Hahaha, NESCAC1, great stuff as always. I was just trying to be funny - I have nowhere near the musical acumen to actually make the Lin Manuel Miranda GOAT claim, and don't have the finances to have even seen the show live yet. I do know (from PBS' great documentary "Hamilton's America") that LMM really looks up to Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman and seems have leaned on them quite a bit during the Hamilton writing process, so that probably helps your case for SS. From the sounds of it though, thebear probably has the best perspective on this out of any of us so I will happily concede to his Webber opinion, or any other one he might have for that matter.

Anyways, back to basketball before we get banned from the blog...I would be very surprised if Lawson was to leave Emmanuel for Nichols. With what he returns and the two high level GNAC recruits he has coming in, it seems like that would be a lateral move for him career wise. Not to mention, it would be hard to follow what Faucher just did in 1 year at Nichols, albeit with a d3 great that will no longer be there. Could be wrong, but that is how I see it.

While I don't know too much about Sweeney, on the surface, I agree it looks like a good hire. It will be interesting to see who he nabs as his main assistant as that is such an important part of the equation at any school but particularly d3 level considering how much influence the #1 assistant (and sometimes only assistant) has on each staff.

A few other Wesleyan names that came to mind when regarding NESCAC alum HC's and prominent assistants: 

*Tobin Anderson -  (D2 St. Thomas Aquinas (NY) HC)
*Matt Kingsley - (Yale Associate HC who will be a d1 HC shortly)
*Greg St Jean - (St. John's lead assistant for past four seasons. Will be interesting where he lands now that they cleared house for Mike Anderson in Queens) 
*Bobbito Garcia - NYC Music and Basketball legend. 
*Bill Belichick - The NFL Coaching GOAT
*Lin-Manuel Miranda - the Musicial GOAT

Lastly, a big shoutout to Scott Foucher for landing the Assumption job! While not a NESCAC alum (went to Wheaton), his four year stint at Bowdoin as an assistant feels plenty to vet him into the CAC basketball family. He is climbing quickly, however, has quite the challenge in front of him at Assumption - https://hoopdirt.com/dii-dirt-assumption-set-to-name-faucher-as-next-head-basketball-coach/

Hope everyone is doing well! Thought some of you may find this interesting ...

David Dixon (current Wesleyan junior) and Kelly Hogan (former Wesleyan player who graduated last year) have started a podcast over the past couple of months called "The Double-Double". Their most recent guest was Swarthmore Head Coach Landry Kosmalski. I thought it was a fascinating listen for any D3 hoops junkie (as a lot of us certainly are) as Coach Kosmalski seemed very honest and open during the 30 minute free flowing conversation. They touched on everything from building a powerhouse at Swarthmore to LK playing, coaching with, and learning from the legendary Bob McKillop. They even got into some quick Steph Curry stories at the end. I really enjoyed all of it. Anyways, link below. Also available on Spotify and Soundcloud.

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-17-swarthmores-landry-kosmalski/id1451996810?i=1000434841534

Cheers!

One correction from my post...Forgot Stockwell won COY last year, and it feels weird to give it to him back-to-back years. Jeff Brown would be a fair choice, I would vote for Damien Strahorn and/or Dave Hixon though.

Board! Missed you guys.

   Didn't get to watch Tufts-Hamilton earlier, but what a great second semi-final between Williams and Amherst. Despite an atmosphere that seemed less than championship caliber in that airplane hanger of a gym, I thought it was a really well played game both ways. Let me just start with the obvious, as I'm sure everyone else will too: what a game by Grant Robinson. 32 points, only 1 turnover in 38 minutes as the primary ball handler, great defense throughout, and huge plays down the stretch (those back-to-back buckets after the Casey 3 had just pushed the Ephs lead 5 had to be the two biggest buckets of Amherst's season, right?). To throw the Mammoths on his back in a game where their second best player (Sellew) essentially didn't play after dislocating his shoulder and neither Che nor Day had particularly good offensive games should place Robinson's performance even higher in the long historical line of great Amherst basketball big-time efforts.
   While it was Robinson's day, Amherst did get very noticeable lifts from both Schneider and Allen. First, I was happy for Big Joe to have perhaps the best game of his career with 10 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 BLOCKS on a day that they really needed it. He simply dominated the paint against the monster front line that the Ephs own. For a player that was so highly touted coming into the NESCAC out of high school and has had to face some, I think, unfair criticism over his collegiate career, it was fun to see him do what he did today. On the other side, I can't say enough good things about how Allen played. He was so solid defensively, hit some big shots, and had one of the biggest plays of the day with a late defensive rebound off of a Casey bomb that would have tied it. Tyson from Colby should be ROY, but Allen proved something on a big stage today as a freshman. 

   Where does this game leave us? With Sellew most likely out tomorrow, I think Hamilton wins fairly convincingly on their home floor, which excites me. I love when one of the 'usual 3' don't win it and, as I have said before, Adam Stockwell is a very, very good coach who deserves to finally get a championship in his 8th year of revamping the Continentals program back to the level that its Godfather Tom Murphy would want it to be. Obviously, can't count it in the books for Hamilton yet - Amherst is so stingy defensively that it is possible they keep this game in the 60s, and if that is the case I wouldn't bet against Robinson down the stretch. That guy is cold-blooded.
   For Williams, I'm a bit perplexed. I think they will be the third (and, in my opinion) final NESCAC team to make the NCAA Tournament field, but I'm not sure they deserve it with how they finished the season. I just don't know what is going on. After these guys beat my Cards for the second time, I really thought they had an outside chance to run the table, probably would lose one somewhere, and would for sure not drop more than two. To end up with six losses overall, including four out of their last five, is one of the strangest droughts I've seen in my time following d3, especially considering I really believe this team has just as much, if not more, talent than anyone in the country (I do not watch enough d3 basketball to make this claim, but I will anyways). For that reason though, if they do in fact get in the tournament, I am not counting them out. Maybe this will light a fire, they will find their groove again, and then will tear off four in a row to end up in the inaugural Fort Wayne Final Four.

   Since I have been dormant on the board for a while (at the behest of an Old Guy request a few weeks back), I will quickly comment on my Fightin' Cards. They toyed with my emotions this season in a way that no team I have cheered for at any level of sport ever has in the past. On December 1st, at 3-3 after embarrassing home losses to Eastern Conn and Williams, I decided I was going to be content with making the NESCAC Tournament.  On January 12th, after a remarkable home conference win over Amherst, if you would have told me that they would be playing for their NESCAC tournament lives on senior day against Bowdoin, I would have called you crazier than my guy Mountain Man after a poor Middlebury performance. Heck, even just a few weeks ago, Wesleyan beat Bates on the road and were 5-1 in league, had won 12 of their last 13 overall, owned a real 'CAC POY candidate, and were staring down a matinee with an inconsistent Tufts Jumbos squad that seemed like it was going to be a win as well. What happened? The genesis of our crazy season is, I believe, the same one that plagues Williams and also what makes all of college basketball both so fun and so gut-wrenching at the same damn time: it's really hard to predict how stupid 18-23 year old college kids are going to perform on a month-to-month, week-to-week, and even night-to-night basis. My Cards were particularly youthful this season with 2 out of their top 3 and 7 of their top 9 underclassmen. While Austin Hutcherson is incredible, he is still only a sophomore. All in all, it was a season of growing pains that was most likely needed to produce what I think will be a really good two year stretch coming up. 16-9 and a NESCAC Quarterfinal Tournament exit feels like underachieving right now, but in reality I think Reilly's club is right on track for where it should be moving forward with this group.

