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Topic: All-Time MAC Starting Five

Topic: All-Time MAC Starting Five

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Buckeye to Bobcat
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All-Time MAC Starting Five

Posted: 9/14/2020 10:10:51 PM

If you had to pick a MAC Starting 5, who would be in it? After seeing the Ice Man and Nate Thurmond getting mentioned, figured it would make for a fun basketball thread.

Note: Figured we need something to talk about to keep Bobcat Attack alive during this time. If anyone has topics that would be fun to discuss, feel free to create a thread about it.

Bobcat1998
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RE: All-Time MAC Starting Five

Posted: 9/15/2020 11:14:20 AM

I am strictly going to keep it to guys I've seen in my 25 years of MAC viewing..

Gary Trent, Ohio
Wally World, Miami
Bonzi Wells, Balls
Antonio Gates, Kant
TJ Lux

If I have to do an actual starting 5 I would take out Gates and Lux and put Earl Boykins and DJ Cooper!

Kevin Finnegan
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RE: All-Time MAC Starting Five

Posted: 9/15/2020 12:46:16 PM

Being in school at the time, Trevor Huffman from Kent scared me far more than Antonio Gates. I know Gates ended up getting the name recognition, but Huffman's game was almost unstoppable.

Mark Lembright '85
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RE: All-Time MAC Starting Five

Posted: 9/15/2020 1:16:17 PM

I'll throw in a vote for Ron Harper. By far the best player in the MAC in the early and mid 80's.

Buckeye to Bobcat
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RE: All-Time MAC Starting Five

Posted: 9/15/2020 4:51:06 PM

My starting 5:

Wally Szczerbiak
Bonzi Wells
Ron Harper
Nate Thurmond
Steve Mix

6th Man: Gary Trent/Earl Boykin

Head Coach: Gentleman Jim or Harold Anderson
Coach to get a Tech when I need one: Dan Dakich
Coach I'd want to seen toss everytime he takes the floor: Bobby Hurley
Coach I'd want to grab a beer with: Rick Majerus (RIP)

Last Edited: 9/15/2020 4:52:30 PM by Buckeye to Bobcat

SBH
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RE: All-Time MAC Starting Five

Posted: 9/15/2020 5:25:31 PM

I'm sorry, but you are disqualified. Any starting 5 without Mr. Trent is an egregious error.

Alan Swank
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RE: All-Time MAC Starting Five

Posted: 9/15/2020 7:50:51 PM

Depending on your criteria, this site gives you a pretty good idea who excelled at the "next level."

https://basketball.realgm.com/ncaa/conferences/Mid-Americ...

CatsUp
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RE: All-Time MAC Starting Five

Posted: 9/15/2020 8:56:56 PM

Hal Greer - Marshall
Nate Thurmond - BG
Ron Harper - Miami
Bonzi Wells - Ball State
Gary Trent - Ohio

BillyTheCat
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RE: All-Time MAC Starting Five

Posted: 9/16/2020 10:35:15 AM

SBH wrote:

I'm sorry, but you are disqualified. Any starting 5 without Mr. Trent is an egregious error.

Amen!!!!

100%Cat
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RE: All-Time MAC Starting Five

Posted: 9/16/2020 10:43:37 AM

Was EMU in the MAC when George Gervin was there?

bobcatsquared
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RE: All-Time MAC Starting Five

Posted: 9/16/2020 11:35:06 AM

What other player in the MAC was the league's player of the year as a freshman, sophomore, and junior (and odds-on-favorite as a senior if hadn't left early for the NBA)? Trent was a man among boys unlike few other players ever in the MAC.

Any all-time MAC top 5 list begins and ends with Trent.

Last Edited: 9/16/2020 11:35:31 AM by bobcatsquared

CatsUp
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RE: All-Time MAC Starting Five

Posted: 9/16/2020 1:03:09 PM

100%Cat wrote:

Was EMU in the MAC when George Gervin was there?

EMU joined the MAC in 1971. It appears Gervin played at EMU from 1970-72. I would take that to mean he played one year (71-72) in the conference.

OU_Country
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RE: All-Time MAC Starting Five

Posted: 9/16/2020 3:46:13 PM

Similar to others, because that's the era I've followed MAC hoops, I'm doing a starting five from 94-95 to the present. Also, because I believe in an "All MAC" team encompassing all five positions, not 4 PG's and a big, my list reflects that. And yes, with 4 Ohio players listed, I may have a little bias.

1st team:

5 - James Thompson IV
4 - Gary Trent
3 - Bonzi Wells
2 - Antonio Daniels
1 - DJ Cooper

2nd team:

5 - JR VanHoose
4 - Brandon Hunter
3 - Wally Szcerbiak
2 - David Kool
1 - Earl Boykins

At guard/wing, one could also argue for any of these players: Chris Fowler, Juice Brown, Thomas Wilder, Trevor Huffman, Damon Frierson, Derrick Dials, Tamar Slay, CJ Massinburg, Turner Battle, David Webber, Eugene German, Justin Turner. If he'd stayed three years, one could probably have put Jarron Simmons into that conversation.

