Hardwood - Conference Forum: II 2

Post ID	Date & Time	Game Date

#15943	08/04/2021 2:05:19 pm	Oct 17th, 2020
eaquaphin Joined: 07/14/2018 Posts: 67 Texas A&M Aggies V.16	Nice work. Best of luck everyone

#16573	09/15/2021 2:42:26 pm	Mar 12th, 2021
jackiscind Joined: 08/05/2019 Posts: 7 Inactive	Crazy ending to the season. I guess my 13 game win streak stretch towards the end of the season fell just short. Congrats to all promoting and good luck to all in the tournament

#18264	03/22/2022 2:47:16 pm	Nov 2nd, 2024
Bridger Joined: 02/09/2018 Posts: 204 Huntington University Foresters I.1	Bridger’s 2024-2025 II.2 Season Preview II.2 starts the season with five teams already at 150+ TPI, a ridiculous list of presidents, and a ton of talent in the player pool. This is quite possibly the deepest conference I’ve been a part of…which means that, sadly, several strong teams will demote at the end of it! I decided to take a stab at projecting and share my thoughts (just for fun!) in advance of the season. I measured the strength of each team’s projected rotation players using my lineup tool and then added in factors for in-game coaching, president history, and room for growth to determine the rankings. Tier One: The Contenders Teams in tier one boast the strongest rosters by my metrics to start the season and should have a chance to challenge for the top of the standings. 1. Muhlenberg Mules Itsjustmath’s Muhlenberg rated with the best lineup. There are no weak links in this offense-heavy rotation led by the speedy backcourt of Kohler and Calhoun. The Mules lack a top-tier coaching staff and have some of the least room for growth in the conference, but still start out as the leader of the pack. 2. Clark Cougars Mainecougar brings his wealth of experience competing for conference titles back to II.2 for the new season. The squad boasts a well-rounded lineup featuring a true star in PF Belanger. 3. Methodist University Monarchs grayman’s team continues the trend of deep and balanced rosters at the top end of the conference, featuring strong interior defense and playmaking throughout the rotation. With lots of room to grow and a top-tier coaching staff, the sky is the limit for the Monarchs. 4. University of Maine at Farmington Beavers RupaScoop ventures into the upper echelons of HW for the first time with a solid roster, lacking only frontcourt depth. Innocenti projects as one of the better SFs in the conference and will attempt to lead the Beavers to Legends. 5. Westfield State Owls The only remaining team from last season’s punkska/KG trio in II.2, Westfield State will try to improve on a solid showing in 2024. Will the dynamic guard play of Sargent and Sheets be enough to outweigh a frontcourt that doesn’t look elite on paper? 6. Bentley Falcons Raptor’s Bentley squad has been hanging around the top leagues forever and looks poised for another good run. What this roster lacks in depth, it makes up for in star power with PG Newcombe and C Loveless leading the way.

#18265	03/22/2022 2:47:31 pm	Nov 2nd, 2024
Bridger Joined: 02/09/2018 Posts: 204 Huntington University Foresters I.1	Tier Two: The Spoilers Teams in tier two are a notch down in talent from the top group and/or have some obvious weaknesses, but are still quite strong. The fact that at least two teams from these top two tiers will demote is crazy to me. 7. Huntington University Foresters Bridger’s Huntington squad may have the tallest starting five in the conference, but the frontcourt players are young and behind in development compared to the top tier teams. F Shen will be expected to carry the load as the only real offensive threat on this defense-focused roster. 8. Louisville Cardinals It’s always hard to know what outcome to expect from brianmatthews’ Louisville teams. The high-pressure style leads to unpredictable results, but depth is key to the team’s success. This isn’t the deepest Cardinals team we’ve seen, so they project to the middle of the pack despite the imposing presence of C Poston. 9. Tarleton State Texans G/F Kabeya has the highest SI in the conference to start the season and will attempt to carry a perimeter-heavy roster. Carlito’s Texans are historically an offensive-minded team and this season will be no different…expect some shootouts. 10. Alabama Crimson Tide plokmijn’s impressive ascension to the top of HW stalled out a bit after the National Championship, but this team has a chance to stabilize things in II.2 this season. PG Rice is a superstar and the main reason this team projects above the line. 11. Augsburg Auggies cdilks is another National Championship manager hoping for a carry from a superstar…PF Carey. The lack of frontcourt depth and top-tier coaching drops the Auggies just below the line, but I wouldn’t count this team out. 12. Southern Illinois Salukis dcampeanu is a new face in the top leagues, but the Salukis have been steadily rising since he took over. SG Culver leads the way for a team with several strong starters, but a lack of depth means this team may have to fight to keep their place.

