2013 Tournament Team Profiles

[Mr. Ypsi]

Looks to me like RHIT's MVP is whoever sews the names on the backs of the jerseys!

Some of those guys better have very broad shoulders, or readable names couldn't fit!

[marlinpg10]

Virginia Wesleyan College
similar to the recent marlin teams. Very athletic and fast team with many options offensively.. they are a team that if you try to play their tempo they might run you out of the gym. they have struggled this year with teams that can control the tempo and not get caught up in the marlins fast paced game. When they are on top of their game they can look like the best team in the country but when there not on their game they can look like a team that was lucky to make the tournament.

Personnel:
Ford 5'10 pg- Lightning fast point guard who makes plays on both ends of the court. The marlins go as he goes. If he is on top of his game and controlling the tempo you might as well call it a night. Can be invisible on the court sometimes but when hes on top of his game can score 25+
Woodmore 6'3 G- Very skilled athletic guard who can shoot lights out. No matter how u guard him he will get between 13-20 points. Holding him to around 13 is a good defensive night because hes capable of erupting for 30+ easy.
Teasley 6'4 G- Marlins most dynamic scorer. Can shoot the 3, very athletic and physical which allows him to get to the rim and finish and also able to post up smaller guards. Also the marlins defensive stopper. Will defend the best guard on the other team
Astorga 6'5 F- The X-Factor... Very skilled and when hes hitting his shots the marlins are extremely dangerous. Hes capable of scoring 25+ like he has done numerous times this year. When hes not hitting he has a tendency to force bad shots which kind of kill the marlins
Batson 6'6 F- Very athletic Forward who can step out and shoot the 3. Gets a lot of his points from tip ins  and follow up dunks. gets in foul trouble a lot

The marlins are a dangerous team that no one wants to see when they are playing their game. They are very hard to beat at home and if they win they should be at home for round 2 vs either rutgers newark or CNU. If they are to win that and Williams can win their first 2 we could have a rematch of 2 years ago when williams defeated VWC in the sweet 16... Williams is a very different team but this marlins team is very similar. Should be an interesting tournament.. GO Marlins!!!

[oldknight]

Calvin takes on Rose-Hulman Saturday at Terre Haute. We have a report posted for the Fightin' Engineers by FCGG, but no one has done one for their opponent from Grand Rapids. I'll take a shot at a team summary, and highlight the most important players.

General Overview

This season's excellent 24-3 record was forged during the bitter experiences of the 2011-12 squad that suffered season ending player losses that started before practice even began in October. Those losses forced Calvin to use freshmen and sophomores who had not been expected to play much of a role, if any, when school started in the fall. Consequently, the team that competed this current season is far deeper, more experienced, and talented than the previous one, and the results showed it. The current roster sports nine players who have been starters for Calvin at one time or another. One sign of this season's depth is shown through senior Matt DeBoer, a 6'4" foward who started most of last season averaging 11 per game. This year he's probably 9 or 10 on the squad, yet has graciously accepted that role. Calvin proved itself during the conference season to be the best team in the MIAA. They proved it again during the conference tournament, rolling to easy wins over Adrian and arch-rival Hope. RHIT is the nation's leader in scoring defense and FCGG mentions Calvin is no. 6, so points are likely to be at a premium Saturday night. The Knights are tall, very tall--including key reserves--and the big guys can really defend and rebound. I'm told Calvin led the nation in rebounding this season and they essentially rebound by committee with post Tyler Kruis the individual leader at 6.2 per game. Calvin was outrebounded only three times this year and they lost two of them. If you want to beat Calvin, it's important to at least keep the rebounding margin close. The Knights have a balanced scoring attack with four players in double figures--Tom Snikkers at 13.3, Tyler Kruis 12.8, Bryan 11.6, and Jordan Brink 10.7.

Front Court

The three starters are Tom Snikkers (6'4"), Tyler Kruis (6'9") and Tyler Dykstra (6'8"). Snikkers lost out on conference MVP (to Trine's high scoring guard Ian Jackson), but he has started all four years for the Knights and is a three-time All-Conference first teamer. Tom's older sister, Carrie, is a former D3 Player of the Year and like his sister, he combines size with athleticism. He has the body and mentality of a linebacker with the graceful and balanced movements of a good point guard. I wouldn't call him a great shooter but he is good enough that you have to respect his shot and guard him on the perimeter. He's a terrific low post scorer and if you don't give his defender help, Snik knows how to use his strength and quickness to overpower defenders with a variety of creative moves. He sees the court very well and can make amazing passes to players you didn't think were open. His biggest weaknesses are a tendency to force action when there is nothing available thus leading to curious turnovers, and to pout when he doesn't get a call he should have gotten. When he concentrates on taking what the defense allows him to do and remains even-keeled, he is very, very good.

Tyler Kruis is a 6'9", 230 lb. junior who can score both in the low post, and by hitting the jump shot out to 18 feet. He's an excellent one-on-one defender who blocks and alters a lot of opponent's shots. If you're playing against him you really like to see him get into foul trouble but he's been pretty good at avoiding that probem.

