1–0 Start, Big Tests Ahead

The Juniata Men’s Basketball Show tips off the season with a win! Tom Frank, Biz, and Coach Greg Curley break down the Eagles’ 80–63 victory over Mount Aloysius — from balanced scoring and big minutes off the bench to… less-than-stellar free throws. Coach Curley talks relief vs. belief, what the win says about this year’s group, and what to expect heading into a tough week on the road at Westminster and back home Saturday vs. Alfred State. Plus: why “bad time to be a Bronco” was the line of the week, how to properly pronounce Kocak, and a shout-out to the women’s volleyball juggernaut chasing title number 44.

Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Youtube or wherever you get your shows — and remember: play hard, play smart, and eat your apples.

Transcript

SPEAKER_03 0:00

I'm Tom Frank. I'm Biz. I'm the head coach Greg Curley. And this is your Junior Adam Men's Basketball Show. Welcome, listeners. I'm Tom Frank. I'm joined each and every week by Drew Basket, aka Biz, and your Junietta, head basketball coach, Greg Curley, as we talk all things Junior Adam Men's College Basketball. All right, before we get into all the excitement, I do have to ask you guys a question. Did you guys see these two interesting upsets this past week that caught my attention? Two Division II teams went in and beat Division I teams.

SPEAKER_04 0:35

Uh Boise State was one, correct?

SPEAKER_03 0:37

Boise State, Hawaii Pacific Sharks upset the Boise State Broncos. And Northwood Timberwolves defeated Western Michigan. Whoa. Hey, here's an interesting Are they both I think they're both the Broncos, too? Correct.

SPEAKER_04 0:53

Bad time to be a Bronco.

SPEAKER_03 0:54

Bad time to be a Bronco. Wait, is it? What's your thoughts on this, though?

SPEAKER_04 0:59

Carried that kid with the cramp off the court, like they just dragged him off the court. Did you see that? What in one of these games? Was that the Boise State, the first one? I thought. Kid was cramping and they just like pulled him, they dragged him off the court.

SPEAKER_03 1:12

For Hawaii or for Boise State?

SPEAKER_04 1:14

For Hawaii, I think. I could be wrong, but I mean it happened. It could be wrong about the game, but that was interesting. Is that how your training staff works, Greg?

SPEAKER_02 1:22

I mean, I didn't see I didn't see that stuff. I thought I heard about the the Boise State one, but obviously where we are on the weekend, I'm not checking all that stuff. Probably more worried about us and who we're playing next. But I can see it happening. I mean, particularly with NIL, Transfer Portal, some of the guys in Division II. You're seeing the impact some of those guys are making at higher levels. Make shots on a certain night. And you never you never know. Again, those are like scrimmages for those teams, so you never know who they're playing, how much preparation they have, how they've handled practices, whether they've prepared. But it's probably not a great day to be in the Boise State basketball office or in the Western Michigan basketball office. Let's put it that way. So that that's probably not great.

SPEAKER_03 2:04

Does it make you does it make you want to maybe schedule a Division I opponent?

SPEAKER_02 2:09

Oh, we have. We've played them in the past. Yeah, we've been so it depends. We'll we'll continue to weigh what we think the best option is for us to be prepared and how we balance our schedule. Right now with 18 league games, it's hard to give up a game that way. So then you'd have to give up a scrimmage. And again, the chance to play three halves, play more guys, develop, get real feedback probably outweighs for us right now. But that becomes like an experience. And here's the thing for those division two schools, that game doesn't count. So they won. That's awesome.

SPEAKER_03 2:36

It counts for the division one team, but not for the division two team.

SPEAKER_02 2:39

Well, you can play those exhibitions different ways. Like if we were to play an exhibition, we could have a scrimmage or an exhibition. So we could play a division one team, it would count on their schedule and not count on ours. So like the statistics would count towards theirs, but wouldn't wouldn't count towards ours. I assume the division two, division one is the same thing because they're playing in the preseason there. So you'd have to see how they decide. And you can't like change that after the fact. So you can't change it after you lose. You can't, well, you yeah, you can't play it. And then the division ones, I don't, I don't think they're allowed to play those as exhibitions. Although now with the new Division I rules, you're allowed a certain number of exhibitions. And but I think there's got to be a component where that's to raise money for a cause. And so I don't know the specifics, but yeah, there's a lot of good basketball players and guys, and you know, make miss shots, get somebody to get going, make some shots, anything can happen.

SPEAKER_04 3:28

Well, hey, wasn't there uh in that basketball, the TBT, there wasn't there a division two all-star team that they made a run, man. They beat a couple uh teams from the city.