#18266	03/22/2022 2:47:44 pm	Nov 2nd, 2024
Bridger Joined: 02/09/2018 Posts: 204 Huntington University Foresters I.1	Tier Three: The Underdogs Teams in tier three appear to be behind in talent compared to the rest of the conference. That being said, three of the four teams have a long history of success and the other is a team on the rise, so any of them could figure out the magic formula to overcome the odds this season. 13. St Thomas Aquinas Spartans Hodge_17 is a HW OG and former national champion. There is lots of room for growth and a strong coaching staff here too, so the Spartans are a prime candidate to exceed expectations in spite of an underwhelming roster. 14. Ursinus Bears Ryerye and the Bears have consistently stayed near the top of HW with their fast-paced, attacking style of basketball for a long time. As per usual, the roster looks like it lacks defense…but the Bears will try to do what they always do and outscore enough teams to stay relevant. 15. Evansville Purple Aces golfhogan is another HW OG with staying power in the top leagues. The Aces are short on scholarship players this year and will try to keep afloat with PF Vern leading the way. Size is an issue for this squad that may prove to be too much. 16. MacMurray Highlanders mrav4u promoted four seasons in a row before stabilizing in II.2 last season. Linton is a solid PG, but the team overall is young, undersized, and short on scholarship players. Lots of room to grow and build for the future.

#18267	03/22/2022 2:47:54 pm	Nov 2nd, 2024
Bridger Joined: 02/09/2018 Posts: 204 Huntington University Foresters I.1	2025 II.2 PreSeason All-Conference Teams First Team PG Newcombe Bentley SG Sheets Westfield State SF Kabeya Tarleton State PF Carey Augsburg C Poston Louisville Second Team PG Rice Alabama SG Calhoun Muhlenberg SF Shen Huntington University PF Belanger Clark C Loveless Bentley Third Team PG Kohler Muhlenberg SG Culver Southern Illinois SF Innocenti University of Maine at Farmington PF Rea Muhlenberg C McDowell Southern Illinois

#18398	04/24/2022 11:51:06 am	Feb 27th, 2025
grayman Joined: 04/15/2020 Posts: 55 Methodist University Monarchs I.1	One game remains in the 2025 season, and tensions are high in II.2 At the top of the conference, the 3rd place spot and the chance to join Legends League are up for grabs. The #9 ranked Bentley Falcons control their own fate: a win here and they clinch promotion. Waiting just below them are #19 Westfield St. and #15 U of Maine-Farmington, who need Bentley to lose (by a lot) to have a chance. Oh, and they also have to win their own games... Further down the conference, four teams fight to avoid demotion. Methodist University sits one game ahead; victory seals the deal and keeps them in. Only one obstacle stands in their way: Westfield St., who are extra motivated by their own quest for promotion and who absolutely crushed the Monarchs in their first matchup. Just below Methodist are Huntington and Southern Illinois. The HU Foresters are dead even in point differential, and the Salukis are just eleven points behind that... in other words, if MethU loses and either of these teams wins, they could easily jump in the standings and push the Monarchs out of the conference! Unfortunately for these teams, their opponents will be no easy-outs either. We know Methodist faces Westfield St, but Huntington faces #7 Clark, and SIU faces #15 UMF. We already know UMF will want to win this game, and win big, to earn a spot in Legends. Clark, for their part, are contending for the II.2 regular season championship. I think it's safe to say that these teams REALLY want to win tomorrow. Did we forget someone? Yes. The last (but not least) team who could still jump up and avoid relegation -- St. Thomas Aquinas. The Spartans have the same record as Huntington and SIU. If both those teams lose tomorrow, the STA Spartans could sneak into the safe zone. The final day of the II.2 season, and everything's on the line. Who will triumph in adversity? Who will rise, who will fall? Who will gameplan for way too long only to lose because of foul trouble? Tune in tomorrow to see!

