The girls opened the season tonight at the North Baltimore gym. It's a great small-town basketball venue; the building was over half full and the pep band was blasting their fight songs all night. North Baltimore could have easily been used as a set for the movie Hoosiers.
Starting five: Kristin Bigelow (Jr.), Delaney Lonsway (Jr.), Jazmine Aldridge-Brownlee (Jr.), Genna Danes (Jr.) and Wesley Flaum (Jr.)
The girls have been practicing for just over a week together as a team due to Winterim trips. There is some rust to shake off but this team has a good future if it practices hard and learns to handle and protect the basketball.
The Hawks were able to manage the Tiger press for most of the game. This was an area of emphasis during the past weekend’s practices. They hung in throughout most of the first quarter, but North Baltimore exploited a significant height advantage, pulled away and won 76-37.
Kristin led MV with 23 points. Genna (6 pts.), Wesley (3), Delaney (3), and Jordan Baker (2 in her first game!) also scored for the Blue and White. I'm pretty sure the girls made more 3-pointers than 2-pointers. That’s a first for me as a fan.
All 11 Hawks saw action tonight, including the debut of the Fab Four Freshmen – Jordan Baker, Cammie Lonsway, Emily Boyk and Anne Deichert. Also seeing action were Senior Yasmin AbdelKarim and Sophomore Miranda Vargas.
Hawk fans, come out and support the girls this year. They will improve and deserve our support.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Northwood Preview from BG Sentinel-Tribune
Northwood is picked to finish fifth in the TAAC pre-season coaches poll.
It appears MV has at least one thing to shoot for - Ottawa Hills was picked to win the Conference.
We don't see the Rangers until January 14, 2011 so there's plenty of time for them to get better.
It appears MV has at least one thing to shoot for - Ottawa Hills was picked to win the Conference.
We don't see the Rangers until January 14, 2011 so there's plenty of time for them to get better.
Girls' BB Opening Night
I'm off to North Baltimore for the girls' opener. I'll file a brief report this evening.
Preview Scrimmage – Home vs. Otsego 11.29.2010 – Dress Rehearsal
Fast facts
Opponent: Otsego HS
Enrollment (9-12): 554
Division/League: D-III / Suburban Lakes League
Team Nickname: Knights
Scrimmage format: 8 minute regular clock quarters / Two Quarters each Varsity & JV played.
Setting the Table
Otsego has been the Hawks' preview opponent for at least the last three years. I distinctly recall the 2008-9 preview, when the Hawks went up 5-0 playing a disciplined half court offense. Otsego pressed for the next ten minutes and it was not pretty. Times have changed.
The visitors were missing two starters due to injury. No truth to the rumor that one of the missing Knights was Roy Hobbs.
Game Summary
Maumee Valley defeated the Otsego Knights 19-16 in a two quarter preview scrimmage behind a balanced attack. Seven different Hawks scored throughout the evening. The first six field goals were tallied by six different players. The Hawks established a 14-8 half-time lead and ran a control-tempo offense in the second quarter for the win. Jared Sturt and Julius Turner led MV with four points each.
First quarter – MV 14 – Otsego 8
Starting five – Rick Deichert, Dave Brown, Jared Sturt, Jonathan Krueger, Dixon Stoddard
Otsego opened up in a 1-3-1 zone and stayed there the majority of the evening, sometimes switching to a 2-3. MV took the opportunity to practice their zone offense, trying to work the ball inside or fire the three. The initial attack was deliberate, with a few missed opportunities early.
At the other end of the court, the starting five would shine on defense. Maumee Valley’s tight man-to-man setup frustrated the visitors from the start. My (ultra) unofficial statistics showed MV with seven steals in the first quarter, led by Rick Deichert’s three pilfers plus one by Nick Frasco later on. Jared Sturt had two blocks in the opening frame and affected several other shots. Jonathan Krueger was very active all quarter, disrupting passing lanes. Dave Brown’s tight defense up top led to two hurried inlet passes which Dixon Stoddard intercepted.
The Hawks were on Otsego like, well, Hawks on field mice…
The Blue and White pressure pierced the Knights’ offensive armor at around the 3:30 mark, when two quick steals led to two easy baskets and a time out for the guests to regroup.
MV ended the quarter with one of its favorite zone overload plays resulting in an easy basket for Jared.
Second Quarter - Otsego 8 – MV 5
Starting five: Rick, Julius Turner, Omar Hazimah, Parker Bayer, Daniel Brandon
Otsego got off to a good start with the first two baskets, closing their deficit to 14-12. This led to the play of the game, a rainbow three pointer from Parker Bayer near the four minute mark which extended the lead to 17-12.
I credited an unofficial assist to the uniform – Parker (class of '12) inherited number 15 this year from his brother Carter (class of ’10).
Julius Turner had an active second half; a steal, two rebounds and two points from the charity stripe. Jonathan was a stopper along the sideline, knocking three passes out of bounds and not letting the Knights establish any running game.
Rick and Dave were in together for only two brief stretches in the second quarter. Their highlight together was another fine half-court trap reminiscent of the Lake scrimmage which forced the visitors to call time out just in time to avoid a five-second call.
The second quarter was vintage Robinson-ball. The goal looked to be practicing ball control with one of the two starting guards at the point for the majority of the quarter. The Hawks were able to control tempo throughout the second quarter with nary a turnover, including the last 45 seconds where MV played keep-away until the final buzzer.
Final game thoughts
This team has learned different ways to win games. In scrimmages thus far we have seen success with a press break, an up-tempo offense, some deadly plays against the zone defense and slow-down ball control when needed. And the bag of tricks has only been partially opened. Tonight, the Hawks showed they could win with defense.
An underrated aspect of the team’s win was the way the Hawks ran both the offense and defense this evening, limited as it was. The Hawks ran only three or four different offensive sets all evening. In that regard, the game the feel of a summer league game – stick to the knitting and don’t show anybody anything!
All 11 Hawks who played this evening showed an overall comfort with the system on both sides of the ball. Coach R did not call any time-outs due to confusion over who was supposed to be where and when they were supposed to be there (or at least he hid that well).
This team has athletic ability plus the smarts to absorb a college-level scheme. And hey, why not? After all, Maumee Valley is the premier college preparatory institution in Northwest Ohio…
What else did I not mention about the evening? Otsego, with a guard-heavy roster, did not press once and tried only a single half-court defense. That level of respect illustrates the full circle journey from Coach Robinson’s Maumee Valley debut two years ago.
Scoring
Jared & Julius - 4 points each; Parker - 3 points; Dave, Rick, Jonathan, and Dixon - 2 points each
JV action
The JV starting five included Solomon Collins, Robbie Ariss, Ahmed Kahlil, Thad Woodard and Danny Hazimah. The Hawks played Otsego to a dead heat in the first quarter, but lost the game 31-11. Ahmed led Maumee Valley with six points on two three-pointers.