SPEAKER_02 3:37

Yeah, that was the division three. That was we are DT.

SPEAKER_04 3:40

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 3:41

That's an all-star team, though.

SPEAKER_04 3:43

This is like legitimately like uh still though, like you know.

SPEAKER_03 3:47

I like it though. Hawaii Pacific Sharks. By the way, I like that name. Huh. Maybe you ought to schedule a game with them, girls. Go out to Hawaii. Yeah, think about it. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 3:57

That would be an idea. Hey, there you go.

SPEAKER_03 3:58

Instead of going to Canada, I guarantee your players would rather go to Hawaii.

SPEAKER_04 4:02

Yeah. I guarantee you'd be a lot more booster money needed.

SPEAKER_03 4:07

Yeah. All right, we do have a listener question this week. All right. I like to start with listener questions. This is a good one. This is this is a good one. This is gonna be we need an honest answer from you, Curly. Oh Danny D says, be honest. Was there a sense of relief to get the first win in game one?

SPEAKER_02 4:26

Sure. I mean, there's always like, I mean, everybody's got uh anxiety and wants to see if you can do it. So uh there's always a sense of relief any win you ever have. Uh, but obviously starting the season in the right way. We wanted we talked about trying to set the tone for the season, and I thought we did that. So uh yeah, I mean, honestly, as as you get going as a coach, it is really true. I mean, there's relief if you win games, it's just kind of a feeling of relief, and then there's misery if you don't. And that that is coach speak, and everybody says it, but it's really the truth. It's a lot of anxiety leading to every one of them. If you win it, there's a sense of relief, uh, some excitement, depending on how it is, but but really kind of fleeting. That one's uh relief. I think it's important for our guys uh to see what we can do if we put things together. And uh what we went through last year, of course, where we sit in this stage and where we are, those signs of success are really important. Yeah. Now followed.

SPEAKER_04 5:16

And you know what? I think last Danny Dimes or Danny D. Like Danny D. Could you sense relief from the players that went through it last year? Like, ah, okay.

SPEAKER_02 5:26

Because I mean last year, it you know, that that first win. I don't know if relief is the right word, maybe belief is a better word. I like that. Confidence. I hope not. I hope they're not relieved because they got to keep going. And you know, our message has always been pretty consistent. We do the right things, we've always felt like we have the right group. We're just exceptionally young, and they looked more experienced. So I I thought we played a team that actually had older guys. So they they only returned six guys from the roster last year, but they had a ton of transfers. Um their point guard was a junior college like all conference guy. They had uh a couple junior uh guys that were transfers from other schools, a couple sophomores, and I I thought we looked like the more experienced team because we weren't older, but we have played a lot more minutes. Our guys played a lot more minutes that played, so I thought that showed up in this game. So I think you know, you the experience is the best teacher, and you can't uh put a price tag on that. I thought that really prepared us for what we needed to do in this game and how hard we need to play. I think we know what's coming, and I think we know um we look like a group that knows how hard you have to play. And I didn't we didn't look like that very often at all last year. Uh and so that's a positive. Now it's whether we can sustain it. You know, and it's it is the old thing, you know, it's how much better you get how much better can you how much can you improve early in the season. Um now tape's out on us. Um I talk about it all the time. Now there's gonna be game plans, and uh we definitely have some.

SPEAKER_03 6:49

It's across the board though. You now you have tape on all these teams too.

SPEAKER_02 6:53

Well, uh, like for Westminster, we don't. This is their first time.

SPEAKER_03 6:56

Oh, yeah, we're gonna get into that. We're gonna get into that. I got a lot to say. I have I don't worry, I got some tape of them and I have some things to say about them. But I will say this after last year, it does prove that a win is a hard thing to get. And and you should, you know, I mean, a win is that doesn't just come easy. Like a win takes a lot of work, and so you know, some the same thing.

SPEAKER_02 7:18

Yeah. And you gotta be willing to pay the price and prepare. Uh, I thought that was a credit to our preseason, and I thought we've been really consistent with our effort, focus, which we were not before. So it's a really positive step, but you know, like everything else, things get a lot more difficult. You've got me now the debut for the Westminster game, and this is a heck of a challenge to go on the road um against a team that's picked to win their division in their league. Uh, they've got a couple division uh two transfers and and some really good freshmen coming in, along with uh retiring their last two leading scores, so their leading score from last year and the year before he was injured, so he's back. So this is um we we will find out a lot more uh very quickly, and they'll have the advantage of having seen us play. Uh so there'll be more knowledge on that other side and a game plan for us. And so we'll start to now find out where our weaknesses really are. I I think sometimes those first games show your strengths, and then as teams get an idea or game plans or ways to figure things out, it changes. Now, not everybody, and we're not one of them, we don't do a lot different. Like we're gonna be who we are, but still scouts in preparation that way. Some teams are more game plan specific, you know, they'll do things specifically for each opponent, so it depends who you play. But uh yeah, it's a great start, it's a good way to get going. It it validates the work guys are put in. You know, we talked about having some faith and deepening our commitment and approaching things with integrity, and I think that uh uh reinforces that. I mean, we and uh and we talked about really cultivating our culture, and that's how we act, interact, and respond. And I thought we did all those things pretty well. I don't think you know we didn't play a very good second half deeper into the game.

