Quote from: BigMike33 on January 26, 2017, 01:28:18 PM
Bucket

Since I represent my opinions and not the greater we..I will still call it like I see it.....

My comments are to stimulate conversation..not a rough draft to be censored.....

I will again leave the human flaw of memory to the greater we and your stats that do not involve this year. Every year is different. Every team is different.

You own your cringe....I am interested in the NESCAC & Middlebury basketball. Watched every minute of every Panther game this year, 9 in person. Basketball is basketball. If I'm right I gain credibility, If I'm wrong, the reasons why, I was wrong, will surely be apparent and I'm sure you will let me know.  I also don't make players out to be other players. I respect individuality and prefer to compare & contrast basketball skills of contemporaries.

The comment on Folger was that he is a future star...but does change momentum and game flow frequently, which is consistent with the path to becoming a future star.  McCord & Tarantino start. Majors & Folger sub.  These are the "Bigs" led by Coach Reilly. The minutes are almost the same for all 4 with fouls & effectiveness being cases when Coach Brown deviates. Please reference the thought on blocks & stops in today's offensive focused game.

Middlebury pushes on your makes....that will be the speed of game..they will dictate....

Great Alumni weekend game for the school showcase. 

Final comment Panther fans and foes....There is only one St. Amour--consensus NESCAC player of year...this is their year to do whatever it is they are going to do... Jake Brown also a senior. Guards dictate games because the ball is in their hands more of the time than the other players. Senior Guard oriented teams have great success in NCAA tournament.

Hamilton will be very formidable in the next 3 years as currently constituted that's where the Zach Baines loss will hurt middlebury more.  Baines also would have been guarding Gilmour on Saturday. Saturday will show the trajectory of Hamilton's growth.

I've been sitting on the sidelines watching this league and board for ten years or so.  I haven't opined for years and probably will hibernate again until the guy who just took the oath in DC goes back to New York.  Anyway, maybe it's me, but singling out a freshman sub as a "future star", "changing games" etc,  while bellyaching about that same kid not getting the stats he deserves no matter how true it ultimately may or may not be comes across more dad like than objective analyst like to me.  After all, where I come from, the only stat which really matters and is worth barking about is the big number under each team on the scoreboard.  While your prediction on St Amour may turn out to be true, even I know there is plenty of basketball left to be played to decide that.  Don't rip my head off while telling me how little I know compared to you.  I'm gone.               

Happy Birthday Coach Hixon.  Here's one of your shining moments of teaching good sportsmanship by example.  My favorite part is the voice from the crowd who says "That's why you have never been coach of the year"  What a guy. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=BtggkunT2Lo#

After my post, an old friend sent me these links from Wolfin's freshman year.  No wonder he ended up as Midd's all time assist leader.  Thompson, Lynch and Wolfin, heck of a recruiting class for Jeff Brown.   

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cI3RsGRu4g

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vj3aX_WuL30

Quote from: grabtherim on May 28, 2013, 04:42:31 PM

Quote from: Bucket on May 28, 2013, 04:20:07 PM

Quote from: toad22 on May 28, 2013, 04:01:57 PM
I really like what Middlebury has done with their basketball program. However, they are likely to be down next year. I'm not saying that the'll be mediocre next year, they won't -- they will be good. They just won't be as good as they have been. They lose a lot. Lynch was a total stud his senior year. He was one of the best interior players Williams faced all year. Thompson was a great defender, and shooter. Wolfin was the most important of the three. He set up the offense nearly every possession. Those players were all skill players. It will be very difficult to replace them with players of equal skill. You need offense to beat really good opponents, and I don't think that there is quite as much offense as there has been. The defense should be very solid, as will their rebounding.

I'm going to have to disagree. I think both Sinnickson (if he stays healthy) and Daley are going to prove to be a couple of dynamic offensive forces...very tough matchups because of their size and athleticism. I agree with the assessment that this team has the potential to be more dynamic, offensively, than last year's. Add the shooting of Merryman, the all-around stellar play of Kizel, Jensen's ability to get to the hoop, and the development toward the end of the year of both Churchill and Roberts on the block--a lot of options. (And that's without mentioning the bevy of guards--Pendergast, Huff, Bulluck, Alvarez, and the highly touted freshmen cohort.)

The biggest question, to me, is whether someone will be able to get the ball in the hands of these players when and where they need it. Jake Wolfin did that masterfully for four years.

