I have a question for the forumites.

As the teams continue to position themselves for the upcoming tournament, I found myself thinking of an interesting situation.

In my opinion the worst 2 spots in the tourny will be the 8/9 th seeds. The winner of that game has the unenviable task of playing Trinity at Trinity. Currently BG and Alvirne reside in those spots.

My question is this. If your a coach and you know by losing your last game your team wouldn't have to face Trinity until Durham, would you lose on purpose?

I think I would. I'd start my bottom 5 kids, tell them to give it their all.

I normally wouldn't do this, but I believe TRINITY is unbelievable at home. On the big floor I believe they can be exposed.

I realize I might be alone in this train of thought, but in this season where EVERYONE can be beaten, why not try to avoid Trinity for as long as possible.

Losing would give you the best chance of winning.

How demented am I?

For BG - could be a moot point if they win their last two - Merrimack/Salem. But I'll still play the game. A 10 seed plays #7 and #2 - currently Merri/Salem (who beat North) in order to get to Durham where they play the survivor of 3/6/11/14 (perhaps North/Pinky) before getting to Trinity. That "side" of the bracket is no picnic either. In order to reach Durham and possibly face Trinity in the semis - a 4/5 or 12/13 finish would be needed. The 12/13 teams are Memorial/Winni - teams that if points were the same the next tiebreaker would land BG at 11 playing North (currently).

So to answer your questions - yes you are demented and no - you never tell your team to lose because you don't believe you can beat another team. There's also something to be said for overconfidence. You also were there last year where if it wasn't for Joe, Spaulding would have beaten BG....

I thought Spaulding was the best team Guertin played in the playoffs last season.

I believe that if Spaulding played anyone else they would have made it to Durham.

.It is conceivable that BG loses both games next week and finishes 11th.

They win both they finish 7th.

They split and it's anybodies guess.

Trinity scares me at home. They blew BG out at Trinity.

I firmly believe there will be top 4 seeds losing on their homecourt in the playoffs.

I just don't think it will be Trinity.

Survive and advance is the mantra in the tournament. I don't feel any team has a chance to survive or advance playing Trinity at Trinity.

People know I am an odds guy.

A team's odds to win this thing greatly increases by staying out of the 8/9 slot this season.

If we're talking about professionals, yeah you manipulate it to get the best match up. With HS kids, I think that sends a bad message. Not sound all pious and annoying like Bob Costas, but even if you DO go to Trinity (or wherever) and lose, you can learn more about yourself, and your team, by playing the best on their floor and losing than tanking a game and hoping they lose so you miss them later,

Trinity is beatable if their kids have an off night shooting, I still believe that Carmen G is there best overall player, if you shut him down along with Keefe and Hamel you have a shot, it does not matter where you play them you are going to have beat them.

"I normally wouldn't do this, but I believe TRINITY is unbelievable at home. On the big floor I believe they can be exposed."
GNG


I'll respectfully disagree with GNG on this point. I think on a bigger floor Trinity is just as tough. Their 3 big men are all athletic and run the floor very well. With more space on an open floor Gabriel has more room to put his athleticism to good use. Gabriel can get a missed opponent's shot off the glass and quickly get into a Pioneers' numbers break. Sistare would have more room to operate the offense. I have seen Sistare get bodied and clogged up on the congested Trinity court. Sistare and Coach Keefe would welcome the extra space to let Sistare operate the offense without defensive congestion and get off his shot occaisionaly, which is a good one.

With a bigger floor Giampetruzzi and Hamel would get more space to knock down their outside shots. Let's not forget about Pat Keefe a/k/a NYC taxi cab driver. Check out the Trinity - Spaulding hilights and see how Keefe drove diagonally across the court into the paint, drove by 2 Red Raider defenders and exploded towards the rack from about 7 feet and finished his slash to the hoop. Imagine giving a NYC taxi driver a/k/a Pat Keefe less red lights and less defensive traffic on an open court to operate offensively.