SPEAKER_03 8:55

Let's give a full recap, though. Let's give a full recap. It's an 80-63 win over Mount Aloysius Friday evening at Memorial Gymnasium Gymnasium. You guys shot just under 50% from the field, 38% from free throw line, only 57% from the charity line. We're gonna have to talk about that for a second. Very balanced scoring with four guys in double digits. Joe Bruce, who we haven't talked a lot about. Ty Kovac led the way with 16. They each had 16. Jaden Bigler added 15, and Malcolm Griffith came off the bench with 12. Malcolm.

SPEAKER_02 9:29

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 9:30

Malcolm, yes.

SPEAKER_02 9:31

Oh, we got we got some pretty even scoring. You know, and Ty, you know, I thought filled his role well. Um, you know, he's gonna be a guy that we're gonna rely on in that spot. And we've been excited about Joe. I mean, he's had a really good preseason. He's kind of living up to what we hoped and expected. He's gonna have to learn a lot more and see a lot of things. I mean, that's how young we are. Um and Bilger got off to a really good start for us. I think he scored the first six or eight points. Uh and um, so yeah, I mean it was a good step. Um, you know, we we were able to consistently score. I mean, I think we were 40 points both half in that range. Um, you know, if we make free throws, it's it's a little easier game. And and we didn't, but we did get to the foul line a lot. Um we out rebounded them. We we uh forced more turn more turnovers than we committed, and we um uh got to the free throw line more than them. So those are the three things that you gotta do consistently to win games. So first one down, we were able to take care of that, and we'll have to continue to do it. But overall, we played a lot of guys. Everybody actually got in.

SPEAKER_04 10:29

But I was gonna say that. That's how everybody got in.

SPEAKER_02 10:33

Yeah. Through the course of the game, we played I don't know, 11, 12 guys, and that was good. I thought everybody contributed. I thought we really maintained kind of our defensive level of intensity and focus for the majority of the game. I, you know, we didn't get off to a great start second half, but the bench really came in and kind of picked up the energy which we're gonna need from them. And then I didn't think we executed like offensively down the stretch very well. I think we went away from what we need to do and where we need to go. Part of that is kind of when you're on scoring runs like that, you get away, you get ahead of yourself and you lose patience and you don't stay focused on what you are, and you might get ahead of yourself a little bit. Part of that is we're not there yet still, and those were the problems that we that reared its head last year. So a lot of it is what are we going to do moving forward, what decisions, and how do we improve that? Because as you play in different games, you know, every possession matters, and that's that's the window you have to that's the growth you have to show the good teams, and we talked about it yesterday with the group. Early, these games, you'll see funky scores, you'll see guys kids guys scoring a ton of points, you'll see somebody like falling flat and then having good games. It's those but what happens eventually is the good teams start to be able to execute at a level where they can consistently do things, and they don't have the wasted possessions that you find in games right now, and those margins just start to shrink, and you've got to be able to continue to operate in them to be successful. And you know, tomorrow night, you know, we're going to their home opener, their season opener. Yeah, new coach, it's a basketball place, they're picked to win their league, and they got a lot of new guys in there, so that it's that's a tough one. And they're gonna be you know, they'll have the focus and energy that we did Friday. Uh we had a great crowd. I think it's let's talk about the environment.

SPEAKER_03 12:15

How is the environment? What did we have people in blue?

SPEAKER_04 12:17

No, we were going white, dude.

SPEAKER_02 12:19

White. Yeah, well, we had first of all, we had the cheerleaders, we had, and they've got a big squad, so that was awesome. The cheerleaders are there. I think probably everything on your checklist except I didn't see the drum? I didn't see a drum or the eagle. Uh the eagle with the drum would I mean, and then you just tap it all in the free time. So no eagle. I'm not sure. I I I I he might have been there, but we need the eagle to make a comment. Were you there or were you not there? And that's terrible that I can't remember, but I do know.

SPEAKER_03 12:51

Um I gotta say the flow sports coverage. What did you think of that? The flow sports, I couldn't get it to work at first. We had some issues. I was at a floor.