Tyler Dykstra is just about as tall as Kruis but has a much thinner body frame. He's a quick leaper who can really soar above the rim. Another good defender who like several of his teammates plays very long. He isn't called on to score much but he has a pretty reliable shot and I think this sophomore will be more of a scorer the next two years.

The primary bench players are junior Mickey DeVries (6'7") and sophomore Daniel Stout (6'9") and both can rebound and defend. DeVries is a very gritty player who digs out tough rebounds, blocks shots and has pretty good footwork. On a per minute basis, he is the best rebounder on a team of good rebounders. Stout is still learning the offensive part of the game but he doesn't hurt the Knights at all on the defensive side.

Back court

The back court is mostly handled by three players, seniors David Rietema and Bryan Powell, and junior Jordan Brink (who is a sophomore eligibility wise). Rietema is exclusely a point guard who shoots only 2-3 times a game, but still puts pressure on the defense with frequent dribble penetration. David is an excellent one-on-one defender and he takes care of the ball. Rietema shares the point duties with Bryan Powell and the difference between the two points couldn't be more stark. Bryan is a gunslinger from the old west who can heat up the offense quickly. Some fans have nick-named him "The Microwave" after Vinnie Johnson, the former bench player for the Detroit Pistons during the Isaiah Thomas days. Bryan--who also plays the 2 guard position--likes to shoot the three ball, will do so from well beyond the arc at pretty much any time, and can break down his defender off the dribble and take it to the hole. He has a maddening tendency to overdribble but with Bryan, you have to take the bad with the good and accept that. I've often said that every time he handles the ball he makes one coach delighted and the other frustrated, and the opposing coaches frequently take turns changing roles during the game. Powell was named first team All-Conference, a rare honor for a non-starter.

The starting 2 guard is Jordan Brink, who is another threat from the arc but who can also take it to the hole. Like Powell, he has the ability to put a lot of points on the board in a short time. I saw him go 6-6 from the arc in the first half against Ripon and he is a dangerous player opposing defenses need to account for. Jordan also is a good rebounder, a trait common to players on this team. His free throw shooting is phenomenal. In two seasons he has shot exactly 100 shots from the charity stripe and has made 94. You can do the math on that. If Calvin is nursing a small lead late in the game, you might as well let him shoot an uncontested layup as put him at the line. He wants you to foul him. One word of advice: Don't.

[Captain_Joe08]

Aurora University

Location: Aurora, Illinois
Enrollment: 4,300
Conference: Northern Athletics Conference

12-13 Record: 22-6 (14-2) Nath-Con South Division Champions
Bid Type: Won automatic bid by beating Nath-Con North Division Champ Lakeland 95-71 in conference final.

Best Wins: at Lakeland (22-6), Concordia (WI) (18-9), MSOE (17-9)
Key Losses: North Central, UW-Whitewater, at Hope, at Marian

Scoring Offense: 84.9 (6th)
Scoring Defense: 74.3 (310th)

Key Players

#3 Scott Laskowski - 6-5 Jr. 11.4 ppg, 5.1 rpg
#12 Mike Bumber - 6.2 Sr. 11.3 ppg
#11 Esteban Vega - 5.9 Sr. 8.8 ppg 3.5 apg
#20 Kalmon Stokes - 6.4 Fr 8.8 ppg, 4.3 rpg
#33 Mark Adams - 6.3 Sr. 7.0 ppg, 3.7 rpg
#22 Marious Lobdell - 6-0 Jr. 16.0 ppg, 3.8 apg
#23 Marquis Lobdell - 6.3 Jr. 6.5 ppg, 3.9 rpg
#30 Kyle Pilmer - 6.8 So. 5.2 ppg, 4.9 rpg
#4 Jordan Hester - 6.0 Jr. 8.8 ppg, 3.5 rpg

Head Coach: James Lancaster 19th season 346-164 (.678)

[Pinecone_Curtain]

Whitworth University (Spokane, Wash.)
24-3 overall, 16-2 conference including tournament
Coach: Matt Logie
Conference: NWC regular and tournament champions (7-straight!)

Usual starters:

PG- Dustin McConnell (5-11, Jr.) 13.6 ppg, 44.2 rpg, 45% from 3, 87% FT
SG- Wade Gebbers (5-11, Sr.) 11.9 ppg, 81.5% FT
SF- George Valle (6-4, Fr.) 12.3 ppg, 3.9 rpg
PF- Mack Larkin (6-5, Sr.) 7.6 ppg, 4.3 rpg
C- Taylor Farnsworth (6-8, So.) 10.4 ppg, 5.3 rpg

Key reserves:

Colton McCargar (6-1 guard, Jr.) 11.9 ppg, 43.8% from 3, 4.1 rpg
Zach Payne (6-6 post, Sr.) 5.0 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 66.3% FG
Robby Douglas (6-1 guard, Jr.) 4.4 ppg
Hank Aldous (6-5 wing, Fr.) 2.9 ppg

