Calvin’s losing the battle of attrition hard right now. First it was Jordan Brink with a shoulder injury in October. Then it was Mitch Vallie’s busted arm last week. Now, as indicated on last night’s radio broadcast, it appears that Mickey DeVries will have to spend some time away from the team as he gets his academics in order.
But what that doesn’t excuse is the plethora of 38%-ish shooting nights that we’ve seen from this team. Last night in Adrian, Calvin took 29 shots that were classified as two-point “jumpers” in the box score*. Of those 29 shots, only 10 were made (.345). Add that to the horrid 3-17 (.176) night they had from the three point line and it’s easy to see why Calvin lost the game, even with Adrian shooting only 39.6% themselves. On two and three point jump shots last night, the Knights effectively shot just 31.5%.
*The box score classifications aren’t the best, but I’ll go with it having no other data to rely on.
Obviously not every shot can be a layup, but the lack of top-notch shooting means Calvin will need to work harder to get the ball into the paint than they usually will. Early shot clock jump shots should not be tolerated.
Bullets
- It was a very nice offensive night for Bryan Powell; 21 points was a career high for him. He was effective in transition, getting all the way to the hoop for easy baskets.
- Jordan Mast should be the only player allowed to shoot from any distance, and he should be encouraged to shoot more. He put in 12 points on only five shots and two free throws.
- Calvin’s defense isn’t a problem right now. They weren’t great last night by any means, but they held Adrian below their season efficiency. I’d still only consider Calvin’s defense to be ‘average’ (which is worse than a ‘normal’ Calvin team), but with the way the offense is sputtering, even league average looks wonderful.
- Players are gaining experience. That’s a look on the bright side.
- Apparently Matt DeBoer has been dealing with the flu. He played 22 minutes, but barely made any impact in the box score. Calvin sorely needs him as a scorer.
Want to stay up to date on the happenings at FFTMAG? Follow me on Twitter, “like” us on Facebook, and grab our RSS Feed. Need a ride to a game? Check out the Ride Board and post your needs.
Tweet