SPEAKER_04 13:01

Man, I couldn't I I couldn't watch it at all, sadly.

SPEAKER_03 13:03

But I did follow it during the I did too. I was excited to see us get up and keep that lead and keep rolling. I think we were up by 24 at one point. I think that was the biggest lead.

SPEAKER_02 13:15

Yeah, I mean, we and we kind of consistently kept pushing uh things and uh just kind of kept playing play to play. Um but I said there was a lot to clean up to. Um well, free throws. Why why what why are we shooting 57%? I don't think there were a lot of free throws though. No, there were a lot.

SPEAKER_03 13:33

Yeah, we shot, I think, I don't know, would we shoot 26 of them?

SPEAKER_02 13:36

Something like that.

SPEAKER_03 13:36

It was a lot. It was a lot.

SPEAKER_04 13:38

Yeah, 26. 15 to 26.

SPEAKER_03 13:40

Yeah, I I think you keep the team afterwards and they shoot free throws. If we're not if we're under 70 percent. But then it gets in their head.

SPEAKER_02 13:48

So you think it's a bad move then, Biz? We we don't do either. We just shoot them consistently every day. Guys gotta concentrate, go up there and make them. And uh yeah, I mean, listen, if we get there that many times and only shoot 57%, what's gonna impact our ability to win games? So yeah. Sometimes, maybe early in the season, you gotta get used to that and and get back there, and everything slows down, it's just you on the line. But, you know, there's teams across the country that face the same thing, and some of them make them, some of them don't, and that usually is a separator, so we have to figure that out. I will just keep working at it. Um, you know, we were in here today, we got skill groups through the day. We're getting our free throws up. Yeah, we try to make an uh point that we gotta make them and concentrate, but it's also business, right? You can't overdo it. But this guy, I would ever do it. It's got to improve. And those are you know, I'm probably looking more kind of execution levels and were we focused on our executing. Did we guard screens correctly? Did we set screens correctly? Did we execute overall offensively? But the specifics too, hey, yeah, you gotta make shots, you can't turn it over. We didn't turn the ball over. So we did uh the the basic things, like our goals in the game, they're exceptionally good in transition. They're good off second shot offense because they kick for threes and um you know, points in transition, we we won that area pretty soundly. Uh second chance points, we won that area soundly and kept them out of that. Rebounded well. Yeah. And then the free throw line, we got there more times than them. Uh team that runs like that and tries to score in bunches and quickly, if you're on the foul line pretty consistently, that helps you a lot because you get to set your defense most of the time. So we were able to hit all those goals. And so it's not again, nothing's tricky. If you hit the formula, you usually win. And so we just have to stay focused on that stuff, play the ball, play the game the right way, and do the things that we need to do to win. Um, and regardless of who we're playing, those are the things that need to get done. And the challenge changes certainly in the the areas that uh you have advantages changes versus the opponent. So it'll be good to see some different styles of play. Between the scrimmages and that that game, we've seen now three pretty different styles of play. Although Dickinson and McDaniel, kind of centennial, big tennish, big strong, physical, pretty, pretty consistent, but a little bit more post-play in one game versus the other. So um and now we'll have a chance to go see um another one. This will be a very good defensive team. They're gonna be really balanced offensively. They're gonna have some guys that can create their own shot consistently, exceptionally well coached and kind of a pedigree. And and again, probably in there, you know, in the pack uh in Western PA, they're kind of a blue blood program, so they've been down a little bit and they don't stay down too long. So this is this is a landmark-level game that we're gonna play on Tuesday night. And we'll be right back. It'll be a big one.

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SPEAKER_03 17:18

And now, back to the show. All right, let's look ahead here. I got this week's scouting report brought to you by Snapdragon Apples. Snapdragon apples, monster crunch, epic flavor, sort of like our Eagles. All right. We tip things off this week at Westminster College. That's in New Wilmington, Pennsylvania, for those who have never heard of the college. The Titans were picked to finish at the top of their north division in this year's President's Athletic Conference, preseason coaches poll. Their mascot kind of looks like Michigan State Spartans, but maybe after a gap year and some soul searching. Um this is the Titans' first game of the season after finishing I think they finished 8-17 last year, though.

SPEAKER_02 18:03

I'm not sure what the record was last year.