[Editor's note - actually, they're all my notes so that's redundant. Anywaty, I received the following correction on the JV scoring: 'Grant scored 3 points, Thad hit 2 free throws, Solomon had 3 points.' I do know Ahmed hit a three and that adds up to 11, so I'll go with that. Sorry for the mishap.].
Congratulations to the JVs on their first game (that I've seen, anyway). A large number of Freshmen saw their first action on the Varsity Gym hardwood. Better things are ahead, gentlemen.
A Tip of the Hat This Evening to…
Varsity golf coach Tim Voyles, who refereed both JV and Varsity tonight. Tim, of course, cannot ref any regular season Maumee Valley games, so it was good to see him this evening at home. He never called Rick, Nick, Jonathan, Parker, AJ King or Grant MacPherson out-of-bounds…
Next Up
Bright Lights and Broadway!! It’s opening night on the road against the Fayette Eagles. Watch the blog this week for more team articles, the official TAAC pre-season poll, and a game preview. What more could you ask for?
Opponent: Otsego HS
Enrollment (9-12): 554
Division/League: D-III / Suburban Lakes League
Team Nickname: Knights
Scrimmage format: 8 minute regular clock quarters / Two Quarters each Varsity & JV played.
Setting the Table
Otsego has been the Hawks' preview opponent for at least the last three years. I distinctly recall the 2008-9 preview, when the Hawks went up 5-0 playing a disciplined half court offense. Otsego pressed for the next ten minutes and it was not pretty. Times have changed.
The visitors were missing two starters due to injury. No truth to the rumor that one of the missing Knights was Roy Hobbs.
Game Summary
Maumee Valley defeated the Otsego Knights 19-16 in a two quarter preview scrimmage behind a balanced attack. Seven different Hawks scored throughout the evening. The first six field goals were tallied by six different players. The Hawks established a 14-8 half-time lead and ran a control-tempo offense in the second quarter for the win. Jared Sturt and Julius Turner led MV with four points each.
First quarter – MV 14 – Otsego 8
Starting five – Rick Deichert, Dave Brown, Jared Sturt, Jonathan Krueger, Dixon Stoddard
Otsego opened up in a 1-3-1 zone and stayed there the majority of the evening, sometimes switching to a 2-3. MV took the opportunity to practice their zone offense, trying to work the ball inside or fire the three. The initial attack was deliberate, with a few missed opportunities early.
At the other end of the court, the starting five would shine on defense. Maumee Valley’s tight man-to-man setup frustrated the visitors from the start. My (ultra) unofficial statistics showed MV with seven steals in the first quarter, led by Rick Deichert’s three pilfers plus one by Nick Frasco later on. Jared Sturt had two blocks in the opening frame and affected several other shots. Jonathan Krueger was very active all quarter, disrupting passing lanes. Dave Brown’s tight defense up top led to two hurried inlet passes which Dixon Stoddard intercepted.
The Hawks were on Otsego like, well, Hawks on field mice…
The Blue and White pressure pierced the Knights’ offensive armor at around the 3:30 mark, when two quick steals led to two easy baskets and a time out for the guests to regroup.
MV ended the quarter with one of its favorite zone overload plays resulting in an easy basket for Jared.
Second Quarter - Otsego 8 – MV 5
Starting five: Rick, Julius Turner, Omar Hazimah, Parker Bayer, Daniel Brandon
Otsego got off to a good start with the first two baskets, closing their deficit to 14-12. This led to the play of the game, a rainbow three pointer from Parker Bayer near the four minute mark which extended the lead to 17-12.
I credited an unofficial assist to the uniform – Parker (class of '12) inherited number 15 this year from his brother Carter (class of ’10).
Julius Turner had an active second half; a steal, two rebounds and two points from the charity stripe. Jonathan was a stopper along the sideline, knocking three passes out of bounds and not letting the Knights establish any running game.
Rick and Dave were in together for only two brief stretches in the second quarter. Their highlight together was another fine half-court trap reminiscent of the Lake scrimmage which forced the visitors to call time out just in time to avoid a five-second call.
The second quarter was vintage Robinson-ball. The goal looked to be practicing ball control with one of the two starting guards at the point for the majority of the quarter. The Hawks were able to control tempo throughout the second quarter with nary a turnover, including the last 45 seconds where MV played keep-away until the final buzzer.
Final game thoughts
This team has learned different ways to win games. In scrimmages thus far we have seen success with a press break, an up-tempo offense, some deadly plays against the zone defense and slow-down ball control when needed. And the bag of tricks has only been partially opened. Tonight, the Hawks showed they could win with defense.
An underrated aspect of the team’s win was the way the Hawks ran both the offense and defense this evening, limited as it was. The Hawks ran only three or four different offensive sets all evening. In that regard, the game the feel of a summer league game – stick to the knitting and don’t show anybody anything!
All 11 Hawks who played this evening showed an overall comfort with the system on both sides of the ball. Coach R did not call any time-outs due to confusion over who was supposed to be where and when they were supposed to be there (or at least he hid that well).
This team has athletic ability plus the smarts to absorb a college-level scheme. And hey, why not? After all, Maumee Valley is the premier college preparatory institution in Northwest Ohio…
What else did I not mention about the evening? Otsego, with a guard-heavy roster, did not press once and tried only a single half-court defense. That level of respect illustrates the full circle journey from Coach Robinson’s Maumee Valley debut two years ago.
Scoring
Jared & Julius - 4 points each; Parker - 3 points; Dave, Rick, Jonathan, and Dixon - 2 points each
JV action
The JV starting five included Solomon Collins, Robbie Ariss, Ahmed Kahlil, Thad Woodard and Danny Hazimah. The Hawks played Otsego to a dead heat in the first quarter, but lost the game 31-11. Ahmed led Maumee Valley with six points on two three-pointers.
[Editor's note - actually, they're all my notes so that's redundant. Anywaty, I received the following correction on the JV scoring: 'Grant scored 3 points, Thad hit 2 free throws, Solomon had 3 points.' I do know Ahmed hit a three and that adds up to 11, so I'll go with that. Sorry for the mishap.].
Congratulations to the JVs on their first game (that I've seen, anyway). A large number of Freshmen saw their first action on the Varsity Gym hardwood. Better things are ahead, gentlemen.
A Tip of the Hat This Evening to…
Varsity golf coach Tim Voyles, who refereed both JV and Varsity tonight. Tim, of course, cannot ref any regular season Maumee Valley games, so it was good to see him this evening at home. He never called Rick, Nick, Jonathan, Parker, AJ King or Grant MacPherson out-of-bounds…
Next Up
Bright Lights and Broadway!! It’s opening night on the road against the Fayette Eagles. Watch the blog this week for more team articles, the official TAAC pre-season poll, and a game preview. What more could you ask for?
