Figured I would start a new post…didn’t get to post on the Sweet 16, so I’ll summarize my thoughts on the Southern Maine women’s sectional here.
Southern Maine coach Gary Fifield, when asked on our postgame coverage of the sectional semis what he thought the biggest key would be to the next day’s game. His reply: The game would come down to one or two breaks that could go either way.
Saturday’s Southern Maine-Bowdoin game was fantastic. I drove home four-and-a-half hours, listened to the broadcast again, and was on pins and needles in the final five minutes, even though I already new the outcome. It was another great chapter in a rivalry that is as good as I’ve seen in my limited Division III travels. The gym was filled to capacity 45 minutes before tip-off, and the response from the two communities of Gorham and Brunswick (the majority of the early arrivals appeared to be in the age 50+ demographic) was outstanding.
It was a game very reminiscent of one that took place two years ago between the two schools, one that turned into a game of “Can you top this?” in the final five minutes. Bowdoin won that one by a hair. Southern Maine won this won by a hair fragment. Senior leadership from both teams was terrific. Two-time All-America selection Justine Pouravelis made two huge baskets down the stretch for Bowdoin and that effort was matched and bettered by Southern Maine’s Ashley Marble (game-winning hoop) and Megan Myles (steal and two free throws) in the final minute and change.
The Bowdoin followers are probably going to be upset for the next eight months regarding a non-call on Marble’s basket (Bowdoin’s Katie Cummings got knocked down by Marble, who was going up for the shot). Was it a foul? Depends who you ask. (My job as reporter is to be neutral). The most important thing is that the folks in stripes, who swallowed their whistle and let the players decide the outcome in the last few minutes, decided it was not. Bowdoin’s fans will argue that was was the break that Fifield was talking about, one that allowed the Huskies to become sectional champs. To win a championship requires overcoming perceived wrongs along the way and in this case, Bowdoin got three chances to go ahead or tie after that play and was unsuccessful.
I attended six games over the last two weeks and in each of those contests, the refs let the players play through a lot of contact (yes, I know Mary Washington boosters are going to gripe and say it wasn’t so for their team…I read the message board). I get tired of hearing about complaints about officiating. In the end, that stuff all tends to even out. Some plays get magnified by timing, but if you watch a basketball game, you’ll probably see 20 50-50 calls. Some go the way you want. Some don’t. It’s part of the game and if you want to be a part of the sport, you have to live with it.
Anyway, enough about that…a couple of other thoughts.
On Southern Maine… Marble has gotten to the point where she’s unstoppable if she catches the ball in the low block. That’s going to be a tough matchup defending her for any of the three teams in Springfield. The Huskies played very well in both games. Their performance in the win over Bridgewater in Friday sectional semi reminded me of watching the great Washington University teams (including one that beat Southern Maine in Danbury) a few years ago. USM has two great players in Marble and Myles and a lot of very good complementary players, and bring the experience and bitterness of last year’s national semifinal loss to Springfield.
On Bowdoin…Bowdoin’s senior class finishes up with a record of 109-10 and went to the Elite 8 all four years. I can’t imagine how Bowdoin is even going to try to replace Pouravelis, the best defensive player I’ve seen in covering Division III basketball since 1993. The Polar Bears have been a fun watch in the handful of times I’ve seen them in this four-year span and this time was no exception. Eileen Flaherty had a phenomenal two games and now is not only one of the top players in New England, but legitimately among the best in the country as well.
On Mary Washington…One of the things I was told this week was that the Eagles tend to play best when they’re pissed off. Well, it’s clear that this is an angry group heading into the offseason (I got a pretty good taste of that from my seat on Friday). It’s also a group that returns all but one player from what is a very sound basketball team. Head coach Deena Applebury has a very good base of 10 players returning, including All-American candidate Debbie Bruen. If the anger is channeled properly, UMW should have a chance to go beyond the Sweet 16 next season.
On Bridgewater…Bridgewater played with a lot of heart and guts in all three games I saw (two at the regionals, one at the sectionals) and I give that squad a lot of credit for that, particularly sparkplug point guard Katy Herr (the team’s best rebounder at 5-foot-4!). Kudos and good luck to Marsha Kinder, whose story is an inspirational one and who sets a fine example for combining skill and perseverance on the basketball floor.
On to Springfield…
The Lawrence sectional was all it was cracked up to be, even though Lawrence had nothing to do with the game tonight.
IWU broke out against Puget Sound similar to Augustana’s quick start against the Loggers last night. A 10-2 gap got the Titans rolling but UPS hung tough with a tenacious defensive effort. IWU owned the first five and the last ten minutes, Puget Sound had everything in between. IWU’s minutes mattered more…
Thoughts…
1. IWU is an incredibly good basketball team. But they are a matchup team. If their opponents get the right matchups out there, the Titans can be in trouble. That being said, IWU is not particularly deep. Cory Jones and Jason Fisher got in foul trouble early with Zach Freeman not far behind…during the stretch they sat in the first half, Puget Sound broke off for their largest leads of the game.