AWARDS
   
POY: Gilmour
DPOY: Robinson
ROY: Tyson
COY: Stockwell

1st Team:
Gilmour
Robinson
Hutcherson
Casey
Jefferson

2nd Team:
Grassey
Heskett
Farrell 
Bonner
Simonds

FINAL NOTES

Note #1: Someone probably already reported on this, but I found out a few weeks ago that Jeremy Arthur is having a very, very good last season of eligibility at Franklin Pierce. He is averaging 11.4 PPG (46/43/85), 2.9 RPG, 1.6 APG and has started 20 of 27 games going into the Ravens regular season finale on Tuesday at Bentley. Those are impressive stats in the great conference that is the NE-10, and makes me feel even better about my pre-season prediction that Trinity would have been a serious contender had Arthur been back this season.

Note #2: While I haven't posted in much over the past couple of months, I have continued to be a frequent visitor. I just want to thank you guys (and potentialy gals) for another awesome season on here before I (most likely) sign off for a while again. Particularly to the 5-8 posters that carry this board, you guys do such a great job of covering this league and it makes it that much more fun to follow.

(7) The 'CAC GOAT
   
   Precursor: Take this section as my way to mix a minimal amount purple school talk without praising their current squads more than is already done on this platform. As I have stated before, there is waaaaayyy too much Cow and Mammoth manure on this god forsaken blog and I refuse to defecate here anymore than some of you routinely indulge. With that said, my only note on the present state of those dynastic, tyrannical programs: Both teams are really really good again. I believe one is the best team in the country and the other, even after a home loss to Babson, is the second best team in the league (...).
   Now that we have gotten that out of the way, let's get back to the main topic. Robinson is absolutely killing it, as most of you know. Most of my feelings concerning his NBA future I wrote back in April so I figured I would revisit a paragraph of that as much of it still holds true in my mind:

As for Duncan's post-Michigan career, while discussion and speculation is fun, I think it is silly for any of us to speak with any sort of real conviction as if we will know what will happen. Unless you are a top-tier NBA talent, so much of what determines one's ability to "stick" is very much situationally based. With that said, let me speculate as well for fun: I believe that he is an NBA talent, and, if things fall the right way, certainly could have a better career than Steve Novak. Bold, yes, but absolutely how I feel. He is a top 1% shooter in the world, 6'8" (which, while not 6'10", is NBA wing size), and has shown the ability to work, improve, and be a professional. Those last three should not be overlooked, and will determine where he goes and how long he lasts.  But to say he has reached his peak as a basketball player is ignoring everything that is going on in the NBA. Guys are playing and improving their games later in their career more so than ever before. Why can't Duncan? He went from being a below average athlete and defender when he arrived in Ann Arbor to becoming a good athlete, and, I believe, an above average college defender. Tom Crean, on a broadcast this year, said Duncan was one of the best team defender's in the Big 10 and, in his final year at Indiana, even had his team watch film on Duncan's help side abilities. More so, I think he has proven that he can match-up effectively against some of the more hybrid, NBA-style bigs. Will he need to continue to improve? Obviously, but, if anything, hasn't he shown an ability to do just that? Duncan is a very old NBA prospect too, but that shouldn't count him out either. Successful NBA players have made much older debuts than 24 and we will only continue to see more as science, research, and technology become better at telling us how to take care of our bodies.  My main point is his work ethic and ability to improve is a skill many NBA teams look at in the highest regard and, coupled it with his character/personality, I think will end up being a huge positive as a prospect. Once again, it could go so many ways. My guess is only as good as any of yours, and, it will certainly take some breaks to go his way for him to stick (as with every player). With what he has already done with battling even worse odds, it seems short-sighted though to suddenly start counting him out of the NBA picture.

I'm glad most of us agree now that his future is bright, but let's not forget that he still has a long way to go to being one of the 450 players that make up the NBA full-time, and an even further way to go to be one of the approximately 300 who have longer than a 5 year career. Any take to the contrary would be considered a hot one in NBA circles as he is still an underdog as a 24 year-old rookie. For those who don't follow the G-League, it is a crazy league still very much in its infancy of creating a good brand of basketball despite having a plethora of skilled, super athletic, and well-known college players in it. It is the second most talented league in the world, but not the second best competitive league in the world as winning isn't the primary focus and intensity often wearies. Duncan's 32 points (10 3's),7 rebounds, and 6 assists isn't as impressive as it sounds, and if you went down to the Middletown, Connecticut YMCA on the right night, you could probably find more inspiring defense than the Agua Caliente Clippers played during that game. With all of that said, I am doubling down on my earlier predictions. The NBA 3 line is the same in the G-League and he is one of the best shooters in the world. I really do believe he will have a long and successful NBA career. I even believe he will make an All-Star game before it is all said and done. He is only scratching the surface of how good he actually is, and this story will only get better.


(8) Actually...Let's Talk Amherst and Williams

   I changed my mind. I think it would be an incomplete write-up without talking about the two best teams in the league (Yup, you didn't misread it the first time). Williams is objectively #1, and while there is no doubt that Hamilton should be ranked way higher than Amherst as of now, I believe Amherst will be a better team at the end of the season. Kena Gilmour is the best player in the conference, but I just like how Amherst has looked more so far (even though it has been tough to tell since both teams have had atrociously weak schedules to date). Grant Robinson is at another level right now. The whole Mammoth team was scary good in the first half against Springfield (which, by the way, could possibly be one of the best 2-6 team in the history of D3 basketball), but when The Pride came storming back in the second stanza it was Robinson who seemed to halt the momentum every time the crowd was beginning to get into it. More impressively, it wasn't with his speed but rather decision making and poise. Three plays in particular stuck in my mind. First it was a beautiful little backdoor pass to Che where he had to hold the dribble until the last possible second to allow Che to occupy the cutting lane. Next was a stare down three from the left wing for which felt like a personal reprimand after he had went 0-4 from 3 against Babson including a couple crucial ones late in the second half when the game was still in the balance. And, finally, the one that felt to me like the nail in the coffin for Ross & Co. was a beautiful pull up off of a mid pick n' roll going left for which I feel fairly confident last year he would have instead taken some outrageously difficult out of control lay-up attempt. In all, it just felt like a veteran savvy, senior-esque performance from the young guard to a secure a much needed bounce back win for Amherst after the dud against Babson (I know they beat Lasell in between the Babson and Springfield games, but the Springfield win seemed like the bounce back performance they needed). With Robinson, Ferrell, and Hutcherson now full-on anchors for three teams that are all well-positioned to be at the top of the NESCAC for the next few years, I'm really excited to watch them duke it out for titles, POYs, and, most importantly, 'CAC eternal glory.

