Move over Krzyzewskiville - Welcome to Kroppcounty
The Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) has some of the best basketball I have ever seen. These teams have some wonderful basketball coaches, players, and fans. These teams are like the ACC of Division II basketball.
(PRWEB) March 4, 2005 -- Move over Krzyzewskiville, Kroppcounty is the den for college basketball fans to congregate. (Dick Vitale, are you listening?) Kroppcounty is located at the University of Nebraska-Kearney where fans are privileged to see (true) student-athletes play intercollegiate basketball against some other fine Division II institutions. Kearney plays fundamental basketball in the manner Dr. Naismith would feel proud. Another doctor, legendary basketball coach Dr. Tom Kropp, leads them on the court.
This author, accompanied by Mike Filion (a.k.a. The unofficial fan of the RMAC" --Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference), made the trip to Nebraska-Kearney from Denver, Colorado via Fort Hays, Kansas (note: as fans of the RMAC, there was a January 27th Fort Hays-Colorado Christian University contest that was of interest). The two days of basketball in Kearney featured two visiting Denver schools: Regis University and Metro State College.
Fans were privileged to see great double headers (mens and womens games) on both nights. The womens team of Regis on Friday defeated Kearney by playing excellent zone defense and running a back-door offense that resembled Princeton University; on Saturday, Metros women jumped out to an early 19-0 lead, but Kearney women fought back in a losing effort, by some great 3-point shooting. On the mens side on Friday Regis lost to Kearney, but shot the ball very efficiently. For the finale, on Saturday night, Kearney defeated Metro before a packed house of over four thousand folks. Metro jumped out to a half-time lead, but could not match Kearneys intensity of the second half.
One of the authors highlights of this trip was having the opportunity to see Coach Kropp get together with some of his former players for some informal basketball shooting games on Saturday afternoon. These alumni still feel well connected to this program. One former player, Nick Branting, received an award at half time of the Metro game for his accomplishments in the classroom. (The future Dr. Nick will be attending medical school starting in the Fall Semester.)
Another highlight was getting to meet the fans. Their knowledge and respect of each team, especially 2-time National Champion Metro State, were apparent. In fact, one fan was ecstatic for getting to shake hands with Coach Mike Dunlap (of Metro State). Many fans recalled how Mike Dunlap went into the stands several years ago to congratulate the fans for their efforts in a Kearney win against Metro State that put Kearney into the elite eight tournament of Division 2.
So, in closing, this author wants to thank everyone involved in Kearney basketball. He will be back to Kroppcounty in the near future and hopes Dick Vitale will join him.
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