Monday, November 29, 2010
Sunday, November 28, 2010
TAAC OOC Schedules – Part 3
What do the schedules tell us?
Part 3 - Schedule commentary
The first thing that stands out to me is the difficulty of Toledo Christian’s OOC schedule. TC is the only TAAC team to play two Division I schools (Clay and Anthony Wayne), a tough out-of-town team from Buffalo NY, D-II Eastwood and two D-III schools (Evergreen and Swanton). This philosophy has to pay dividends come playoff time. Play strong competition, and you’ll become stronger.
If school size alone (vs. quality of opponent regardless of Division) determines schedule strength, TC has the hardest OCC schedule by far. But several TAAC teams play more than a plain vanilla schedule.
MV is the only other TAAC squad with a definite D-1 game on their schedule in Toledo Central Catholic. MV dropped games against two D-IV independent schools this year (Miami Valley in Dayton and Ann Arbor Greenhills), picking up Central and D-III Liberty Center from the NWOAL.
EC will have a game against D-I or equivalent competition in their Warrior Classic. The Hosts will face either Bowsher (which I believe will contend for the City League title) or the Bedford, Michigan Mules in the tournament.
I also like Ottawa Hills’ OOC schedule. On the BBC Wikipedia page, it notes that Pettisville has won eight straight boys basketball titles; that will be a good challenge for OH. Overall, the Bears face five division III foes as well as historically strong D-IV New Riegel.
Danbury plays strong competition close to home with Sandusky Bay Conference opponents Oak Harbor, Margaretta and Sandusky St. Mary’s.
Cardinal Stritch plays five D-III teams in the NWOAL and SLL, staying close to home to play Genoa.
Other notes:
Gibsonburg is getting a jump start on its TAAC membership, facing Ottawa Hills, Northwood and Danbury. Gibsonburg will be a great addition to Conference play and will provide a closer league opponent for Danbury.
We’ll get the best idea of how the TAAC stands among their D-IV peers against the Midland Athletic League with 14 games against 8 different teams. The TAAC also mixes it up frequently with the mostly D-II and III NWOAL, playing 11 games against 4 different teams.
I will be officially be looking to crown the winner of the I-280 championship (I just invented this right now), Northwood vs. Lake.
The final post in this series will come after the preseason polls are released and I get a rough gauge of perceived schedule strength.
Part 3 - Schedule commentary
The first thing that stands out to me is the difficulty of Toledo Christian’s OOC schedule. TC is the only TAAC team to play two Division I schools (Clay and Anthony Wayne), a tough out-of-town team from Buffalo NY, D-II Eastwood and two D-III schools (Evergreen and Swanton). This philosophy has to pay dividends come playoff time. Play strong competition, and you’ll become stronger.
If school size alone (vs. quality of opponent regardless of Division) determines schedule strength, TC has the hardest OCC schedule by far. But several TAAC teams play more than a plain vanilla schedule.
MV is the only other TAAC squad with a definite D-1 game on their schedule in Toledo Central Catholic. MV dropped games against two D-IV independent schools this year (Miami Valley in Dayton and Ann Arbor Greenhills), picking up Central and D-III Liberty Center from the NWOAL.
EC will have a game against D-I or equivalent competition in their Warrior Classic. The Hosts will face either Bowsher (which I believe will contend for the City League title) or the Bedford, Michigan Mules in the tournament.
I also like Ottawa Hills’ OOC schedule. On the BBC Wikipedia page, it notes that Pettisville has won eight straight boys basketball titles; that will be a good challenge for OH. Overall, the Bears face five division III foes as well as historically strong D-IV New Riegel.
Danbury plays strong competition close to home with Sandusky Bay Conference opponents Oak Harbor, Margaretta and Sandusky St. Mary’s.
Cardinal Stritch plays five D-III teams in the NWOAL and SLL, staying close to home to play Genoa.
Other notes:
Gibsonburg is getting a jump start on its TAAC membership, facing Ottawa Hills, Northwood and Danbury. Gibsonburg will be a great addition to Conference play and will provide a closer league opponent for Danbury.
We’ll get the best idea of how the TAAC stands among their D-IV peers against the Midland Athletic League with 14 games against 8 different teams. The TAAC also mixes it up frequently with the mostly D-II and III NWOAL, playing 11 games against 4 different teams.
I will be officially be looking to crown the winner of the I-280 championship (I just invented this right now), Northwood vs. Lake.
The final post in this series will come after the preseason polls are released and I get a rough gauge of perceived schedule strength.
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Scrimmage recap – Home vs. Lake HS 11.26.10 – Back Together as a Team
Fast facts
Opponent: Lake High School, Millbury OH
Enrollment (9-12): 521
Division/League: Suburban Lakes League
Team Nickname: Flyers
Scrimmage format: 10 minute quarters (regular clock in last minute) / Seven Quarters played
Setting the Table
With Winterim over, all the Hawks were back in town and had another week’s practice under their belts. It was time for the annual two day team scrimmage/overnight trip. Originally, MV was supposed to face Fredericktown in an away game, but the Freddies (yes, that’s their actual nickname) will play in the State football semifinals Saturday. After some last minute scrambling, the Lake Flyers agreed to come to the Valley for a scrimmage. Lake is part of the Suburban Lakes League and is one half of the soon-to-be-famous I-280 rivalry with Northwood.
1st Q – MV 11 – Lake 5
Starting five: Dave Brown, Rick Deichert, Jonathan Krueger, Dixon Stoddard, Jared Sturt
Yet again, an MV opponent started out pressing. Lake employed a zone press which MV adjusted to fairly quickly since both starting guards were in the lineup. About three possessions in, MV had this defense sorted out and was getting regular fast break chances.
Jared was dominant off the glass and the sight of another team coming down the floor and getting only one shot off was now becoming a trend.
MV got up 11-5 with a minute left and Coach Robinson had the team practice the ‘freeze ‘em out’ offense for the remainder of the quarter. With Dave Brown at the point and Rick a much improved ball handler, this could be the Hawks equivalent of the Victory/Kneel-down Formation in football.
2nd Q – Lake 9 – MV 6
Starting five – same as Q1
Another quick start by Maumee Valley off the press defense resulted in an early lead. As the season goes on and this young team continues to mature, it will become increasingly difficult to press MV, especially with Jared Sturt under the basket at the end of the break.
Coach R began substituting this quarter. Omar Hazimah, Parker Bayer and Julius Turner made their first appearances of the day at the 5:48 mark. Those three guys bring a wealth of raw athleticism to the lineup and would be a formidable group in a press defense.
With 1:00 to go AJ King and Thad Woodard saw their initial action of the day. Lake maintained the press and pulled ahead for the quarter win.