   Before I get too excited about the budding NESCAC sophomore stars (and ill-advisedly begin to cross-era compare them to former NESCAC stars (if we were to go down this slippery slope though, who would each of the three compare well to in NESCAC lore? Are there comparisons for any of them?)), let's rewind to compare the Babson dud to the big Springfield win because I do think there are some crucial takeaways. First off, I thought Hixon messed up the rotation in the Babson loss pretty badly. It was their first real test of the season so he gets some leeway for feeling it out and maybe it was an important step for the long term picture to let guys play there way in and out of the rotation, but I thought he completely derailed their good start to the game with a weird second unit line-up that shifted moment completely to Stephen Brennan's squad. Obviously, it didn't help that Garrett Day had by far his worst outing of the season (a 1-11 stinker that just happens to everyone sometimes. Overall, I actually like Day. He is fun, has a real flair to his game. Probably will cause more than a couple of Hixon's hairs to finally start showing some age over the next three years, but also definitely brings some excitement with DEEP 3s, quick dribbling moves, and unnecessary no-look passes (not to say all of his flash is unnecessary. He had a beautiful no-look lefty underhand fastball against Springfield that was both a good pick n' roll read and also could have broke CJ Bachmann's nose if he wasn't ready).  Against Springfield I thought he mixed his second unit in more naturally alongside his starters which helped.
Another glaring takeaway from the two games was that this team needs to play through Sellew more as he is clearly one of their two best players along with Robinson. Chery and Che are very good and have important roles, but Sellew should be wing option numero uno. In the Babson game he floated around, against Springfield he was assertive. It was a huge difference. This isn't an insult to Chery, who forced a little against Babson, because I think his game is better suited to play off of another elite wing. Chery will still likely take the number one defensive assignment and not having to rely on him as a primary scorer will allow him to roam and do more dirty work which he is really good at anyways. Che, apart from being another very solid defender and rebounder, will be heavily relied upon to hit open shots. I love that he is stepping into catch-and-shoot 3s aggressively early on this season because if he can be a guy who can simply spread the floor along with all of the other good he does, it brings the Mammoths to an even another level. Last but certainly not least, Big Joe has been solid and I think is set to have a very good year. He won't win DPOY because of a in Williamstown we will talk about next, but it shouldn't be overlooked how much stability he brings defensively in the middle. I do think Amherst doesn't need to roll it in to him as often on offense as they currently are and he will need to start rebounding the ball at a higher clip. All in all, I really like their 5 and, while their bench is shaky outside of Day, Allen, and Bachmann, if McCarthy can provide anything once back healthy I think they have a very little bit more than Hamilton.

Now to the Ephs. Before I start a big ruckus, let me reiterate that these guys are REALLY good. They have four phenomenal ALL-NESCAC level players, a great coach, and are deservedly getting a lot of national attention. However, these guys are not the '86 Celtics and I think some are a bit premature comparing them to a few of the best teams of the past decade. The (1) 2012-2013 Workman-Toomey Amherst, (2) 2013-2014 Mayer-Robinson Williams, and (3) 2011-2012 Sharry-Kizel Middlebury teams (player order reflects who I thought was best player on each team, btw) all reached a higher level than I expect this Ephs team to reach.  I've only watched three games (Southern Vermont, Wesleyan, Springfield) compared to some of you who have watched every game so maybe I haven't seen enough. Also, to be fair, the best team I've seen in the past decade, the  2012-2013 Workman-Toomey Amherst team, lost two games back-to-back in the first semester to Springfield and Babson before rattling off 25 straight to win the national championship. I'm sure after the 2nd of those losses that year, sitting at 5-2 in December, there were plenty of doubters as well so maybe I will bite my tongue come March when this Eph team is holding up a trophy in Fort Wayne, Indiana (still weird to say, RIP to the Salem Civic Center).

Let's zoom in and get back to their big four. While James Heskett is this team's most talented player, Bobby Casey is their most valuable. A small part of his value is due to that this team doesn't have a solid back-up point guard who can maintain order when he is out (come back for a sixth year Greenman!), which was very noticeable in the small doses that App didn't have Casey on the floor during the Springfield game. A much larger part of his importance is due to the fact that Bobby Casey is a really friggin' good offensive basketball player. He's a player that every time he is attacking, whether it be in transition or the half court, as an opposing fan you feel like you're screwed. He is fearless in taking (and often making) crazy ones, and this causes the defense to constantly play on their heels.
Casey's game is built on his shooting ability, craftiness, and ability to change speeds. No situation on the court better exemplifies this than when he is in Dribble Hand-Offs (DHOs). He is the best we have in the NESCAC in DHOs in a while for which App is acutely aware of. Casey has mastered the quick juke-shimmy-fake back-cut-set-up (that they must teach during orientation at Williams because everyone since Maker brought the two guard stuff to town has had at least some of it in their game) that gets his defenders just an itsy bit off balance before he quickly scampers into a tight shoulder-to-shoulder DHO with one of his bigs or large wings. Once he has the ball in this situation, it's over. If the defender gets juked bad enough by the fake to the point that he is forced to go under the screen, Casey is stopping behind for a 3. If they are a better athlete and are able to find a way to still fight over, I have seen nobody better in my time following the league than Casey at keeping the defender in prison on his hip. He is so patient - sometimes walking his hopeless defender down all the way to the middle of the paint for a little midrange jumper/floater or a drop off to a rolling or creep-in ready Karpowitz, Kempton, Scadlock etc, etc, etc... It is beautiful, simple offensive basketball and has become Casey's signature move at this point.

As noted, Heskett is this team's most talented player and the 2nd best in the league (might be the NESCACs current most translatable player to professional ball w/ size, shooting, defense and ability to work within an offense where he isn't the number one option. Does he have dual citizenship?!). Scadlock would be my pick for DPOY with his size and ability to guard anyone on that end. Karpowicz is their bailout option on the block and must lead the league in dunks so far this season (also, while only averaging 11.1 ppg which is 27th in the league, he is 6th in the conference in points per 40 with 24.8. I get App wants him fresh every minute he is in there but I am the leader of the 'how does this guy not play at least 20 minutes a game??!!?' bandwagon). Lastly, Henry Feinberg is a really good fifth starter. Good size for the wing, athletic, and a very good shooter, even if his percentages aren't necessarily showing it yet. He's going to make some big plays this season that remind us that he isn't a slouch (reminds me of Killian from those Amherst teams).
I already find myself doubting my earlier take after dissecting all of that talent. They are easily the number one in the league, maybe number 1 in the country, and perhaps I am wrong to not see them as an in-the-making "all-time" NESCAC team. It is easy to get nostalgic and remember only the highest points of those great teams of the past, and I could be forgetting their process. I do know these guys are extremely good for D3 basketball, and I only see a few teams in the league who will be able to challenge them as of now (despite that close call to Springfield the other night). We shall see, a lot can change between December and March.

