Glenbard West Holiday Classic Final Recap

Since I was at North Central College last night, I didn't get to see the championship game of the tournament I had seen all the pool play games for. Finals from the last games:

7th Place
Addison Trail 65, Fenton 42
Addison Trail (1-3, 7th) played better than its 7th place finish, but was stuck in a tough pool. Fenton (0-4, 8th) had heart, but unfortunately was overmatched by much of the field. I wish them the best of luck the rest of the season.

5th Place
St. Charles East 73, West Chicago 64
St. Charles East (3-1, 5th) looked like a lock for the title before the big upset yesterday, and came out for revenge, beating a tough West Chicago (1-3, 6th) team that was also stuck in a tough pool.

3rd Place
Leyden 52, Timothy Christian 43 (OT)
Leyden (3-1, 3rd) only really had trouble with Glenbard West in their pool, yet needed overtime to knock off Timothy (2-2, 4th), who played consistently well throughout the tournament.

Championship Game
Glenbard West 67, Wheaton Academy 48
The Hilltoppers (4-0, 1st) were the favorites to win, and did so against a tough Wheaton Academy (2-2, 2nd) team that really didn't have the size to match up with Glenbard.

Congratulations to the Hilltoppers on winning the tournament for the 5th time in its 10 year history. And Thursday, since it was my last day in Glen Ellyn, I started picking an All-Tournament Team early on. I worked closely with Geoffrey Clark, who called the title game yesterday. There was an official All-Tournament Team given to Geoffy by the athletic director at Glenbard West, but based on our observations from 3 days, here were our picks:

All Tournament 1^st Team

G- Alex Hererra, Leyden*

G- Lars Olson, Wheaton Academy

G- Danny Leach, Timothy Christian*

F- Michael Mache, Glenbard West*

F- Cameron Harvey, Wheaton Academy*

All Tournament 2^nd Team

G- Jonathan Woolf, Leyden

G- Dominic Adduci, St. Charles East

G- Jeff Levesque, Glenbard West

F- Johnny Hondlik, St. Charles East

F- Pat Mazza, Glenbard West*

All Tournament 3^rd Team

G- James Pupillo, Addison Trail*

G- Collin Roy, Wheaton Academy

F- Kendall Stephens, St. Charles East*

F- Luke Ludke, St. Charles East

F- Justin Mundt, West Chicago*

Honorable Mention

-Collin Wallace, Fenton

Asterisks indicate picks made in the official All-Tournament Team.

Geoffy and I also settled on the three major individual awards.

• 6th Man: Jonathan Woolf, Leyden. Was a consistent threat off the bench every game for the Eagles. Helped get them 3rd place.
• Defensive Player: Pat Mazza, Glenbard West. Had to have averaged 2 or 3 blocks a game, and altered many more by his presence alone. Credit to Matt Morrison of Timothy and Lars Olson of Wheaton who were in the running as well.
• MVP: Michael Mache, Glenbard West. Played extremely well in pool play, and scored 25 points in the title game. No brainer.

A big thank you to Geoff for a fun three days, and for helping decide on these awards. Thanks as well to Linda Oberg, Athletic Director at Glenbard West and Kevin Sander from iHigh.com for the opportunity to work this tournament.

Game Notes: Benedictine University @ North Central College (12/30/11)

Final Score
Benedictine 62, NCC 60

Summary
This was another bipolar-type game for North Central (6-5). They jumped out to a big lead early, leading 31-17 at one point in the first half, but the Eagles (4-8) came roaring back to within 3 at the half. In the second half, the Cardinals were able to hit a few 3's to stay in front, but the Clogged Toilet Offense caught up with them. 18 turnovers (10 in the 2nd half) tend to bite you, as Benedictine took advantage of the constant miscues to take the lead for good with less than 2 minutes to go.

Key Stats

• Michelle Gaede (BEN): 8-14 FG, 1-3 3PT, 1-1 FT, 18 pts, 8 reb. She came up with what turned out to be the game-winning basket late, but hit a bunch of big shots over the course of the game. Player of the game for sure.
• Helen Muleya (NCC): 1-8 FG, 2 pts, 5 reb, 5 ast, 3 to. Played a good game on defense, but continues to be nightmarish at the offensive end. Forces a lot of bad passes and bad shots. She had a look at the game-tying layup, but spun it out. She needs to go straight up with her layups, and the numbers will improve. She has a lot of talent, but needs to improve her decision making.
• Lauren Hernandez (NCC): 3-5 FG, 3-4 3PT, 9 pts. She's a great scorer off the bench and someone to take pressure off of people like Jenny Swanson (1-7 from deep, an off night). She had some of the big 3's to keep the Cardinals in front before the final collapse. A freshman with a great future on this team.

Final Thoughts
Before getting into these last thoughts, congratulations to Benedictine's Tracey Walsh, who with 1:57 left in the first half became the sixth Eagle to score 1000 points in her career.

One of the people at the scorers' table said it best (quote is paraphrased): "This team has played 10 games, they shouldn't be doing this stupid stuff!" This is a team that plays well on defense, and is a good rebounding team (especially for their size), but the offense... ye gods. The ball movement is not good most of the time, there's a lot of catching passes and waiting before passing onwards. There's minimal movement inside, when you could potentially have the Emily's (Collins and Murphy) averaging double figures if you have them set some screens for each other.

This team is picked to finish 7th in the CCIW (play starts Wednesday). That said, I think they can overachieve and maybe sneak into the CCIW Tournament, but they need to stop getting beat by their own worst enemy: themselves.

Game Notes: Manchester College @ North Central College (12/30/11)

Final Score
NCC 62, Manchester 38

Summary
My first men's game of the year turned out to be a great pick as I filled in for Jim Godo as their PA guy. The Cardinals (6-5) got out to a great start especially at the defensive end. The first few minutes of this game were absolutely fascinating to watch with great switching and several steals. Manchester (3-8) has a lot of height, but just couldn't really shoot or get anything going offensively. For my first men's game, I am extremely impressed and figure that these guys will give every CCIW team fits.

Key Stats

• Aaron Tiknis (NCC): 6-8 FG, 2-2 3PT, 14 pts, 8 reb (3 off), 4 stl, 2 ast. Wow. He missed a bunch of time early last season, and in his first full year has emerged as a major component of this lineup. He can shoot from outside, but he has the size (6'6") to battle down low with the best of them. He'll be a big asset when the Cardinals start CCIW play next week.
• Vince Kmiec (NCC): 6-10 FG, 5-7 3PT, 17 pts, 6 reb. I took a basketball PE class last year, and Vince was in it. One thing I saw constantly during those 10 weeks was that Vince can shoot the three. And boy, did he do it tonight. I leaned over to Clark Teuscher (NCC's Sports Information Director) and told him after Vince hit the 5th three that he needed one more for a free shrug. At that point, the Cardinals were up by 34, so Todd Raridon called off the dogs. Alas.
• CJ Goldthree (NCC): 5-15 FG, 2-4 3PT, 12 pts, 8 reb. Most of his misses were on layups. The coaching staff told him to not do a finger roll on his layup attempts. I figure he can do that, he'll be fine. He's a good offensive player, and played excellent defense tonight as well. The amazing number is the rebounds. CJ is 6'0", and outrebounded a bunch of big guys.

