pick. Whit did not hedge. Zone in second half. Token pressure most of the game I can remember one TO late in the game on a double team !
Fun game to watch!

[TryMeTeam]

Amazing!  I turned it off when WW went up by 21 early in the 2nd half.  WW up by 14 with 5:41 to go and losing!  They just don't do that.  Now you know why Hayford keeps his starters in for as long as he does at the end of games!

Congrats to WC for a huge win!  They just won a first round game at home against LC and a return trip to Spokane!  With the way they are playing right now, and being at home, I have to favor WC against LC.  But that will be as far as it goes for them.

I have to say I saw it coming.  I have picked WC to finish higher than they have the last two years.  It just took Bridgeland a little longer than I thought it would, but I knew he would get there.

I agree with Rat and Dre about Bridgeland, but he can recruit, and I have always said so.  The talk (LN4040) about Lunt recruiting players is true, but missing the point.  The assistants recruit the players, but the coach closes the deal.  Bridgeland, Hayford and Gaillard are all great closers.  The rest of the NWC coaches are nowhere near these 3, and the league results year after year show this.  Now with Gaillard leaving, it looks like the league championship will go through EastWA for the near future, and I will have to hope Wil, Pac or LC gets a miraculous recruit.  Sorry, Playball, Linf already got theirs with Wiser.  They won't be due another one for awhile.  

I might have to go watch the Ducks or Beavers for a while.  Where is the DI posting board?  

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

Week 3 Regional Rankings are out: http://www.d3blogs.com/d3hoops/2011/02/16/ncaa-2011-regional-rankings-week-3/

[Bearcat Press]

If you had told me three years ago that going into the final weekend of the 2011 regular season, Whitman College would be in pole position for second place in the NWC, having just beaten the #1 team in the country in front of a sellout crowd, I'd have laughed you out of my office at the Collegian.  Say what you want about Bridgeland, but the man. just. wins.  Kudos to the Missionaries - what they've done this year is remarkable.

A couple of miscellaneous items:

If BP aproves then Aune must be good...

BP is not only the king of multi-sport posting, but also the resident guru of all things journalistic (is that a word?)

Aune was the best when he was still broadcasting.  I once got to listen to some of his calls of Ralph Miller's Oregon State teams from the 80s - he had an uncanny feel for the game.

And I gladly accept the title of king/guru.

I might have to go watch the Ducks or Beavers for a while.  Where is the DI posting board?  

TMT - Save your money: the best college ball in Oregon right now is being played at the University of Portland.  Seriously.  Before I went to Willamette, I was a diehard Pilots fan, so I know for a fact just how weird this state of affairs is.  I'd encourage you to check them out:  D-III work ethic (and ticket prices) with D-I talent.

[TryMeTeam]

BP:

I believe you are right!  I watched them on TV almost beat Gonzaga.  But I gotta admit, I just don't think I will ever get away from the NWC.  Just venting.  I think I have always been a Pio fan, foremost, but without Gaillard, they won't be as good.  I just can't wrap my interest around any other OR team.  Maybe PacU's new coach will bring something to the table.  Or maybe Bridgeland will come to LC (he was an assistant coach there at one time).

Thanks for the UP suggestion.

[playball]

  Sorry, Playball, Linf already got theirs with Wiser.  They won't be due another one for awhile.  

Thanks for the kind words TMT!  haha

I don't know about Linfield, you never know whats going to happen with how kids develop after High School.  Linfield has some athletes coming up in the freshmen ranks who are going to be good with a little more experience.  Just have to give them time. And like what Hayford has been really good with, possibly some JC transfers?  Next year the conference could look totally different, too early to tell.

[bbaddict]

  Sorry, Playball, Linf already got theirs with Wiser.  They won't be due another one for awhile.  

Thanks for the kind words TMT!  haha

I don't know about Linfield, you never know whats going to happen with how kids develop after High School.  Linfield has some athletes coming up in the freshmen ranks who are going to be good with a little more experience.  Just have to give them time. And like what Hayford has been really good with, possibly some JC transfers?  Next year the conference could look totally different, too early to tell.

That freshman from Scappoose is a pretty good shooter and defender, isn't he?  Cory?   I don't think Linfield is finished.   Like WU, it just wasn't their year!   Weird that Whitman beat Whitworth.    Sounds like they recruited a crowd and had another hot shooting night.   Not what I predicted.   Bump in the road for the Pirates, but they'll win out.  They're a really good team.