(5) Labossiere's Island

   Every year there is at least one player, usually a senior, on one of the bottom teams in the league that I feel bad has to put up with the basketball incompetence that he is surrounded by. The lead candidate for this dubious honor this season is, unsurprisingly, David Labossiere on Connecticut College. The senior is putting together another really solid season (19.3 ppg on 47/40/67, 6.3 RPG, and 1.9 APG) in what has been a marvelous career as a Camel. I would say he is a better overall as a player than either of the other two best Camels of the past decade in Zuri Pavlin or CC legend Matt Vadas, the latter of who could score a little better than Labossiere but wasn't quite as good of a defender, rebounder or passer. This brings me nicely to my next point: "D-Lab" (just made this nickname up, but I kinda like it) has a game that would translate well to any other team in the league right now. I love that he plays hard on both ends and is an impressive athlete whose seems to save his best highlights for the most pivotal moments of the games - a huge dunk and a huge put back in the final minutes versus Worcester State and St. Joseph's (LI) that turned out to be forgettable plays in typical bad Conn College losses. All in all, we shouldn't count "LaBoss" (hold on, I like this nickname way more and will refer to him as this for the rest of the season) out of the ALL-NESCAC race for reasons that are outside of his control. It is a loaded field this year, but if the league rewarded Vadas with a spot in 2013-2014 (also a loaded year) then Labossiere should definitely be in the running. It's the least we can do. After all, you gotta feel for a player of his caliber that will likely never play in a NESCAC Tournament game, much less an NCAA'er.

Side Note #5: A farewell, after a long and weird run in New Londown, to Tom Satran. While it was probably time, I never like to see a coach go particularly in such weird mid-season circumstances. I would love to get the full story of what really happened. Regardless, I actually think he was a pretty good X's and O's coach, and recruited some pretty talented players as well. For whatever reason though, he had a tough time keeping guys there for four years and ultimately was just never able to win enough games. While we all like to point to Glen Miller as a shining example that winning can be done at CC, I do think we all make it sound easier than it is. Whoever the next coach is will face some of the same hurdles as Satran: recruiting against the other NESCACs with perhaps the worst facilities and least prestigious academic reputation (maybe Trinity?) in the league. Even Trinity though has better facilities, a great athletic culture, and is more centrally located. CC is an uphill battle that will have to find a coach that is willing to do things unconventionally because I'm not sure if they will ever win recruiting battles versus the league's top dogs.


(6) A Tale of Two Sophomore Cards

   It goes without saying that this Wesleyan team is very, very different than the teams of the past few years. They aren't as deep, they aren't as dynamic or ball hawking on defense (god, do I miss watching Jordan Sears defend), and they certainly aren't as fast in transition (O'Brien REALLY loved to push, I took it forgranted). However, they do have perhaps the best young player in all of D3, a reigning All-NESCAC 2nd teamer, and an exciting and developing heat-check sophomore backcourt mate to play Robin for the next three seasons. For a second, let's forget about Jordan Bonner and talk the sophomore backcourt that has us Cardinal faithful giddy.
When talking the South i-91 Birds, it unsurprisingly all starts with Austin Hutcherson. Being the reigning 'CAC and Northeast Region ROY, expectations were sky high for him coming into the season and, statistically speaking, it is hard not to say that he has delivered. 17.5 Points (44/41/91!), 5.5 Rebounds, and 3.1 Assists is hard to debate. With that said, as a fan who has watched just about every minute, I have to constantly remind myself how good he is playing. It is so casual, with a steady balance of catch-and-shoot 3s, and free throws. Heck, even his most difficult shots - including his favorite weapon of deep sit behind the ball screen 3s (I love watching the opposing coaches reactions when their guards ignore the scout and continue to go under ball screens when guarding AH)  - are done in such a laid back manner that it is easy to forget how hard of reads those are in real time.
   Walker, on the other hand, is perhaps the Cards most polarizing player. Everything he does is boisterous, and, if you don't watch the games or happen to catch him on a bad night, his shooting and ball control stats (12.8 PPG on 35/32/80 and 1.5 APG to 2.6 TOPG) make you question whether there is another, more efficient, option in Joe Reilly's bench arsenal. But I do watch the games and I do understand why Reilly sticks with him for better than 30 minutes an outing. Yes, he takes a lot of tough shots, but he is absolutely fearless. Yes, the ball sometimes sticks when it gets to him, but even when it does he dances with it in an array of short choppy dribbles and steps that are rhythmic by nature. I'm not sure if anyone in the league is as creative off of the dribble and his right to left big cross is patented at this point. My point is that the numbers don't lie, but they don't tell the whole story either. Walker needs to be more efficient as the Cards success ultimately relies on it. He has moments and even games where he looks like he could be an ALL-NESCAC guard his junior or senior year. Those moments aren't consistent enough yet, but Reilly is betting on him and I see why.
   This brings me to where the Cards are now: 5-3 with a couple blowout losses, a so-so performance against the best team in the country, a couple nice road wins, and a couple tough games still awaiting them this week in Miami before league play (tomorrow versus 8-1 Penn State-Harrisburg and Wednesday versus Plattsburgh State). So why am I optimistic they are going to work their way into the top four come league play? Because anything more than this start would have been a bonus. It's a completely new team that was asked to smooth out the edges on the fly against the league's toughest early season schedule. Led by a young backcourt that is still feeling itself out along with two vets in Bonner and Bascom who are still figuring out life without their running mate O'Brien (who made everything a helluva lot easier for them), I really do see this team being very dangerous in late January and February. As always, I'm conscious of my bias on this one, but I think a home playoff game is once again in sight.

Side Note #7: Dave Dixon was in street clothes versus Brandeis. Hopefully not a serious injury and hopefully will be back soon. Not sure what Elijah Wilson's timeline is either, but the Cards could really use him back defensively.

This post was inspired by my favorite basketball media member Zach Lowe's weekly column for ESPN of things that he likes and doesn't like in NBA action. I know we try to stay mostly positive on this blog so I have strayed away from too much negativity in this piece. Lastly, I apologize for any statistical errors. I've chipped away at this over the past two weeks and any stats could be a little outdated. Anyways, I hope you enjoy and happy holidays. GO 'CAC!

8 Things Concerning The 'CAC:

(1)Strahorn's Dedication To Getting 'Em Up

One of the crazier games I've watched in the the first semester was when Colby made the trip to UMaine-Farmington. First off, I have such an ernest and true affection for small, old-school D3 facilities and when you take all of what UMF has going for it into account - one sided bleachers, close walls concrete wall both behind the hoops and team benches, old town fans that have in all likelihood been fighting frigid Maine wintery roads for decades to cheer on their Beavers, real basketball history with people like Steve Clifford calling it home, etc etc etc -- Dearborn Gym fits the bill. The game was set up to be bizzare from the jump when UMF decided to play the entire first half in a 2-3 zone. The Mules have Head Coach Damien Strahorn's permission to launch 3s against man-to-man defensive schemes that are daring them to drive to the paint. Against a 2-3 zone that invites the 3? Forget about it. Sam Jefferson, Matt Hanna, Noah Tyson and anyone else in black were launching from everywhere. Perhaps the most telling description of the commitment to the 3 for the Mules was that when Alex Dorion and Sean Gilmore made the game's first substitution at the 14:57 mark, the only two point field goal attempted by the Mules had been an offensive rebound put back by Noah Tyson off of a missed 3.