#18907	07/15/2022 5:16:32 pm	Nov 18th, 2026
Bridger Joined: 02/09/2018 Posts: 204 Huntington University Foresters I.1	Bridger’s 2026-2027 II.2 Season Preview Another strong group of teams in II.2 with potential for dynamic promotion and demotion battles. I decided to take a stab at projecting and share my thoughts (just for fun!) in advance of the season. I measured the strength of each team’s projected rotation players using my lineup tool and then added in factors for in-game coaching, president history, and room for growth to determine the rankings. Tier One: The Favorite One team stands above the others as a clear favorite this season and possibly one of the best squads ever assembled in HW. 1. Dominican University of California Penguins gards710’s Penguins have one of the best lineups I have ever rated at this point in the season. This team has it all. Shooting, interior scoring, individual defensive skills, size, speed, depth, and a legitimate superstar in SF Marcus Choate. A conference championship should be a foregone conclusion for the Penguins who have their sights set on the biggest trophy of all. Tier Two: The Challenger A second elite team stands out above the pack as a clear favorite to promote. 2. Alabama Crimson Tide 2022 National Champion plokmijn boasts an elite squad for the new season with strength inside and out. With an incredible coach, only one senior, and a pair of star juniors in PG Leland James and C Peter Powell, this team is set up for a dominant few seasons at the top of HW. Tier Three: The Contenders With two clear favorites, the rest of the conference may be left to scratch and claw for the one remaining ticket to I.1. The difference between the four teams in this tier was minimal, so the order barely matters…but all will hope to claim that last promotion spot or even take down one of the giants. 3. Westfield State Owls KG always seems to outmanage my projections, so this is a team to watch. Some lingering questions about size and defense keep this team in tier three, but PG Gary McCloskey will hope to lead the Owls to the promised land for the first time. 4. Iowa Hawkeyes DUDeacon is back in II.2 and ready to make another push. The Hawkeyes always have a lot of size and this year’s roster is no exception. SF Austin McKinley is a walking mismatch and has the potential to be one of the most versatile scorers in the conference if he can rebound from his poor shooting performance in the non-conference slate. 5. Huntington University Foresters C Albert Pennington returns as the anchor for what should be one of the better defenses in Hardwood again this season. Bridger’s Huntington squad will rely on SG Josh Glover and some firepower from the bench for offense. 6. University of New England Nor’Easters rlawrence’s UNE squad reaches II for the first time coming off championship season in a tough III.4. This team will need to make up for a lack of interior depth with some of the best perimeter play in the conference, led by massive G Lou “Magic” Malone.

#18908	07/15/2022 5:17:00 pm	Nov 18th, 2026
Bridger Joined: 02/09/2018 Posts: 204 Huntington University Foresters I.1	Tier Four: The Spoilers The teams in Tier Four should be able to stay above the demotion line and have the tools to overtake the teams in Tier Three with some luck…might even have a shot at promotion if things break perfectly in what should be a chaotic race. 7. Ripon Red Hawks The primary thing knocking purple3594’s Ripon squad down is a lack of depth. The Red Hawks are solid inside and out and have some of the best in-game coaching in the conference. PF Jordan Fontana should be one of the best at his position this season. 8. Wake Forest Demon Deacons wintersb is back in II after a solid four-season stint in III.4. The Demon Deacons interior play should be among the best in the conference because of the presence of C Josh Holmes. Will that be enough to overcome some other coaching and roster weaknesses? Tier Five: The Battlers The next group of teams project into the battle to avoid demotion, but all have strengths to try and leverage in the race to stay afloat. 9. Richmond Spiders pschwartz’ Spiders have one of the best coaches in all of HW and a young roster with lots of room to improve. PF Demetrius Patterson is developing into a true star. While contending may still be a year away, the Spiders might make this ranking look silly with a big run later in the season. 10. Colby Mules Green will have to fight to stay up in his first trip to II, but one of the most well-rounded rosters in the conference should help. Colby’s smart and savvy group of rotation players is led by the backcourt pair of Barney Funk and Dashaun Carey. 11. Pace Setter Unfortunately, II.2 will have to deal with a bot this season. Bots tend to do reasonably well with strong rosters, so star PG Gilbert Tate backed up by a decent supporting cast is going to lead to some frustrating losses for folks. 12. Toledo Rockets bsmall84 drops out of I.1 for the first time in a while and will need to leverage his experience and skill to avoid back-to-back demotions. A strong coaching staff and elite PG Terry Koehn will have to be enough to overcome a lack of depth. 13. Methodist University Monarchs grayman has finished between 5th and 10th in II.2 for six straight seasons. PG Dale Salisbury and C Denzel Bacon will try to buoy up a shallow rotation and keep the Monarchs in their beloved conference for another season. Tier Six: The Underdogs Tier Six teams project to demote, but you never know in Hardwood! 14. Mississippi Rebels Feels strange to put verysilentone and the Rebels in this group, but it looks like a down season for Ole Miss as they reload for another run. PG Treyvon Sims is the lone bright spot on a roster that needs some development time to get back in contention. 15. St Thomas Aquinas Spartans Hodge_17 has just two upperclassmen on the roster and is gearing up for a big push the next few seasons, though that may make 2026 a tough season. Lone senior C Clyde Watts will try to carry the Spartans. 16. Rochester Yellowjackets Stinny has been in the top two conferences for fifteen consecutive seasons. Will that run come to an end or will he pull off a miracle with a depleted roster? Updated Friday, July 15 2022 @ 5:19:45 pm PDT

#18909	07/15/2022 5:17:29 pm	Nov 18th, 2026
Bridger Joined: 02/09/2018 Posts: 204 Huntington University Foresters I.1	2027 II.2 PreSeason All-Conference Teams First Team PG Tate Pace SG Malone UNE SF Choate DUCA PF Day DUCA C Holmes Wake Second Team PG James Alabama SG Glover HU SF McKinley Iowa PF Fontana Ripon C Powell Bama Third Team PG McCloskey Westfield SG Dawson DUCA SF Keegan Bama PF Dyer Wake C Pennington HU