IVC 20 - 21

Hiland is 80-14 all time vs Malvern. I have maybe seen as many as 20 Hiland wins where I thought Malvern was the better team. Ten or so, for sure. Certainly Mark deserves credit for preparing his team, in game adjustments, etc., but it feels like there is something else. Maybe a kind of dread playing Hiland? Something along those lines.

I couldn't coach dogs to bark, but I would try to get the Hornets to relax, be confident, and just play hard and have fun. No need to try to do more than you are capable. While I'm undefeated all time, I'm also winless, so I probably dont know what I'm talking about. Lol
 
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You just never know what's going to happen.

It's amazing that TV put up 81 points against Morgan Tuesday. ?

There's really no explanation for what happened tonight other than it's sports. TV had a lot of good looks, especially early and the ball just wouldn't go in. It was really like there was a lid on the rim. It was incredible to watch. It wasn't just one or two guys having off nights, it was the entire team. It was really something that was unexplainable.
 
Coaching is by far the most important aspect of a high school sports program. That's why you see the same schools year after year having success. As Wack7 stated earlier, Malvern was horrible pre-Tucci and in his era they've been a very good program. Hiland is good year after year. The list of examples can keep going.

It also goes the other way unfortunately. Some schools underachieve year after year after year.
This is why
Coaching is by far the most important aspect of a high school sports program. That's why you see the same schools year after year having success. As Wack7 stated earlier, Malvern was horrible pre-Tucci and in his era they've been a very good program. Hiland is good year after year. The list of examples can keep going.

It also goes the other way unfortunately. Some schools underachieve year after year after year.
Coaching is the most important aspect of a team - but some schools and coaches are to arrogant to understand that - right TCC
 
Absolutely stunned that Hiland beat Malvern. What a crushing loss for the Hornets. You had everything going for you. Way more talent, experience, home court, etc. I really expected Malvern to win by 15+. Wow.

Congrats to Hiland and their coaching staff. What a great job by them. It'll be interesting to see how they do at regionals. They've made it through district by basically beating IVC North teams. There are no more IVC teams left to beat.

To me this has been a very down year for the IVC. The fact that a Hiland team without their two of their best players is the last one still standing really says something about their coach and program.
 
Absolutely stunned that Hiland beat Malvern. What a crushing loss for the Hornets. You had everything going for you. Way more talent, experience, home court, etc. I really expected Malvern to win by 15+. Wow.

Congrats to Hiland and their coaching staff. What a great job by them. It'll be interesting to see how they do at regionals. They've made it through district by basically beating IVC North teams. There are no more IVC teams left to beat.

To me this has been a very down year for the IVC. The fact that a Hiland team without their two of their best players is the last one still standing really says something about their coach and program.
I call it “The Hiland Mystique.” On paper Malvern was a strong favorite in this game. I figured a 15 point Hornets win myself. But there are some schools that have a mental block for whatever reason against other teams. I think this was a classic case. Malvern came out tight again and couldn’t match Hiland’s physical aggressiveness. I admit I was pulling for Malvern, but give Hiland credit, they deserved this gutsy win against a conference opponent on the road. Malvern didn’t give Hiland the game, the Hawks took it. The Hiland Mystique.
 
It definitely helps to play people you know.

I had a kid play for Mark about 15 years ago. I got to see the scouting reports they did. They would scout their potential tournament opponents at least 6-8 times, maybe more, throughout the season. The specificity of the reports was pretty incredible. Each opposing player was broken down, their strengths and weaknesses, where they like to catch the ball, what moves they prefer, etc. A DVD was given to the players with a series of video clips of the player(s) they would be guarding, showing them what the scouting report was emphasizing. I'm not sure every coach is doing that - to that extent, and giving out such detail and planning to their kids.

I asked my son once if he was prepared to guard this really special post player during the tournament, and he said, "I know which butt cheek this guy lifts up to wipe." Lol. He held him to 5 points. I think what that translates to is confidence that the coaches know what they are doing and if they just do what they have been prepared to do, they will win.

It's funny. Something as seemingly small as knowing where a kid likes to receive the ball and moving him off that spot can totally screw up his offensive game. If you can move a HS player one foot from where he likes to catch the ball, his shooting % goes down (except for the really exceptional players). I learned a lot about basketball from reading those scouting reports and gameplans.
 
Scouting reports that's awesome - you mean the kids new who they were guarding before the game and didnt have to pick up at the jump ball.
 
It definitely helps to play people you know.

I had a kid play for Mark about 15 years ago. I got to see the scouting reports they did. They would scout their potential tournament opponents at least 6-8 times, maybe more, throughout the season. The specificity of the reports was pretty incredible. Each opposing player was broken down, their strengths and weaknesses, where they like to catch the ball, what moves they prefer, etc. A DVD was given to the players with a series of video clips of the player(s) they would be guarding, showing them what the scouting report was emphasizing. I'm not sure every coach is doing that - to that extent, and giving out such detail and planning to their kids.

I asked my son once if he was prepared to guard this really special post player during the tournament, and he said, "I know which butt cheek this guy lifts up to wipe." Lol. He held him to 5 points. I think what that translates to is confidence that the coaches know what they are doing and if they just do what they have been prepared to do, they will win.

