2014 Season in Review: Alma

2014:  7-18,  6-8    5th place
2013:  9-16,  4-10  7th place
2012:  9-16,  5-9  6th place


Best Win of the year:  at Albion 71-69, Albion 82-71
Worst Loss of the year:  Olivet 80-87

Seniors: Isiah Law, Brandon Krause, Jake Murawske, Kyle Aho

I don't know man.

Through the non-conference portion of the season Alma looked like one of the more disappointing teams in the league.  While it was a tough schedule, 1-10 it probably shouldn't have been with losses to North Park and Allegheny.   Other than their MIAA opening night shock of Albion however the Scots weren't as much of a factor in the race as their record or finish suggests.

Of their 8 league losses 6 were by double-digits, though you never really had the feeling they were really out of any contest.  A strong push the last two weeks of the season saw them nearly get a shock win at Hope, losing by 3 and winning their last 3 contests.  This pulled them up to 5th in the league, by tie-breaker technically and ust 2 games out of an MIAA Tournament spot.  By the last weekend I'm not sure there was a team anyone of the top 4 wanted to see less than Alma.

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Statistics Corner 
Alma was a pretty decent offensive team with a national rank of #170 scoring, #69 FG% and #60 in 3pt FG%.  Defensive ranks were pretty awful, #376 in scoring, #361 in FG% defense and a #401 in steals.  The Scots really couldn't stop anyone and relied on outscoring teams on most nights.

In the league however, the Scots were a better defensive team than their non-conference numbers and ranked somewhere around average, which might say more about the league.  Their big advantage came behind the arc where they made nearly 3 more 3's per game than the league average and were out-shot percentage wise by only Hope.  

Efficiency 

Offense:   104.50       Defense:   114.11        Total Eff Rating:   190.40

Team rank out of the last 10 years:   #5
League rank out of the last 10 years:  #63

This was Alma's best league finish since the Ed Kohtala years which still register in the 'last 10 years' category.  Performance wise it falls just under last years team with a much more difficult schedule.  The defense rating of 114.11 is the worst among the league in this 10 year window.

2014-2015

Key returnees:  DJ Beckman, Scott Nikodemski, Chase Fairchild, Ivy Johnson

NHL great Lanny McDonald has a new gig

Alma losses a little bit from this years team including 2 of its top 3 scorers and 3 highest bench minutes guys, or 4 of their top 8 which also includes their all-league point guard.  The Scots will have a mostly upper class team next year but with no Seniors.

DJ Beckman will likely be the main offensive guy and frankly it wouldn't be hard to envision a rise like Mark Ghafari had at Kzoo the last couple years.  Chase Fairchild should also see a rise in attempts as he grabs a few more minutes and becomes Alma's #2 scoring threat.  Alma will continue to be thin in the post and continue to rely on out-shooting their opponents.  In short we can continue to expect a nightly 3-point barrage and at least one probably two scary games.

Range of Finish:   I think Alma loses a little too much to seriously challenge for one of the top 4 league spots.  Even with the losses to graduation this roster seems good enough to give them a chance at a similar finish to this year and they should be very competitive with Kzoo, Adrian and Olivet.  Its the other 4 that give me pause.  You need depth and size against those four and with just returning players I'm not sure Alma stacks up well there.    5th if things went really well, 6th or 7th more likely, and 8th if things went poorly.