3rd Q – MV 18 – Lake 11
Starting five – same as Q1
Lake continued to press. That was not a good idea.
Lake got one steal in the initial opening possession, and that was about it. Maumee Valley got two fast break baskets and the Flyers backed off. On the second, Rick got the bucket and a free throw for an old fashioned three-pointer. Rick then came out after a time out and hit another three from beyond-the-arc.
Dixon took a charge by a driving Lake player under the basket and that was it for the Flyers. It was a gratifying moment for those who have been following Dixon’s play over the years as has been on the giving end of many offensive fouls over the years. His positioning under the basket for that play was a great illustration of a growing finesse and maturity in his game.
The starting five was on the court for the entire quarter and rolled to the win.
Note of apology – for the next two quarters the tryptophan must have taken over, as I failed to record final scores. I’ll try harder next time, but I plead guilty of reporting under the influence of turkey.
4th Quarter – Lake won; score unknown
Starting five – Daniel, Parker, Omar, AJ and Thad
Coaches often times want to work on specific things during scrimmages. It looked like the goal in this quarter was for this group particular to learn the press break.
During the course of any season, there will be critical times when each of these players will be on the court facing a pressure defense. This scrimmage was an opportunity for learning by doing.
5th Quarter – MV won - Score unknown
Starting five – Dave, Rick, Jonathan, Julius, Jared
The Blue and White started this quarter in match-up zone with some half court trapping which forced the Flyers to call time out early on and switch their offense.
Julius had his best overall quarter of the season, playing well in all aspects of the game. He has begun to achieve a better grasp of the system and that inspired confidence, allowing him to look much more relaxed out on the court.
MV won this quarter fairly handily.
6th Quarter- Lake 17 – MV 9
Starting five – Thad, Daniel, Rick, Dave Julius
Similar to Julius’ last quarter, this was Thad’s best frame of the pre-season. In a replay of last year’s TAAC 8th grade Championship game, Thad’s court vision began to reveal itself. He had two crisp entry passes for easy baskets underneath.
Rick also continued to show court leadership. During the quarter, Coach Robinson Jr. challenged Rick to make the defensive calls and remind his teammates about their man assignments. With a starting five of four juniors and one sophomore, confident leadership is a must for a successful season.
7th Quarter – MV 16 – Lake 14
Starting five – Rick, Dave, Jared, Jonathan, Dixon
This quarter was not as close as the score indicated. Rick started the scoring with two three-pointers and the Blue and White didn’t look back.
The winning moment came with 58.2 seconds left, the Hawks up 14-8 and Jared at the line for a 1-and-1 chance. Omar grabbed an offensive rebound off the miss and made the putback. Two three pointers for the Flyers came too late.
Summary
With a week to go until the season opener, this was a good test for MV against a physical D-III team. Throughout the pre-season teams have rolled out their press against the Hawks, generally to no avail. The team has showed the ability to beat pressure defense and put the opposing team back on its heels. This bodes well for the first few games as both Fayette and TC love to press. While OH may not do the same, it’s probably a safe bet that Central will try a little full court defense at the Huntington Center as well. This has been a valuable pre-season so far. Let the learning continue…
Opponent: Lake High School, Millbury OH
Enrollment (9-12): 521
Division/League: Suburban Lakes League
Team Nickname: Flyers
Scrimmage format: 10 minute quarters (regular clock in last minute) / Seven Quarters played
Setting the Table
With Winterim over, all the Hawks were back in town and had another week’s practice under their belts. It was time for the annual two day team scrimmage/overnight trip. Originally, MV was supposed to face Fredericktown in an away game, but the Freddies (yes, that’s their actual nickname) will play in the State football semifinals Saturday. After some last minute scrambling, the Lake Flyers agreed to come to the Valley for a scrimmage. Lake is part of the Suburban Lakes League and is one half of the soon-to-be-famous I-280 rivalry with Northwood.
1st Q – MV 11 – Lake 5
Starting five: Dave Brown, Rick Deichert, Jonathan Krueger, Dixon Stoddard, Jared Sturt
Yet again, an MV opponent started out pressing. Lake employed a zone press which MV adjusted to fairly quickly since both starting guards were in the lineup. About three possessions in, MV had this defense sorted out and was getting regular fast break chances.
Jared was dominant off the glass and the sight of another team coming down the floor and getting only one shot off was now becoming a trend.
MV got up 11-5 with a minute left and Coach Robinson had the team practice the ‘freeze ‘em out’ offense for the remainder of the quarter. With Dave Brown at the point and Rick a much improved ball handler, this could be the Hawks equivalent of the Victory/Kneel-down Formation in football.
2nd Q – Lake 9 – MV 6
Starting five – same as Q1
Another quick start by Maumee Valley off the press defense resulted in an early lead. As the season goes on and this young team continues to mature, it will become increasingly difficult to press MV, especially with Jared Sturt under the basket at the end of the break.
Coach R began substituting this quarter. Omar Hazimah, Parker Bayer and Julius Turner made their first appearances of the day at the 5:48 mark. Those three guys bring a wealth of raw athleticism to the lineup and would be a formidable group in a press defense.
With 1:00 to go AJ King and Thad Woodard saw their initial action of the day. Lake maintained the press and pulled ahead for the quarter win.
3rd Q – MV 18 – Lake 11
Starting five – same as Q1
Lake continued to press. That was not a good idea.
Lake got one steal in the initial opening possession, and that was about it. Maumee Valley got two fast break baskets and the Flyers backed off. On the second, Rick got the bucket and a free throw for an old fashioned three-pointer. Rick then came out after a time out and hit another three from beyond-the-arc.
Dixon took a charge by a driving Lake player under the basket and that was it for the Flyers. It was a gratifying moment for those who have been following Dixon’s play over the years as has been on the giving end of many offensive fouls over the years. His positioning under the basket for that play was a great illustration of a growing finesse and maturity in his game.
The starting five was on the court for the entire quarter and rolled to the win.
Note of apology – for the next two quarters the tryptophan must have taken over, as I failed to record final scores. I’ll try harder next time, but I plead guilty of reporting under the influence of turkey.
4th Quarter – Lake won; score unknown
Starting five – Daniel, Parker, Omar, AJ and Thad
Coaches often times want to work on specific things during scrimmages. It looked like the goal in this quarter was for this group particular to learn the press break.
During the course of any season, there will be critical times when each of these players will be on the court facing a pressure defense. This scrimmage was an opportunity for learning by doing.
5th Quarter – MV won - Score unknown
Starting five – Dave, Rick, Jonathan, Julius, Jared
The Blue and White started this quarter in match-up zone with some half court trapping which forced the Flyers to call time out early on and switch their offense.
Julius had his best overall quarter of the season, playing well in all aspects of the game. He has begun to achieve a better grasp of the system and that inspired confidence, allowing him to look much more relaxed out on the court.
