MBB: MAC Freedom League

Started by ljk, March 14, 2005, 09:28:34 AM

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Stretch4

DeSales has actually gone to another level since the departure of Ellis who was clearly a distraction, but was without question their most talented individual player. A testament to Coval and staff, as well as their veteran players. 21 straight wins is impressive, and I am sure they are salivating at an opportunity to take down some teams from the so-called power conferences in D3. The fact that they are sitting behind Rowan in the regional rankings is laughable.

As far as Arcadia goes, I think you might have been a bit harsh. Yes, their expectations were high, but the reality is they were coming off a season where they were the third best team in the conference, and while they had all starters returning, they had no depth at all. They went 17-9 with five losses to DeSales (0-2) and Stevens (0-3) who are clearly just better teams this year than Arcadia. And for the record, if Watkins was disappointed that a D2 school didn't grab him, he surely did not mail it in this season. A heck of a career for that young man. 

d3hoopstories

I thoroughly enjoyed watching Jalen Watkins throughout his career. He works hard, has a nose for the ball, and should have an opportunity to play abroad as a professional given his high motor and willingness to rebound.

jmcozenlaw

Watkins spent the offseason in the portal and had a few assurances that a few D2 programs had real interest. When nothing materialized (we begged Bloomsburg to take a look......to no avail), he came back and while not mailing it in, if you talk to his Dad, he could not believe the lack of interest. Great career and could have played at a weaker PSAC school, but not a school like Jefferson, which he was hoping for.

jmcozenlaw

I don't know what it is about MAC Freedom Championship games at home.......but Desales has an abysmal record, even in a year like this when they were the dominant team in an average conference. I know that the gym is tiny and the support is tepid......no football team, typically "the crazies", and no wrestling team, makes about 150 less fellow student-athletes at the game and there really isn't much community support as the school sits kind of in the middle of nowhere.

If they play like they did yesterday, I'm not sure that the Sweet Sixteen is a lock Let's see if that loss hurts them at all in the bracket they wind up in and their first round game.

Stretch4

I believe 1 MAC Freedom championship for DeSales in past 10 years, with 6 or 7 regular season 1st place finishes. I know for sure that their very talented senior class this year had four regular season 1st place finishes, and lost 3 home game championships and 1 home game semi-final. At some point that does creep in to the heads of the coaches and players. As far as yesterday went, I think you need to give credit to Stevens who put together a very good defense effort, and quite honestly were the tougher team yesterday. Hard to beat a good team 3 times in one year, and Stevens is clearly a good team. 

In my opinion, the way this D3 season has played out with seemingly any team vulnerable on any given night, it is a challenge to put a Sweet Sixteen lock label on anyone.

lefty2

Quote from: Stretch4 on February 25, 2024, 04:44:24 PMI believe 1 MAC Freedom championship for DeSales in past 10 years, with 6 or 7 regular season 1st place finishes. I know for sure that their very talented senior class this year had four regular season 1st place finishes, and lost 3 home game championships and 1 home game semi-final. At some point that does creep in to the heads of the coaches and players. As far as yesterday went, I think you need to give credit to Stevens who put together a very good defense effort, and quite honestly were the tougher team yesterday. Hard to beat a good team 3 times in one year, and Stevens is clearly a good team. 

In my opinion, the way this D3 season has played out with seemingly any team vulnerable on any given night, it is a challenge to put a Sweet Sixteen lock label on anyone.

You can check your math here:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1goo2eKaPC5byw3Ki2f6YF6tB5Ni1ekgN5MxKVONooaE/edit?path=mbball#gid=634347005

The person who says something can't be done shouldn't stand in the way of the one who's doing it.

jmcozenlaw

Quote from: Stretch4 on February 25, 2024, 04:44:24 PMI believe 1 MAC Freedom championship for DeSales in past 10 years, with 6 or 7 regular season 1st place finishes. I know for sure that their very talented senior class this year had four regular season 1st place finishes, and lost 3 home game championships and 1 home game semi-final. At some point that does creep in to the heads of the coaches and players. As far as yesterday went, I think you need to give credit to Stevens who put together a very good defense effort, and quite honestly were the tougher team yesterday. Hard to beat a good team 3 times in one year, and Stevens is clearly a good team. 