Final Thoughts
This team was picked to finish 2nd out of 8 in the CCIW, and the only major loss from last year is Brian Evans' defense and energy. I see Kmiec as a taller Reid Berringer, and this team has a chance to host the CCIW Tournament for the second year. Todd Raridon is a great coach, and he once again has a great team. I hope to get to see some of their conference games this year, should be fun!

Glenbard West Holiday Classic Recap: Day 3

Final Score

Timothy Christian 53, St. Charles East 50

Summary

Finally had a scorers’ duel we’d been waiting for all tournament long. The Saints (2-1) once again had tie games after 2 and again after 3, with offense coming from an unlikely source (see below). Meanwhile the Trojans (2-1) played great defense all game, as they had the hero with a game winning shot. St. Charles East gave away its shot to play for the title today.

Key Players

• Danny Leach (TC): 22 pts. He was huge again today, hitting some big threes throughout the game, but none bigger than a go-ahead bomb with 2 seconds left. It was the culmination of a couple tough missed shots but great offensive rebounding, finally finding him a good enough look. Leach as of this game's conclusion was the front-runner for tournament MVP.
• Matt Morrison (TC): 11 pts. Finally came up with some offensive heroics today, scoring 7 in the first, but it was solid defense again that earns him a spot on this list. He came up with a couple more steals in key moments to help the Trojans preserve the win.
• Kendall Stephens (SCE): 30 pts. Ankle injury? What ankle injury? Stephens surprised both Geoffy and me by coming off the bench in the 2^nd quarter and draining a torrent of threes to make this arguably the most fun game of the tournament.

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Final Score

Wheaton Academy 61, Addison Trail 46

Summary

The Blazers (0-3) continued their “never say die” tournament by staying close to Wheaton in the 2^nd and 3^rd quarters, even taking a couple leads here and there. But the Warriors (2-1) proved to be too much in the 4^th quarter, as Addison Trail kept turning the ball over. With the win, the Warriors took advantage of the Timothy Christian win to sneak back into the title game.

Key Players

• Collin Roy (WA): 18 pts. Roy came up big in the 4^th quarter with a couple big shots from all over the field (3’s, layups, you name it).
• Lars Olson (WA): 10 pts. Olson was huge on both ends of the floor once again, a close competition with Matt Morrison for Defensive Player of the Tournament, but he has hit a few big 3’s in pool play, none bigger than a buzzer beater at the end of the 3^rd quarter that doubled Wheaton’s lead and effectively killed the Blazers.
• Vince Beltrano (AT): 13 pts. He had another solid game on offense, but was outmatched by Cameron Harvey in the post (14 points). He did enough early to keep the Blazers in the game, but was ineffective in the 4^th quarter as Addison Trail saw its chances slip away.

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Final Score

West Chicago 57, Fenton 29

Summary

It was a close game earlier in the game, but the Wildcats (1-2) stepped up their game in the 2^nd quarter to jump to a 31-15 halftime lead. The Bison (0-3) made a lot of mistakes and just couldn’t seem to get going on offense. They really haven’t been that remarkable a team aside from Collin Wallace’s scoring. It became garbage time by the fourth quarter with West Chicago jumping to a 20 point lead a few minutes in.

Key Players

• Dylan Hedmark (WC): 16 pts. He finally had a breakout game with no one to contain him. He probably had a double-double today by the time all was said and done.
• Justin Mundt (WC): 11 pts. Mundt continues to be the best player on this West Chicago team, getting to the line a little bit and hitting big shots. Worthy of consideration for all tournament honors. 
• Adam Kadlec (FEN): 11 pts. Had a couple early buckets, really didn’t step up as the game went on. He also got called for a technical late in the game. He led the team in scoring as Collin Wallace only had 8 tonight.

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Final Score

Glenbard West 56, Leyden 35.

Summary

Another one that started as a great defensive struggle, but the Hilltoppers (2-0) stepped up their game in the second quarter. The Eagles (2-0) really didn’t have an answer for the balanced offense of Glenbard West, combining an inside game with some timely threes. They proceeded to blow it open in the third, setting a date with Wheaton Academy for the title.

Key Players

• Michael Mache (GBW): 12 pts. Front runner for MVP right now, based on his being the leader on the team with the best record in the tournament. Got a lot of easy looks down low.
• Pat Mazza (GBW): 8 pts. At least 10 rebounds and 3 blocks. Probably now the favorite for Defensive Player of the tournament. Also had a nice authoritative dunk tonight. He’s tied with Mache for the tournament lead in dunks.
• Alex Hererra (LEY): 15 pts. 4 of those came on technical free throws, but he did not have many driving lanes tonight. Credit the Hilltopper defense, but especially Justin Taylor for sticking on him like glue.

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This has been a great tournament, and I want to take the opportunity to thank Glenbard West and iHigh.com for the opportunity to get back behind the mic for basketball games. Tomorrow I will be missing out on the finals (Geoffy is calling the title game), as I will be at North Central for the return of women's basketball to Merner. I also get the one-game recap instead of a jumbo pack of 4 games.

Glenbard West Holiday Classic Recap: Day 2

Final Score:

Timothy Christian 53, Addison Trail 52

Summary

The Blazers (0-2) led for most of the game keeping Timothy Christian (1-1) an arm’s length away. The Trojans could not stop the dribble penetration and easy inside buckets by Addison Trail. Down by as much as 7, the Trojans worked away, chipping into the lead, going in front for good with less than a minute to go.

Key Players

• Danny Leach (TC): 22 pts. We noticed yesterday that Leach took over in the 4^th quarter to make it an interesting game, and he did so again here. He only hit a pair of threes, but he got to the hoop and to the line. He scored the final 4 points for Timothy, willing them to victory.

• Matthew Morrison (TC): 5 pts. Wasn’t much of an offensive factor, missing a bunch of layups, but came up huge on defense. He had at least 3 steals in the 4^th quarter, and forced a lot of bad passes. I wish defense was shown a little better in a box score, because he deserves a lot of credit.

• James Pupillo (AT): 15 pts. Was huge throughout the game, hitting several big shots, driving the lane with ease, and playing tough defense. But he made a bone-headed decision on the final play. The Blazers called timeout with about 8 seconds left down 3. Pupillo was playing the point. You figure he’d pass off to Varinder Kalsi, right? Instead, he passed inside to center Ricky Diaz for a layup. Terrible basketball IQ that could have cost his team a shot at overtime.