MV won this quarter fairly handily.
6th Quarter- Lake 17 – MV 9
Starting five – Thad, Daniel, Rick, Dave Julius
Similar to Julius’ last quarter, this was Thad’s best frame of the pre-season. In a replay of last year’s TAAC 8th grade Championship game, Thad’s court vision began to reveal itself. He had two crisp entry passes for easy baskets underneath.
Rick also continued to show court leadership. During the quarter, Coach Robinson Jr. challenged Rick to make the defensive calls and remind his teammates about their man assignments. With a starting five of four juniors and one sophomore, confident leadership is a must for a successful season.
7th Quarter – MV 16 – Lake 14
Starting five – Rick, Dave, Jared, Jonathan, Dixon
This quarter was not as close as the score indicated. Rick started the scoring with two three-pointers and the Blue and White didn’t look back.
The winning moment came with 58.2 seconds left, the Hawks up 14-8 and Jared at the line for a 1-and-1 chance. Omar grabbed an offensive rebound off the miss and made the putback. Two three pointers for the Flyers came too late.
Summary
With a week to go until the season opener, this was a good test for MV against a physical D-III team. Throughout the pre-season teams have rolled out their press against the Hawks, generally to no avail. The team has showed the ability to beat pressure defense and put the opposing team back on its heels. This bodes well for the first few games as both Fayette and TC love to press. While OH may not do the same, it’s probably a safe bet that Central will try a little full court defense at the Huntington Center as well. This has been a valuable pre-season so far. Let the learning continue…
Friday, November 26, 2010
TAAC OOC Schedules – Part 2 – a big, long post
We’ve done the basic math, let’s drill down.
Part 2 – Opponents by conference
TAAC teams play a wide range of OOC games; as expected, the majority of these games are played against other Division IV schools. Here is a list of the schools played by conference – in order by most games played.
Conference
Team & Division (in parentheses) / TAAC Opponent(s)
Midland Athletic League (MAL)
Bettsville (D-4) / MV, Northwood (NW), Danbury (DB), EC
Fremont St. Joe’s (4) / Cardinal Stritch (CS), DB
North Baltimore (4) / MV, NW
Old Fort (4) / NW, DB
Fostoria St. Wendelin (4) / CS
New Riegel (4) / Ottawa Hills (OH)
Seneca East (4) / DB
Tiffin Calvert (4) / CS
Buckeye Border Conference (BBC)
Edon (4) / OH
Fayette (4) / MV
Hilltop (4) / EC
Pettisville (4) / OH
North Central (4) / MV
Suburban Lakes League (SLL)
Gibsonburg (3) / OH, NW, DB
Genoa (3) / CS, NW
Woodmore (3) / OH, CS
Eastwood (3) / TC
Lake (3) / NW
NorthWest Ohio Athletic League (NWOAL)
Swanton (3) / OH, CS, NW, EC, Toledo Christian (TC)
Evergreen (3) / OH, CS, TC
Delta (3) / OH, CS
Liberty Center (3) / MV
Sandusky Bay Conference (SBC)
Oak Harbor (2) / DB
Margaretta (3) / DB
Sandusky St. Mary’s (4) / DB
Toledo City League (TCL)
Oregon Clay (1) / TC
Toledo Central Catholic (1) / MV
Northern Lakes League (NLL)
Anthony Wayne (1) / TC
Blanchard Valley Conference (BVC)
Van Buren (4) / TC
Local Independents and Out of State Schools
Monclova Christian (4) / MV(2 games), NW, EC (2 games)
Lenawee MI Christian / EC, TC
Whiteford MI / EC
Bishop Timon;St Jude (Buffalo NY) / TC
Warrior Classic – TBD / EC hosts the Warrior Classic with Bowsher (TCL/D-I), Bedford MI and Summerfield (Petersburg MI) – brackets not announced yet
Honorary TAAC Member awards go to:
1. Swanton – Five TAAC opponents, including four straight February games.
2. Bettsville – Four TAAC opponents; a perennial challenger of MV, the Bobcats knocked MV out of the playoffs last year following the Hawks’ Pyrrhic victory at North Central, where they lost starters Carter Bayer and Jangus Whitner to injuries. Not an excuse, just the facts.
3. Monclova Christian – Five TAAC games; two each vs. MV and EC as well as a date with Northwood.
Finally, farewell to the SLL and the Toledo City League – Both leagues are in their last year of existence, breaking up for various reasons. That's a subject for a big, long post in and of itself.
Part 2 – Opponents by conference
TAAC teams play a wide range of OOC games; as expected, the majority of these games are played against other Division IV schools. Here is a list of the schools played by conference – in order by most games played.
Conference
Team & Division (in parentheses) / TAAC Opponent(s)
Midland Athletic League (MAL)
Bettsville (D-4) / MV, Northwood (NW), Danbury (DB), EC
Fremont St. Joe’s (4) / Cardinal Stritch (CS), DB
North Baltimore (4) / MV, NW
Old Fort (4) / NW, DB
Fostoria St. Wendelin (4) / CS
New Riegel (4) / Ottawa Hills (OH)
Seneca East (4) / DB
Tiffin Calvert (4) / CS
Buckeye Border Conference (BBC)
Edon (4) / OH
Fayette (4) / MV
Hilltop (4) / EC
Pettisville (4) / OH
North Central (4) / MV
Suburban Lakes League (SLL)
Gibsonburg (3) / OH, NW, DB
Genoa (3) / CS, NW
Woodmore (3) / OH, CS
Eastwood (3) / TC
Lake (3) / NW
NorthWest Ohio Athletic League (NWOAL)
Swanton (3) / OH, CS, NW, EC, Toledo Christian (TC)
Evergreen (3) / OH, CS, TC
Delta (3) / OH, CS
Liberty Center (3) / MV
Sandusky Bay Conference (SBC)
Oak Harbor (2) / DB
Margaretta (3) / DB
Sandusky St. Mary’s (4) / DB
Toledo City League (TCL)
Oregon Clay (1) / TC
Toledo Central Catholic (1) / MV
Northern Lakes League (NLL)
Anthony Wayne (1) / TC
Blanchard Valley Conference (BVC)
Van Buren (4) / TC
Local Independents and Out of State Schools
Monclova Christian (4) / MV(2 games), NW, EC (2 games)
Lenawee MI Christian / EC, TC
Whiteford MI / EC
Bishop Timon;St Jude (Buffalo NY) / TC
Warrior Classic – TBD / EC hosts the Warrior Classic with Bowsher (TCL/D-I), Bedford MI and Summerfield (Petersburg MI) – brackets not announced yet
Honorary TAAC Member awards go to:
1. Swanton – Five TAAC opponents, including four straight February games.
2. Bettsville – Four TAAC opponents; a perennial challenger of MV, the Bobcats knocked MV out of the playoffs last year following the Hawks’ Pyrrhic victory at North Central, where they lost starters Carter Bayer and Jangus Whitner to injuries. Not an excuse, just the facts.