SPEAKER_03 18:05

I kind of find it interesting. They're picking these guys. They're led by their first year, first year coach David Richards. He has three players named to the players to watch list: graduate student guard DJ Harrell, senior forward Trey DePetrio, and senior guard Drew Weir. Harrell joined the program this fall after spending last season at Salem. Weir appeared in 25 games with 21 starts and averaged 16 and a half points. And DePetre missed the entire season. That's the guy you were talking about due to injury. So this should be a good test. Before we get to that game, then Saturday, I gotta get the whole report in here. Saturday, we welcome the Alfred State to the nest at 2 p.m. They currently sit at 0-2 with losses at Harham College and Alfred University. They scored 80 points in their first game, but only 38 points against who I assume is their crosstown rival, Alfred versus Alfred State. Yeah. It's interesting. Hiram? I never heard of that.

SPEAKER_04 19:04

Hiram Hiram. Potato Potato.

SPEAKER_03 19:06

Now here's a little fun fact for you, Biz. They call themselves the Pioneers, but they do have an ox mascot. I I had to dig into this a little bit. In 2018, they moved away from the human figure mascot that was Pioneer Pete to the ox, aka Big Blue, in order to be more inclusive and more merchandise friendly. Maybe even more bovine, if you will. They'll play two more games before our Eagles versus uh SUNY Cobbleskill on Tuesday, and then at Huffington University on Thursday. I butchered.

SPEAKER_04 19:40

I love you going through these names.

SPEAKER_03 19:41

You have not pronounced anything right so far.

SPEAKER_02 19:44

It's cozy. I got Alfred, right? Alfred, Alfred State. And you got Snapdragon Apples. You got that one down pat.

SPEAKER_03 19:52

I got that one pretty good. Monster Crunch. Epic flavor.

SPEAKER_02 19:56

Yes. All right, let's start with the first one.

SPEAKER_03 20:00

Yeah, it is the preferred apple.

SPEAKER_02 20:01

All right.

SPEAKER_03 20:02

This week at so Westminster. Now I don't understand how these guys are picked and become first in a coach's poll when they have a first year coach.

SPEAKER_02 20:12

Well, he's not a first. I mean, he was the head coach at Chatham, who was first year at Westminster. Yeah, but he played there. Do we know him? Do you know him?

SPEAKER_05 20:21

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 20:21

And he they're familiar in the league. Um and he's moved there, and they've had they they were super young the last two years, sort of similar to us, and now these guys are all juniors and seniors. DJ Harrow is a division two guy who was a really good junior college player. He's got a ton of talent, can really score. Um, they averaged, uh they added another division two transfer that can really shoot, and they've got a really good incoming freshman class. So I think the coaches in that area know who they have and know their personnel. DPHR is really good. Uh, was their leading scorer two years ago, was out all year last year with an injury, and then we're their leading scorer last year. Right between those two guys, you're you're talking almost 40 points a game or 35 points a game. That's not that's a lot. You add Harrell, that's probably another 15 to 20 points a game. You're getting weird. He's another graduate student, isn't he? Yeah, he's a graduate student. I don't like that. He played uh Division II, and so this is his last year. So he played four years at a Division II school.

SPEAKER_03 21:18

Or no, I guess three years.

SPEAKER_02 21:19

I think he played two at junior college. I think he redshirted a year of Division II, and then he played part of the year last year. So he's a fifth-year guy with another year left. But I don't know all the specifics. Again, I'm not as familiar with Western PA as I once was with those things. So, but I I would just say that's why the PAC picked them. I think they know what they're talking about. And anytime you're picked by your peers to win a league, you've got some ability. And Coach Richards is a very, very good coach, very good coach. And they they're gonna be exceptional defensively, and they're gonna spread the floor offensively, and they have a real strong identity. And so this will be a big challenge. Remember, we played Chatham over the years, who's always really good. They're they're as good as the good Chatham teams, and so be a challenge for sure.

SPEAKER_03 21:59

Have we ever played? Played Westminster at Westminster. Have you ever gone into that gym? You've been to that gym.

unknown 22:04

Yes.

SPEAKER_03 22:05

What do we think? What do we think of the environment there?

SPEAKER_02 22:07

Uh it's a big gym. Um, and again, they have a they have a long-standing tradition. So they were NAIA for a long time. They won NAIA national championships and finals. When I was at Allegheny as a player, they were still NAI and they were scholarship guys, and we played them every year. Um and then uh what's your record against them as a player? As a player, uh I think we beat them once out of the four years, and they had scholarship guys. I mean, um, but they were they were always ranked NAI at that time. Then they they actually transitioned to Division II for a number of years, and then they dropped down to division three probably around the time that I moved back here. But yes, we've played um we've played in the ECAC actually several times um since they've played here once or twice. We played out there. Um we did uh when Larry on Deca was the coach, we did have a home and home series when Coach Hager was playing. We we we would play there. We've played there. I've been to their gym a lot of time, but it is it's similar like uh to like playing in Scranton's gym. Westminster has a really very, very proud tradition athletically, particularly in basketball and football. And so, yeah, this is their bell cow, and and it'll be that kind of environment. It'll be a good one for us to go play in. How far away is that from you guys? It's about three hours. So not an easy trip. I mean, but again, our league, that's what most of our trips are. So it's a very good um test for us, and it will should prepare us very well for what we're gonna face in the week.