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Final Score:

St. Charles East 47, Wheaton Academy 46

Summary

The Saints (2-0) led 8-0 early before Wheaton (1-1) started to wake up offensively. It was a tie game at the half and after the 3^rd quarter, with Wheaton getting leads before the Saints came back to tie. Wheaton looked poised to take the game in the 4^th, but the Saints came up with late heroics (see below). St. Charles is now in prime position to go to the title game.

Key Players

• Luke Ludke (SCE): 6 pts. But he had the biggest 2 points of the game. St. Charles called timeout with 2.9 ticks left after Wheaton went up 46-45 on a free throw. The inbounds went to Ludke, who went from the halfcourt line, ran all but unopposed to the elbow and banked home a game-winner [insert Gus Johnson-esque finish here].
• Dominic Adduci (SCE): 15 pts. Adduci didn’t rely on the three as much today, instead driving to the basket, though he did hit a crucial 3 in the 4^th quarter before the heroics. I thought for sure he was going to get the final shot, but I’m sure he’ll take the win.
• Drew Sandberg (WA): 11 pts. Geoffy and I figured he’d be more of an offensive factor yesterday, but it wasn’t needed. He needed it today, getting to the line multiple times, plus some layups. It should be noted that it was Sandberg at the line with 2.9 seconds left. He missed the first, drastically altering the game, making it possible for Ludke’s heroics.

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Final Score:

Leyden 66, West Chicago 55

Summary

Leyden (2-0) jumped out to an early lead they would never relinquish. They led by 11 at the break after another great game by their backcourt. The Wildcats (0-2) were able to stay closer tonight compared to yesterday (24 point defecit at half), but couldn’t get closer than about 8 points.

Key Players

• Alex Hererra (LEY): 32 pts. He went off for 17 in the first half, 11 coming in the opening quarter. He went probably 5-7 from beyond the arc, all makes coming before the half, including a buzzer beater in the 2^nd. In the second he drove the lane, getting points almost at will.
• Jonathan Woolf (LEY): 13 pts. Definitely the favorite for 6^th man of the tournament. He hit one three, and came up with a few big free throws near the end. He’s a major guy to watch out for.
• Justin Mundt (WC): 20 pts. He kept West Chicago close throughout, hitting a bunch of free throws again, and getting to the basket. It’s just been too bad he hasn’t had enough help to give the Wildcats a win yet.

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Final Score

Glenbard West 48, Fenton 30

Summary

This was a defensive struggle throughout, with both teams struggling to score early. Then the Hilltoppers (2-0) went on a little run, leading 11-4 before the Bison (0-2) got back to within 2, but they wouldn't get any closer. It was 16-9 at the half, and 21-14 after 3, but then the Hilltoppers finally started getting shots to fall. Both teams had a lot of turnovers, but Fenton couldn't take advantage, while Glenbard did.

Key Players

• Michael Mache (GBW) 14 pts. No dunks for him tonight, but he did what he needed to do: get inside and get some easy buckets, and hit some free throws. He was the leading scorer (possible I'm off on the number of points by a couple either way), but he was the leading scorer.
• Vernon Harris (GBW) 11 pts. Did so off the bench. Will challenge Jonathan Woolf for 6th man of the tournament, and made his case today by getting to the basket in the 2nd half.
• Colin Wallace (FEN) 19 pts. Led his team, but when you score almost two-thirds of your team's points, you won't win many games. He was hounded much of the day, yet showed some signs of life early in the second half before the turnover bug really started to bite. Nonetheless, he's a good player.

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Tomorrow decides the fate of the teams for who plays for the title. A quick rundown is as follows:

White Pool

• St. Charles East (2-0) clinches 1st place with a win over Timothy Christian.
• Timothy Christian (1-1) clinches 1st place with a win over St. Charles East AND Wheaton Academy loss to Addison Trail OR Wheaton Academy win plus Wheaton gives up 12 more points than Timothy Christian.
• Wheaton Academy (1-1) clinches 1st place with a win over Addison Trail AND Timothy Christian win over St. Charles East plus Wheaton gives up no more than 11 points more than Timothy Christian.
• Addison Trail (0-2) is eliminated from contention.

Green Pool

• Glenbard West (2-0) clinches 1st place with a win over Leyden.
• Leyden (2-0) clinches 1st place with a win over Glenbard West.
• West Chicago (0-2) is eliminated from contention.
• Fenton (0-2) is eliminated from contention.

The Green Pool is simple, the White Pool not so much, but that should cover it. St. Charles East-Timothy Christian is at 3 tomorrow, Wheaton Academy-Addison Trail at 4:30, Fenton-West Chicago is at 6:30, and Leyden-Glenbard West is at 8.

Glenbard West Holiday Classic Recap: Day 1

Final Score:

St. Charles East 69, Addison Trail 68

Summary

The Saints (1-0) jumped out to an early lead today with a barrage of threes, leading by as much as 14 early. Over the course of the rest of the game, the Blazers (0-1) worked their way back, closing the gap to as little as 5 during parts, with the Saints keeping distance. But a 13 point lead after 3 dwindled quickly, seeing Addison Trail take a 63-62 lead with 3 minutes to go. But the Saints got the last laugh, hitting key shots down the stretch.

Key Players:

• Dominic Adduci (SCE): 6-10 FG, 2-3 3PT, 10-12 FT, 23 pts. He became the focal point of his team after Kendall Stephens went down with an injured ankle. He was hitting from everywhere, and did a great job getting to the foul line. Easily the Player of the Game.
• Johnny Hondlik (SCE): 7-13 FG, 3-6 3PT, 2-3FT, 19 pts. He was the inside-outside threat for the Saints. Capable of knocking down threes, but wasn’t afraid to do a little dirty work inside. Someone you have to keep an eye on at all times.
• Varinder Kalsi (AT): 8-14FG, 6-103PT, 1-2FT, 23 pts. He went off in the 4th and was a key cog in the comeback, hitting several threes in the effort. He’s someone the other teams will have to gameplan for.

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Final Score:

Wheaton Academy 58, Timothy Christian 46

Summary

In a battle between former members of the now-defunct Private School League, the Warriors (1-0) jumped out to an early lead thanks to great ball movement and lethal shooting. The Trojans (0-1) took a lot of bad shots in this one early on before trying to mount a late comeback. They came within probably about 6 points before Wheaton finished them off.

