Huntington Hoops

Go Foresters!

Season Results
Season Comps

Team Stats
Roster Stats
NAIA Stats
NAIA D2 Rating
Huntington #4

Forester Statistics
Statistical Leaders


Go Foresters

MCC Players
of the Week

2006-07 Foresters

Forester Coach
Steve Platt


Coach Platt

End of the
2006-07 Season

Overall Coaching
Record: 307-133

MCC Conference
Record: 130-58

MCC Tournament
Record: 25-8

NAIA Tourney
Record: 11-7

Seniors

Alex Kock
Alex Kock


Kyle Ganton
Kyle Ganton


Jared Yoder
Jared Yoder


James Haifley
James Haifley
    The Foresters 2006-07 Season Season Summary
     
 

Season Summary . . .

Season:   
2006-07 MCC Conference Champions

2007 MCC Tournament Champions


Final Information Update
 

   During the 2006-07 season, the Foresters averaged 80.2 points a game.  Their high game was 100 points versus Siena Heights Univ.  They gave up 69.6 points a game; their average scoring margin was +10.6 points a game.
   They averaged 1.16 points per offensive possession (1.14 in the MCC), while giving up 1.01 points per possession to opponents (1.00 in the MCC).  That ranked # 1 and # 6 among the 9 MCC teams.  The Foresters provided assists on 60% of their field goals.
   Huntington was # 2 in the MCC in assists per game with an average of 17.1 and an assist per turnover ratio of 1.42.  The Foresters turned the ball over on 18% of their offensive possessions, which was the lowest turnover percentage in the MCC.
   HU averaged 34.5 rebounds a game, with a rebound margin of +2.6 per game.  That was # 2 in the MCC Conference.  Their offensive rebounding efficiency was 30%, and defensive rebounding efficiency was 71% (expressed as a percent of opportunity).
   Alex Kock led the team in scoring with 23.4 points a game; Kyle Ganton was second with 18.8 points a game; Doug Sheckler was third with 12.9 points a game.
   Many contributed to the team's success:  30 points or more were scored in a game by 3 differenc players 6 times, 25 points or more were scored by 4 different players; 20 points or more were scored by 4 different players; 15 points or more were scored 73 times by 5 players; and 10 points or more were scored 120 times by 7 players.
   Outstanding production by the Foresters this season:
Kyle Benge - 27 points (IN Institute of Technology), 8 assists (Bethel College IN *)
Kyle Ganton - 33 points (Bethel College IN *), 11 boards (Grace College)
Ben Haifley - 2 points (Marian College *), 2 boards (Marian College *)
James Haifley - 8 points (Indiana Univ-South Bend), 5 boards (Grace College *)
Kyle Johnson - 9 points (Trinity International Univ), 2 boards (Marian College *)
Alex Kock - 36 points (Cedarville Univ), 17 boards (Grace College)
Kevin Kyle - 12 points (Marian College *), 10 boards (Spring Arbor University *)
David Lash - 5 points (Siena Heights Univ), 4 boards (Marian College *)
Geoff Scheetz - 3 points (Trinity International Univ), 1 steal (Aquinas College)
Doug Sheckler - 34 points (IPFW), 11 boards (Goshen College *)
Luke Smith - 13 points (Goshen College *), 5 assists (Grace College *)
Neil Stoffel - 5 points (Siena Heights Univ), 2 boards (Taylor University *)
Ryne Thornton - 6' 0 Sophomore, Indianapolis, IN, 1 assist (Aquinas College)
Jared Yoder - 17 points (Indiana Wesleyan Univ *), 10 assists (Marian College *)
* Designates MCC Conference Opponent
   The Foresters shot 50.4%, including 42.8% from beyond the arc, and connected on 80.1% of their free throws.  They held their opponents to 43.9% from the field this season, including 33.3% from three-point range.
   Alex Kock was the field goal percentage leader at 55.1% (3 att/gm minimum).  Jared Yoder led in three-point shooting with 49.4% (2 att/gm minimum).  Kyle Ganton had the best free throw percentage with 90.1% at the line (1 att/gm minimum).
   Rebounding was led by Alex Kock with 10.0 a game, Doug Sheckler had 5.3 boards a game, and Kyle Ganton averaged 5.0 rebounds a game.
   The assist leader was Jared Yoder at 5.9 a game, Alex Kock was second with 3.3 a game, and Kyle Benge was third with 2.0 assists per game.
   Alex Kock led the team with 20 double-doubles in 34 games,  Doug Sheckler led in blocked shots with 55 in 34 games, and Doug Sheckler had the most steals with 35.
   Current records, NAIA rating and MCC standing at the end of the season:
2006-07 Overall Record:  29 - 5
2006-07 MCC Record:  14 - 2
Current MCC Standing:  # 1
PreSeason MCC Rating:  # 1
   NAIA Division II Coaches Poll Final Rating (2/21/07) was: # 4
   Computer Ranking within the 155 Collegiate Teams of NAIA Division II as of 3/8/07:
# 2  Wolfe,     # 2  Rothman,        # 4  Massey,     # 3  Massey MOV
   Computer Ranking in the 1,505 Collegiate Teams of North America on 3/8/07:
# 351  Wolfe,     # 346  Rothman,     # 395  Massey
   The Foresters ended the season with three active players in the Huntington University 1,000 Point Club.  Alex Kock had 2,182 career points, Kyle Ganton had 2,126 career points, and Doug Sheckler had 1,208 career points.  


