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Post by Tom on Apr 15, 2020 14:25:53 GMT -5
We should also temper expectations because the Bucknell board told us so. I think we should temper our expectations because once again we are relying on a ton of freshmen. Major contributions from freshmen are a wonderful bonus. If you need to rely on that, you're in trouble. Hopefully not 3-29 trouble, but still in trouble Right now it looks like next year's squad will lose fewer than 29 games. For starters, I'm not sure they're going to play 29 games
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Post by Non Alum Dave on Apr 15, 2020 14:45:45 GMT -5
I don't think Joe P. spends much time worrying about offending opponents either. Fine by me.
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Post by hchoops on Apr 15, 2020 15:29:24 GMT -5
The best stare downs (and much more) were by Mike Vicens.He was not liked by opponents either. What a player! The stare downs and big plays delighted the Crusader fans and infuriated opponents. Here's another tidbit on Mike. He, along with classmates Chris Potter and Bob Landes, may be the only Crusaders to play on four 20-win teams. Fr Earl Msrkey ,Togo and Perry played freshman ball when we had 20 wins for the 4 years they were at HC
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Post by newfieguy74 on Apr 15, 2020 16:09:46 GMT -5
bison137-- I, for one, value your contributions to our board. That puts you in a distinct minority at this point. I think most posters felt that way 10 years ago but his “smartest guy in the room” and “disappear whenever Bucknell loses or someone points out he was wrong about something” act has definitely worn thin with many. Most are just too nice to say it outside of private conversations. Rarely do I go on the message boards of other PL schools but I went on Bucknell's a few minutes ago and someone commented something like: "with HC's high school size arena you wonder how it affects recruiting." High school size arena? What am I missing?
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Post by sarasota on Apr 15, 2020 16:14:33 GMT -5
I believe the dimension's of THE PLAYING COURT are the same at Bucknell as at the Hart.
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Post by KY Crusader 75 on Apr 15, 2020 16:51:14 GMT -5
That puts you in a distinct minority at this point. I think most posters felt that way 10 years ago but his “smartest guy in the room” and “disappear whenever Bucknell loses or someone points out he was wrong about something” act has definitely worn thin with many. Most are just too nice to say it outside of private conversations. Rarely do I go on the message boards of other PL schools but I went on Bucknell's a few minutes ago and someone commented something like: "with HC's high school size arena you wonder how it affects recruiting." High school size arena? What am I missing? Bucknell has a very nice venue with capacity a little bit greater than HC's.
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Post by rgs318 on Apr 15, 2020 16:55:21 GMT -5
Would that make Bucknell's gym a slightly larger high school arena?
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Post by Ignutz on Apr 15, 2020 19:41:36 GMT -5
The best stare downs (and much more) were by Mike Vicens. He was not liked by opponents either. Rumor has it several people will confirm that. He was despised by opponents, especially those that we’d previously faced - and MOST especially by players and fans to the south on Rt 146 and to the east on Rt 9. It was awesome.
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Post by Crucis#1 on Apr 15, 2020 22:08:42 GMT -5
Rumor has it several people will confirm that. He was despised by opponents, especially those that we’d previously faced - and MOST especially by players and fans to the south on Rt 146 and to the east on Rt 9. It was awesome. The Ultimate Stare Down was against PC. I am sure that the members of the PC Friars hoop team that participated in the ECAC final game in the Hartford Civic Center in 1977 would agree. Mike’s 180 degree slam dunk while staring down Bob M., was “Epic”. I hope someone can find the game in the archives and post on utube. For those who have not seen that dunk, it was the all time in competition Monster Jam. For all of us in attendance wearing purple we almost caused the roof of the Hartford Civic Center to collapse 10 months before the January 1978 fiasco. A replay of that game should be shown to the team at the first day of practice and be enforced that this is the way HC basketball must be played. and executed!
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Post by Xmassader on Apr 15, 2020 22:47:15 GMT -5
Crucis#1 In 54 yrs. of watching HC hoops, that may have been my favorite game—cinching an NCAA berth for the first time in 21 yrs. vs. one of our top rivals...and without two starters-Ronnie Perry and John O’Connor. You may recall that with about 8 minutes to go Providence went up by 7 on a dunk by Cooper with accompanying whooping and hollering. HC clawed its way back and then Miguel picked Misevicius’ pocket and broke away down court. He could have laid the ball in or dunked it facing the basket. Instead, he did the thunderous reverse over the head dunk that you recounted...sending the Friars the appropriate message. The tide turned with that play and then Chris hit the big shot to win it.
Vicens’ dunk was probably my favorite single play of my time watching HC hoops and he is certainly one of my favorite players. There have been a few (not many) players in those 54 yrs. who may have been better than him but none (perhaps other than Keith Hochstein) who could match his toughness and intensity.
Vicens’s dunk must have been one of George Blaney’s favorite plays of all time as well. He had a framed still picture of it in his office for years.