In my opinion, the way this D3 season has played out with seemingly any team vulnerable on any given night, it is a challenge to put a Sweet Sixteen lock label on anyone.

3 home game championships losses and 1 home semifinal loss? Ouch, I had forgotten THAT!! Coval will hit the D2/PSAC transfer area hard, as he has done in the past. Only 8 players got on the court against Stevens.......6 seniors, 1 fourth year junior (Gibbs, a player!) and 1 junior (who is so so, Atkinson).

He needs to have a stellar recruiting year as the bench isn't great (told by someone close to the program) and apparently Gibbs will get his degree in May and is trying to decide about next year (Coval comes up with a "super package".......and Gibbs starts work towards his Masters, IMO:)

jmcozenlaw

77-51?!?!?!

Did anybody see THAT coming? Seniors Boylan, Barnes & Guldin shot a combined 1-21 and even when adding in Gibbs, they shot 5-33. I never thought that a team this incredibly saavy and veteran would put up a first round showing like this!!

I really thought that this would be the year, with so much senior experience, that Desales would win at least a game or two. I know what the expectations were from those within the program.

It has almost become a pattern. Win the MAC regular season. Lose in the MAC playoffs and lose a first round NCAA Playoff game. Back to the drawing board.

jmcozenlaw

Quote from: Stretch4 on February 22, 2024, 04:54:53 PMDeSales has actually gone to another level since the departure of Ellis who was clearly a distraction, but was without question their most talented individual player. A testament to Coval and staff, as well as their veteran players. 21 straight wins is impressive, and I am sure they are salivating at an opportunity to take down some teams from the so-called power conferences in D3. The fact that they are sitting behind Rowan in the regional rankings is laughable.

As far as Arcadia goes, I think you might have been a bit harsh. Yes, their expectations were high, but the reality is they were coming off a season where they were the third best team in the conference, and while they had all starters returning, they had no depth at all. They went 17-9 with five losses to DeSales (0-2) and Stevens (0-3) who are clearly just better teams this year than Arcadia. And for the record, if Watkins was disappointed that a D2 school didn't grab him, he surely did not mail it in this season. A heck of a career for that young man. 

Stretch - The back half of your first paragraph might win the award for "worst aged comments" this year.

1. "21 straight wins is impressive, and I am sure they are salivating at an opportunity to take down some teams from the so-called power conferences in D3". Instead of salivating at an opportunity to take down a team from the NESCAC........they spit up all over themselves and were bludgeoned!!

2. "The fact that they are sitting behind Rowan in the regional rankings is laughable". Desales got slaughtered in the first round by a lower ranked team.......while Rowan is laughing all the way to the Sweet Sixteen, the one that Desales should be at, not Rowan, based on your comment.

Speaking of Desales, the women lose a motherlode, unless Fred can convince them to pay-to-play for a 5th year. I can't wait until this Covid year nonsense is buried once and for all!!

Augie2020

Quote from: jmcozenlaw on March 02, 2024, 11:10:15 AM77-51?!?!?!

Did anybody see THAT coming? Seniors Boylan, Barnes & Guldin shot a combined 1-21 and even when adding in Gibbs, they shot 5-33. I never thought that a team this incredibly saavy and veteran would put up a first round showing like this!!

I really thought that this would be the year, with so much senior experience, that Desales would win at least a game or two. I know what the expectations were from those within the program.

It has almost become a pattern. Win the MAC regular season. Lose in the MAC playoffs and lose a first round NCAA Playoff game. Back to the drawing board.
Well they are not the only ones that go  one in done in the NCAA every year ,go a little north Scranton(Mens)team is well known for going one in done in the tournament.

jmcozenlaw

Quote from: Augie2020 on March 03, 2024, 11:37:20 PM
Quote from: jmcozenlaw on March 02, 2024, 11:10:15 AM77-51?!?!?!