Key Players:

• Cameron Harvey (WA): 6-13FG, 2-5 3PT, 7-11FT, 21 pts. He slowed down after a hot first quarter, but was effective everywhere on the floor. Very athletic, and will be a nightmare to guard.
• Lars Olson (WA): 4-9 FG, 4-6 3PT, 2-2 FT, 14 pts. He’s a gamechanger with his ability to hit the three. Hit a couple early, then hit a couple late. Someone you have to watch out for at all times.
• Danny Leach (TC): 22 pts. I don’t have the exact shot attempts in front of me, but in the 4^th quarter Leach also went off, making me hope for another St.Charles East-Addison Trail game. Didn’t happen. But he did enough to impress, hitting a few key threes to give Timothy hopes of a come from behind victory. If he is consistent throughout the game, Timothy will be a pain for any team.

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Final Score:

Leyden 62, Fenton 49

Summary

Leyden (1-0) came out with a half court trap at the start and jumped out to an early 8-0 lead, then led 17-8 at one point. The Bison (0-1) did step up defensively the rest of the way, though they never get closer than about 10 points. The Eagles also brought Lob City to Glen Ellyn, seeing Brian McNamara throw down an alley-oop.

Key Players

• Alex Hererra (LEY): 9-12 FG, 1-1 3PT, 19 pts. Easily the player of the game. He got to the hoop again and again against an otherwise pretty stout Bison defense. He made it look easy, and should be watched closely on passes to open teammates.
• Jonathan Woolf (LEY): 5-8 FG, 1-2 3PT, 2-2 FT, 13 pts. Up there for Sixth Man of the tournament. Came in off the bench and scored everywhere as well. When you have a guy like him off the bench, it takes pressure off the starters to do all the work. He’s someone to watch out for as well.
• Colin Wallace (FEN): 6-14 FG, 4-8 3PT, 5-5 FT, 21 pts. Wallace went off in the 4^th in a comeback effort, part of a theme tonight. If he can get involved early, he’ll be a dangerous man in every game.

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Final Score:

Glenbard West 60, West Chicago 48

Summary

The Hilltoppers (1-0) jumped out to a huge lead early on with the lid on the Wildcats' (0-1) basket. They went into the half down 37-13. How did they respond? They came out inspired in the 2nd half and while they didn't get closer than about 7 points, they didn't give up and gave Glenbard a great game.

Key Players

•  Michael Mache (GBW): 4-9 FG, 4-4 FT, 12 pts. Not a dominating scoring performance, but he did enough along with his twin brother Matthew (also 12 points). Normally you're lucky to see a dunk in a high school game. Michael had 2... on back to back possessions. One came on an open look on an entry pass, and the other was on a fast break.
• Jeff Levesque (GBW): 4-9 FG, 0-1 3PT, 7-12 FT, 15 pts. Levesque was a consistent threat to drive and get to the line. He had at least one steal as well, and his aggresive play took attention away from bombers like Kevin Loftus.
• West Chicago shooting: 4-26 FG 1st half, 13-56 FG overall. They were certainly better in the second half, but it's hard to overcome that poor of a shooting night. Hats off to the Wildcats for staying with it late.

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It was a good first day, and Geoffy and I are getting back to it tomorrow. Addison Trail-Timothy Christian at 3, St. Charles East-Wheaton Academy at 4:30, Leyden-West Chicago at 6:30, and Fenton-Glenbard West at 8. You can once again catch the games on iHigh.com.

Reality or Fantasy: A Matter of Honor

Fantasy football has really taken off in the Internet era, and I started in 2005, a year after my dad did. In 2006 he started a league with a bunch of people he works with, and some people known through them. I was an inaugural member of what was dubbed the Casual Interest American Football League (CIAFL, so named as a joke because a friend of mine in the league is convinced my dad works for the CIA.) That first year I made the title game. Five years later the league still exists, though my dad opted out this year for personal reasons, removing my biggest rivalry game from the schedule. It's entirely possible I found a new one.


This season I finished with a 9-4 record, tops in the league, and made the championship game against another original owner and my dad's coworker George. He was the #2 overall seed in the playoffs, so it seemed only fitting that we matched up in the title game. George, ever the trash talker (the best in the league), started talking smack as soon as he knew he was in the title game. I talked back, and he offered to make a bet. I win, I get his winnings from the league. He wins, I had to write a blog post about him and this matchup. I wish I could say this post was a forum to rub it in his face. Alas.

George has constantly changed his team name over the years. Originally he was Fear the Turtle (Maryland alum if memory serves) and has changed it around over the years, this year settling on "Chicken Crossing" (something about having chickens in his backyard). His consistency has come in his trash talking, so much so that within probably 10 minutes of Falcons-Saints going final he changed his team name to "Champions!" On the field, he has had some up and down years. I don't remember if he's won a league title before, but he definitely earned it this year.

Through random draw, George lucked into the #1 pick in the draft, though I seem to remember he wasn't thrilled about it since we draft in snake fashion, but his first few picks were fantastic. He took consensus #1 Adrian Peterson first, then in the wraparound later he took Vincent Jackson and Larry Fitzgerald. He also overcame me stealing 3 of his guys before he could pick. Overall, 6 of his 9 players in the championship game were players he drafted (Willis McGahee, C.J. Spiller and San Francisco's defense were the 3 pickups.) San Fran was picked up before the start of the season, and McGahee and Spiller were later additions.

Spiller was someone I contemplated getting for a while and now I do regret it, given the result today and due to having some trouble at the running back spot all year. He took advantage and had guys step up this week. My biggest mistake was playing Torrey Smith over Jeremy Maclin, though it wouldn't have been enough. He clearly earned the win and made some big moves over the course of the season to pick up a title, overcoming the team with the #2 pick (I took Rodgers. Took some heat for it, but it turned out well). I'm proud of what I accomplished this year, mirroring the Baltimore Ravens a bit, seeing 3 of my 4 regular season losses coming to non-playoff teams, while leading the league in scoring. Unfortunately it's what happens in the final game that counts, and George brought his A-game, netting the highest score against me all year.

So congratulations to this year's best fantasy owner on his title. You can take my word for it. Or you can listen to my dad who, when I told him about the bet and this blog post, said "He's not a very good owner." Your call.

Post-Christmas Preview

Hope everyone is having a great Christmas Eve so far! NFL games are about to kick off, there are probably some irrelevant bowl games on as well, and tomorrow I get to see two of my teams (Bulls and Packers) kick some butt. Merry Christmas to me.

Anyway, coming up in the final week of 2011 I have a lot of exciting things planned for Confessions of a Sportscaster.

If you've been keeping up on the Pipe Dream Playoffs, you'll know that the championship game is still Alabama-LSU. Thus I almost feel compelled to say that yes, it is indeed the national championship game. Next week I'll start simulating the major bowl games and I'll also have a bonus tournament featuring the system outlined in Death to the BCS.

