Written for your enjoyment by: Raff
I think that is the team we were expecting to see this season.
Mt. St. Mary's cruised to a 69-44 win at Knott Arena on Thursday Night, moving into three-way tie for seventh place and the all important eighth place spot and the final playoff berth with St. Francis PA and Sacred Heart. (Without checking the tiebreakers - I'm pretty sure the Red Flash would be seventh and the Mount 8th - based on records against the teams in the tie).
The Mount jumped to an early 6-0 lead and never really looked back. They fought off a little hiccup at the start of the second half, when Wagner which trailed 35-19 at the break was able to close within single digits. But the Mount regained its composure and Will Holland hit a key three-pointer right around the 11-minute mark which seemingly put the Mount back in control.
The Mount made 12 (of 23) three-pointers on the night as both Holland and Jean Cajou shot the ball well from distance. Cajou seems to have his feet underneath his jumper and that high-arching shot looks good leaving his hands. He was 4-for-6 from beyond the arc.
Granted Wagner - which lost for the 20th time - is not a very good basketball team. In fact, TJ Czeski might very well be the worst point guard to ever play at the Division I level. I can't think of anyone as bad. The Mount abused him with pressure all night, just as it did last year in both of the Seahawks trips to the ARCC. He is bad.
Michael Orock can be a force inside but was saddled with some early foul trouble - and Doug Elwell can shoot it a little bit, but this is not a good team. The Mount makes the return trip to Staten Island for a game over the weekend. So it was good that they didn't give Wagner any hope heading into that game. All the efforts are important in this conference battle down the stretch as the teams Race To Dayton.
The Mount also got some solid interior play from Shawn Atupem, Raven Barber and Tayvon Jackson off the bench. Jeremy Goode stuffed the stat sheet with 11 points, 4 assists, 3 steals and a couple of rebounds. Kelly Beidler struggled at the offensive end, but played hard, and his going to the floor near the end of the first half kept a loose ball alive and led to an eventual Cajou trifecta at the other end. Beidler seemed to get every rebound early and I thought he was going to end up with a Rodman-like line of 1 point - double digit rebounds - 3 steals and a pair of blocks, and two cheerleaders run over. But the boxscore I saw afterwards only had him with 8 boards.
This team has life down the stretch - and even though it has frustrated us for two and a half months - a wise man - or maybe it was I - once said - Tis better to be hot in February than December.
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Pretty well officiated game. Beidler looked lost on the offensive end, it was indeed the worst I have ever seen him, but I agree he never stopped hustling and his defense was great. Perhaps he should give up shooting anything but alley-oops?
ReplyDeleteI loved the entire game for all the reasons you summarized. Isn't it nice to see Barber and Wells starting to get rolling? It's just a glut up front with Shawn, Danny and Tayvon.
As far as officiating goes, I do not recall very many fouls called at all. Actually the refs missed a few calls both on the Mount and Wagners. Beidler played life he had another hangover. Goode still has played better during his freshman and sophomore years. I still did not see much talking and spark other than from Cajou- he lived up to his big 'leader' title didn't he. I wonder if Goode is getting a little jealous with all the attention on Cajou lately. As I hollered at Jean a few times when he was near, telling him 'Cmon show us that leader, hollering for him to stay on Martin- Goode was very near too and sort of glared up at me. Maybe it was nothing. It was kind of a boring game except for the antics of Mike Deane, lol. The big thing I was impressed with was the hustling all over the floor for the balls and Raven's big efforts to get the ball back after a miss. Finally seen a few smiles out of the usually stoic Barber. If we lose up there, then something clearly is not right- it would have to be paid off. Anytime we play smaller teams as Wagner we should go inside more. The only decent player Wagner has is Chris Martin and Cajou shut him down. As far as Orock- he is terrible, anytime he was contested he miss, only made shots when he was wide open. Danny looks so much like his brother Joey, seemed overwhelmed by Jeremy though. Beidler goes through lackadaisical streaks like this, him and the others got to cut down on smoking that weed and wait until April to do it.