SPEAKER_03 23:32

Biz, how how far are you from New Wellington, Pennsylvania?

SPEAKER_04 23:35

I don't know. Sadly, though, I am uh I got my indoor golf league tomorrow, so I won't be able to attend them. I know. I'm mad.

SPEAKER_03 23:44

So you're telling me I'm gonna have to be texting you score updates?

SPEAKER_04 23:47

No, I can watch it while I'm playing.

SPEAKER_03 23:50

All right. I'm gonna be very interested in this one.

SPEAKER_04 23:52

I am too, and I'm very sad that I'm not gonna be there.

SPEAKER_03 23:54

I'm I'm I'm clearing the calendar to watch this one. I got uh I'm very curious as to see how Joe Bruce comes out again. We'll see what happens. All right. Then on Saturday, we go to Alfred State. Have you ever they're coming here?

SPEAKER_02 24:08

Have we ever played Alfred State? Not that I not that I actually know. I don't think we have, not since I've been here.

SPEAKER_03 24:14

Have you ever heard of Alfred State before this year?

SPEAKER_02 24:16

Who? Me? Yeah, I'm actually familiar with all the division. I'm I'm your pronunciation guide, you remember? Yeah, that's right. I can tell you where all of them I've been in, I've probably played, been around, or seen pretty much all of them. So yeah.

SPEAKER_03 24:29

I'm very, I'm very I I would have liked to have been at the Alfred State Alfred game. I mean, they look they literally look like they're down the street from one another. They are.

SPEAKER_04 24:36

I mean, literally, they used to be in one university and they split. Yeah, what happened there?

SPEAKER_02 24:41

Why why do we have Alfred State and Alfred? Well, Alfred's a a private private school in Alfred State. Uh I forget how they started, but they're they're a state institution.

SPEAKER_03 24:50

I think they're in they're in the SUNY thing. Yes.

SPEAKER_02 24:53

Yeah. Yeah. How they both wound up there and when, uh, I don't know all the specifics there. I haven't spent enough time to figure that out. But uh I knew we're playing them. And uh you know, I haven't I they're playing it's gonna be interesting because they play four games. Yeah, this will be their fifth game by the time they play you. Fifth game in a week, basically. Yeah, um or eight days. But and that's a good trip for them, right? That's a pretty far trip. Uh it's probably about the three hours like the uh um there's that, but sometimes playing games, particularly early in the season to get on a roll and just playing and playing, playing is is a good thing for teams. So it's interesting, and it'll be we'll see. Uh they're just gonna be worried about themselves, I would assume, and uh they'll just be playing. But you get in rhythm, they you know, depending on what happens in the next couple games or you've struggled, just the way uh averages work and things even out, you know. So uh and I think they have a couple guys can score from what I've seen a little bit, but I have not even really gotten into them in any way other than check the scores real quick. Um look like they really put up a lot of points the first night, the second night, second day of a tournament, uh a lot of things can happen.

SPEAKER_03 26:00

They couldn't hit the broad side of a barn the second day.

SPEAKER_02 26:03

I think they they I know they have a really good guard that scores a lot of points, so I assume if they're uh you know perimeter-oriented sometimes, some nights it doesn't go great and it looks like that, but if it does, they they they can get get more quick. So um and where we sit, anything is a still a challenge. Um and so uh we're just gonna have to play well tomorrow night, get better, and regroup and play as hard as we can on Saturday.

SPEAKER_03 26:29

So that's what we gotta do? That's it's that simple to go to and oh this week?

SPEAKER_04 26:33

Play hard and play smart.

SPEAKER_03 26:34

Play hard and play smart.

SPEAKER_04 26:35

That's a recipe for anyone, buddy.

SPEAKER_03 26:37

And hit you hit your free throws.

SPEAKER_04 26:39

Oh yeah. Enough of the free throws. Let these guys they'll hit their free throws.

SPEAKER_03 26:44

All right, I'm just worried. I was a little concerned. I was a little concerned. Well, Bez, who are you giving the I mean, who do we give the uh the game ball to in the first game?