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Post by KY Crusader 75 on Apr 15, 2020 22:56:23 GMT -5
I love the inside info on Coach Blaney having the picture on his wall. I was there (at the game, not in Coach's office) and can confirm that the Crusader faithful absolutely exploded. It was a sensational play just when we needed one. Surely we have a film of that game somewhere in the archives
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Post by hc89 on Apr 16, 2020 6:47:04 GMT -5
I love the inside info on Coach Blaney having the picture on his wall. I was there (at the game, not in Coach's office) and can confirm that the Crusader faithful absolutely exploded. It was a sensational play just when we needed one. Surely we have a film of that game somewhere in the archives Not the game film, but here is NYT article on the game:
Last Shot by Holy Cross Upsets Providence, 68‐67
By Gordon S. White Jr. Special to The New York Times March 6, 1977
HARTFORD, March 5—Chris Potter, a young man who grew up in the Bronx and attended Cardinal Spellman High School there, got Holy Cross into the National Collegiate Athletic Association basketball championship tournament today.
The 6‐foot‐8‐inch junior scored on an 18‐foot jump shot with five seconds remaining to give the Crusaders a 68‐67 upset victory over Providence in the final of the Eastern College Athletic Conference New England playoff. The N.C.A.A. berth goes automatically to the victor, so Holy Cross will be making its first appearance in the national tourney since 1956. The Crusaders won the N.C.A.A. title in 1947.
At‐Large Opportunity
Providence, the highest‐ranked team in the East before today's game, will long remember Potter—for he also hit on a similar shot at the buzzer to beat the Friars by 2 points last December. Holy Cross, which has a 23‐5 won‐lost record, thus has handed Providence two of its four losses so far this season. The Friars have won 24 games.
Providence could still receive a bid to the N.C.A.A. tournament as an atlarge entry. The Friars were ranked eighth in the country last week, and the feeling was that if either Providence or Syracuse lost in their respective E.C.A.C. playoffs they would still get to the national tourney. The N:C.A.A. will make its selections tomorrow.
Coach George Blaney of Holy Cross said, “Absolutely, Providence should get into the N.C.A.A.”
Coach Dave Gavitt of Providence said, “I just hope so.”
There is always the National Invitation Tournament, if all else fails. Connecticut kept its hopes alive for an berth by beating Fairfield, 72‐66, in the consolation game here today at the Hartford Civic Center. Tony Hanson led Connecticut with 36 points.
Not only did Holy Cross upset Providence in a thrilling game with an exciting finish, but the Crusaders did it without their spectacular freshman, Ronnie Perry, who averaged 23 points a game through the first 25 games of the season. Perry suffered torn leg ligaments and a severe sprained ankle against Boston University two weeks ago and came to today's game on crutches.
But Potter made Crusader folks forget about Perry—for the time being, at least. One of two Crusaders to play all 40 minutes against the Friars today, Potter became the game's high scorer (with 20 points) on that winning shot. Joe Hassett had 19 points for Providence.
Providence wisely played a zone defense most of the time, knowing Holy Cross has one good outside shooter—Perry. Without him, the Crusaders had to try to work patiently to get inside or find an open man, which they did just enough to stay close. And then, with 52 seconds to go and Providence leading by a point, the whole game was decided by the way Holy Cross worked the ball.
A Second Chance
Hassett had just dropped two free throws to put the Friars in front, 67‐66. The Crusaders took time out to arrange their attack and then brought the ball up to maneuver around the zone. Finally, Mike Vicens took a jump shot and missed. But the Crusaders were lucky as Providence fumbled the rebound over the base line.
Given another chance, Holy Cross worked the ball around the zone again, playing with it on the strong side. Potter broke through the foul lane to be alone on the weak, or left side. The ball was passed to him and he didn't hesitate in jumping for the biggest game‐winning shot in his life.
This even left the Holy Cross fans in the capacity crowd of 11,264 stunned for a moment. But they were screaming by the time Providence called time and planned its last play. Little Dwight Williams of the Friars threw in the ball to Bob Misevicius, who was to pass it back to Williams for a fast driving layup down an open middle. But the return pass was fumbled, the ball went out of bounds and Holy Cross was headed for the N.C.A.A. tournament for the first time in 21 years.
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Post by HC92 on Apr 16, 2020 9:04:40 GMT -5
Probably the last good thing to happen in Hartford.
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Post by joutsHC77 on Apr 16, 2020 10:04:34 GMT -5
He was despised by opponents, especially those that we’d previously faced - and MOST especially by players and fans to the south on Rt 146 and to the east on Rt 9. It was awesome. The Ultimate Stare Down was against PC. I am sure that the members of the PC Friars hoop team that participated in the ECAC final game in the Hartford Civic Center in 1977 would agree. Mike’s 180 degree slam dunk while staring down Bob M., was “Epic”. I hope someone can find the game in the archives and post on utube. For those who have not seen that dunk, it was the all time in competition Monster Jam. For all of us in attendance wearing purple we almost caused the roof of the Hartford Civic Center to collapse 10 months before the January 1978 fiasco. A replay of that game should be shown to the team at the first day of practice and be enforced that this is the way HC basketball must be played. and executed!
Absolutely!!
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Post by hchoops on Apr 16, 2020 12:19:27 GMT -5
Back to Luth Here is an interesting connection
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Post by rgs318 on Apr 16, 2020 12:28:51 GMT -5
Next door to Springfield? I guess in Canada distance is viewed differently.
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Post by sarasota on Apr 16, 2020 13:33:52 GMT -5
When I lived in Springfield, The Mullins Center was a hop skip & a jump.
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