One positive for a Trinity opponent on a bigger floor in the playoffs: More space to get off a medium range jumper or 3 attempt. It will still be tough to get paint points against Trinity on an open court. A team must take advantage of their better looks up at UNH and knock them down at a decent percentage to take down the Pioneers.

GNG,
Come on, to be the best you have to beat the best no backing in to championships!!!!!!
Whether you play them in their bandbox or at ancient Lundholm, you play them the same way.

Tell the officials to call the coaching box technical if Keefe goes on the floor. If he doesn;t you go on the floor like Keefe does.
Coach Keefe is a very good coach and emphasizes defense going sideline to sideline. You beat them the same way BG beat them twice last year. You shut down the guard play , like Remelard and Psocha did.
You go directly at them offensively causing their big guys to foul.
Physically you go through anything and anyone for a rebound, like Green did last year.
Use you depth and make it a track meet.

HOME COOKING- Top 4 teams records at home.
Merrimack 8-0 I didn't know that.
Trinity 8-1. No surprise there.
Spaulding. 7-1. If they get top 4 , they might get to Durham this season. Nobody wants the long ride out to Rochester.
Alvirne 7-1 I bet they would rather want to play North at home Tuesday, instead of on the road.

ROAD WARRIORS- Top 4 teams who will beat you at your place.
Trinity 6-1. Once again no surprise.
North 6-2. Their only blowout loss was early in the season to Trinity.
Salem 6-2.Tough kids whao play tough at home or on the road.
Central 6-2.The little green playing better on the road then at home.

HODOPHOBIA TEAMS- teams that fear travel

Memorial 3-7. That first game will be on the road Tully.
Alvirne. 3-5. A month ago I had them hosting 2 home games.
Merrimack 3-5. See Alvirne.
Spaulding 5-4. They better hope they host 2 games.

Instead of all this research shouldn't you be folding laundry or buying groceries to cook up a wonderful dinner for Mrs GNG on a beautiful Sunday?

You know I am an early riser. I went grocery shopping this morning, and I am helping with the laundry, and do this. I am what you call a multi tasker.




Plus I heard a rumor that you were doing a contest for the dance. Gotta have my info if I am going to enter. I would have thought you would have been happy that I am deciminating this info to the forum members.

NO chance I would start 5 bench players. It's an insult to your team, your starters, your bench players and your program. It's cowardly. NO coach in their right mind goes out and tries to lose a game, if you coach a sport, you know, it's not in your make-up. There is no team out there that is so dominate that they can't be beaten even on their home floor this year. I make that statement based on reading this forum and talking to guys like Dave Haley and a few Coaches around Div I. There's no Tyler Roche and the juggernaut that was Manchester Central 5 or 6 years ago. Anybody can be beat.

Trying to set yourself up by losing a game literally makes me want to puke. Think about how one of those starting 5 kids would feel...their coach has no faith in them. Then think about the bench guys who go out in practice EVERY DAY just trying to earn minutes...and you're going to give them those minutes with the intention of losing? I'd quit if I was either a starter or a bench player if my coach suggested that.

Justin - Spot on great comment.

GNG wrote: I would have thought you would have been happy that I am deciminating this info to the forum members.

I hope you meant disseminating (eg to provide inside information) rather than your conglomeration of decimating and disseminating

One other consideration - the last 2 games of the year are usually a Senior night for one team.... Imagine starting the 5 freshman on your bench over the seniors with their grandparents in attendance. That ought to make mom and dad really happy too!

My neighbor read my thread. He called me an evil genuis .

I said it was demented.

Whoever wins that 8/9 spot has a ZERO % chance of winning their next game. ZERO

I am not advocating it. I was trying to think outside the box.

I believe if you poll every d1 coach in the tourny they will all tell you the same thing. Stay away from Trinity until Durham.

GNG wrote:I believe if you poll every d1 coach in the tourny they will all tell you the same thing. Stay away from Trinity until Durham.

Agree - but poll every DI coach and ask them if they'd implement your plan and you will get the same answer from all of them.

I'm just hoping BG isn't 8th or 9th.