While watching the helter skelter long range bombing that was Colby's offensive strategy against UMF, I assumed it must have been more than usual for a team that I knew going into the game lived and died by the 3, but it really wasn't. Their 15-35 accuracy from 3 against UMF was just a smidgeon above their average makes (13.5) and attempts (32.7) per a game on the season. Twice they have already attempted more than 40 per a game. While it is crazy to watch and I share some of Gregg Popovich's grumpy-old-man bitterness about the evolution of the 3 ball within basketball, I also very much respect that Strahorn has made this new-school way of playing the identity of his teams and is sticking to it even through the past two years of losing. It may be easy to forget, but Strahorn didn't always play like this. When the Colby Class of 2016 (Hudnut, Westman, Jann, Wilson, Stewart - a special class destined to be a serious contender but due to injuries and some misfortune ultimately was never able to get over the hump) was around they didn't shoot many at all. In their final three years on campus from 2014 to 2016 they ranked 8th, 6th and 7th in the NESCAC in 3 pointers attempted per a game. If you count this current season, what has their ranking been since the Class of 2016 left Waterville? 1st each season, and, if you were wondering, by a pretty healthy margin.

Regardless of whether you agree with the offensive strategy or not (For the record, despite not liking it, I do...it's math), you have to respect Strahorn's perseverance. The losing has been wholesome the last two years, and it would be easy for a head coach to blink and return to a more conventional style. He hasn't though, and if they can land a couple more of the right players that can shoot 3s like this but also play defense at a high NESCAC level (too bad Jann is gone, he would have been perfect on this team), this ship could be turned around quickly. They are 8-2 going into a good ole' D3 near month winter recess (does Strahorn own a place in Florida? Seems like some Bob Shelton scheduling going on here), and while I am still skeptical of their defensive capabilities with so many small guards and no serious rim protection, I am intrigued how they will do come conference play. With so much shooting and such a high offensive ceiling, I do know that if they can sneak into the NESCAC tournament, I sure as hell wouldn't want to play them in the first round.

Side Note #1: Referenced Pop hating the 3 ball. For those who wanted to see it - https://ftw.usatoday.com/2018/11/san-antonio-spurs-gregg-popovich-hates-three-pointers

Side Note #2: Follow-up to my "Bob Shelton scheduling" comment, I really like Shelton. I think he is nothing short of a NESCAC legend. I just always thought it was funny that he would have these month long breaks from the season around winter break when D1, D2, and even some D3s often get less than a week or even a just a day or two off.

(2) The Emergence of Farrell

   I was finally able to watch Middlebury as I saw them play both Keene State and Plattsburgh State - two really good teams each led by All-American talent (Ty Nichols and Jonathan Patron are so fun to watch in incredibly different ways). While some of my reservations still hold true about the Panthers, I do feel more confident that they are in a good place simply due to the jump that Jack Ferrell has made since last year. The competitive nature that made Jack Daly so valuable to the team was what I was worried might be missing in Vermont this year (yes, even more so than his gaudy near triple-double stats). However, Ferrell very quickly proved to me that he has that competitive nature in full. The foundation of everything for him is the "it" that I didn't know he had until watching these two games. Some of his other seemingly natural ability such as his ridiculous end-to-end speed and knack around the hoop are great, but it is his grittiness on defense and continuous efforts that have him as a top 5 player in the NESCAC in my mind up to this point. Sometimes he is out of control and his decision-making will need to continue to improve, but he is a perfect leader for the next three years for Middlebury's trademarked frantic offensive pace.

   My concerns more lie in the rest of the team as we near conference play. Folger has a cut out role that he will fill well as a second offensive fiddle (I think Ferrell's emergence will really help him as he can hunt more catch-and-shoot opportunities off of JF's barrage of attacks), solid rebounder, rim protector, and senior leader, but I am interested what is next. Bosco has obviously been great early on as instant offense off of the bench (15.3 ppg on 48/35/85), but I'm not sure if this will last into conference play. He's taking and making a lot of tough ones right now. A second half of the year scouting report and even a couple more inches of length could really affect his percentages. I like Kornaker's game more, particularly next to the whirlwind that is Ferrell, as he can really pass and seems to be a good floor general with size. I don't know if you can get away against the top of the league playing three guard line-ups with those two and any combination of Bosco, Leighton, or Goldman. DeLorenzo can get hot and has a little more size, but he isn't great on defense and hasn't shown much off of the bounce. I think Dahleh is going to have to be a huge utility guy on the wing for them if they want to be a serious contender. He's proven he can be effective in the past, but I haven't loved how he has looked so far this season on either end of the ball. McCord is good in his role and I really like Sobel as a freshman, but I just don't know if they have it on the wings.
   

(3) Jeff Spellman in transition


This guy is flat out fun in the open court. He just has all of the finishes a smaller guard needs in his "bag". Finishing around the hoop is such a feel thing. You have to know when to challenge guys and when to go around them. When to try to draw a foul or when to ignore the contact and finish. It is a subtle intricacy of the game that is hard to know if you don't play and even harder to learn if you do. Spellman seems like one of those players that has better touch around the hoop with his off hand as he is never afraid to re-navigate in the paint back to his left when needed. He had two lefty finishes in their loss to Maine Maritime (sorry to bring it up Bobcat fans) that I still remember where the degree of difficulty was astronomical and Spellman made it look pedestrian. What really separates Spellman is that while he has the finesse, he also has the ability to long stride it and rise up as well. I haven't seen him have any dunks yet this year, but anyone who saw him in high school knows it is there. In their last game versus Colby, he had a beautiful righty finger roll late that reminded that he is still one of the premier vertical athletes in the league. All in all, along with Zavier Rucker, Spellman is as good as it gets in the 'CAC in transition.

The issue is that there is obviously a lot more to the game than transition (particularly when you are having trouble getting stops like Bates uncharacteristically is this year. Historically a very good defensive team under Furbush, they are currently 9th in the league in points allowed per a game at 75.2). I thought Spellman looked like a bonafide NESCAC star at times last year. While his overall statistics weren't necessarily ALL-NESCAC level by the end of the season, he had games - 38 points on 16-25 from floor versus a not very good University of New England team and 24 points on 8-14 versus a very very good Williams College team being the two biggest outliers - where he reached a level that not too many 'CAC underclassman have reached in the last decade. The 2018-2019 campaign has been a different story. This season he is settling for way too many long twos, being careless with the ball, and, perhaps worst, is looking a bit disinterested at times. I preseason ranked Bates last in the conference, even below Conn, so I'm not too surprised that things are rough in L-A. However, that basement ranking was assuming that Spellman would take another step forward or, at the least, replicate his sophomore campaign. If he doesn't pick his play up, I worry the Bobcats might not only finish last but could end up winning less games than they have this entire century so far.