More excitedly, I get to go back to doing a Gus Johnson impersonation instead of a Ray Clay impersonation. Next week many high school basketball teams are playing in various tournaments. I will be heading out to Glenbard West High School for their Holiday Classic and get to reunite with Geoff Clark to call 4 games a day for at least 3 days. I'm really excited for this. I don't know all the details yet, but I do know the games will be broadcast on iHigh.com. You can check in with me on Twitter for details (note that my tweets are protected, but that's only to block the spambots that usually pertain to sex-related crap. Request to follow me and you should be okay. You can also follow Geoffy here.)

I will be spending the next couple days with my dad, brother, and girlfriend and her family over the next couple days. Spend time with your loved ones and remember the real reason for the season. Merry Christmas!

NCAA Pipe Dream Playoffs: Bowl Semifinals

For Round 1 results, click here.
For Round 2 results, click here.

I'm switching the scheduling around this weekend because of Christmas. Normally I would have held the games on the Saturday, but given that it's Christmas Eve and I want the players and coaches to be with their families, and also because the NFL moved its games to that day, we're doing 3 games on Thursday and 3 on Friday in this round. With only 12 teams left, we can do one game from each set of semifinals on Thursday and one on Friday to allow players, coaches, and fans to catch possible opponents.

There are some fun matchups this week in all 3 groups of semis, especially the championship bracket. With a lot of OSU fans feeling snubbed, this is their chance to prove they belong in the title game over Alabama. And LSU doesn't have an easy task ahead with Oregon's strong offense.

With the bowl games being next week and still being held at their traditional sites, this is the final week of home field advantages. Higher seeds host, with local weather taken into account. And again, thanks to WhatIfSports.com for the simulations.

Losers Bracket

(16)Georgia vs. (12)Baylor                  (10)Wisconsin vs. (14)Oklahoma
Game 1: BAY 34, UGA 27                      Game 1: WIS 44, OU 36
Game 2: BAY 45, UGA 17                      Game 2: OU 27, WIS 13
Game 3: BAY 31, UGA 23                      Game 3: WIS 37, OU 26
Final: BAY 37, UGA 22                          Final: WIS 31, OU 30

Georgia and Oklahoma are eliminated from the playoffs.
Baylor will play Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl.

Consolation Bracket

(8)Kansas State vs. (4)Stanford         (7)Boise State vs. (6)Arkansas
Game 1: STAN 35, KSU 18                   Game 1: BSU 40, ARK 19
Game 2: STAN 31, KSU 10                   Game 2: BSU 39, ARK 24
Game 3: STAN 44, KSU 17                   Game 3: BSU 55, ARK 48
Final: STAN 37, KSU 15                       Final: BSU 45, ARK 30


Kansas State will play Arkansas in the Fiesta Bowl.
Stanford will play Boise State in the Sugar Bowl.

Championship Bracket

(1)LSU vs. (5)Oregon                           (2)Alabama vs. (3)Oklahoma State
Game 1: LSU 40, ORE 13                      Game 1: ALA 47, OSU 17
Game 2: LSU 34, ORE 9                        Game 2: ALA 41, OSU 40
Game 3: ORE 20, LSU 13                      Game 3: ALA 47, OSU 31
Final: LSU 29, ORE 14                         Final: ALA 46, OSU 29


Oregon will play Oklahoma State in the Orange Bowl.
LSU will play Alabama for the national title.


LSU finally lost a game in the simulations... after getting 2 blowout wins, and they still end up facing Alabama for the national title, but both teams earned their way back there. I love the Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl matchups as well. See what a playoff can bring?
_____________________________________________________________

I just finished reading Death to the BCS today, and I can tell that my system has a couple flaws. I do exclude some conference champions that I should otherwise have in there (though LSU was the lone unbeaten). My system kind of made me a hypocrite in that I didn't include everyone. MWC champ TCU is out despite winning its conferece, and no Sun Belt, MAC, WAC, C-USA or even Big East teams made the playoffs since I based the seeding off of the BCS rankings... another reason why they're flawed.

As a transitional system though, I think this would work until a system like the one the book suggests where the 11 conference champions make it and a selection committee picks 5 at large teams (which would likely include some participants from here). When I do the bowl game round, I'll also try to put together a sample bracket of the system implemented in the book and a rough outline of how that tournament would have gone. In the ideal world, their system gets put into place immediately, though knowing the minds of the Cartel, as the authors put it, they'll dismiss it as garbage and go back to counting their money.

Express NBA Preview

I say "express" because I don't want to take up a whole wall of text with all 30 teams. It's hard to come up with the teams that matter, so what I figured I'd do is narrow it down to the 7 teams who have even a remote shot at the title with a quick blurb about each. Should work well enough.

THE FAVORITES

-Chicago Bulls: I know it's presumptuous and possibly biased, but everyone knows that they're one of the major contenders this year. They addressed the need for another scorer while keeping their depth intact. If Boozer and Noah can stay healthy all year and Rose keeps making leap after leap, Grant Park could see another title rally.
Title Chances: 15 percent (40 percent EC Champions)

 -Dallas Mavericks: Can't exclude the defending champs. Dirk became a winner with other guys stepping up big time. But this year it'll be Brenden Haywood who will need to step up and fill the void left by Tyson Chandler. The champions will be the champions until someone knocks them off. Keep an eye on them.
Title Chances: 20 percent (40 percent WC Champions)


-Miami Heat: Last year's Eastern Conference champions still have the best trio of teammates in the league. After that... not so much. I'll ignore the possible problem at the point in favor of the big problem at center. Miami tries to upgrade from Joel Anthony with... Eddy Curry? He'll average 4 points, 3 rebounds, and 17 cheeseburgers per game. Even so, these guys will give you hell in the playoffs.
Title Chances: 20 percent (45 percent EC Champions)




-Oklahoma City Thunder: My most intriguing team in the bunch returns nearly everyone from last year's squad that made the conference finals. Another year of experience for Durant and Westbrook will help immensely, but so will a full year with Kendrick Perkins. He's not an elite center, but plays hard and will defend the rim, making the Thunder a tough out. No huge additions to the roster, but once again not a team you want to see in the playoffs.
Title Chances: 25 percent (45 percent WC Champs)



SLEEPERS

-Boston Celtics: Bill Simmons said it best. After the Big 4, the best players in green are Brandon Bass and Jermaine O'Neal. Ouch. You can't count out veteran guile and experience from Garnett, Allen and Pierce, but their window is clearly closing without much help behind them. If they manage a 6 seed at worst, they can maybe sneak in one more title.
Title Chances: 5 percent (15 percent EC Champions)

-Los Angeles Lakers: Oy vey. A terrible offseason and Kobe with a hurt wrist? It sounds like he thinks he'll be fine, but with failing knees and so many games played, his window is closing. Losing Odom was huge, but with Gasol still in house and assuming Bynum stays healthy, you can't count #24 and company out.
Title Chances: 10 percent (10 percent WC Champions)

 -San Antonio Spurs: Tim Duncan is still a winner, but he's 35. Manu is 34. Richard Jefferson is 31. They're not getting any younger, but they know the road to a title. Last year they were one of the top teams in the West still, and figure to be in the picture again, but probably not for much longer.
Title Chances: 5 percent (5 percent WC Champions)



I could probably also throw teams like New York, Indiana, Atlanta or Memphis in there, but they'd probably be a second round out (albeit a tough one). These are the 7 most likely squads to hoist the Larry O'Brien Trophy, but I'm leaning towards one of the first 4. My guess would be OKC over Miami, which I'd be okay with, but I'm definitely hoping to see D-Rose and company raise a 7th banner to the United Center rafters.