ReplyDeleteRichard - a writer you're not, but I enjoy your spirit. However, your view of people and mind altering substances seems inevitably intertwined. Perhaps those wearing blue glasses must think all are blue?
ReplyDeleteHiya there Anonymous. A writer? Whether I am or...not is of no concern to me. For some reason my college professors must think that I have at least decent grammatical skills or else I am sure that I would receive sub-par grades. I have never received anything less than a B in any English course. No I do not go to Kaplan or Phoenix, but rather a private institution called Columbia College of Missouri(last year's NAIA b-ball runner up). Yes I do recognize that I make various typos. I attribute that to my lack of typing skills as well as emotions. I am a die hard big-time Mount fan.Other than the years of 2001 to 2005, I have only ever missed 3 Mount home games since the opening of Knott Arena. When I was below driving age, I even used to ride my bike in harsh blizzards and other weather just to get to the games. I have also gone to many away games, many that offered not many other Mount fans in attendance. In response to your mind altering substance remark, I will tell you the truth. I am a 16 years clean crack addict. Currently I drink a few now and then and take narcotic pain pills for the 5 surgeries that I have had since October of 2008- 15 months. I am a realist and I have no shame in admitting the truth. Over the years-I have attended many parties with various Mount teams in the dorms. I know what a lot of the players do as far as drugs and what not. Nothing is ever all or absolute so not all smoke weed or do other drugs but I know dag' well that a majority does. I do not care about my so called reputation or what others think of me- as long as I live my life real and not fake kissing up to be viewed as being better than I really am- then I am living my life awesomely. Blue colored glasses or whatever, if you think that none of the Mount or other basketball players across the nation do not do drugs like weed then you live in fantasyland. Simply put- what is-is- what is. Big deal. Until people show me different I will continue to have the same knowledge and philosophies. At least I admit my downfalls- quite contrary to majority of materialists in this country. Tony Little can take what I say to the bank also- because only certain people are good enough for him to talk to as I have learned. As for you- if you do not like what I say then it is quite alright, there are an infinite amount of differing opinions in this country for me to worry about what others like to hear from me or not. I am a realist, stay in dreamland and ignore me if you don't like it.
ReplyDeleteRichard -
ReplyDeleteI do not know who you are, and I certainly did not have any idea you once had a drug problem. I did notice your continual references to drugs and that is what prompted my prior comment. I do not feel at all vindicated that I was "right" with my suspicion, rather I sincerely wish you well in whatever you do.
Again, I applaud your spirit. We both have been Mount fans for a long time (I go back to 1956, before you were born).
I have also treated a ton of patients with more problems than you will ever know, so I am not at all a stranger to physical and psychological ailments. If this were a forum for catharsis, I could tell you my problems and bad deeds; things I have done that I am not proud of.
Finally, as a parent and mentor, please trust that I am not oblivious to the drug habits of today and of past generations.
But there is so much more to talk about in sports and in life. We need to explore ways of bringing out the best in each other as people, not just dwell on the difficulties.
So where I "don't agree with you" may simply be on your emphasis on the negatives. I prefer to find some good and balance my descriptions because, as you correctly have pointed out, "nothing is....absolute".
Hi Anonymous. I truly and highly appreciate your clarification. I just want to say thank you. Your response was very respectable. Email me anytime reclick1@cougars.ccis.edu. Or maybe even come and talk to me at a game sometime. I walk with a cane and sit in general admission row F- at the steps separating section 5 and gen adm. seats. Thanks bud.
ReplyDeleteI just wanted to tell everyone that views this site or has any affiliations with it that I am extremely sorry for the rude comments I made. I have been going through some rough times with my injuries and been in a lot of pain. Once again, I am very sorry.
ReplyDeleteHey, Richard. You are a person. Keep your faith and hopes going. Ain't no one more or less worthy than anyone else. We all will eventually realize we have troubles. Here's hoping yours become easier to tolerate as time passes.
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