3. Monclova Christian – Five TAAC games; two each vs. MV and EC as well as a date with Northwood.
Finally, farewell to the SLL and the Toledo City League – Both leagues are in their last year of existence, breaking up for various reasons. That's a subject for a big, long post in and of itself.
MV foes square off tonight in scrimmage
It's Toledo Central Catholic vs. Toledo Christian at the CC Sullivan Center tonight at 7:30. That should be a good game.
Stay tuned for Part 2 of the Out of Conference schedule post.
Stay tuned for Part 2 of the Out of Conference schedule post.
Thursday, November 25, 2010
TAAC out-of-conference schedules – Part 1
As the season draws closer, let’s take a look at the TAAC out-of-conference schedules.
Part 1 – The basics – how many games?
The math is pretty simple - with one exception. Given that there are seven TAAC Teams, each member gets 14 league games each season in the standard home and home format. The Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) allows teams a maximum 20 game regular season, so normally we’d be looking at 56 OOC games.
This, of course, excludes the playoffs.
However, Emmanuel Christian is not a member of OHSAA because, among other reasons, they accept students from across the border in Michigan to their outstanding institution. Therefore, EC has one extra regular season game each year. Emmanuel also sees post-season action in the Ohio Christian School Athletic Association Championships. Last year the OCSAA State title game had a distinct local flavor as familiar Hawk foes Monclova Christian and EC met for the title. The MC Thunder prevailed in that game 75-49.
But I digress…
So the mighty TAAC plays 57 games out of conference. The next post will break down these opponents by league.
Part 1 – The basics – how many games?
The math is pretty simple - with one exception. Given that there are seven TAAC Teams, each member gets 14 league games each season in the standard home and home format. The Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) allows teams a maximum 20 game regular season, so normally we’d be looking at 56 OOC games.
This, of course, excludes the playoffs.
However, Emmanuel Christian is not a member of OHSAA because, among other reasons, they accept students from across the border in Michigan to their outstanding institution. Therefore, EC has one extra regular season game each year. Emmanuel also sees post-season action in the Ohio Christian School Athletic Association Championships. Last year the OCSAA State title game had a distinct local flavor as familiar Hawk foes Monclova Christian and EC met for the title. The MC Thunder prevailed in that game 75-49.
But I digress…
So the mighty TAAC plays 57 games out of conference. The next post will break down these opponents by league.
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
NYT article on John Wooden
It is not a stretch to say that Coach Robinson is part of the John Wooden coaching family tree. Coach R. spent numerous hours at Wooden's summer camps soaking in the game from the Wizard of Westwood. This article is a nice appreciation of John Wooden's career and roots.
John Wooden was all about team. This quote from the article drives this home:
...there was one compromise Wooden absolutely refused to make.
His players never took control of the gym. Great as they were, Pauley Pavilion never became their stage to pose for the pros, and doing it the coach’s way was about more than getting a haircut.
John Wooden was all about team. This quote from the article drives this home:
...there was one compromise Wooden absolutely refused to make.
His players never took control of the gym. Great as they were, Pauley Pavilion never became their stage to pose for the pros, and doing it the coach’s way was about more than getting a haircut.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
MVCDS in 12.27.10 Blade Basketball Classic at Huntington Center
The Toledo Blade's first article on the December 27 ten-team showcase was in yesterday's Blade.
Tickets are $11/adults and $8/students. Seating is open except for a courtside limited area.
This is a big deal for the Hawks. The other teams in the event are big-school powerhouses. Kudos to Mr. Fish and Coach Robinson for making this happen.
Thanks also to the Blade for sponsoring this event.
Make plans now to come out and support the school.
Tickets are $11/adults and $8/students. Seating is open except for a courtside limited area.
This is a big deal for the Hawks. The other teams in the event are big-school powerhouses. Kudos to Mr. Fish and Coach Robinson for making this happen.
Thanks also to the Blade for sponsoring this event.
Make plans now to come out and support the school.
Monday, November 22, 2010
Pre-season polls popping up
It's the pre-season and that means it's polling time. Of course we all believe the polls - especially the ones taken before anyone plays a single game!
A few tidbits of information concerning TAAC opponents.
The Firelands Conference coaches poll was recently released. MV scrimmage opponent New London is projected to finish third behind Western Reserve and Monroeville.
The Sandusky Bay Conference poll is also out. Among TAAC out-of-conference opponents, Margaretta was picked second by the coaches, with Oak Harbor selected 6th and Sandusky St. Mary's 8th. All three teams are Danbury opponents.
A few tidbits of information concerning TAAC opponents.
The Firelands Conference coaches poll was recently released. MV scrimmage opponent New London is projected to finish third behind Western Reserve and Monroeville.
The Sandusky Bay Conference poll is also out. Among TAAC out-of-conference opponents, Margaretta was picked second by the coaches, with Oak Harbor selected 6th and Sandusky St. Mary's 8th. All three teams are Danbury opponents.
Saturday, November 20, 2010
New High School building almost done!!!
After a three years in the planning and 18 months of construction, Maumee Valley Country Day School will be opening its new High School building to students after Winter break.
Check out this October 2010 virtual tour from Head of School Gary Boehm.
The school is much further along than is shown on Gary's tour, but this does give you an idea of what the new building will look like. Go Hawks.
Check out this October 2010 virtual tour from Head of School Gary Boehm.
The school is much further along than is shown on Gary's tour, but this does give you an idea of what the new building will look like. Go Hawks.
Welcome Hawk Fans
After a few posts to see if I was up for it, I've decided to go ahead with the blog for the season. Welcome to the blog.
I'd appreciate any ideas you may have for posts or links to make this a better place. Post a comment here or e-mail me at mvcdsbb@gmail.com.
Also, it's entirely possible I could be traveling on business for a game or two this season and will need someone to write the story. Or you may have something you wanted to write about school, basketball or otherwise.
If you want to consider being a guest poster on MV basketball or a cool school-related topic, let me know. I'd be delighted to post your story.
Thanks
The Editor
PS - see the rules page - play nice, please.
I'd appreciate any ideas you may have for posts or links to make this a better place. Post a comment here or e-mail me at mvcdsbb@gmail.com.
Also, it's entirely possible I could be traveling on business for a game or two this season and will need someone to write the story. Or you may have something you wanted to write about school, basketball or otherwise.
If you want to consider being a guest poster on MV basketball or a cool school-related topic, let me know. I'd be delighted to post your story.
