Notes and Thoughts from this past week

- It was noted on this Forum that a lot of fouls were called in the Pinky at BG game on Friday and it was unusual because Moe B. was one of the referees who has a reputation of "letting the players play." The amount of fouls called didn't surprise me. You had the 2 best frontcourts in Class L going at each other. There's also animated personalities involved with both frontcourts. Referees do have a pre game talk before any game where they talk about rules, coverage and the teams involved. Referees do follow the standings and do know players, coaches and personalities. I'm sure keeping control on the physical play in the paint was known to the referees on Friday at the Colligidome a/k/a the Hornet's Nest.

- Speaking of the Hornet's Nest there were no nests that were stirred up on Friday. BG and Pinky were on their best behavior and the fouls called in the 1st period might have something to do with that. The referees have to be given credit for keeping the hornet's nests quiet.

- You have to love NH Hoops. I know he's been away from the HS basketball blogging world for some time, but there he is on Friday chumming up to Moe B for a few minutes on the court before tip off of the Pinky-BG game. Just 2 days before I sat in front of him at the Dover at Memorial game. He incessantly whined, cried and complained about the refereeing in the game. At half time I had to move to sit with other associates in another section of the Crusader gym. NH Hoops and ChiKid should form a new group called: Referee Whiners Anonymous.

Some interesting things that were said on WGAM's recap show from Feb. 20th:

David Madol outscored Alvrine in the first half of Friday's game 17 - 15.

Pete Tarrier is not sold on Madol being a D1 player. When the question of Madol being a D1 player was posed to Coach Keefe he responded with a politically correct answer that concluded with Keefe saying "it would be up to Madol to decide if he's a D1 player."

Mike Romps said:
- In the last 2 weeks Dover has had a more rounded offensive attack and relied less on the 3's.

- His father gave him advice a while ago to play more kids and develop a stronger team for the playoffs. The development of sophomore Jarell Mejia has taken place during this time. His father told him to suffer a loss or two trying to develop other players to get deeper in the regular season to be a more rounded playoff ready team. Like a good son that listens to his father, Romps did.

- Dover had not had 1 game where Faustino and Al-Darraji played a good offensive game together until the big victory over Winnacunnet. These 2 players combined for 31 points in the Winny victory.

- He wouldn't mind having 2 playoff games on the road because he feels Dover plays well on the road. Dover is 5-2 in road games this season.

All the coaches interviewed had the same theme of saying their teams were striving to develop 10 to 14 points from their bench, so they could have more weapons in the playoffs. One of the teams that's been doing it the best of late is Trinity. They recieved 15 points from Hamel, Descoteaux and Viscarello on Friday in their 53 - 31 victory over Alvrine. BTW- these 3 players are soph, fresh and soph respectively. Coach Keefe has done a good job of blending youth with experience to have a very fortified attack come playoff time.

This is just a casual observation for BG basketball. I get the frenzied sub pattern, full court pressure and offensive get up and go attack of the Cardinals. I have seen them against Dover, Merrimack and Pinkerton. This was a healthy sampling of BG basketball for my hoop consumption. These have been the 5 best players I've seen for BG in those games:

Pyzocha, Cuipa, McClung, Green and St. Lawrence. I couldn't tell you how many shifts those 5 were actually playing together, because to figure out the BG substitution pattern would be like trying to figure out Tom Cruise's beliefs in the Church of Scientology. I know if these 5 are on the court at the same time it would pose matchup headaches for any team in Class L. Pyzocha does a nice job at point and can score. Cuipa is a solid shooter. The Big 3 does what the Big 3 does. I'm not trying to say this should be BG's starting lineup. I'm just saying they have been the most impressive Cardinals to me when they've played 3 of the top 7 teams in Class L.

I also want to alleviate any fears that T & F and ChiKid were at odds in their sparkling debate over refereeing over in the Class I section. We have had a few puffs on the Texting Peace Pipe and our worlds are back to the right rotation. There is no truth to the rumor we were scheduled to do a boxing match to settle our refereeing differences at UNH between the Class I and Class L Championships on Saturday March 20th.

I learned how T and F's world is set in stone both on the ref front and the High School front when he turned down the chance to see several division 1 players and two games at New Hampton for a Memorial vs Spaulding game.
Some are just scared to elevate their blogging games and get out of their comfort zone.

Chicken!

You've still got 100 posts to go ChiKid to get the kind of Forum-Cred that T&F's got

I will never catch the T and F'er! Know way to catch him when every post a go with he argues my insight of the game and the the insight of the referee's in different post. He will always be the man!

ChiKid calling me chicken?

I guess our boxing match is back on schedule at UNH between the I and L Championship games.

Tully: Are the Central girls still on with Londonderry Monday night? Are the Central boys still on for Wed. night with Londonderry?

If so, what time and where?

Not sure what that came from but my post was to say I would never catch you in total post since you respond to every post I make. I cannot doubt your bravery, your sanity sometimes sure. lol

Central/londenderry Girls are playing Monday 5:30 JV/ 7:00 Varsity as for the Boys I heard they are playing on Weds March 3rd do to a players being away on vacation this week.

Also... Tuesday is a quadruple header at CHS who will be hosting West.

Girls JV start at 2:00
Boys JV start at 3:30
Girls Varsity Senior Night 5:00
Boys Varsity Blood Match 6:30

I think... something like that.... I'll post confirmation prior to game.

Sounds like a great night of basketball and celebration for Central basketball at the Simon Gym. Should be special when Walker and Bakolas are recognized.

I believe I heard the CHS/WHS Varsity games are at 5:30 and 7:00

I was told games started at 2:00 and then went at the regular intervals... which makes sense in that we do our Tuesday games at 6:30 this year.... BUT where it's vacation.... don't know.

I did put in a text to the AD and will post confirmed info upon receipt.

***According to our website it is 5:30 and 7:00 which is better for me... I will confirm, however, and report. Especially because the other games do start at 2:00 and with the extra time in between.... people could shoot for 7:00 only to find the game started earlier...

7:00 Varsity games always start early. when the JV game ends they put 12 to 15 minutes on the clock and then it's tip off time. There is no consideration given for a 7:00 pm start. If the JV game ends at 6:30 to 6:35 then the Varsity game will start at 6:45 to 6:50 pm.

Agreed... but the JV games start at 2:00 and 3:30

so there's an even larger gap between the varsity games starting at 5:30 and 7:00

However, there are quite a few seniors on the girls team so that could take a little while

I think the gap between the second JV game and the first Varsity game is there to insure that the 5:30 will start on time in the event that one the JV games runs late (OT, excessive fouls, etc.). I have been to many Central triple headers and the first game always starts 3:30. The girls varsity game does not start until 5:30 no matter when the 3:30 game ends.

A very sad night for Coach Wenners coming to the realization those Seniors won't be in the program next year. A lot of wins for those Seniors over the last 4 years for the Little Greenettes.

Dover Girls beat Memorial 58-50 tonight in Dover