NCAA Pipe Dream Playoffs: Bowl Quarterfinals

For Round 1's results, check here.

This weekend serves as Round 2 of the playoffs as the actual Bowl season gets underway: a crappy system of games that puts money in the bowl administrators' pockets by robbing the very schools it puts on the field. I started reading Death to the BCS Friday night, which also endorses a 16 team playoff, though the teams in it are different than the system below.

Speaking of which, we're set to see who moves closer to a more legit national title as well as the other bowl games.

This year, the Rose Bowl will serve as the 9th place game (whoever wins in the loser's bracket). In the winner's bracket, every team will go to a major bowl game. The Fiesta Bowl (oh, the Fiesta Bowl...) will serve as the 7th place game, the Sugar Bowl 5th, and the Orange Bowl 3rd. These will rotate on a yearly basis, though I'm considering keeping the Rose Bowl as the 9th place game (makes more sense with the teams that go there getting roses after winning their conference titles to get there). More on that later.

For now, the games. Higher seeds get home field advantage, and weather is taken into account from Saturday, December 17th. Simulations are once again provided by WhatIfSports.com.

Loser's Bracket

(16)Georgia vs. (9)South Carolina                   (15)Clemson vs. (10)Wisconsin
Game 1: UGA 17, SC 12                                    Game 1: WIS 45, CLE 27
Game 2: SC 23, UGA 13                                    Game 2: WIS 38, CLE 13
Game 3: UGA 48, SC 22                                    Game 3: WIS 46, CLE 39 (2OT)
Final: UGA 26, SC 19                                       Final: WIS 43, CLE 26

(13)Michigan vs. (12)Baylor                            (14)Oklahoma vs. (11)Virginia Tech
Game 1: MICH 45, BAY 24                               Game 1: OU 28, VT 24
Game 2: BAY 52, MICH 13                               Game 2: OU 37, VT 24
Game 3: BAY 45, MICH 16                               Game 3: OU 40, VT 10
Final: BAY 40, MICH 25                                    Final: OU 35, VT 19

 South Carolina, Clemson, Virginia Tech, and Michigan are all eliminated from the playoffs.

Winner's Bracket

(1)LSU vs. (8)Kansas State                             (2)Alabama vs. (7)Boise State
Game 1: LSU 27, KSU 20                                 Game 1: ALA 48, BSU 30
Game 2: LSU 47, KSU 6                                   Game 2: ALA 57, BSU 7
Game 3: LSU 42, KSU 0                                   Game 3: ALA 34, BSU 21
Final: LSU 39, KSU 9                                      Final: ALA 46, BSU 19

(4)Stanford vs. (5)Oregon                                (3)Oklahoma State vs. (6)Arkansas
Game 1: STAN 34, ORE 31                               Game 1: OSU 41, ARK 21
Game 2: ORE 45, STAN 40                               Game 2: OSU 38, ARK 33
Game 3: ORE 37, STAN 34                               Game 3: OSU 45, ARK 42
Final: ORE 38, STAN 36                                   Final: OSU 41, ARK 32

A couple upsets in the loser's bracket makes things interesting, and I thought it was going to be 3 after the first Michigan-Baylor sim, though obviously that didn't happen. We're left with a couple fascinating games to decide who goes to the Rose Bowl down there. Meanwhile in the winner's bracket, we had only the one mild upset in Oregon over Stanford (5 over 4). Almost seems like even with a playoff, we're due for an LSU-Alabama rematch, barring Oregon or Oklahoma State throwing a wrench into things.

We have to wait another week now for the semis, and I'll end up doing some of these games on the Friday since it's Christmas Eve on Saturday. For now, hopefully the bowl games offer some good matchups in exchange for the greed that runs deep through them.

NBA Free Agent Frenzy: Winners and Losers

Seems like the easiest way to do this: Wait for most of the action in the swapping to die down, then go back and look to see who won and who lost out in free agency. I'm only going to cover the big winners and losers though due to space. It also allows me a breather from the NCAA Pipe Dream Playoffs... results pending.

Winners

Los Angeles Clippers (and Chris Paul)
How could they not be the big winners of the hurried offseason? They landed arguably the most sought-after player on the trading block in Paul, and people in LA will have to have cameras ready for the inevitable 17 alley-oops per game Paul will toss up, and with Blake and Jordan slamming those passes home... oh my.

Does this make them a championship contender? No way, not yet. Give this core time to grow together, and they'll be in line for maybe a second round berth and a tough out in the playoffs.

Orlando Magic
The other big winners because they get to keep Dwight Howard. They said they've taken him off the trading block, but I'm sure they're keeping in touch with teams like the Lakers and Nets, two strong suitors. And even if it comes down to the trade deadline, the Magic would probably still get a couple players, plus a pick, plus cap space courtesy of shipping Hedo Turkoglu. Orlando is probably still a playoff team, but another likely first or second round out, likely first if they do end up dealing Howard depending on what they get back.

Chicago Bulls
Biased? Maybe. But the Bulls addressed their biggest need in a 2 guard without giving up their 2nd biggest strength: depth. If Hamilton can score even double figures per game, he's an upgrade over the waived Keith Bogans. Odds are as a starter he'll average in the mid to upper teens in points, and allow for some spacing on the floor. Key, given that this guy will only get better this year. The Bulls still have to prove that they can get through Miami in a seven game series, but Hamilton will help.




Losers

Los Angeles Lakers
Oh boy. They almost land Chris Paul before David Stern nixed the deal... and it wasn't even a bad deal for all the teams involved. Enough has been said about that trade that I don't need to go any further, but it messed up chemistry so bad that it forced the Lakers to ship off an upset Lamar Odom. And I can't imagine Khloe being too happy about Dallas compared to LA.

(Side note: I hope to God that's the only time I ever mention one of the Kardashians in this blog. I'm ashamed I even brought it up in the first place. Rage.)