Thanks
The Editor
PS - see the rules page - play nice, please.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Scrimmage recap - Tuesday 11.16.10 - home vs. Start HS - Oh Canada
Fast facts
Opponent: Roy C. Start HS (named for a former Toledo mayor)
Enrollment (9-12): 1600
Division/League: D-I / Toledo City League
Team Nickname: Spartans (patterned after Michigan State, their colors are Green and White and their fight song melody is Falcone Fight)
Scrimmage format: 10 minute running quarters (regular clock in last minute) / Eight Quarters played.
Setting the table
This was the first game in the newly repainted Varsity Gym. Thanks to the MV Boosters for arranging this project - newly bright and white walls with great big spankin' new Hawk logo on the wall to boot.
Five Hawks were out on a great Winterim trip to Canada - Omar Hazimah, Daniel Brandon, Dave Brown, AJ King and Thad Woodard. So the Hawks suited up with eight vs. Start's full compliment of 13. Hurry back, eh guys? Hopefully everyone will clear Customs back into the US this coming Friday.
This was the first game in the newly repainted Varsity Gym. Thanks to the MV Boosters for arranging this project - newly bright and white walls with great big spankin' new Hawk logo on the wall to boot.
Five Hawks were out on a great Winterim trip to Canada - Omar Hazimah, Daniel Brandon, Dave Brown, AJ King and Thad Woodard. So the Hawks suited up with eight vs. Start's full compliment of 13. Hurry back, eh guys? Hopefully everyone will clear Customs back into the US this coming Friday.
And what is Winterim, you ask? From the www.mvcds.org website - A distinctive feature of the Upper School is our Winterim program. Winterim enhances students' learning with an intensive, focused experience (Ed. – Winterim runs from November 1 through Thanksgiving). Students select from offerings that include classes at Maumee Valley, educational trips, study at other schools through The Network of Complimentary Schools, and independent study projects both within and outside of the Toledo area. At the end of their fourth year, Maumee Valley graduates have enjoyed a broad range of experiences and are well prepared to pursue their education at the next level. Click here for current and past Winterim offerings.
First Q – MV 12 – Start 12
Starting five: Rick Deichert, Jared Sturt, Nick Frasco, Jonathan Krueger, Dixon Stoddard (Hey, wait – throw in Parker and there's your 2007 TAAC 7th Grade Champ rotation!)
Starting five: Rick Deichert, Jared Sturt, Nick Frasco, Jonathan Krueger, Dixon Stoddard (Hey, wait – throw in Parker and there's your 2007 TAAC 7th Grade Champ rotation!)
Start opened in a full court press. Rick and Nick received a baptism of fire sharing play at the point. Aggressive defense by the Spartans did not deter the Hawks from running their offense and provided several opportunities for fast break points and backdoor cuts for easy baskets. Start was equal to the task and the teams played to a draw.
One early theme of the game was Jared’s strong play underneath. Start had more one-and-done’s than MV. Start had the last chance but couldn't convert.
Second Q – Start 19 – MV 8
Starting five: I dunno, sorry.
Oopsie! Start switched to a half court trapping defense which gave the Hawks fits. Many turnovers ensued, and Sparty rolled to a big lead.
Play was rough; Dixon, Rick and Nick were on the receiving end of some pushing, scratching and shoving. To be fair I saw our guys on the giving end as well. Nothing egregious, just good old-fashioned City League basketball. Good training for the coming season. After a full season playing in the Central Catholic summer league against top flight competition, the days of intimidating MV are over. This quarter served as a good refresher course in physical play.
In the end, MV broke down too many times and let the Spartans run away with the quarter.
Third Q – Start 10 – MV 8
Starting five: Nick, Parker Bayer, Dixon, Julius Turner and Solomon Collins
Start came off its pressure defense into straight man-to-man. Solomon opened strong with two baskets, and Julius had some quality minutes learning the offensive system, passing up a few scoring chances to find open teammates. A close finish with better things to come.
Fourth Q – MV 15 – Start 12
Starting five: Rick, Nick, Jared, Dixon and Jonathan
Rick opened scoring with a trey. Jared continued his dominance under the boards and the Hawks grabbed the lead. MV had the Spartan press figured out and began to get the ball underneath for several easy baskets. The quarter was sealed with 28.6 seconds to go on a beautiful inbounds play to Jared for the final go-ahead score.
During the fourth quarter, the JV team finished practice and came in to watch the rest of the scrimmage. They were treated to a quality finish by the varsity in this quarter.
Fifth Q – MV 12 – Start 12
Starting this quarter – Parker, Solomon, Jared, Rick and Julius
With only eight starters, MV played most of the night in zone. Start had great difficulty getting quality shots during the quarter due to great match-up defense up top.
MV continued its success beating the Spartans' pressure defense with several finishes by Freshman Soloman Collins, leading to the quote of the early season. During a time out, Start’s coach called on his team to continue its half court double teaming. One of the players responded ‘Coach every time we trap, they score’.
The home team had the ball at the end but couldn’t get a shot off for the win.
Sixth Q - MV 8 – Start 5
Starting this quarter – Rick, Nick, Jared, Dixon and Jonathan
Start got back to pressing and jumped out to a quick 5-0 lead. The Blue and White clawed their way back in to the game with strong play from Jonathan, who burned the net twice in the 10-15 foot range. Jonathan is a decisive shooter, confidently planting and firing his mid-range jumper. MV took the lead with 4:24 to play and held on for the win.
Seventh Q: Start 22 – MV 7
Starting this quarter – Dixon, Solomon, Julius, Nick and Parker
The Hawks went to work on a few set offensive pieces this quarter featuring Julius and Nick working the middle of the lane. Although Start shot well and ran away with the score, MV showed great teamwork on a fast break and looked remarkably fresh this late in the evening. Parker Bayer played harassing defense at the top of the key. PK has some of the team's quickest hands, a skill many opposing point guards have experienced to their detriment over the years.
Eighth Q: MV 12 – Start 6
Starting this quarter - 7th Grade TAAC champ five (see 1st Q above)
As in the Gibsonburg scrimmage, the Hawks conditioning paid dividends at game’s end. A still fresh Jared Sturt continued to dominate underneath. Jared showed a talent for affecting the opponents’ shots without getting in foul trouble.
Start’s offense was limited to three point shooting, thus providing MV with several fast break opportunities. In one of the prettiest finishes of the evening, the Hawks flew out of the gate on a three-on-one break featuring a Rick to Jonathan to Nick finish under the basket. It was BEAU-TEEE-FUL.
Summary
MV and Start split eight quarters 3 wins each and two ties. Either team could have won the game in a regulation four quarter affair. And all this with five teammates gone on a Winterim trip to Maple Leaf Land. We will be even better when everyone clears Customs on Friday and the team is reunited.
Showing an ability to slug it out with a D-1 team for eight quarters is a milestone achievement for our Lads. It's a huge advance to see a big school team try to press and not have any anxiety about breaking it - and this without ballhandler extraordinaire Dave Brown.