Side Note #3: Any disgustingly-nerdy D3 basketball fan should watch St. Joe's College of ME this year, perhaps when they play Bowdoin in January. I've always greatly respected Rob Sanicola, and think he is one of the best coaches in New England. St. Joe's, a school that has a deep basketball tradition and has had some fantastic players come through its doors, has struggled to recruit the same caliber player these days (for a number of reasons, I assume). For a decade or so they had a great pipeline of players from upstate New York (where Sanicola is from) who always seemed to blossom into stars. Nowadays, they are usually stocked with less athletic and under-recruited New Englanders, but Sanicola always seems to get more out of them than you would expect. I watched them absolutely carve up Bates with really impressive side-to-side ball movement, back-cuts, and overall crisp motion offense. Fun to watch.

Side Note #4:I know we mostly try to keep it positive on the blog, and, after re-reading this section, I feel like I neglected some silver linings for Bates. First off, the new floor and other renovations (looked like new bleachers, some fan section work, and a reversal of the team benches to how they used to be) at Alumni Gym look awesome! I'm very happy they didn't build a new gym and instead put money into fixing that place up because it is still my favorite place to watch a game in D3 basketball. Second, they hopefully will get Tom Coyne back soon which would help a lot. They lack a serious shooting threat right now, and Coyne is undoubtedly a great shooter. Perhaps even more important though, he's an experienced, vocal leader on a team that seems to be currently missing that. I also like senior Brandon Galloway who seems to be working his way into the rotation as a tough perimeter defender. I don't remember him from the past, but I think the Bates coaching staff would be smart to increase his minutes over some other wing options. Last but certainly not least, I've really been impressed with Andrew Snoddy and definitely think he is in the top 5 freshman discussion. Long, athletic (had a very effortless 2 hands, 2 feet dunk off of an elbow dive early against SJC), and skilled. Not sure what he will develop into when it is all said and done, but he has a really nice foundation. 

(4) Update From My Last Write-Up

Tufts isn't fun anymore ....

Side Note #6: Damn it.

Early Season (Top Half of The League) Notes:

*The biggest surprise for me has been Amherst. You would think I would learn my lesson after 800 some odd victories, but I continue to stupidly pick against these guys year in and year out. Any sentiment that they aren't as talented as some of the other top teams in the league is misguided, regardless of the level of their opponents. As a good friend of mine always reminds me, "It's not who you play, but how you play", and the Mammoths have looked sharp. Grant Robinson has been great, and looks like an early favorite to be one of the league's most improved. Stronger, more composed, and is picking his spots of when to go 100 mph much wiser, I think he is looking more like the guard many expected to come in from New Hampton and play right away. He is getting downhill going right whenever he wants, and his finishing around the hoop has been elite. Granted (pun intended), once the competition increases those lanes will be harder to come by as teams will continue to dare him to shoot, but for now that hasn't been an issue. Garrett Day is a more than serviceable back-up point guard that has been shooting the piss out of it early on and plays with great pace. Lastly, what will be the difference with this Amherst team from the past few years is the versatility and size on the wing. Sellew, Che, and Cherry (in that order) have really impressed me in the first three games. All three can guard multiple positions, rebound at a high level, and look comfortable in Hixon's "two-guard" action on offense as perimeter players. This last point is mainly aimed at Sellew who I thought in his first two years looked like a tweener that was a little lost in their schemes, but this year seems to have a newfound confidence on the outside. If this is true, it is really good news for Amherst as it allows the center position to be Schneider and Bachmann's with only a little bit of Sellew if needed at times to create faster and more switchable line-ups. However, it also allows them to play mammoth lineups (okay, i'll stop) that will be able to match well with the other big teams in the league like Williams, Wesleyan, and Tufts.

*Speaking of Tufts, the Jumbos are fun this year! Their 2-1 record might be the most impressive in the league when you take everything into account: (1) Two wins against historically quality programs with neither being in Medford (2)Their lone loss a thriller on the the road to a very good MIT team. (3) Playing freshman and sophomores with little to no college basketball experience everywhere on the court (4)Their Pre-Season All-NESCAC caliber player hasn't played a minute. I'm not sure what is going on with Savage, but once he is back could these guys be a serious league contender? Luke Rogers has been a beast early and can hold down the paint with Racy, Savage and Brennan Morris (who, btw, has one of the cleanest strokes in the league and looked GREAT against MIT) provide first-class wing play, and Tyler Aronson and Carson Cohen are both really talented (freshmen!) guards who play well off each other. Aronson more explosive with a high caliber pull-up and/or catch-and-shoot game, Cohen crafty with a knack around the hoop both in terms of finishing and setting up teammates. That five with Brady really impressed me against MIT. Add in the lefty sniper Kouyoumdjian (best name in the 'CAC) and you have a young core that is certainly going to be problematic in the future, but can also compete now.

*Kena Gilmour is the best player in the league this year. He put on an absolute clinic last week versus Bard. Crafty, herky jerky, smart - he has a lefty, unorthodox game that is just fun to watch. 32 points on 14-22 without hitting a 3 (only attempted 2 of them) - how about that in 2018 from a dominant scoring guard/wing! He scores in a lot of different ways and Stockwell is really having fun with it. Give a bigger (slower) defender the assignment and they are going to have KG running off screens or they will even clear out a side to let him go on a solo mission. Put a smaller defender on him and they are going 4 around 1 and letting him post-up (he had a very impressive 2 hand, 2 feet dunk off an over the top post feed that woulda made you think he was a 6'8" big guy - one of three impressive dunks by him against Bard). I know he struggled a little bit over the weekend in the Carnegie Mellon tournament, but I don't think anyone in Continental country is worried. I still think Doyle is this team's engine (and second best player) even though Grassey has been fantastic so far. If Hoffmann can get back to form, this team is, as expected, a real national contender.

*Gilmour may be the best player, but Williams definitely looks like the best team. Not going to elaborate as smart minds on here who have watched much more Ephs action than I have already broke it down beautifully, but Heskett/Casey/Scadlock/Karp is as good as it gets at d3 level. What a group. Even though, question to the Ephs faithful: are we sure that Williams is better offensively with Scadlock in the line-up? I think it would be hard to argue that they aren't better overall with him because of his size and athleticism on defense and on the boards, but a part of me definitely thinks they flow better on offense without him out there.

