Back from brief hiatus

It's amazing how quick the days go by. I blogged Sunday, was off Monday, the game was Tuesday and it's Wednesday already now.

Anyway, last night's game:

I think coach is right, there's no one that people associated with the program root harder for than Joe, because he's among the nicest kids on the planet and a hard worker. Also, having someone make outside shots helps open up the inside (with Kenny, Marcus and Dave providing the opposite, opening up the outside.)

A good win (a NEEDED win) against a team CCSU matched up well with. We'll see how they respond Sunday. Another win could get the ball rolling a bit.

When Central plays defense, good things happen. When the Devils run, better things happen. When they rebound, great things happen. That's the key to the rest of the season right there.

A quick thought on some stuff I read around the Blue Devil Nation in the last couple of days: Fans have a tendency to look at things in snapshots and not big picture. You can't possibly judge what the team is going to be before Thanksgiving. It just doesn't work.

Football is a week-to-week, do or die kind of sport. Basketball, like baseball, is a process. Especially at this level, when, and this isn't what some people are going to want to hear from what I read, the conference season is everything.

Would it have been nice if Central had won those two games it lost at the buzzer? Yes. Is it the difference between a 16 in March and a 12? No. Now, you don't want to lose all your non-league games or you'll be on the way to Dayton, but a bad week doesn't make or break the season.

With that said, and as I think I said about the football team when this came up, it's a complete insult to everyone involved to even imply that CCSU isn't trying to win its non-league games. Of course they tried to beat Colgate... the kid made a shot (with two defenders near him I might add). And how can it be said that they weren't trying when they came from 18 down with 15:30 left to take the lead on the road at Albany? The kids were HEARTBROKEN after that game. I saw it in their faces as they left the locker room.

Say they should have played better. Rip the coaching if you want (though you'd be out of your mind). But don't ever, ever say that CCSU treats the non-conference games as glorified practices, because it's not true. I've seen too many hard-fought games not to know better.

As for the Baskerville question: He was battling a foot problem early in the year, and there's also a numbers game up front. Marcus can score, Dave can rebound, Hall has earned time and Horton is probably the best player in the league. There's not a lot of room right now for too many bench players, though know this: No one's spot is safe. You'll see guys play and not play as the year goes and how they go.