Good point on the assists and Wolfin.  He had a knack for getting the ball to the open man, and the necessary short memory which allowed him to make the next tough pass after a turnover or two.  Replacing that will not be easy.  Some legit questions based on Buckets question: Can Kizel add more of this to his game without diminishing his strengths?  Can Pendergast or recruits Brown and St. Armor help? Biggest question I guess is: Does Midd have or need a pure PG to be successful after having one they looked to for the past four years?  One thing you can be sure to see:  NESCAC coaches putting much more pressure on Midd's guards than they had with Wolfin, and before him Edwards and Rudin, to see where they stand in this area.     

Quoting one of my favorite songs, "You don't know what you got till it's gone".  Even a hick knows you cannot score unless you get the ball.  Coach Brown will find a way to get this done, but it's hard to imagine a big increase in assists from Kizel, not the best part of his game.  As important as the assists, who will bring up the ball.  Wolfin did it the most with Kizel and Thompson often doing some.  2/3 gone, time for someone to step up.   

Quote from: Bucket on March 31, 2013, 05:36:32 PM
Plucking coins off the top of backboards actually originated with Earl Manigault, the Harlem legend known as The Goat.

I love this anecdote:

When Kareem Abdul-Jabbar finished his career with the Los Angeles Lakers and had his number retired at the Los Angeles Forum, he was asked who was the greatest player he had played with or against. After a long silence, he answered, "That would have to be 'The Goat'".

http://hoopedia.nba.com/index.php?title=Earl_%22The_Goat%22_Manigault

Bucket - Around the same time as "The Goat" or maybe even a few years earlier there was a playground legend in New York who played with Connie Hawkins and others by the name of "Jumpin" Jackie Jackson.  He supposedly pinned a Wilt shot at Rucker Park after which a angry Chamberlain left the park.  Street legend has it that he was the 1st to take a quarter off the top of the backboard.  Jackie did not play in the NBA but had a long career with the Gobetrotters in the 60s and 70s.  How do I know all of this so well? His brother Nathaniel Jackson was my middle school science teacher.  If you want to read about some fascinating NY hoops legends, you will probably find some stories on-line about Fly Williams and Herman the Helicopter Knowings.  Decades later people in Rucker Park the mecca of NYC Basketball still speak about them in awe.   
http://www.jumpinjackiejackson.blogspot.com/

Waiting two weeks for a championship game is very strange.  Almost feels like Bowl Season in football.  Good luck to the Lord Jeffs.

 
Midd will have some nice battles to get the Lynch/Thompson/Wolfin minutes. Alvarez is a defensive specialist who was often called on to be a pain to the opponents top guards, the kind of guy who would really get under the skin of guys he D's up.  If healthy, he can help.  The 2013-14 wild cards for Mildd are how Sinnickson comes back, and what Coach Brown gets from Daley, Nidenberg and Huff who did not get the minutes they might have hoped for this past season.  I think next season will show that Pendergast can get to the rack with any NESCAC guard, and he should gain confidence with increased minutes.  As long as he protects the ball, his minutes should be there.  Take all of this with the addition of St. Armor and and there is reason for optimism that Midd can stay at the top or near it in the league.  Still, if some or most of these guys don't step up, teams will  make their game plan: Stop Kizel and beat Midd.     

Quote from: LarryBasketball33 on March 10, 2013, 07:25:51 AM
Hard not to appreeciate a league which puts 3 teams in the Sweet 16.  The Middlebury win was all about guts and players stepping up when the moment called for it. That has been this team's MO for years now.  Jensen played his best game as a Panther yesterday.  7/7 from the line and had the biggest rebound of the season for Midd late.  Lynch was bottled up for much of the game, so what does he do late? Hit the winnning basket.  Wolfin proves once again that Senior leadership is all about leading.  He goes O-fer shooting in the 1st half, but Midd still has a 9 pt half time lead.  Cortland who is a fine team, turns it around and goes up 7 with 6 or so to play. At this point many players with that bad shooting ringing in their head would run away from the ball.  In one of the key moments of the game, he drains a 3 late in a possession, then ten seconds later picks a Cortland guards pocket and makes a hard semi breakaway layup.  Midd is now down 2 and it becomes a one possession game the rest of the way until the very end.  Thompson hit some big shots and played good D on a kid who can score as well as anyone Midd saw all season.  Kizel did what he seems to do every night, find a way to get his when it looks like he cant.  He has a knack for the big shot or creating chicken salad out of chicken you know what.  No one knows what next week or beyond holds for any of these teams.  Hey, I would like to see another trip to Salem and beyond, but this team has given Panther fans everything you can ask for: the willingness to let it all hangout no matter the circumstances and see where it takes you.     