It's funny. Something as seemingly small as knowing where a kid likes to receive the ball and moving him off that spot can totally screw up his offensive game. If you can move a HS player one foot from where he likes to catch the ball, his shooting % goes down (except for the really exceptional players). I learned a lot about basketball from reading those scouting reports and gameplans.

So much of what you are talking about is effort related. Last week Hiland's girl coach tweeted out something about him and his assistants driving all over the state on a weeknight to scout possible regional opponents. How many coaches are doing that?

Also, it says a lot about the Hiland mindset and athletic department that they have the people willing to put in the scouting work over the season.
 
Scouting reports that's awesome - you mean the kids new who they were guarding before the game and didnt have to pick up at the jump ball.
Amazingly enough, yes. Lol

They not only new who they were guarding, but they knew all about the player they were guarding. :)
 
So much of what you are talking about is effort related. Last week Hiland's girl coach tweeted out something about him and his assistants driving all over the state on a weeknight to scout possible regional opponents. How many coaches are doing that?

Also, it says a lot about the Hiland mindset and athletic department that they have the people willing to put in the scouting work over the season.
If you remember Seger's shot at the regional to beat Richmond Hts back in 12. I knew where that ball was going. Now, I say that with the caveat that if Dylan Kaufman had an open lane to the basket, he was going to take it. But, otherwise, it was going to be Seger.

The Hawks didn't have many close games that year, but they did at Akron SVSM. The score was tied with 10 seconds left and the ball went to Seger at mid-block, he turned around and made a 10-12 footer and that was the ballgame. It wouldn't have been too much of an effort for the RH coach to drive to Akron to see that game or send someone, but he didn't.

After the game, the RH coach said to the media, "We thought it was going to be 53, but it was 23." In the huddle before the play, if he had driven to Akron that December night, he would have known that 23 needed as much attention as 53. As it was, Seger was wide open in the corner for the game-winner. That was a little detail that helped decide the game.

I think the thing about Mark is that he wants to do everything he can to not lose a game because of something like that which is knowable, but he didn't even try to know.
 
Completely random, but does anyone know who's going to be taking over the Hiland girls program when Dave retires after this season? Is that known yet?
 
Obviously not football related but the IVC is in the midst of some big coaching transitions. You can look around the state across all sports and find a lot of dominant programs that fell back significantly after a coaching change.

The IVC has lost Bud Weisgarber (Strasburg softball), apparently wall be losing Dave Schlabach (Hiland girls' hoops) and can't be far away from losing Lee Sternberg (EC cross country). Those three programs have currently accounted for 14 of the IVC's 28 all time state titles.
 
Completely random, but does anyone know who's going to be taking over the Hiland girls program when Dave retires after this season? Is that known yet?
Buckcc is correct. That is the rumor. I asked Jason directly and all he said was that he didnt know, nothing had been decided, and anything official would come in May.

Jason has coached for Mark, HC at Malone and Tiffin, and lately for Dave. Seger Bonifant also helped this year - but that was because his pro season was cancelled.
 
I wonder if Schlabach's other assistants will stay on?
Dave "Cousy" Border is one I would suspect would hang around, but I havent ask him. Couz is a gym rat, hoops junkie, and loves kids. But he has is involved with AAU, so he could get his fix that way.

Karli Mast was also on the staff.

I imagine that if the next head coach needs a female assistant or two, he or she can probably throw a rock and hit a few Lady Hawk alumni. Although it is interesting that there are fewer alumni than you would think that have great interest in girls HS basketball, and there are very few that want to coach it.
 
Dave "Cousy" Border is one I would suspect would hang around, but I havent ask him. Couz is a gym rat, hoops junkie, and loves kids. But he has is involved with AAU, so he could get his fix that way.

Karli Mast was also on the staff.

I imagine that if the next head coach needs a female assistant or two, he or she can probably throw a rock and hit a few Lady Hawk alumni. Although it is interesting that there are fewer alumni than you would think that have great interest in girls HS basketball, and there are very few that want to coach it.
Watching Hiland for many years, Cousy Border seems like he compliments Schlabach very well. I have never spoken to Border, but he seems like a great guy. His head seems to always be in the game. Good luck in Dayton.
 
Hiland doesnt usually play the role of Cinderella, but they did in this tournament.

The clock struck midnight last night. New Boston Glenwood ended their season. But what a run!

Remarkable - they could have easily won last night. They were in position. It's a shot-making game and they just couldn't make one in the last 3-4 min.
 
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Well with the IVC season officially over. What's next year look like? 2021-2022 favorites? Any coaching changes? Read that Garaway had a TV player transfer, any others? If this year proved anything, as long as Coach Schlabach is at Hiland they have a chance. Congrats again on a great run!
 
Great year Mark - your kids over achieved, job well done. Maybe next year TCC wont jump on Hiland and try and get a tournament win
 
I’d take tcc as the ivc favorite next year tho?
TCC is literally so garbage at everything and overrated. They barely beat us(claymont) this year and our team was bad. ? The Sabin kid is overrated and TCC isn't going to get out of the second round of the playoffs.
 
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