Next up – lots of practice and our next scrimmage against an undisclosed opponent at a secret undisclosed location. No truth to the rumor that Dick Cheney is coaching the opposing team.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Scrimmage recap - Saturday 11.13.10 at Bowsher - A rude, but to-be-profitable awakening
Bowsher is a D-I school located on Detroit Avenue and Arlington Boulevard in the City of Toledo. Their beautiful new facility opened in 2009 as part of Toledo Public Schools comprehensive rebuild of its infrastructure. Bowsher's enrollment is approximatly 1400 compared with MV's 180.
The Bulldogs have a chance to make a strong run at the Toledo City League title this year. They return the top scorer from '09-'10 CL action and added several transfers from Libbey HS (which closed in '09 due to budget cuts) as well as from St. Francis. The Hawks faced a 15 strong Big-Guy team on Saturday morning.
If that wasn't enough, Coach Robinson asked his coaching counterpart if Bowsher could press MV most all day. It's all about deferred gratification.
I'll not recount the quarter-by-quarter scores for this scrimmage, although MV nearly won three of the eight frames. We're talking potential large-school state tournament-worthy competition. The lessons learned today cannot be underestimated for their upcoming regular season benefit.
It took two quarters to adjust to Bowsher's speed and tenacious defense, but once there MV was able to run its offense, contend for rebounds and eventually do well against the press. These among others constituted victories of the day. After a day in this envionment, there won't be much of an intimidation factor facing the Hawks.
Overheard at the end of the scrimmage 'Boys, we may not look at these tapes tomorrow...'
The Bulldogs have a chance to make a strong run at the Toledo City League title this year. They return the top scorer from '09-'10 CL action and added several transfers from Libbey HS (which closed in '09 due to budget cuts) as well as from St. Francis. The Hawks faced a 15 strong Big-Guy team on Saturday morning.
If that wasn't enough, Coach Robinson asked his coaching counterpart if Bowsher could press MV most all day. It's all about deferred gratification.
I'll not recount the quarter-by-quarter scores for this scrimmage, although MV nearly won three of the eight frames. We're talking potential large-school state tournament-worthy competition. The lessons learned today cannot be underestimated for their upcoming regular season benefit.
It took two quarters to adjust to Bowsher's speed and tenacious defense, but once there MV was able to run its offense, contend for rebounds and eventually do well against the press. These among others constituted victories of the day. After a day in this envionment, there won't be much of an intimidation factor facing the Hawks.
Overheard at the end of the scrimmage 'Boys, we may not look at these tapes tomorrow...'
Scrimmage recap - Friday 11.12.10 at Gibsonburg - First Steps
The Hawks opened the season with a three team scrimmage which included our heros, the host Gibsonburg Bears and the New London Wildcats from the Firelands Conference. The format was 10 minute running clock quarters, single quarter round robin.
MV belongs to the Toledo Area Athletic Conference (TAAC). The TAAC will welcome Gibsonburg as a new member starting in 2011-12 and today was a welcome gauge of a future league opponent plus another D-IV opponant.
I came late and left early, so I'll just share what I saw.
First Q: New London 11 - MV 7
Only saw the last 2:00 and watched the Hawks smother New London defensively on their inbounds play - two five second calls got the Hawks the back ball twice, but they got behind early and couldn't recover.
Better things were to follow.
Second Q: MV 6 - G'burg 2
You think we're young? The Bears are so young they could change their name to the Cubs this year. They feature several good athletes who will grow to become a tough team as the season progresses. MV won it on a pair of three-balls from Dave Brown and Julius Turner. Great man-to-man defense by the visitors.
Third Q: MV 11 - New London 2
This segment was higlighted by a rainbow 2 pointer by Jared Sturt to open things up with contributions from Dave B, and Julius.
Julius enrolled at MV this year as a junior and thus is just starting to learn Coach Jim Robinson's offensive scheme. This process is approximately equal to enrollment in MV's Honors Precalculus course. Julius is already a strong addition to the front line; when he's up to speed on the offense, watch out.
Fourth Q - MV 10 - G'burg 5
Man-to-man defense all the way. Freshman Thad Woodard made a splash with a great cross court pass to Julius for an easy 2. Senior Daniel Brandon (the hardest workin' man in basketball!) also scored two for the Hawks.
Fifth (and for me the final) Q - MV 23 - New London 2
Now hitting their stride, the Blue and White put on a run and gun display. Rick Deichert sparked the offense with two early fastbreak layups off steals and the team never looked back. The other juniors (Dixon, Jonathan, Parker, Jared, Julius and Nick) all get a share of the action.
New London struggled as a team to work their offence due to aggressive defense across the board from MV. Good conditioning by the Hawks began to show through during this quarter.
Overall a great start for the boys.
Next up - Bowsher HS Saturday 11.13.10
MV belongs to the Toledo Area Athletic Conference (TAAC). The TAAC will welcome Gibsonburg as a new member starting in 2011-12 and today was a welcome gauge of a future league opponent plus another D-IV opponant.
I came late and left early, so I'll just share what I saw.
First Q: New London 11 - MV 7
Only saw the last 2:00 and watched the Hawks smother New London defensively on their inbounds play - two five second calls got the Hawks the back ball twice, but they got behind early and couldn't recover.
Better things were to follow.
Second Q: MV 6 - G'burg 2
You think we're young? The Bears are so young they could change their name to the Cubs this year. They feature several good athletes who will grow to become a tough team as the season progresses. MV won it on a pair of three-balls from Dave Brown and Julius Turner. Great man-to-man defense by the visitors.
Third Q: MV 11 - New London 2
This segment was higlighted by a rainbow 2 pointer by Jared Sturt to open things up with contributions from Dave B, and Julius.
Julius enrolled at MV this year as a junior and thus is just starting to learn Coach Jim Robinson's offensive scheme. This process is approximately equal to enrollment in MV's Honors Precalculus course. Julius is already a strong addition to the front line; when he's up to speed on the offense, watch out.
Fourth Q - MV 10 - G'burg 5
Man-to-man defense all the way. Freshman Thad Woodard made a splash with a great cross court pass to Julius for an easy 2. Senior Daniel Brandon (the hardest workin' man in basketball!) also scored two for the Hawks.
Fifth (and for me the final) Q - MV 23 - New London 2
Now hitting their stride, the Blue and White put on a run and gun display. Rick Deichert sparked the offense with two early fastbreak layups off steals and the team never looked back. The other juniors (Dixon, Jonathan, Parker, Jared, Julius and Nick) all get a share of the action.
New London struggled as a team to work their offence due to aggressive defense across the board from MV. Good conditioning by the Hawks began to show through during this quarter.
Overall a great start for the boys.
Next up - Bowsher HS Saturday 11.13.10
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