To add to what I said last week, it is impossible not to appreciate a conference which put 3 teams in the Elite 8.  Big props to Williams and Amherst, but I am a Panther backer and what I saw yesterday surpassed what these Panthers showed at Cortland which I for one thought would be darn near impossible to do. What I appreciate most about this group is that there is no one or even two go to guys.  This is a team which has a full rotation of important contributers.  Dare Wolfin to shoot early?  OK, he accepted the challenge and forced Ithaca out of the triangle and 2.  Leave Thompson open?  OK, like Wolfin he hits the biggest of 3-pointers going 6/10 from beyond the arc as Wolfin did.  Drive inside on Roberts? Find the ball coming right back at you.  Test Peter with the clutchest of free throws when fans had a hard time not hyperventilating?  No problem, count 'em.  Score what should be the winning basket with 9 seconds left?  Uh uh, Kizel had other ideas darting up court and forcing a foul, once again in the biggest spot he makes something out of nothing.  Salem is a great unknown for all 8 teams even if you have been there before.  While I want this squad to win as much as anyone, I have to admit they have already given all real fans of basketball more than most other fans willl ever get. 

Quote from: lefrakenstein on March 11, 2013, 04:26:24 PM

Quote from: Dave 'd-mac' McHugh on March 10, 2013, 02:17:00 PM

Quote from: Matt Letourneau on March 09, 2013, 04:18:15 PM

I don't think it's a stretch to suggest that he has a skin in the game.

Apparently, unless you agree with him, it's a thin skin.  We need some games to discuss, but it's difficult to analyze and/or handicap these when one sides fans/pundits have never seen the other play in person or on the tube. 

Hard not to appreeciate a league which puts 3 teams in the Sweet 16.  The Middlebury win was all about guts and players stepping up when the moment called for it. That has been this team's MO for years now.  Jensen played his best game as a Panther yesterday.  7/7 from the line and had the biggest rebound of the season for Midd late.  Lynch was bottled up for much of the game, so what does he do late? Hit the winnning basket.  Wolfin proves once again that Senior leadership is all about leading.  He goes O-fer shooting in the 1st half, but Midd still has a 9 pt half time lead.  Cortland who is a fine team, turns it around and goes up 7 with 6 or so to play. At this point many players with that bad shooting ringing in their head would run away from the ball.  In one of the key moments of the game, he drains a 3 late in a possession, then ten seconds later picks a Cortland guards pocket and makes a hard semi breakaway layup.  Midd is now down 2 and it becomes a one possession game the rest of the way until the very end.  Thompson hit some big shots and played good D on a kid who can score as well as anyone Midd saw all season.  Kizel did what he seems to do every night, find a way to get his when it looks like he cant.  He has a knack for the big shot or creating chicken salad out of chicken you know what.  No one knows what next week or beyond holds for any of these teams.  Hey, I would like to see another trip to Salem and beyond, but this team has given Panther fans everything you can ask for: the willingness to let it all hangout no matter the circumstances and see where it takes you.       

Quote from: Charles on February 26, 2013, 06:26:17 AM

Quote from: grabtherim on February 25, 2013, 11:23:09 PM

Quote from: walzy31 on February 25, 2013, 10:59:15 PM
Two quick things:

1) I am not a former Amherst basketball player and never played for Coach Hixon.
2) Yeah Pat, you're a bad journalist: creating a website dedicated to an underrepresented population that has been appreciated by tens of thousands of people since inception. And real journalists encourage creative and expansive thoughts from related parties...all you did was add a chat forum to your website enabling people to represent themselves and their schools in a (mostly) enjoyable way. Damnit! Ask coach Hixon why he told his team to box out!!!

You are right. Better to not ask. Even better, do the same yourself.  I see Madzillagd's point of view and will be sending an email to Coach Hixon. If/when he chooses to respond, I will post it here. Out of further respect to his point on timing, I will do so when the season is over. Good luck to the NESCAC teams in the big dance.

why even worry about it. unless you were the one that missed the foul shot? No one really cares there is a tournament to play.

Anyone who cares about right from wrong should care, but enough has been said.  Ready for the games to get going.  Strange time of year when you start playing teams you know so little about after going up against teams you know everything about. 