SPEAKER_04 26:55

I've done I've agon agonized over this one a little bit. I have man, I've been looking at the game. I like that you remembered. I I totally did. So I mean I had it down to between two guys. But I think I think we're going with uh number 34 Malcolm Griffith this week. And why is that? Eight boards, one assist, one steal, and one block. He hit every stat. He filled the stat sheet. Ty Kozak was a very close second, but uh we're going with Malcolm. Big game for Malcolm.

SPEAKER_03 27:27

Malcolm, the first the first game ball of the year. Well, second game ball, because we gave the first one to Noah, right, for the uh hole in one.

SPEAKER_04 27:33

Yes.

SPEAKER_03 27:34

I think we should keep a leaderboard of the of our of our game balls.

SPEAKER_04 27:39

You're the technician.

SPEAKER_03 27:40

Okay. Malcolm's got one and Noah's got one. And then I tend to think I know what we need to fix. What are we fixing? Free throws. Free throws, yeah. Can I can I add a practice for later today? Just just pure free throws? No. They'll hit their free throws.

SPEAKER_04 28:02

They want to be successful, Tom.

SPEAKER_03 28:03

Alright, I challenge the team 70%. 70% over the next two weeks. Over the next two games.

SPEAKER_04 28:10

That's a good number.

SPEAKER_03 28:11

That's I guess fair, right, coach?

SPEAKER_02 28:14

I I'm more worried that we keep getting there. We just need to get away from the couple of things. Oh, we'll get there. We need to get more than the opponent. And uh uh yeah, I have confidence in our guys. They get up there and shoot with confidence, we'll make all right.

SPEAKER_04 28:25

Now, do you see a lot of these guys like jamming after practice and shooting free throws on their own, or what?

SPEAKER_02 28:32

Yeah, I mean again, we have it, yeah, we we're pretty intentional about what we're doing with that stuff too. So it's not for a lack of practice.

SPEAKER_04 28:39

All right.

SPEAKER_02 28:39

So sometimes when you get to that stuff, sometimes it is what it is. You gotta you gotta make them tonight or you don't make them tomorrow. But absolutely, if we continue to shoot at that rate, it's gonna hamper our ability to be successful, so we gotta get it correct.

SPEAKER_03 28:51

So we're on the road Tuesday, and then at home Saturday. Another I like the Saturday home game. It's a two o'clock game, right? Yeah. There's no excuse for not everyone on campus being out there.

SPEAKER_02 29:03

Oh, no excuse. I think the the women will host the uh the conference championship in volleyball that night after us. So night after it should be a good day. Should be a good day on campus.

SPEAKER_04 29:13

Uh what do the women wear like the white uniforms at home like uh in volleyball, like basketball does?

SPEAKER_02 29:19

I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I I think they I don't know that they have a home and away in volleyball because they're on their side of the net.

SPEAKER_04 29:25

I don't think they're color whatever color they're wearing, I think we need to wear that.

SPEAKER_03 29:29

Yeah, but they don't wear the same color as the team on the other side, do they? No. I don't think so.

SPEAKER_02 29:33

I just said I I'm not one wears white, one wears. Should know. I should know that too, but I don't know. So I don't have that. Necessarily. All right, so let's get a big crowd. In the league?

SPEAKER_04 29:45

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 29:46

Yes.

SPEAKER_04 29:48

Are you kidding me? Nobody in their league beat that.

SPEAKER_02 29:53

No. I believe this will be they're going for their 44th straight conference championship.

SPEAKER_03 29:58

So this is the conference championship game after your game.

SPEAKER_04 30:01

44th straight.

SPEAKER_03 30:02

This is ridiculous. Again, I'm not coming out after Juniata. I'm coming out after the rest of the teams. Like, there is no excuse that one team, one time, can't beat them.

SPEAKER_04 30:15

It's called domination, man. It's it's a podcast. Domination.

SPEAKER_03 30:20

I guess, but it nobody's ever gonna beat us. What do you want? That's a good point. That's a good point. All right, so come out before the the big conference championship game. Watch us go at Alfred's.

SPEAKER_04 30:33

You know, I think we ought to go with white again because white worked, even if people were white, which we don't necessarily know. Do you think there was a lot of white curls? I saw a lot of blue.

SPEAKER_02 30:42

I don't know. We had we had a good crowd. That's what I was more concerned about. Well, that's good.

SPEAKER_04 30:45

That's all we need. White. That's a great one.

SPEAKER_02 30:47

It's a great atmosphere, it really was. Um getting those Friday night games and and playing later. Again, I think we talked last year. We were away for the whole time, and then we were only home over break. So yeah, these things are a benefit. I believe there's a home football game. It might be senior day on Saturday, too, so there's a lot on campus going on. It's got to be close to your last. Let's go. It's definitely your last time game. What time's that game? Uh, I'd have to check. I'm hoping it's 12, to be honest.

