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Post by GBPhoenix1 on Feb 18, 2014 18:12:16 GMT -6
In the Wardle era GB is 3-5 against Valpo. The average margin of victory is 6 and the average margin of defeat is 10. Four of the games have been decided by 10 points or more (GB is 1-3 in these games) and the other four were decided by 3 points or less (GB is 2-2 in these games).
Over on the valpo fan board they are pretty confident. They have won four straight against GB. All of them have hurt. First conference loss this year by 15. HL semi finals by 1 based on a buzzer beater 3 pointer. Last season by 19 on senior night in a game that could have given GB a bye in the HL tournament. Last season by 12 on the road. So I guess I can see why they are confident. Although I don't understand the fan who wants them to bang Brown around so that he plays on the perimeter more. If anything that would help GB as it should pull one of their bigs away from the hoop.
So with it being senior night and a chance to clinch the HL regular season crown it will be an anxious night for many Phoenix fans. I do have to say that these last two games were tremendous with their backs against the wall. A defensive effort like those might really slow down Valpo. Not to mention that having Greg, Alec and Zo playing gives GB three big guys who can pull their bigs out from the hoop. I don't think they can stop the inside game if they have to guard the outside game as well. I would expect that Jordan doesn't have to force the issue like he did at their place, that should help.
A team that is focused again, coming off some rest and having a lot to play for. It could be a fun night.
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Post by thetulsawarrior on Feb 18, 2014 18:26:49 GMT -6
Can you imagine the emotions Alec will have entering the Valpo game? This should be a can't miss game for any serious college basketball fan in NE Wisconsin.
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Post by stillaphoenixphan on Feb 19, 2014 8:56:43 GMT -6
Looking forward to the Phoenix making another statement against a team that's been very rough on them the last couple of years. Valpo is flying into GB so no chance of them being fatigued and shows how important they are taking the game Thursday. This game maybe decided by FT's so let's shoot for 75% tomorrow. Yes the Valpo board is very confindent of a win. But we have gotten better and with Mckinnie getting closer I think it's a GB's to win. There are alot of keys but being in GB is the biggest one. Go Phoenix and secure 1st place Thursday. In Thursday's GBPG www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20140219/GPG020101/302190463/Men-s-basketball-UWGB-hopes-clinch-Horizon-title-homeUpdated from Valpo Valparaiso update: The Crusaders beat UW-Milwaukee 77-62 on Saturday. Senior guard LaVonte Dority led Valpo with 19 points, while senior guard Jordan Coleman had his first career double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds. ... Valpo has gone 4-2 on the road in league play and has won four of its past five. Under Drew, the team has gone 17-6 in conference games on the road. ... The Crusaders' five freshmen have combined for 42.2 percent of the team's minutes played this season. Three of the five -- Jubril Adekoya, Alec Peters and Lexus Williams -- have played every game and are averaging at least 19 minutes. ... Valpo is averaging 74.9 points per game and allowing 67.6. ... The team is shooting 47.6 percent overall, 37.7 percent on 3s and 73.9 percent from the line.
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Post by shooting the J on Feb 20, 2014 13:27:19 GMT -6
Valparaiso (16-11, 8-4) @ Green Bay (21-5, 11-2) When: Thursday, 7:00 Where: The Resch Center, Green Bay Streaming: Horizon League Network
This is the day we've all been waiting for. The Phoenix can clinch the Horizon League Title tonight. Extra sweet that they can do it in front of the home fans.
It doesn't worry me a bit that Valpo has won 4 straight. They won't have Broehkoff, Van Wilk, Kenney, Boggs, Bogan, or Buggs. That team is history, this is a new year, our year. Valpo hasn't faced Alec Brown yet this year. Slow Levonty Dority tonight and it's the Nix to win. Dority has been awesome of late, suddenly playing at a Keifer Sykes level.
GB pounded a 1st place Valpo team 2 years ago in a late season game at the Resch. I look for more of the same tonight. Should be a party afterward. Go Phoenix!
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Post by stillaphoenixphan on Feb 20, 2014 21:18:40 GMT -6
A hard fought win. Except for a 4-5 min. in the first half when we got up 12-2. Then we started shooting jump shots and Valpo went on a 12-3 run. That keep the 1st half close. Solid game and we really attacked the basket in the 2nd half. FT shooting was fantastic at 88%. Great job men, we get to see Alec and the team play in GB again. Nice to see McKinnie being able to play 16 min. Double double by Jordan on points and rebs. Alec missed it he needed 2 more blocks ended with 8 that would have been a hard dbl dbl lol. McKinnie had 3 in only 16 min. and Lowe also had 1 so I think we're ok for next year, but still need a 6'10"-7' guy recruited to get into next years mix. sports.yahoo.com/ncaab/valparaiso-crusaders-green-bay-phoenix-201402200652/I got a kick out of the younger couple sitting behind me at the game. They were from the GB area but she was wearing Valpo yellow and he was wearing everyday clothes, no school colors. About midway through the 2nd half he turned to her and said, boy I'm really impressed with that #24 guy. We'll have to come back for some playoff games he's really worth watching. It was right after 1 of his 2 slam dunks, like he never expected a guy his size to be able to dunk a ball. I wanted to turn around and say that's his 13th this year but I'm not sure how many he does have?
