MBB: Liberty League

[d3bballfollower]

looking at the d3hoops.com preseason top 25 the only league team to get votes was Hamilton with 8...want to know your thoughts on if that number is too low or too high?  as for me i think it is about right...they did well last year, but lost 3 key conributors and are unproven without that senior leadership...i think jones, tk, and probably harlee wood, along with giorgi will be one of the toughest front lines in the east

[shooters]

I have heard that the three guards Hamilton brought in will be instant players, and I think you will see increased numbers from TK and Jones because they will get to see the ball more w/o welchons lauching it every time down the court. I don't know much about Wood but if memory serves me correct he is a little undersized. I look for a big year from Hamilton and I think 8 votes is about right for the time being.

[Hoaf]

Are you guys getting amped/pumped for the games this Friday?

If anyone goes to the Hamilton-Hartwick game. I'll be the annoying undergrad heckling the whole game.

- C

[woot]

None of the hamilton freshman are instant players. Trust me, that is a huge overstatment. they are all undersized  hamilton has about 10 players that could start on any other team in the league. tobin will find a way to mess it up with his hockey style substitutions. with this in mind, if tk doesnt get all-american this year due to lack of playing time or motivation which has happened in the past, his college career will be summed up as a huge waste of talent.

[woot]

if hamilton loses to utica again this year, tobin should resign

[Caz Bombers]

Woot, no real shame in losing to a Sweet 16 team with an All-Region and potential All-American, is there?  Should be a good battle on the 28th.

[d3bballfollower]

also, hamilton played utica last year without tk and giorgi...they got killed inside by bryant and the boys and having those 2 down there would have definitely changed the landscape of the game both on the offensive and defensive ends of the court

[UCgrad45]

also, hamilton played utica last year without tk and giorgi...they got killed inside by bryant and the boys and having those 2 down there would have definitely changed the landscape of the game both on the offensive and defensive ends of the court

It would have changed the game yes, but not necessarily for the better. Hamilton was forced to go smaller, and if it wasn't for the insane amount of 3's they hit, wouldn't have had a chance.

UC went into the tournament without a center after losing the only one on the roster in the final two weeks of the season, and blew out a WPI team that had a 6'10 and 6'9 guy on their home court.

[d3bballfollower]

ucgrad- very true, i agree with the fact that having bigger guys doesn't necessarily mean that is better, however, having a guy with tk's skill would have been better...hamilton did hit a lot of 3's, looking at the box score it was 12 to be exact, however, if you add tk in there that would've taken a little pressure off of the guards and defensively there would've been another guy to guard bryant and lucas inside...taking nothing away from utica however because they were a very good team and they might still have won the game...it would've been interesting to see the game with tk and giorgi playing...the game on the 28th should be exciting...although it has lost the local flavor without welchons and cichon

[UCgrad45]

ucgrad- very true, i agree with the fact that having bigger guys doesn't necessarily mean that is better, however, having a guy with tk's skill would have been better...hamilton did hit a lot of 3's, looking at the box score it was 12 to be exact, however, if you add tk in there that would've taken a little pressure off of the guards and defensively there would've been another guy to guard bryant and lucas inside...taking nothing away from utica however because they were a very good team and they might still have won the game...it would've been interesting to see the game with tk and giorgi playing...the game on the 28th should be exciting...although it has lost the local flavor without welchons and cichon

Those guys will definately be missed. However I don't think that matchup will ever lose it's intrigue. Its been heated for decades. Cichon is an assistant at UC now.

[shooters]

first of all i didn't know you had to be a certain size to be considered instant players. Could I get a certified height level so i know when i can use the word "instant players." I don't know who will be starting for the conts but if it happens to be a freshman for a team that won the league last year I would tend to label the person as an instant player. I do agree that TK has to be an impact player this year, all american might be a stretch, but definitely has to put up some numbers. I will check tomorrow and see if I see a freshman starting and if so i think I will have made my point. I could be totally off base in which I will admit to after tomorrow.

[woot returns]

im not saying that a freshman wont start because one will tonight, but im just saying that  none of them are instant players. no natural talent.

[Hoaf]

Hamilton looked rusty in the first half of the game tonight. Hartwick is a non-team that has only won single digit games for the past several years. They had trouble scoring against them.

As much as I want them to be the Hamilton team from last year, they aren't. I think they greatly miss Phil's forced turnovers and Welchons' leadership.

But they pulled the game out and hopefully they can continue to win.

- C

[UCgrad45]

Hamilton looked rusty in the first half of the game tonight. Hartwick is a non-team that has only won single digit games for the past several years. They had trouble scoring against them.

As much as I want them to be the Hamilton team from last year, they aren't. I think they greatly miss Phil's forced turnovers and Welchons' leadership.

But they pulled the game out and hopefully they can continue to win.

- C

In fairness, I expect Hartwick to be the most improved team in the Empire 8 this season. They have some decent players and they always play hard.

[d3bballfollower]

as far as freshman playing for hamilton...1 in the starting lineup and 2 off the bench...also worth mentioning...i didn't see the game, but from the looks of it tk was in all-american form...24 pts and 14 boards while playing 38 minutes...as people have said all along...if tk gets the playing time and the opportunity, he is one of the better forwards in the east, and definitely could be considered among the nation's best