2. Scott Trost and his crew will not be playing basketball in the midwest this weekend. They ran into an officiating crew from the SLIAC tonight that called a real tight game for most of the contest and even a technical foul when Zach Freeman just shook his hands at an official. Per the IWU fans I spoke with…they do it all the time, but this was the first time they were called for it.
3. A point Bob Quillman (WJBC/IWUhoops.com) shared with me tonight with which I heartily agreed…many players have 2 real studs. IWU has 3. And chances are all 3 won’t have a bad night…Amelianovich, Dauksas, and Freeman.
4. IWU shot 75% in the second half of the sectional final. That’s INSANE. Aside from that, the Titans closed the game on an 18-5 run and made it look much easier than the final indicates. Given Virginia Wesleyan’s sectional final run of the stat sheet, IWU should have a big advantage rolling into Salem.
5. Don’t forget folks…VaWes has played 3 times at the Salem Civic Center this season, and are 3-0 (all games my 3 point margins, no less).
6. Lawrence did a very fine job as host of the sectional. The Vikes did what they needed to to prove they could host, and it worked out just fine. The lighting in Alexander Gym is substandard, so is the attendance…but what it lacks in amenities and seating, it makes up for in charm and history. It was a more than ample host and this sectional was better for it.
7. Want to get a feel for this sectional? ESPN’s crew was present and caught everything…the expectation is that either a Sports Center feature or “Outside the Lines” on Wednesday will cover the story.
8. Puget Sound…2 great games they played…while the Loggers emerged from Appleton with a trip back home, the Loggers program took a big step forward this weekend. No one who saw all three games will disagree with the assessment that Puget Sound has a quality program that will be around on the national scene as long as Eric Bridgeland is still running the show. UPS gained a ton of respect from one of D3’s most respected conferences, the CCIW.
9. Early thoughts…IWU should be a strong favorite against VaWes. I heard grumblings about a charter (maybe more than one) from Bloomington to Salem…expect plenty of green in Salem.
See you in Salem!
Well…here are my thoughts on Lawrence.
1. I’ve been to Lawrence, so I was expecting the usual issues like parking and such. No big deal to me though.
2. The crowds were awesome, obviously the IWU and LU fans took the honors. After the Whitewater regional, I criticized the IWU faithful for being too quiet. Apprently they responded and I take full credit for that…either that, or they knew ESPN was there.
3. Contrary to some of their posters, the LU student section was very classy. Whitewater fans started name-calling, but LU fans were very respectful, except for a couple of “BS” chants when calls didn’t go their way. They stayed in the game the whole time and were very loud, as were the IWU fans. Even after LU lost, the fans paid their respects to their players. Very nice gesture.
4. I remember Pat Cummings commenting on the MWC board (maybe the CCIW board) that he didn’t agree with the IWU fans running out on the court after the win vs. LU acting like they were already in the Final Four. I’ll have to disagree. I think they were running out on the floor because of their huge comeback victory vs. the #1 team and only undefeated team in the nation on their HOME court. Come on, you’re gonna criticize them for that? You see all those dopes in D1 games that storm the court after beating the #10 team with 4 losses! I had no problem with that.
5. Ticketing issues did happen. As previously posted, emptying the gym and making everyone stand outside was a joke. If I had a ticket to the first game, I should’ve been able to stay in the gym. People were lucky it wasn’t 20 below. Also, I was talking to an LU fan in line and they apparently oversold (counterfeit tickets?) the 2nd round game against St. Thomas. Fans were turned down at the door, with tickets in hand, from what this Lawrence fan told me…and he was one of the ones turned down. Refunds were given, but that’s scant consolation. Also, an IWU fan told me on Saturday that the reason there was an overflow of fans on Friday (people sittig on the floor and in the isles) was because there were counterfeit tickets for Friday’s game as well (an LU representative informed this fan).
6. Saturday’s game was by far not a sellout, yet the LU “security” booted IWU fans out of the half-empty Puget Sound section. The IWU section was overflowing and instead of letting some of the IWU fans go to the far end of the sideline bleachers, plenty of room away from the UPS fans, they had to go to the baseline bleachers. What a joke. So much for “General Admission”. My two friends and I were just going to lie if we were asked if we were UPS fans. But, it was “OK” for IWU fans to sit there after the game started. Uh?
7. Lastly, besides the ticket issues that luckily didn’t effect me, and the seating arrangements on Saturday’s game, LU did a great job of hosting and I got to see three great games as UPS upset Augie, IWU’s come-from-behind victory over Larry U and a barn burner, entertaining sectional final.
No logistical issues to speak of at Virginia Wesleyan. People have asked me whether it was good defense or bad offense in the VWC/WPU game and I think it was just plain good defense. Nearly every shot was contested. Paterson got back on missed shots and didn’t let Virginia Wesleyan run the floor.
I’ve seen VWC play all season. The VWC/WPU game was all about what the two teams do best…play solid defense. It wasn’t a pretty game to watch but effective. Coach Dave Macedo has doen a tremendous job with local Tidewater area talent. If the guy doesn’t win a national coach of the year award, then there is something wrong. Best of luck Marlins in Salem!!