Bigs: Leon Williams, Antonio Campbell, Javon Mcrae, Devin Davis, Demajeo Wiggins, Chris Kaman, Joe Reitz, Keith Mcleod, Anthony Stacey, Jerome Tillman

Something I found interesting are the number of good players that have gone through WMU/CMU/EMU in terms of all time numbers. Conversely, there have been some really good teams at Kent and Akron, but because they have so many transfers, they don't have many of what I'd call "All time MAC players", despite having good teams.

EDIT: I listed Jamerson, then it hit me that I had an excited Bobcat hoops fan moment. He does not encompass 94-95 to the present. So, I've modified it to include someone from that era. In addition to having him in the conversation, I would concur with Ron Harper sentiments. I'd also ask about Snoopy Graham.

Last Edited: 9/16/2020 3:52:28 PM by OU_Country

OU_Country
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RE: All-Time MAC Starting Five

Posted: 9/16/2020 3:47:29 PM

Kevin Finnegan wrote:

Being in school at the time, Trevor Huffman from Kent scared me far more than Antonio Gates. I know Gates ended up getting the name recognition, but Huffman's game was almost unstoppable.

Same here. Plus he influenced the game in so many ways.

OU_Country
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RE: All-Time MAC Starting Five

Posted: 9/16/2020 3:48:53 PM

BillyTheCat wrote:

SBH wrote:

I'm sorry, but you are disqualified. Any starting 5 without Mr. Trent is an egregious error.

Amen!!!!

Co-Sign.

OUVan
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RE: All-Time MAC Starting Five

Posted: 9/16/2020 5:36:40 PM

To paraphrase TOS

Gary Trent!!!
Gary Trent!!!
Gary Trent!!!

cc-cat
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RE: All-Time MAC Starting Five

Posted: 9/16/2020 6:13:30 PM

No love yet for Dave Jamerson?

Bobcat Love's Sense of Shame
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RE: All-Time MAC Starting Five

Posted: 9/16/2020 6:49:45 PM

OU_Country wrote:

Kevin Finnegan wrote:

Being in school at the time, Trevor Huffman from Kent scared me far more than Antonio Gates. I know Gates ended up getting the name recognition, but Huffman's game was almost unstoppable.

Same here. Plus he influenced the game in so many ways.

Agree on Huffman. I always thought he was Kent's best player on those teams, though Gates was close behind.

And while he's not good enough to be in the all time team discussion, I always remember Ben Reed at WMU killing us. He was so big and strong for a first, and such a good shooter, that nobody could match up.

Bobcat1998
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RE: All-Time MAC Starting Five

Posted: 9/17/2020 9:39:50 AM

OU_Country wrote:

James Thompson the 4th???? What the heck? Outstanding talent, horrible attitude, never won the big game and his teams ALWAYS underachieved. I preferred Javon McCrea if we're talking powerful big men. JT4 is overrated in my opinion.

oldkatz
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RE: All-Time MAC Starting Five

Posted: 9/17/2020 10:21:15 AM

Thunder Dan Majerle........Dan Roundfield????

"All my inside sources tell me I have no inside sources." Salvatore "money bucks" Mafiosiano.

OU_Country
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RE: All-Time MAC Starting Five

Posted: 9/17/2020 10:22:12 AM

Bobcat1998 wrote:

OU_Country wrote:

That's fine. Have your own opinion. No need for caps and several question marks to hammer home your point.

I like him because he was athletic, great shot blocker, and produced. No question about the attitude, but perhaps if he wasn't on such a train wreck of a team, he wouldn't have been the same. McRae, while very good, to me is a 4, not a five. Honestly, the MAC didn't have many really good 5's in the last 25 years. On the offensive end, Leon and Van Hoose were better. On the defensive end, Thompson is much, much better. Another guy that was really good defensively and on the glass was Wiggins. His offensive game just took a long time to evolve.

OU_Country
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RE: All-Time MAC Starting Five

Posted: 9/17/2020 10:25:03 AM

Bobcat Love's Sense of Shame wrote:

OU_Country wrote:

Kevin Finnegan wrote:

Being in school at the time, Trevor Huffman from Kent scared me far more than Antonio Gates. I know Gates ended up getting the name recognition, but Huffman's game was almost unstoppable.

Same here. Plus he influenced the game in so many ways.

The other thing for me, if we're talking "All Time MAC" is that a guy has to have played 3-4 years IN the MAC. There were some outstanding 1-2 year transfers that, had they played all four years would be in the conversation.

100%Cat
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RE: All-Time MAC Starting Five

Posted: 9/17/2020 3:36:25 PM

LaFerla twins?

giacomo
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RE: All-Time MAC Starting Five

Posted: 9/17/2020 4:25:48 PM

There is a big difference between what a guy did in the MAC and what he did in the pros. Two different discussions. In any of these discussions, whether it's pro or college, picking a top 5 is impossible. The MAC started in 1948, so over 10,000 players to consider. A top 50 or maybe a top 25 is more realistic.

OU_Country
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RE: All-Time MAC Starting Five

Posted: 9/17/2020 4:35:36 PM

giacomo wrote:

While true, entertaining the conversation about some of the best is still fun. I'd be interested to hear about some of the best you played with, against, and have seen in your Bobcat years.

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