*I'm certainly not breaking any news by saying that my Cards have struggled a bit to adjust w/o Kevin O'Brien early on. While losing their primary ball handler, best defender, and premier playmaker would alone be hard enough, what they miss even more is his heart, competitiveness, and overall intensity. In my humble opinion, they just didn't have a guy against Nichols or Eastern Conn with that very cliche "it" factor who demands his teammates to compete at his level. O'Brien, for all of his flaws, has a lot of "it" and that is what the Cards miss most. I think they will be fine and are still a top four team once conference play comes around, but it is going to take some more growing pains. If vegas had betting lines for the NESCAC (!!), I think they would be fairly big underdogs in both of the their next two against Farmingdale on the road and Williams at home. With those hypothetical L's, they would be sitting at 2-4 heading into December (Yikes...might be hitting Mondo on Main Street early for a cold one on Saturday it looks like if any want to join). Guys are going to have to step up and define new roles for themselves and it will have to be one of Reilly's finer coaching jobs to flip it around, but I still have faith. I am conscious of my bias, but I believe there is too much talent, too good of a coaching staff, and too much basketball yet to be played to give up hope on this team this early. Getting Elijah Wilson back from injury will help as he will fill at least some of the defensive gap left by O'Brien (and Sears, for that matter). I'm not sure why Dave Dixon isn't playing much either (I hope it is not injury-based), but I expect him to start contributing more in the near future as well. He can better complement the other big (Bascom or James) offensively with his ability to stretch the floor. This can be important, particularly, to create more driving lanes for Wesleyan's guards who have had to settle for a lot of long, tough shots the last three games. It could also open up the floor for Bascom who has had a tough start to the season (4.2 ppg and 5.3 rpg on only 4.2 shots per game). They have to find a way to get Bascom more involved, and more minutes for Dixon could help with that...even though any combination of Dixon, Bascom, and James yields questions in terms of guarding the more perimeter-oriented basketball that is played nowadays. With such long bodies that aren't necessarily lockdown on-ball defenders like years past, it would be fun to see the Cardinals try a 2-3 or 3-2 zone as well....I might be monday morning quarterbacking a bit too much now lol

*I haven't watched much Middlebury yet, but I probably need to stop betting against Jeff Brown in the pre-season as well. That guy is a great coach. Still skeptical of their roster - from what I remember from last season I think they have considerably less talent than Panther teams in the past and don't have a go-to guy (sorry Folger, you are a very good player but I haven't seen "it" yet) - but I should watch more before I make any broad declarations. Those don't seem to go over too well on the board.

Anyways, that is the top half of the league as I see it. Good luck to all of the teams tonight and in the coming weeks. Hope I can find some time to contribute again soon. Go 'CAC!

Satran out at CC. Wow - https://hoopdirt.com/diii-dirt-satran-connecticut-college/

Quote from: Old Guy on October 28, 2018, 05:44:17 PM

"Hutcherson is obviously awesome! In fact, all in all, he is probably the most talented player we have ever had at Wesleyan."
(D3HforLyfe)

Even better than Winky Davenport?

(Some guys on this board are really old!)

Hahaha, amazing! Wink is a LEGEND -- Herb Kenny gave me some stories after a game once that would certainly signify W.D. being the actual Wes GOAT.

I gotta dig up some Leo Jones highlights from somewhere. What an era overall though, talk about some all-timers - Sheeesh!

It was against the Knicks, however, in AA Arena in Miami. I'm cool to pull a classic disney move and run with that it happened at MSG though if you guys are! ...What a day

NESCAC1 - I am too young to remember Leo Jones (or Kanem Johnson for that matter), haha, so I'lll take your word for it. I've never been one that is afraid to use hyperbole, but I do think Hutcherson has a good chance to be the Wesleyan GOAT when its all said and done.

Patron is an absolute bowling ball. Fun to watch players bounce off of him when he decides to put his head down and get to the rim. I had never seen Ryan Bruns (first team center from Ohio Northern) and I was bored here at work so I decided to watch some of his highlights - that guy is really good too. 6'8" and very well-built, soft touch around the rim, can step out and shoot; not many holes in his game. Also, really impressed with these OAC playoff crowds from his clips. Bruns' last two games last year were against John Carroll and Marietta and both were PACKED. In fact, JC game was the best crowd for a d3 game Ive seen from last season. Looked electric. Need more of that in the 'CAC.

NESCAC1 - Great to hear from you and fair critiques on all fronts. My thought process...

Hutcherson is obviously awesome! In fact, all in all, he is probably the most talented player we have ever had at Wesleyan. He's so good that I was even a little bit worried towards the end of last year that we may lose him to the division 1 level - particularly when you take into account his size, length, and shooting ability -  despite the fact that I have heard he is very happy in Middletown. With that said, I believe you were the first one I heard say "Seniors are gonna senior". I think this is Bonner's team and they are ultimately going to go as far as he can take them. Before winter break last season he was averaging a respectably efficient 16.8ppg and was getting talked about on this blog as an early season POY candidate. As we all know, conference play is much harder and he certainly was less consistent during 'CAC play, but some of this was due to injuries he was batting through that were out of his control. The combination of health, senioritis (in the positive sense), and just his overall talent level I believe are going to lead him to a top-3 POY season.

I have always had an affinity for Doyle's game. Not that I watch nearly enough Continentals basketball to have an opinion that matters, but I just think he is often the difference maker, both for good and for bad. In the NCAA tournament, we saw a good example of both sides: I thought he was poised and had his best game I saw all season versus York leading Hamilton to a grind it out win. However, the next weekend in the Sweet 16 he struggled and was a bit of a non-factor in their season-ending loss to Springfield in a game where if Gilmour didn't go absolutely nuts it could have got out of hand Ham.
The point is that when Doyle is on, which I'm banking he will be more often as a senior, I love what he brings and Hamilton is really tough to beat. His length, passing and overall playmaking ability as the primary ball handler are invaluable to this team. Plus, I tend to love guys who can really impact a game without taking many shots and I think he is one of them (for which is even more critical for a team with three legitimate scorers in Gilmour, Hoffman, and Grassey.) Lastly, while TD is far from a dead eye shooter with a little bit of an awkward release, he can hit enough shots to keep the defense honest which is all he needs to do on this team to keep their spacing.
At the end of the day, you're probably right. This is most likely Hoffman's spot on the All-CAC team, and there is no doubt that he deserves it as well. His versatility and toughness are also invaluable and he has been at the centerpiece of this Hamilton turnaround. But I don't think we should overlook Doyle's importance either. 

Concerning Bates, I hear ya. You definitely could be right, and I hope you are - a lot of great people associated with that program up there in L-A. Furbush will have them defending like dinner is on the line by mid-season and there is no denying that the Spellman, Coyne, and Gilpin trio is a more than competent NESCAC backcourt. However, I just like each of other three that make up the bottom tier of the league a little bit more.

Cole Prewitt-Smith is a great get for Williams and a painful recruiting loss for Amherst. I heard he was on the cusp of being a Mammoth before switching to Willy at the last second. CPS is a great athlete with a smooth all-around game who reportedly turned down an impressive NEC offer from Bryant to be an Eph. With what they are losing after this season there should be opportunity to step right in as well. Sounds like an early favorite for 2019-2020 'CAC ROY for sure!!

Lastly, I apologize for the honest error about Hanna. Very happy he is back in the Blue and White! Very good for the league as he is a great player.

