Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Adopt-a-Team, 2011 Version

When we last checked in on the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers, the suspension of leading scorer Desmond Holloway derailed an otherwise record-setting 2010-11 season in Conway, SC.  The Chants were 24-3 before Holloway's eligibility issues took him out of the lineup, but dropped three of their final seven, falling to UNC Asheville in the Big South Tournament championship game to miss out on their first NCAA Tournament bid.

2011-12 looked like a rebuilding year for Cliff Ellis after Holloway (18.5 ppg) turned pro following his junior season, solid guard Danny Nieman left the team, and seniors Chad Gray (14.6 ppg) and Mike Holmes graduated.  Coastal entered the season having to replace 49.5% of its scoring and 44.8% of its rebounds, and with LSU and Clemson on the early-season schedule, rebuilding seemed the operative word on the Grand Strand.

Cliff Ellis has your rebuilding right here. After earning the Bible Belt's enmity by dusting Covenant and Methodist, Coastal topped LSU, 71-63, on the strength of a 53-34 rebounding edge. The win was the second in as many years over the Bayou Bengals. Coastal then doubled up Spalding (they'll get nothing, and like it), 87-43, before going on the road to face Clemson, a team tabbed by many to be competitive in the ACC.

Coastal spotted the Tigers a 12-point first-half advantage before Chris Gradnigo tipped in his own missed jumper at the buzzer to give the Chanticleers a surprising 60-59 win. Gradnigo and Anthony Raffa (from Sentence of Dave-approved Sea Isle City, NJ) each scored 21 in the upset.  Point guard Kierre Greenwood and forward Sam McLaurin join Gradnigo and Raffa in averaging double figures for the balanced Coastal offense.  The Chants have dominated the glass thus far, averaging 45 rebounds per game to their opponents' 28 behind a starting front line that goes 6'7", 6'8", and 6'11".

Our last adopted squad, the 2009-10 Baby Deacons of Wake Forest, went 7-11 after we anointed them, flaming out in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. We expect much bigger things from Coastal Carolina, a school with which we have significant G:TB familial ties. With only moderately tough opposition (Florida International, College of Charleston, and East Carolina) standing between them and the Big South season, Coastal Carolina has a little bit of a 1978-79 Indiana State look to them, minus the tight shorts, feathered hair, and transcendent superstar.

(Before you get all lathered up, we don't actually believe that last part. But we're pleased to jump on the Chantwagon, nonetheless.)

31 comments:

  1. the teej demanded this get posted now. immediately. no waiting. and i hate it when the teej gets all pushy.

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  2. yes, the teej is the worst. so is capitalization.

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  3. How's Holloway doing in the NBA thus far this season?

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  4. Cliff Ellis, former Auburn coach?

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  5. you could't manage a label or tag?

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  6. Teege is the label Nazi. It's an odd cause.

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  7. happy thanksgiving, friends. commencing daydrinking in 5 minutes.

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  8. Wow. Aggressive move by Roberto. I'll hold off on my daydrinking for a few hours.

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  9. Didn't get daydrinking in as early as I'd hoped. Igorette's recovering addict ex came by to see the kids. Apparently it's "inappropriate" to be boozing when that happens. That's over now. A pair of mimosas for a primer, time to roll up the sleeves and demonstrate some real prowess.

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  10. By the way, one of my favorite recurring segments at G:TB is when we all log our collective drinking journals.

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  11. Clay Matthews is superhuman. Or juiced.

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  12. couple of mimosas as warmup, as well. bought my host a bottle of whiskey - with offer to help him drink it.

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  13. Igora might be better. Think I had the -ette in my head after seeing the Smurfs float in the parade.

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  14. CANTWAIT to be out of this care, joining you gents in daytim drinking (400 miles away)

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  15. the fuck was that penalty on vanden bosch? not really football if that's not legal.

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  16. Met some friends at a local bar on the river. A few beers, a couple shots. Taking a short break before I start drinking with my brother-in-law and his friends at my in-law's house. Giggity.

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  17. preparing to move from wine to palate cleansing beer. mmm, beer.

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  18. Started w beer at 1030 a.m But that was after a productive morning that included both work and exercise. So I felt it was justified. 2 bloodys followed. Back to beer. Wine w din din (we had turkey).....Irish coffees (2). Creme de minthe (1). Beers. Bed. Hmmm....bed.

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  19. If the internet is right and cop cars just went to Bernie Fine's house, Jim Boeheim will be stepping down within the week.

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  20. They searched the house....that is all at the moment.

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  21. harvard with wins over pac-12 and acc teams on consecutive days. we may have adopted the wrong team.

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  22. Tommy Ammaker is a cheating douchebag. No thanks.

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  23. That's a pretty aggressive stance on someone as milquetoast as Tommy Amaker.

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