d_fense wrote:I guess I disagree with most of what Big Blue said. I don't think HCV can stick with FWM. HCV does have 2 good guards, but the strength of neither is ball handling or shooting, which will be a problem. I'm not saying Reed and Henningsgard are bad shooters or ball handlers. I think they are both about average in those areas. What makes them both good players is their strength, experience, confidence, and decision making. I do agree that HCV has pretty good size and an above average inside game. IMO what makes HCV a good team is they do work very hard on the defensive end of the court. The only issue that I have seen them have consistently on defense is getting back. Teams seem to have success leaking out on them and getting cheap layups. I don't think FWM will have an off night shooting because even if they struggle from deep, I think they will get a number of layups, and they will shoot them well.
Obviously any team can fall to another, even if the chances are small. Teams that I haves watched that I think could potentially beat FWM include St. John, Thompson, Milnor/North Sargent, and Northern Cass. Each of these teams has very strong guard play as far as handling pressure and controlling tempo. I have not witnessed Thompson shoot well enough from 3 to say that they could shoot like I think they would need to in order to beat FWM, but they have good enough athletes that I think they would have a chance. I have seen the other 3 I mentioned shoot well enough from deep to have a legitimate chance to beat FWM. I don't think any of the teams I mentioned would have a 50/50 chance, but I would not be surprised at all if any of them were to win.
Hinsa wrote:It did seem like FW-M got the short end of the stick more often than not on the 50-50 calls. I was tremendously impressed with their coach that he did not go raving mad and pick up a T when so many calls went against FW-M. HCV played a very physical game and it seemed to get FW-M off their game. FW-M did not match the physicality of HCV and ended up doing a lot of reaching with their hands. The officiating crew was definitely watching hands more than bodies.
The physicality also seemed to wear on McKay. He did not look smooth like his normal self until later in the 4th and by then it was too late. The Indians absolutely miss their inside threat from last year. The high post area was vacant most of the time and no one would flash in there and get that 10-footer in the lane. That's where they made a living last year was feeding the high post.
HCV matched the FW-M speed, quickness, and shooting, and then won the game with their defense and rebounding.
One thing needs to be said: that was an old-fashioned barn-burner of a game. The place was nearly full (they brought in some extra bleachers), the noise level was ear-splitting, players were showing emotion (positively, not whining or complaining), and after the game all people could say to each other was WOW! It was a tremendous game.
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