And we are back! October 15th is tomorrow, the official start of the d3 season for everyone besides our beloved 11 teams (for which I don't actually see as a big disadvantage or problem). I have really enjoyed the recent stuff on here and it's awesome to have you all back in my life. I don't have the time to do a pre-season deep dive into each team like last year, but I love this stuff too much not to give anything. I think it is going to be a very fun season in the NESCAC. Some national heavy hitters, a couple teams on the cusp, and a few teams really unknown. I agree, Old Guy, I still wish we would extend conference play as well! Maybe one day...Anyways, here is how I see the league shaking out this winter:

1 - Williams
2 - Hamilton
3 - Wesleyan
4 - Bowdoin
5 - Trinity
6 - Middlebury 
7 - Amherst
8 - Colby
9 - Tufts
10 - Conn College
11 - Bates

POY: Gilmour
COY: App
DPOY: Scadlock
ROY: Aronson (Tufts)

1st Team:
Gilmour
Heskett
Bonner
Reynolds
Scadlock

2nd Team:
Hutcherson
Casey
Doyle
Folger
Simonds

*Notes:
*I actually have a liiiittttle bit more confidence in Hamilton than Williams going into the season. More question marks for me in the Berkshires. However, the Hamilton's road games against Wesleyan and Williams in conference are going to be really hard. If healthy, I don't see Willy dropping more than 1 in conference, particularly considering both Wesleyan and Amherst conference games, opposed to L3 games, are home.

* Gotta imagine POY is a two horse race between Gilmour and Heskett (MAYBE Bonner can sneak into the conversation if things come together for the Cards?!? Or maybe this vid just got me excited lol - https://www.instagram.com/p/BnETulJFXKV/?taken-by=wes_mens_hoops). I like Gilmour by a hair. A little bit more of a pure scorer, and I believe the NESCAC likes to share the love in terms of their awards unless a repeat winner is consensus. Scadlock coming back could take away from some of Heskett's productivity as well.

*JR Bascom being back for a fifth year (due to a medical redshirt) is huge for the Cardinals. An incredibly reliable and tough big who was second in the conference in FG% last season at 61.4%. I think him and David Dixon can complement each other really well to go along with a loaded backcourt. In terms of freshman in Middletown, I have heard a lot of good stuff about Joe Dellolo and Sam Peek. The stars could particularly be aligning for Dellolo. Big lefty who can supposedly really shoot it. Cards will need some people to step up to fill hole left by Krill and Sears and it will most likely be some combo of Dixon, James, and Dellolo.

*Bowdoin is very interesting to me. Reynolds, Simonds, O'Neil, and Tucker is a very formidable four in the NESCAC, or any D3 conference for that matter. I don't see too much depth on their roster after that (perhaps Bors who can get hot in a hurry), but I think they have a good chance at advancing in the NESCAC tournament and qualifying for NCAA.

*I think Jeremy Arthur is one of the most underrated players in the league. Versatile and really tough (the latter being a given for any Cosgrove player). Could definitely see him being an All-NESCAC 2nd teamer before it's all said and done. Kyle Padmore is extremely proficient defensively and could be a sleeper in the DPOY race. Also like Joe Bell to have a good year. Reminds me of Langdon Neal with perhaps even a little more in his offensive arsenal.

*Middlebury and Amherst are interchangeable in my mind at this point. I don't really know what to expect out of either of 'em. Historically such good programs and such tough places to win, but I look at both of their rosters and struggle to see either as NCAA tournament team at this point. Agree with much of what has already been said by NESCAC1 and others concerning both.

*Heard that Matt Hanna is no longer at Colby (not sure if someone already said this). If that is true, tough loss for the Mules. They handed him the keys as a freshman and looked to really be building around him.  With that said, Wallace Tucker had a pretty darn good freshman year as well, and could be primed to have a big sophomore season. Put Weiner, Jefferson and Schlager around him and, perhaps, there is something budding. 


*I admittedly don't know much about most of the incoming freshman. With that said, I really like Tyler Aronson for Tufts - an elite athlete at the guard position for the d3 level. Reminds me some of Spellman from Bates, but maybe even a little more explosive. Savage could have a great statistical year for Jumbos, but they lost A LOT from last season (Pace, Dayton, Garrett, Engvall, Lapham - Yikes). Tufts - partly because it offers such a different college experience than the rest of the 'CAC - has the ability to recruit high level talent and retool quickly, but we shall see. As of now, they are my third team out.

*Looking at their current rosters, I feel fairly confident that CC and Bates will be two out of three that don't make the playoffs. As always, will need to see who is actually on the roster for the Camels come game 1 of the season. Labossiere could put up BIG numbers this season though, and Draffan obviously had an impressive freshman year. As for Bates, while I like their trio of guards (Spellman, Coyne, Gilpin), I just don't see enough upfront or on the wing to have any confidence going into the season. However, this is year 2 of the return for Tommy Verdell to the Bobcats bench, and I do believe he is one of the best recruiters in the league. He was able to get the Delpeches up to L-A so I wouldn't be surprised if he has a couple more ringers coming in the near future as well. 

*Pro NESCAC News: Duncan killing it per usual (https://www.instagram.com/p/BozsHK1FT63/?hl=en&taken-by=miamiheat). His ability to continue to improve/grow as a player should never be overlooked. Barring injury, I am extremely confident he will have a long NBA career, and I don't know if there is a limit to how far he can take this incredible story. Also, a lot of fun watching Workman and Hausman on Maccabi Haifa's NBA tour against the Kings and Clippers last week. It seems like Workman has found a home with Haifa, and even more happy that Hausman had a big game against the Clippers. I really really hope that productive game (10 points in 10 minutes, i believe) can bring some good fortune his way. Any updates on Hanley, Hart, Sabety, or other NESCAC professional endeavours? Very cool news on McCarthy and Riopel, sounds like a similar opportunity as Matt St. Amour and Jack Mackey capitalized on in the prior two years.

Speaking of Jack Mackey, he hosts a hilarious basketball-centric weekly podcast with his brother Joe (a former walk-on at Bucknell University and now varsity high school coach in New York). Its title is "The Off-Guards Podcast" - I am bias, but I believe it is very well done and continues to get better with each episode. Check it out, I listen through iTunes, but I am sure it is available online on other platforms as well.

*Nathan Krill is doing a Grad Transfer year at the University of San Francisco. The Dons have had back to back 20 win seasons under 3rd year Coach Kyle Smith (by way of Columbia in 2016), and obviously play in the very tough West Coast Conference (Gonzaga, St. Mary's, etc). With that said, I don't think it is ridiculous to think that Krill can possibly crack the rotation. D1 size, moves well, and can really shoot it. If he can last defensively, there is usually a role for guys like him.

*In the coaching ranks, I have heard and seen some movement that most of you probably know by now. Jordan Sears is a Graduate Assistant at St. Johns working under fellow Cardinal alum and Johnnies Assistant Coach Greg St. Jean. Mike Greenman is a Graduate Assistant at Northwestern. Jake Brown is a Graduate Assistant at Columbia. Am I missing others? Outside of 'CAC,I think Brandeis nailed their hire with Jean Bain - a great young coach who will be able to build upon the great tradition that lies below the recent ugly happenings in Waltham.

That's what I have for now! Here is to another great season in my favorite conference in college basketball...