Boston Celtics
I know Bill Simmons is already in panic mode about their season, and understandably. Didn't have a lot of room to make improvements, but this team looks to be in trouble between the shortened season and a possibly pissed off Rajon Rondo. I'm not sure if he'll be motivated by the mention of his name in trade rumors for Paul or if it will damage his psyche. The other problem is that the Celtics have no depth, especially behind Allen and Pierce, and their starting center is Jermaine O'Neal. Have fun with that, Bill.

David Stern
For obvious reasons. Between the nixed Lakers deal and the high price for the initial Clippers-Hornets deal, Stern showed that he's either trying too hard or not hard enough. I think more so he's in over his head now and just needs to step down. We can still have a good season, but he doesn't have the same magic anymore. No need to overstate anything more.




In the meantime, the NBA season starts a week from tomorrow. For things Bulls, you can keep tabs on work from my good friend Geoffrey Clark here. He's a big Bulls fan and knows his stuff. A good follow. In the meantime, go Bulls!

NCAA Pipe Dream Playoffs: First Round

I'm ignoring some of the bigger stories in sports for right now, just because there's so much uncertainty, and I want to wait on an NBA/NFL playoff preview for now... though those will come. For now, since a feature I've been waiting on finally opened up, I can get to this.

A week ago I posted my bracket for the 2011 NCAA FBS Championship. Obviously this is just a pipe dream, but I wanted to know how things would go instead of the crappy bowl system we have in place. So, one week at a time, I'm going to run a simulation of how the games would hypothetically end up going. (The higher seed hosts, by the way, with weather taken from December 10th.)

Obviously, there's no way of saying this is exactly what's going to happen, but I'm going to run 3 simulations of each game (to get a better feel) and average out the scores of the 3 contests, just to get a better sample size of each game. All simulations provided by WhatIfSports.com.

(1)LSU vs. (16)Georgia                                   (2)Alabama vs. (15)Clemson
Game 1: LSU 44, UGA 14                                  Game 1: ALA 45, CLE 6
Game 2: LSU 24, UGA 14                                  Game 2: ALA 48, CLE 9
Game 3: LSU 34, UGA 17                                  Game 3: ALA 62, CLE 3
Final: LSU 34, UGA 15                                     Final: ALA 52, CLE 6
  
(8)Kansas State vs. (9)So. Carolina               (7)Boise State vs. (10)Wisconsin
Game 1: KSU 26, SC 7                                      Game 1: WIS 28, BSU 27
Game 2: KSU 29, SC 7                                      Game 2: BSU 23, WIS 21
Game 3: SC 26, KSU 3                                      Game 3: BSU 27, WIS 24
Final: KSU 19, SC 13                                        Final: BSU 26, WIS 24

(4)Stanford vs (13)Michigan                           (3)Oklahoma State vs. (14)Oklahoma
Game 1: STAN 33, MICH 21                             Game 1: OSU 44, OU 16
Game 2: STAN 34, MICH 20                             Game 2: OSU 48, OU 27
Game 3: STAN 34, MICH 24                             Game 3: OSU 43, OU 12
Final: STAN 34, MICH 22                                 Final: OSU 45, OU 18

(5)Oregon vs (12)Baylor                                 (6)Arkansas vs. (11)Virginia Tech
Game 1: ORE 42, BAY 39                                 Game 1: ARK 34, VT 16
Game 2: ORE 41, BAY 16                                 Game 2: VT 41, ARK 38
Game 3: ORE 51, BAY 37                                 Game 3: ARK 31, VT 17
Final: ORE 44, BAY 31                                      Final: ARK 34, VT 25


Chalk ends up playing out in this first round. I'm not too surprised, but notice here that there are some great games (especially Boise State-Wisconsin). I'm hoping we get some closer games as the tournament moves on.

Remember, the losers go to a single-elimination tournament for the 9th place game (we'll say it's the Rose Bowl this year, but will change next year due to the rotation). The winners all are guaranteed 3 more games. Does the system work? Perhaps. Odds are TV revenue would have been good just because it's a tournament of the best teams thus far.

After I posted the original bracket, I talked to a friend of mine from WONC who said he liked the idea but would prefer the playoffs have only 8 teams. I'm certainly open to that, though it then means one of the BCS Bowl games doesn't get decided by the playoffs. Like I said in the original idea, the system isn't perfect. And if in a few weeks we end up with an LSU-Alabama rematch still for the national title, fine by me. We will just have arrived at it in a more fair fashion. Next week I'll have the 2nd round of the playoffs.

Game Notes: University of Dubuque @ North Central College (12/9/11)

Final Score
Dubuque 63, NCC 60 

Summary
This was probably the most bipolar game I've ever seen. As Mark Albanese said, "It was a tale of two halves." (Another line I debated about, but the bipolar thing seemed to work better.) North Central (5-4)was down 6-2 early from Dubuque (3-4) scoring down low, then the Cardinals went on a 20-3 run. They led by 23 with about a minute to go before halftime, seeing the lead dwindle down to 18, then 16 on a dumb foul with less than a second. The offense stopped working late, letting the Spartans back into the game, ultimately giving up the lead with just seconds left.

Key Stats

• NCC: 40% FG, 47% 3PT, 58% FT. Other than the free throw numbers, not bad. But let's break this down by halves.
• 1st Half: 14-26 FG (54%), 7-10 3PT (70%), 8-12 FT (67%)
• 2nd Half: 3-17 FG (18%), 0-5 3PT (0%), 11-21 FT (52%)
• Bipolar indeed. You can't go 3-17 in a half and miss almost half your free throws and expect to win... especially when your first field goal of the 2nd half comes with less than 6 minutes to go.
• Jenny Swanson (NCC): 5-11 FG (4-7 3PT), 14 pts, 2 reb. Taking the first half out of the equation, she was 5-8, including 4-5 from deep. She hit her first 4 treys, including an "Eff You" three in front of Dubuque's bench in the first half. It was beautiful. NCC got an odd man rush off a press break (5 on 4), the ball handler drove inside, then dished out to Jenny who was wide open and drained it. I thought for sure after she hit that one that it was going to be "that kind of day" for the Cardinals and we'd win easily. Alas.
• Lauren Gabler (UD): 4-10 FG (all 3PT), 1-2 FT, 13 pts, 2 reb. Led the team in scoring, and was lethal from deep in the 2nd half, including the game winning 3 with about 10 seconds left. Dubuque called a timeout with 18 ticks left, and I said to the others at the scorer's table, "Defensive strategy: no threes!" What happens? They give the ball to another girl, have her drive and dish back to Gabler. No one is on Gabler. Open three. Swish. Cardinals face their first deficit since the opening minutes.

Final Thoughts
Par for the course in this one. Great first half ruined by the Clogged Toilet Offense in the 2nd. Bad passes, careless dribbling, though not a lot of travels called either way. Nonetheless, NCC turned it over 25 times.

