"One does not accumulate but eliminate. It is not daily increase but daily decrease. The height of cultivation always runs to simplicity --Bruce Lee
"Action may not always bring happiness. But there is no happiness without action." --Benjamin Disraeli
There is nothing like the time of the year when teams get into the heart of their OAC schedule. Right about the 8 game mark, teams and players begin to get a good sense of where they are positioned, and where they will have to get to in order to be in the conversation for an OAC regular season championship.
The crappy teams have played themselves out of the race. The mediocre teams are at that sink or swim point, where a decision to committ 100% to the last 10 games has to be made or all will be lost. The top tier teams are really scoreboard watching. They are dying to see one of their rivals lose an OT game against Otterbein or catch Muskingum on a bad afternoon. When in reality, they should be making sure they are taking care of their own house.
Some of the better teams have already peaked, and they dont' even know it. I feel for those teams, as they will inevitably catch a couple tough losses that when they look back, they can only shake their heads and laugh it off.
The teams that win OAC regular season championships start playing their best basketball of the season right around this time. I think if you looked back at all the teams that have won it recently, you would see this trend. Sure, there have been some teams that I have been in the driver seat the whole way, like BW in '05 and Capital in '08. But I would venture to guess that most of the recent league winners had a great 7-1, 7-2, 6-0 game pushes to put themselves in a position to win a title.
Having said all that, there is still so much hoop to be played. There is gonna be that weekend where there is a two game swing in OAC records involving two contenders, and nights where the power players both lose, allowing teams that were once dead in the water right back into the mix. JUST ANOTHER NIGHT IN THE OAC.
POWER POLL:
Where should we go for Spring Break Teams:
10. Otterbein
9. Marietta
Caught up in the OAC Lifestyle:
8. Heidelberg
Now or Never:
7. Musky
6. BW
Sleeper (who are we kidding, they're done):
5. Mount Union
We Peaked and We Fade Every Year:
4. ONU
Dangerous:
3. John Carroll
Hungry:
2. Wilmington
We Might Luck Out and 3Peat
1. Capital
BW (-1.5) v. JCU (+1.5), Wednesday Night:
The streaks enter into the Ursprung Gym somewhat hot, having won 5 or 6 in a row. No question they will have their hands full tomorrow. JCU has struggled recently playing at BW and BW offers plenty of challenging players who are very capable.
No question John Carroll is a lot better than BW. They are bigger, faster, quicker stronger. It's hard to play well on the road on Wednesday nights, especially with school starting back up. I saw BW play earlier, and they have been up and down ever since. They are still adjusting to a new coach and the loss of two prominent 4 year journeymen who carried the team both physically and emotionally.
KEYS FOR CARROLL:
Don't be too anxious to go in there and blow them out from the get go. They stink. Your stronger, quicker and better. Play strong fundamental basketball the first 10 minutes. Don't reach. Don't bump hard. But let them know that your not gonna get tired and your gonna be in their shit for a long time. Run Kyle Brown off the 3 point line every time. Play him like he just picked up his dribble. Dont let Lou Tumblin get a couple rhythm shots early. A layup or one dribble pull-up early, and he could go for 20. 0-3 on his first 3 contested look and he'll go for an ugly 11. Santiago can go really fast, really hard left wing to left baseline. Be ready. Respect Andrew Bene's game on both ends. He's a proven player and a capable shot blocker. Capable with his back to the basket when he has time to figure out what move he's gonna do. Don't let Paul on the offensive Glass (funny huh). Watch for him taking charges. AND MOST OF ALL--BEAT THE CRAP OUTTA BOTH POINT GUARDS FOR 40 MINUTES. MAKE THEM MAKE EVERY IMPORTANT DECISION WITH THE BALL.
Make Denny and Kyle Brown defend. If they play a zone, just be ready to shoot and shoot with confidence. Run, run, run. Get out in the lanes and make solid fundamentally sound finishing moves.
Prediction: John Carroll 71 BW 60
Back Thursday for a St. Edward St. Ignatius Preview and Analysis
JCIII
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