Friday, December 4, 2009

Hall Hits the High Notes, Wins 89-56


In a game full of highlights and high notes, Seton Hall took care of business against Hartford last night, keeping their undefeated dreams alive. Eugene Harvey had a double-double and a career high 14 assists, JT dropped 17 points, Jamel Jackson continued giving us hard data for our soon to be formed field goal to three point attempt theoreom, and even crowd favorite Darnell Gatling registered his first career points! Nice job, mini-me!


While the game finished with a personal highlight for Darnell Gatling, the game couldn't have started any higher. Ben and I have been riding the SHU athletics department the last few years to have better in-game entertainment, and they appear to have accepted the challenge. Not only have they introduced a thundering intro video that would make Frank Capra blush, but they also managed to find the best eight year old falsetto singer in the country who gave us a rousing rendition of the national anthem. Take that Frankie Valli!


All in Hall, it was a great game and Seon Hall did what they needed to do...win. Maybe next game the Seton Hall mascot can do flips through a flaming hoop...? Hey, just a thought.


Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Hall Sends NJIT Back to the Lab; Win 93-53


In my first game back from scouting the finest basketball talent in Europe, SHU sent the NJITechnicians back to the Highlands, dismantling them 93-53. Although the tryptophan was evidently still sitting heavy in the players' stomachs for the first few minutes, Theodore entered the game with a much needed shot of cranberry sauce. After that, it was all gravy.

Pope posted his fourth straight double double, Hazell added 21 points, and JJ is well on his way to creating a mathematical sequence that would make even Fibonacci blush. So far this season, Jackson is 11 of 25 from the field and - you might have guessed it - 11 of 24 from three point range. Although he's thrown in a few free throws here and there, Ben and I are sure that given more hard data we will be able to devise a Jackson theorem a la the Mel weight-minutes ratio. Stay tuned Mr. Blaskopf!

But there was more to being back than just watching basketball. It was also about reconnecting with family. It was about looking ahead to Cancun, hearing how tequila ferments in cactus fields in Mexico. It was about catching up on all the Cornell trip shenanigans. It was about hearing outlandish rumors about the players, recruits, and the coaches. Yes, it's good to be back.