SPEAKER_03 31:13

I hope it's a 12 noon game. We go, I think we just call it an all Juniata sports game. You go football to basketball to volleyball. It's the trifecta of Juniata sports.

SPEAKER_04 31:22

How was the old football team doing, man? I remember when we started this, they didn't win the game. They didn't have a win the first year.

SPEAKER_02 31:28

I think we have two wins right now. Coach Stradwill is doing a really good job. The roster numbers are up, and the I think the enthusiasm of the group got a really good running back. All right. So I think they've had a good year overall. They need to finish. I'm sure they're anxious to finish on a high note here, and the seniors certainly deserve it. But I their uh class act, the whole program, the way they operate and what they're doing, uh they're continuing to make strides and and and uh taking good steps. So yeah, really encouraging the stuff that they've done, and and uh they've got great leadership and just the right people. And uh they're very young, too, very young. They're playing a ton of freshmen and sophomores, which is hard in anything. Football, again, that gap with seniors physically is a big deal that kind of wears on you through the season. But I think they stay the course here and keep going, uh, like really positive direction for the football program right now. All right, let's go.

SPEAKER_03 32:20

Have you ever brought young Curly over to a football game?

SPEAKER_02 32:23

Oh, yeah, I bring yeah, whenever we can. We we're around or get him exposed, you know. I don't don't lock them into just basketball. Oh, no. He but a lot of it is his schedule. You know, he's playing fall baseball this this year, so he always got games and or he's you know, these you know how it is, they all have their own social calendars too, man. They got a lot going on.

SPEAKER_04 32:43

So ain't that the truth?

SPEAKER_03 32:46

All right, folks. Well, next week we'll walk you through games versus Westminster and Alfred State, and we'll preview our first two conference games. Not the look ahead, Coach, but the week after we'll be at we'll we'll be playing Susquehanna and Drew.

SPEAKER_04 32:59

Dive right in. Oh, speaking of preseason polls, Tom, did you see the uh Wait, do I have that wrong, Coach Curly?

SPEAKER_02 33:04

No, you have it right, but it's uh crazy how quick the league's coming. Yeah. The 18 teams, uh uh it's it's a lot. And uh, you know, whether anybody's ready for those league games, I mean they're coming, everybody's got to play them, but it that is insanely quick. And uh uh but let's just focus on uh having some good workouts and good practice tonight and play well tomorrow.

SPEAKER_04 33:25

Let's go one at a time.

SPEAKER_03 33:27

Send in your next round of mailbag questions.

SPEAKER_04 33:29

One and oh.

SPEAKER_03 33:30

And then no, I did not look ahead. I have not looked at any preseason polls yet. So we should get into that though.

SPEAKER_04 33:36

Flashed across my Instagram this past week.

SPEAKER_03 33:40

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 33:40

Where uh where do you think the Eagles were predicted to finish, Tom? I gotta feel like a tad bit of motivation out there.

SPEAKER_03 33:46

I feel like it's pretty low. Nine out of ten. Nine who was below us?

SPEAKER_04 33:52

Who was below us?

SPEAKER_03 33:53

I don't remember. All right, we'll get into that though.

SPEAKER_04 33:58

Guess what? Yeah, a little motivation.

SPEAKER_03 33:59

Hang that. I'd put that in the locker room.

SPEAKER_04 34:01

I would. I will. You know what? I'll print it out and send it to you.

SPEAKER_03 34:05

All right. All right. All right, folks. That's it.

SPEAKER_02 34:09

You should print, you should print it out and have it on the video screen for your golf league on Tuesday when you want to. When we're playing 25 minutes.

SPEAKER_04 34:16

By the way, we are the defending champions.

unknown 34:20

Oops.

SPEAKER_04 34:20

Of the golf league? Yes, sir. Defending champs, boys.

SPEAKER_03 34:24

I'm there's a winner. He's a winner, top, top to bottom. That's right. All right, we're one and oh. That's very exciting to say. Yes, it is. Let's keep it, let's keep it rolling. No matter what, we're one and oh right now, right here. One and oh. I love it.

SPEAKER_04 34:39

I love it too.

SPEAKER_03 34:40

All right, send in your next uh round of questions. I like them. I like them a lot. Send your thoughts and follow the show on Instagram at Junietta Basketball Show. Subscribe to the Junietta and Basketball Show on Apple Spotify, where you've listened to the podcast. And until next time, I'm Tom Frank.

SPEAKER_02 34:56

I'm Ben is I'm the head coach, Greg Curl.

SPEAKER_03 35:04

And eat your apples, kids. Eat your apples.