I want to recap North Central's play after the go-ahead 3 by Gabler. Inbounded, Sophie Newson dribbled up the court, fed inside to Callie Rezin, who dribbled in... and kept dribbling... and kept dribbling... then double-dribbled with about a second to go before she could get off a shot. Poor execution cost the Cardinals a win tonight. Honestly, I couldn't get out of that gym fast enough.

The Cardinals hit the road for a couple weeks, with their next home game (and my next report) coming near the end of 2011. I just hope it's a better result and a more complete game.

Out of the Hot Stove, Into the Fire

Once the MLB season ended I started paying attention to the movement of players, with a lot of talk around some huge names moving around. Today was probably the biggest free agent day that I can remember in a long time.

I have to say, it's nice to have an offseason where the Red Sox and Yankees aren't heavily involved to drive up the price/end up signing every single major free agent, so the quiet on that front is great, but we've seen a couple other teams drop major money the past week or so in Miami and Los Angeles/Anaheim.

I'll be honest from the get-go: I hate the Marlins. I'm still bitter about 2003. But they've made some good moves this week in getting Jose Reyes and yesterday, Mark Buehrle. You now have a legit leadoff hitter (when he's healthy and gives a crap) and a workhorse who will give you 200 innings and at least 10 wins. I'm a Cubs fan, but I've always respected Mark Buehrle, and it'll be weird seeing him in different colors next season. Is Miami now the favorite in the NL East? Not by a long shot. The Phillies are still the team to beat (assuming Ryan Howard's Achilles is okay), and the Braves are right behind them. While we're at it, don't forget about Washington with a healthy Steven Strasburg for all of 2012.

Meanwhile, the Angels came out of nowhere to get the biggest name in free agency in one Albert Pujols. I'll have more on him in a minute. But the Angels also shored up their rotation with C.J. Wilson from the Rangers. Wilson finished in the top 10 in several major categories in the AL last year (wins, IP, ERA, K's), and any team would have been lucky to get him. Pairing him with Jered Weaver and Dan Haren gives you a great 1-2-3 in your rotation. The balance of power has definitely shifted a bit in the AL West, though with Texas talking about moving closer Neftali Feliz to the rotation lessens the blow the Rangers took.

Now let's talk Pujols. As a Cubs fan, it was a possibility that would have been kinda fun to see: the best player on your archrival team changing sides and coming over. That being said, I didn't want Pujols. Best hitter in baseball or not, at age 31 going on 32, you don't want to sign him to a 10 year deal, especially one paying $250 million (unless you obscenely front-load the deal, screwing yourself over for those first couple years in the process). And the Cardinals should be glad that they get to save the money from Pujols and maybe get a couple other good players for him.

This would be where Cardinal fans start talking about the value of Pujols, and not in dollars. I've already seen comparisons to The Decision from last year, with some fans already burning Pujols jerseys. The difference here is that I picture Pujols as a classier guy than 2010 LeBron. There was no heart-wrenching televised special of his decision, and I would hope he called the Cardinals' brass before signing. But what we need to remember is that professional sports are a business, and favorite players will come and go.

That doesn't mean fans can't be sad about it, but they need to understand both sides. Albert won 2 World Series in St. Louis, and it's not like he's going to a team with no shot of winning. And if more money was his priority, fair enough. Though the ESPN experts may have been onto something: they cited the Matt Holliday signing as a problem, since Albert wasn't the main focus that year. Did he feel a bit betrayed? Maybe. But he left St. Louis with a perfect on-field memory: winning a title.

I've seen Pujols play in person 5 times, and it's been an honor to see him play. His numbers in those 5 games:

.400/.550/1.133, 3 HR, 5 RBI


Take into account 2 of those homers came in one game back in 2009, but those seem about par for one of the best hitters in the game over a 5 game sample. My dad and my brother saw him get his 2000th career hit this year and I'm pretty sure were giving Pujols the ovation along with every other fan in attendance.

When it's all said and done, Pujols will end up coming back to St. Louis at least once (barring injury, thanks to interleague play). It's hard to project the exact reaction when he bats for the first time, but I would hope he gets an ovation as a thank you for all the memories in his 11 seasons as a Cardinal. And when he retires, I'm sure the team and city will welcome him back with open arms, retire #5, and see him wearing Cardinal red when he goes to Cooperstown.

Albert, from this Cubs fan, while I hated seeing you destroy Cubs pitching year after year, I do thank you for playing a part in a historic rivalry, wish you luck on the West Coast, and pray that the NL Central's balance of power continues to shift with Prince Fielder coming to the North Side to hit 45 home runs a year for a few years.

Game Notes: Lake Forest College @ North Central College (12/6/11)

Final Score
NCC 66, LFC 55

Summary
Probably their best game of the season that I've been to so far. The Cardinals (5-3) jumped out to an early 18-7 lead and never really looked back. The Foresters (4-3) did get within 2 early in the 2nd half, but the Cards were able to pull away late, leading by as much as 15. The defense was fantastic tonight; players switched extremely well on screens, and there weren't a whole lot of easy shots taken by Lake Forest. Rebounding was about even, and the Cardinals shot well enough other than at the line (18-30 for the game after starting 3-8).

Key Stats

• Jenny Swanson (NCC): 4-10 FG (all 3PT), 14 pts, 2 ast. She hit her first two 3's of the game then cooled off, but she was open most of the time when she shot. Would help to see her drive and dish a little more, but she made the most of her opportunities, especially on passes from Helen Muleya. 
• Emily Murphy (NCC): 6-12 FG, 1-3 FT, 13 pts, 4 reb (2 off). She's turning into the biggest low-post threat for the Cardinals, though she hasn't had many opportunities to receive entry passes. If she works on posting up, she can turn into the sort of player who can score 15 a night. To her credit though, she was in perfect position for a couple of easy shots off baseline drives on back to back plays.
• Sam Schuring (LFC): 3-11 FG 1-2 3PT, 1-2 FT, 8 pts, 2 reb, 3 ast, 2 stl. Coming into tonight's game, Schuring was averaging 14.5 points, 4 boards, almost 4 assists and 3 steals per game. All those averages went down after tonight. She was kept in check by fantastic defense by the Cardinals.

Finals Thoughts
I looked up stats for Lake Forest earlier this afternoon to see how good they were, and I saw they forced an average of 22 or 23 turnovers per game. They employed a full-court press that answered all the questions. North Central did a great job breaking the press and only turned it over 16 times tonight (several of them traveling calls). The offense was about 50/50 between good ball movement and open looks and the Clogged Toilet offense. They're looking better as the season goes on, and should be in decent shape come conference play. They take the court again Friday against Dubuque.