Well I wanted to make a post about my team because I won my first NC this morning in Phelan D3.
http://www.whatifsports.com/hd/TeamProfile/Ratings.aspx?tid=14607
Coming into the season I had high hopes for a team that would feature two 700+ overall players on a D3 squad. I began the year ranked in the top 10 and then quickly fell out of the rankings losing at #19 Yeshiva and #2 Palm Beach Atlantic . The team rebounded winning its next four including a 61-58 match up against #7 Centre, little did I know that at the time we would play again for the NC. Back into the rankings at #18 I thought my squad had turned the corner and would begin to live up to the hype. #13 Endicott ended that by beating us 66-63. Greenville's last remaining chance to be relevant came against #1 Franklin & Marshall who were favored by 13 points heading into the game. Our guys kept it close and we lost a heart breaker 64-61missing two three pointers in the final seconds.
The conference schedule wasn't of much significance except for the matchup against fellow St. Louis conference mate Aejones at Westminster. Ae took the regular season match 53-43 to put his career record against me 3-11. We faced off in the CT and Westminster again came out on top 57-47 putting my career record at 3-12 against Westminster.
Coming into the NT Greenville was unranked and received a #7 seed in the East bracket. Greenville took down 10 seed Nazareth College 73-60. Following this game the coach decided to insert true freshman Richard Lachance into the start SF spot. This is when Greenville really took off and part it can be contributed to his solid play, despite not being a scoring option. The 2nd round game featured the 2 seed and #13 ranked La Grange which we were able to win 81-68 in a game I thought would have been much closer. Over the next few rounds Greenville was able to defeat the 3 seed (Endicott) and 1 seed (Becker) in the East.
In the final four Greenville would face conference nemesis Westminster for the 3rd time this season. Greenville was 3-12 lifetime against them and didn't have high hopes for the game. Both teams ran a slowdown and Greenville won 48-45 with only Armstrong from Greenville scoring double digits (16 points). It was finally here... I had reached my 2nd ever National Championship and it was against the 2 seed Centre College (ranked #1). The teams had matched up in the non-conference with Greenville pulling out a 3 point victory. This time Greenville pulled off the 1 point win to secure my first NC. The team MVP Armstrong went for 16 point and 10 boards while being double teamed to earn game MVP honors.
Armstrong is one of the best players I have ever coached at D3 and he could probably play for my D2 squad easily.
http://www.whatifsports.com/hd/PlayerProfile/Ratings.aspx?tid=0&pid=2232991
Armstrong now holds the following career records at Greenville
Points: (#10) 1,526 points
Rebounds: (#10) 764
FG %: (#10) 55.7%
I would like to thank all the coaches who have helped mentor me or gave me a tip here and there.... I truly believe that is the best part of WIS, the coaches and the people who make these matchups so fun.