Quote from: Old Guy on February 25, 2013, 05:10:51 PM
He will get DPOY like he deserves but I don't think he's getting POY nor should he. 

I can guarantee you the person least engaged by the Thompson for MVP discussion is Nolan Thompson - not an ounce of self-promotion in that young man.

I took seriously the question who would Midd fans identify as most valuable - and the honest answer is I can't. Lynch/Kizel/Thompson are such different players, and I genuinely believe (having watched in person over time probably 95% of their home games and another 15-20 away games) they are equally valuable, this year. PantherNation could undoubtedly analyze at length, in great statistical detail, the difference in their games and the equality of their value (but I urge them to resist the impulse).

Kizel is built like a boxer and plays with ferocity and is best in big games; Middlebury is a different team with Lynch off the court - he's nearly unstoppable at the hole and and ignites the offense. When Thompson missed some games last year I remarked to Russ Reilly (ass't coach, former varsity coach - 19 years, and A.D.) that missed him in games - and Russ said, "we miss him more in practice."

I think if you polled the 3 Midd seniors, Kizel and the rest of the rotation,  they would all laugh at the discussion of POY.  The reason for their success is that on any given night any one of them may be the guy called on to win a game, and my take is they could care less who it is as long as they get a win.  Even more so this year than last without Sharry who had weeks at a time of being dominant.  Will Midd be as much of a factor next season when you have to replace the 90+ minutes a game eaten up by this senior bunch?  I say they will.  Hopefully a healthy Sinickson and some of the younger guys keep the program on the uptick.  Looking forward to a packed Pepin on Saturday.  Curry has some real strong physical guys.  No shot Coach Brown and the guys look past them.  Wish it was tomorrow.   

Quote from: walzy31 on February 21, 2013, 04:22:33 PM

Quote from: LarryBasketball33 on February 21, 2013, 03:56:02 PM
Are players and/or coaches motivated by Walzy's point spreads?

No, but I have a decent track record. The spreads are very good and the totals are average.

No one respects your track record more than me. It's better than decent.  Over the years, you have had an amazing grasp of this league.  Although I hope you are right, I just think you might be wrong on this one.  My comment was in fact not to you, but to nescac1 who claimed underdog motivation from your point spread.  Hey in the scheme of things, as always the guys dribbling, shooting, defending etc will let us know.  Look forward to it.   

Quote from: nescac1 on February 21, 2013, 03:35:00 PM
Ten seems high on that front, but I understand the line.  And I like Williams coming in as an underdog, a little extra motivation. 

Are players and/or coaches motivated by Walzy's point spreads?  One point game in Williams gym has to make this one about dead even on a neutral court even with Wohl out or limited.  Old #33 says this one will go down to the last possesion or OT.   

Quote from: jayhawk on February 18, 2013, 09:35:02 AM
Tufts recruit for next year
6'8" Hunter Sabety, Oceanside Long, Island
in HS playoff game, 48 points, 20 rebounds
youtube: http://fios1news.com/longisland/node/27704

Wow, big and tough inside.  You never know, but it looks like this is the kind of player who can make an immediate impact.  With the buzz cut and aw shucks attitude, he seems more French Lick, IN then Oceanside, NY.  No matter the outcome this weekend, I had Tufts as the 2013-14 pre season favorite, this kid sure as heck doesnt change my opinion.   

Quote from: walzy31 on February 14, 2013, 12:59:19 PM

Quote from: daoustian on February 14, 2013, 11:11:49 AM

Quote from: Bucket on February 14, 2013, 10:18:52 AM
Folks, we're chasing red herrings here. No one was trying to make the case that one coach was better than the other, one was a more proven winner, one's dad could beat up the other's dad.

Now there's a new angle on this beaten horse -- who's dad could beat up the other's dad?  Great suggestion, Bucket.  Wil Hixon was a legendary high school basketball coach at Andover who was inducted into the New England Basketball Hall of Fame, and coached his son's HS team to a state championship.  Bill Maker was also a suburban Boston guy who was an army vet.  Might want to give the edge to Maker's dad due to the military background, but Hixon's dad was also a high school principal, and who has ever met a principal who wasn't a total hard a$$?  It'd be an interesting fight -- not sure whether Walzy would give odds on it though.

Now we are back to normal topics on this forum!

The Rivalry - Parents Fight Club

Who wins a UFC style fight:
Wil Hixon +280
Bill Maker -250

Way to go Walzy.  Give me the younger of the two.  Youth is usually served in these types of matchups.