Did anybody see THAT coming? Seniors Boylan, Barnes & Guldin shot a combined 1-21 and even when adding in Gibbs, they shot 5-33. I never thought that a team this incredibly saavy and veteran would put up a first round showing like this!!

I really thought that this would be the year, with so much senior experience, that Desales would win at least a game or two. I know what the expectations were from those within the program.

It has almost become a pattern. Win the MAC regular season. Lose in the MAC playoffs and lose a first round NCAA Playoff game. Back to the drawing board.
Well they are not the only ones that go  one in done in the NCAA every year ,go a little north Scranton(Mens)team is well known for going one in done in the tournament.

BUT a lot more was expected out of this year's team given the extreme amount of experience. Several insiders (including thee insider) was really expecting a Sweet Sixteen type of season. I don't remember a Scranton team that was so reliant on seniors, fall in the first round.

I'm pretty sure that Coval would not be consoled if we were to tell him that the Scranton men's team went one and done in the tournament. He'd say, "what does that have to do with my Desales team this year?"

NEPAFAN

Quote from: jmcozenlaw on March 04, 2024, 09:15:13 AM
Quote from: Augie2020 on March 03, 2024, 11:37:20 PM
Quote from: jmcozenlaw on March 02, 2024, 11:10:15 AM77-51?!?!?!

Did anybody see THAT coming? Seniors Boylan, Barnes & Guldin shot a combined 1-21 and even when adding in Gibbs, they shot 5-33. I never thought that a team this incredibly saavy and veteran would put up a first round showing like this!!

I really thought that this would be the year, with so much senior experience, that Desales would win at least a game or two. I know what the expectations were from those within the program.

It has almost become a pattern. Win the MAC regular season. Lose in the MAC playoffs and lose a first round NCAA Playoff game. Back to the drawing board.
Well they are not the only ones that go  one in done in the NCAA every year ,go a little north Scranton(Mens)team is well known for going one in done in the tournament.

BUT a lot more was expected out of this year's team given the extreme amount of experience. Several insiders (including thee insider) was really expecting a Sweet Sixteen type of season. I don't remember a Scranton team that was so reliant on seniors, fall in the first round.

I'm pretty sure that Coval would not be consoled if we were to tell him that the Scranton men's team went one and done in the tournament. He'd say, "what does that have to do with my Desales team this year?"

Just making conversation, misery loves company, etc.

Coval has had a great career...Entering his 31st year with the Bulldogs, Coval's career record of 546-258 (.679) makes him the all-time winningest men's basketball coach in DeSales history.
A school without football is in danger of deteriorating into a medieval study hall.
Vince Lombardi

Stretch4

I have no ties to DeSales, just a lot of respect for Coval and the tremendous program he has built over many years. DeSales performance in the first round of the NCAA's was obviously a huge disappointment. Based on the timing of the regional rankings when I made my comment DeSales clearly had earned a higher regional ranking than Rowan based on the body of work over the course of the season to that point. Rowan got a favorable draw with first round opponent in Carnegie Mellon that many felt should not have been in the NCAA's, and a second round opponent in Catholic that they matched up with very well. Unless I am reading things wrong, it appears that four of DeSales six seniors can return for a 5th year if they desire. Will be interesting to see if/who makes the decision to return.

jmcozenlaw

Quote from: Stretch4 on March 04, 2024, 01:13:57 PMI have no ties to DeSales, just a lot of respect for Coval and the tremendous program he has built over many years. DeSales performance in the first round of the NCAA's was obviously a huge disappointment. Based on the timing of the regional rankings when I made my comment DeSales clearly had earned a higher regional ranking than Rowan based on the body of work over the course of the season to that point. Rowan got a favorable draw with first round opponent in Carnegie Mellon that many felt should not have been in the NCAA's, and a second round opponent in Catholic that they matched up with very well. Unless I am reading things wrong, it appears that four of DeSales six seniors can return for a 5th year if they desire. Will be interesting to see if/who makes the decision to return.

I really hope that the seniors move on to grad school, law school or their careers vs. this nutty 5th year thing that thankfully is about to end.