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  End of Season Summary

•   The Foresters successfully defended their MCC Conference Title of a year ago and won the MCC Tournament with a win over Indiana Wesleyan, their third win over the Wildcats this season.  Huntington had returned 84% of the points, 81% of the assists and 75% of the rebounds from the previous season.  The four seniors, Kyle Ganton, James Haifley, Alex Kock and Jared Yoder continued to excel in their areas of expertise on the court, as did Doug Sheckler, the only junior on the team.

•   Alex was named NAIA Player of the Year after being named the MCC Conference Player of the Year for the third year; Kyle received NAIA All-American Honors after being named All-MCC Conference for the third year and setting three HU individual records, Doug Sheckler was named MCC All-Conference Third Team, leading the team in blocks and steals this season, and Jared Yoder received MCC All-Conference recognition, leading the MCC in assists and assist/turnover ratio.

•   The Foresters wrapped up the season with a 29-5 record, which includes 9 Wins over NAIA D2 Top 25 teams (#9 Cedarville, #9 Ind Wesleyan, #17 Evangel, #19 Indiana Tech, #20 St Francis, #32 Taylor, #33 Aquinas) and a win over NAIA D1 #16 Georgetown.  The losses were at NCAA D1 Indiana Purdue-Fort Wayne (1 point in overtime), at #6 NAIA D1 Campbellsville (by 5 points), a unexplained loss at Spring Arbor, and a loss to #16 St Francis, which snapped HU's home winning streak .  In the MCC Conference, the Foresters went 14-2 with wins over every team in the conference.  The 2006 preseason MCC Coaches' Poll had Huntington on top and that's where they ended up.

•   The team was rated #1 in the NAIA D2 Coaches Polls this season (for the first time in Huntington history), starting the season at #2.  After the Spring Arbor loss they dropped to #5 and after the loss to St Francis moved to #8.  After defeating Indiana Wesleyan for the second time, HU climbed back to #4.  Huntington ended the season ranked #2 in NAIA D2 by the Wolfe Ratings, a computer system that considers W-L record, game location and strength of schedule.  The Rothman Ratings, a system that includes margin of victory, also had Huntington at #2.  The two Massey Rating systems had Huntington ranked #4 and #3, using criteria similar to that of Wolfe's and Rothman's, respectively.

•   As the season concluded, the Foresters were #1 in the MCC and #1 in the NAIA with a 80.1% free throw shooting percentage, #1 in the MCC and #1 in the NAIA with a 42.8% three-point shooting percentage,#1 in the MCC in points per offensive possession (1.16), #1 in the MCC and #2 in the NAIA with a 1.42 assist/turnover ratio, #1 in the MCC in turnover percentage (17.5%), and #2 in the MCC and #6 in the NAIA with a 50.4% field goal percentage.  The Foresters ranked #2 in the MCC in assists (17.1 a game), points margin (+10.6 a game), defensive rebounds a game (25.4) and rebound margin (+2.6); they were #3 in the MCC in three-point field goals per game (7.3).

•   The five upperclassmen led the way with 79% of the points, 70% of the rebounds and 80% of the assists.  Alex Kock was once again the MCC's leading scorer at 23.4 points a game, and the MCC's second leading rebounder at 10.0 a game; he was #1 in the MCC with 20 double doubles.  Alex was also #5 in three-point field goal percentage (44.8%), #7 in field goal percentage(55.1%) and #9 in free throw percentage (83.6%).  Kyle Ganton was #2 in the MCC in free throw percentage (90.1%), #4 in the MCC in scoring 18.8 points a game and three-point percentage (46.4%).  Jared Yoder led the MCC with 5.9 assists per game and a 2.64 assist/turnover ratio.  Yoder also topped the MCC in three-point percentage (49.4%).  James Haifley was #15 in the MCC with a 1.58 assist/turnover ratio; Doug Sheckler was #3 in the MCC in blocks (1.6 a game) and ended up with 3 double doubles this year.

•   The sophomores were providing strong support:  Kyle Benge, out 9 games with an ankle injury and a wrist injury, averaged 9.7 points a game; Ben Haifley, Geoff Scheetz and Ryne Thornton played less but contributed to team stats.  Benge ended up third on the team in assists (2.0 a game) and fourth in scoring, with 15 points or more points five times this season (two games of 20+ points).  Also, Ben Haifley was #5 in the MCC with a 2.00 assist/turnover ratio.  Freshmen Kyle Johnson, Kevin Kyle, David Lash, Luke Smith, and Neil Stoffel were also providing valuable playing time.

•   The Foresters put four players into the 1,000 Point Club last season and added another this season: Doug Sheckler. Kyle Ganton and Alex Kock, continued to climb on the scoring list and passed the 2,000 point plateau.  Alex is now #5 on that list with 5,182 points and Ganton is #6 with 2,126 points.  Other individual marks: Alex Kock became sixth at HU with his 21.0 points career scoring average; Kyle Ganton broke a Huntington record for best free throw shooting in a game (hitting 13 of 13 at Georgetown) and also claimed the HU career free throw percentage record by hitting 88.6% over four years.

•   Coach Steve Platt completed his 13th season at Huntington.  He has led the Foresters to four MCC Titles, four MCC Tournament Championships, and six NAIA National Tournament appearances in the last seven years.  His NAIA National Tournament record is now 11-7 with an Elite Eight appearance in 2003, a Final Four appearance in 2000 and a Championship Game appearance in 2006.  He was named MCC Coach of the Year in 2000.  Coach Platt reached his 300th Win at Huntington this season (the only men's coach to win over 166 games at HU).  Coach Platt also achieved the highest win ratio of any HU men's coach, which now stands at 69.8%, and the Foresters recorded their 1,000th win in school history.

(Photos Courtesy of Huntington University)

Paul Harrington, Fort Wayne, IN