Key wins:
Mary Hardin-Baylor (70-61), @Redlands (70-57), Whitman (93-72)

Key losses:
St. Thomas (70-65), Whitman (93-90 OT), George Fox (89-81)

The skinny:
On paper this is probably the least talented Whitworth team in a decade. They don't have those one or two stars of the past (a la Taylor, Montgomery, etc.), but this team is more balanced and probably a bit deeper than any of those previous teams. Everyone knows their role and they do it well. They can win any style, whether teams force them into a half-court set or try to run-and-gun because they have a nice rotation of guards who can play either way. They rarely get outcoached and they don't turn the ball over (fewest per game in the NWC). They're just a well-oiled machine. The problem? They seem to play to their level of their opponents: they barely lost to St. Thomas, yet they also lost at home to George Fox. They can beat any team in this tournament, but they could also lose to any team in this tournament. Having home games to the Elite 8 should help.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Whitworth University (Spokane, Wash.)
24-3 overall, 16-2 conference including tournament
Coach: Matt Logie
Conference: NWC regular and tournament champions (7-straight!)

Usual starters:

PG- Dustin McConnell (5-11, Jr.) 13.6 ppg, 44.2 rpg, 45% from 3, 87% FT
SG- Wade Gebbers (5-11, Sr.) 11.9 ppg, 81.5% FT
SF- George Valle (6-4, Fr.) 12.3 ppg, 3.9 rpg
PF- Mack Larkin (6-5, Sr.) 7.6 ppg, 4.3 rpg
C- Taylor Farnsworth (6-8, So.) 10.4 ppg, 5.3 rpg

Key reserves:

Colton McCargar (6-1 guard, Jr.) 11.9 ppg, 43.8% from 3, 4.1 rpg
Zach Payne (6-6 post, Sr.) 5.0 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 66.3% FG
Robby Douglas (6-1 guard, Jr.) 4.4 ppg
Hank Aldous (6-5 wing, Fr.) 2.9 ppg

Key wins:
Mary Hardin-Baylor (70-61), @Redlands (70-57), Whitman (93-72)

Key losses:
St. Thomas (70-65), Whitman (93-90 OT), George Fox (89-81)

The skinny:
On paper this is probably the least talented Whitworth team in a decade. They don't have those one or two stars of the past (a la Taylor, Montgomery, etc.), but this team is more balanced and probably a bit deeper than any of those previous teams. Everyone knows their role and they do it well. They can win any style, whether teams force them into a half-court set or try to run-and-gun because they have a nice rotation of guards who can play either way. They rarely get outcoached and they don't turn the ball over (fewest per game in the NWC). They're just a well-oiled machine. The problem? They seem to play to their level of their opponents: they barely lost to St. Thomas, yet they also lost at home to George Fox. They can beat any team in this tournament, but they could also lose to any team in this tournament. Having home games to the Elite 8 should help.

WOW!  Sure glad I've got Dustin on my fantasy team!!

[Pinecone_Curtain]

Whitworth University (Spokane, Wash.)
24-3 overall, 16-2 conference including tournament
Coach: Matt Logie
Conference: NWC regular and tournament champions (7-straight!)

Usual starters:

PG- Dustin McConnell (5-11, Jr.) 13.6 ppg, 44.2 rpg, 45% from 3, 87% FT
SG- Wade Gebbers (5-11, Sr.) 11.9 ppg, 81.5% FT
SF- George Valle (6-4, Fr.) 12.3 ppg, 3.9 rpg
PF- Mack Larkin (6-5, Sr.) 7.6 ppg, 4.3 rpg
C- Taylor Farnsworth (6-8, So.) 10.4 ppg, 5.3 rpg

Key reserves:

Colton McCargar (6-1 guard, Jr.) 11.9 ppg, 43.8% from 3, 4.1 rpg
Zach Payne (6-6 post, Sr.) 5.0 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 66.3% FG
Robby Douglas (6-1 guard, Jr.) 4.4 ppg
Hank Aldous (6-5 wing, Fr.) 2.9 ppg

Key wins:
Mary Hardin-Baylor (70-61), @Redlands (70-57), Whitman (93-72)

Key losses:
St. Thomas (70-65), Whitman (93-90 OT), George Fox (89-81)

The skinny:
On paper this is probably the least talented Whitworth team in a decade. They don't have those one or two stars of the past (a la Taylor, Montgomery, etc.), but this team is more balanced and probably a bit deeper than any of those previous teams. Everyone knows their role and they do it well. They can win any style, whether teams force them into a half-court set or try to run-and-gun because they have a nice rotation of guards who can play either way. They rarely get outcoached and they don't turn the ball over (fewest per game in the NWC). They're just a well-oiled machine. The problem? They seem to play to their level of their opponents: they barely lost to St. Thomas, yet they also lost at home to George Fox. They can beat any team in this tournament, but they could also lose to any team in this tournament. Having home games to the Elite 8 should help.

WOW!  Sure glad I've got Dustin on my fantasy team!!

Whoops! Try 4.2. Sorry to disappoint!