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Post by GoPanthers33 on Feb 20, 2014 21:46:58 GMT -6
Congrats on the win and Regular Season championship guys.
I'd be very surprised if you're not dancing in March.
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Post by shooting the J on Feb 20, 2014 22:09:26 GMT -6
Great game by 2 talented teams. Great job by Coach Wardle once again pushing all the right buttons down the stretch. A blast seeing 4 years of work by Coach Wardle, his outstanding staff, and the talented players come to its culmination. It was an electric atmosphere tonight, a night that ending with cutting down the nets. Great work Phoenix!
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Post by GBPhoenix1 on Feb 21, 2014 7:04:47 GMT -6
After a drive home and a night of sleep it still feels good to have this win. The guys really earned this. They kept a focus all year and when things got tough this season they really bounced back. I like the quotes from Alec and Keifer, they understand this isn't the big prize and that they have work to do.
I am going to the games in Detroit next weekend, it feels good to know that I don't have to be nervous.
I didn't see the pregame ceremony but credit to Vince during and after the game. It would be really easy for him to shut down and instead he was an emotional leader on the bench and he really seemed happy walking around the arena after.
What a game from Al McKinnie. He did a little of everything. Can you imagine if he was healthy this whole season? With the 4 big guys Valpo didn't have an answer of the entire 40 minutes. GB was able to keep pushing every time Valpo made a run.
I think we can close the book on Lavonte Dority being in the conversation for player of the year in the league. He hit 3 shots. One when Findlay fell down after initially denying him. One where two bigs didn't rotate over on a screen that Sykes was hung up in. The other I don't remember. What I do remember was Jordan Fouse denying him all over the court the rest of the game, what an effort. What I do remember is Dority taking a cheap foul on Sykes late in the game.
The defense was great despite the Valpo fans thinking we had home cooking from the refs. Our guys were ready and their set plays couldn't generate a lot of open looks.
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Post by Fanforever on Feb 21, 2014 9:21:58 GMT -6
Was an amazing feeling last night wathcing them clinch the conference title and brought back great memories when I went to school at Green Bay. So happy for the players and coaching staff to pull together and win the league. Now they have the tournament to prepare for and with a healthy Zo, they should be well positioned.
The defense that Love and Fouse play is fun to watch. You can see they really take defense seriously which shows character and heart.
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Post by GBPhoenix1 on Feb 21, 2014 10:35:57 GMT -6
I forgot to mention this before. I was really annoyed at the 8 or 12 minute timeout in the second half. Valpo was questioning something that the officials looked in to and then denied them. Bryce tried to storm past the officials and go to scorer’s table but had to be pushed back. At the same time some little dude on the Valpo radio broadcast jumps up and starts running to the scorer’s table yelling and pointing. He gets sent back to his seat an yells at the officials and pounds his hands on the padded table top. So anyone claiming Valpo didn’t get a call is missing that they avoided what should have been two technical fouls right there. Oh and they are also missing that maybe the second best shot blocking team in the country did what they do…block shots. For goodness sake Coleman blew a wide open fast break for fear that his shot would be blocked.
Speaking of which GB missed 5 bunnies as well. The margin of victory should have been 20 or more.
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Post by Nix on Feb 21, 2014 12:27:46 GMT -6
Bummed out I couldn't be there for the game. But it's absolutely surreal.
Will definitely be purchasing tickets to the 2nd round and Semis, come Monday morning.
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Post by gbbrl97 on Feb 21, 2014 12:29:43 GMT -6
Hopefully with Garrett's return to the rotation, we'll get some depth back at guard. Keif and Love have been playing a lot of minutes the past few games.
It's good to see a conference championship again at GB.....and at least an NIT bid if GB can't close the deal. I hope we won't have to visit that scenario.
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Post by Nix on Feb 21, 2014 12:52:40 GMT -6
There were only 3564 people there last night?
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truth
New Member
Posts: 34
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Post by truth on Feb 21, 2014 14:43:53 GMT -6
It was a great crowd.
Midweek game. High school basketball season with a lot of back-to-backs the next two nights because of previous cancellations.
But, most importantly, a severe weather storm with ice forecast. Freezing rain didn't happen, but it was an absolute downpour in 35-degree weather at night, with 45-mph winds forecast.
I thought it was a big crowd considering the miserable weather.
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Post by stillaphoenixphan on Feb 21, 2014 16:31:41 GMT -6
It was a great crowd. Midweek game. High school basketball season with a lot of back-to-backs the next two nights because of previous cancellations. But, most importantly, a severe weather storm with ice forecast. Freezing rain didn't happen, but it was an absolute downpour in 35-degree weather at night, with 45-mph winds forecast. I thought it was a big crowd considering the miserable weather. I agree I was disappointed but with the above menthioned it was a good and vocal crowd. I know our 7 season tickets were all used. I've been waiting a long time for this and wanted to be there. I don't think there were many Valpo fans because of the weeknight game, maybe 25. If it had been Saturday night they would have had 200-500 fans.
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