MBB: Liberty League

stlawus · May 31, 2019, 09:38:46 PM

I think Union will end up having a strong season next year. They were on the cusp this season but have some young players that started to contribute at the end of this season. Skidmore still should be pretty good but they are definitely not a lock for first. I'm pretty low on Hobart, but anything can happen. I really don't know what to think about my alma mater SLU. We lose some pretty good seniors, but we also had a lot of young contributors this year including the LL rookie of the year.

ucaafan · June 02, 2019, 09:29:41 AM

Ithaca should also be strong in the Liberty League next season.

stlawus · June 02, 2019, 02:20:17 PM

Not quite sure I'm sold on Ithaca yet. They lose Ezema and Flood, the former being extremely hard to replace. Thompson is back but he can be streaky. They are a young team and could end up near the top but I'm not sold quite yet.

nyhoopstalk · June 03, 2019, 09:34:52 PM

Quote from: stlawus on May 31, 2019, 09:38:46 PM
I think Union will end up having a strong season next year. They were on the cusp this season but have some young players that started to contribute at the end of this season. Skidmore still should be pretty good but they are definitely not a lock for first. I'm pretty low on Hobart, but anything can happen. I really don't know what to think about my alma mater SLU. We lose some pretty good seniors, but we also had a lot of young contributors this year including the LL rookie of the year.

I would not be surprised to see Bard and St. Lawrence in the top 4 next year. Bard may have the best backcourt in the league next year. Not sure if that is an indictment of the LL or a compliment to Bard. St. Lawrence should have some good, young talent back next year as well.

stlawus · October 20, 2019, 04:36:06 PM

Excellent recruiting class this year for SLU. I was originally bearish on their prospects this year but I think they'll be competing or a LL regular season title. Ithaca returns their top 2 scorers so right now I think they're favored. Hobart loses some all time greats but still bring back Lescoe and Fleurizard. You can never count out Skidmore, but with Rupkus, Meren, Ta, Byrne and Yiljep leaving that's quite a tall task to replace. When I watched Union play at the end of the season last year they were very impressive and I was shocked at their record. They don't lose much and could turn some heads this year. Same goes for Bard. RPI loses Horvat and I'm not sure they'll improve much. Until RIT proves us otherwise they won't be making noise. Clarkson returns most of their scoring but they are very inconsistent. I could see them finishing .500 in the league. It will in all likelihood be a rough year for Vassar. They lose Grinde and Seff and graduated practically all of their size.

d3d3d3 · October 21, 2019, 07:33:36 AM

Some news on the Bard front. The entire starting five are gone. Three graduations and two transfers. Back to the drawing board.

Caz Bombers · October 21, 2019, 11:13:48 AM

Quote from: d3d3d3 on October 21, 2019, 07:33:36 AM
Some news on the Bard front. The entire starting five are gone. Three graduations and two transfers. Back to the drawing board.

not great, Bob

stlawus · October 21, 2019, 03:07:03 PM

Bard athletics just can't catch a break. The soccer team was on the rise a few years ago and then the coach tragically passed away, and now hoops loses a strong guard foundation that had upset teams like Skidmore.

d3d3d3 · October 24, 2019, 02:54:05 PM

I don't know how typical it is to lose this many good players in one off-season, but here's the All-League guys from 2018-19:

ALL-LIBERTY LEAGUE FIRST TEAM:
Colin Dougherty, Sr., G, Hobart (graduated)
Tom Horvat, Sr., G, RPI (graduated)
Noah Meren, So., G, Skidmore (transferred)
Riley Naclerio, Gr., F, St. Lawrence (graduated)
Edvinas Rupkus, Sr., G, Skidmore (graduated)

ALL-LIBERTY LEAGUE SECOND TEAM:
Peter Ezema, Sr., F, Ithaca (graduated)
Jamal Lucas, Sr., G, Hobart (graduated)
Justyn Rogers, So., G, Bard (transferred)
Alijah Rue, So., G, Bard (transferred)
Riley Thompson, Jr., G, Ithaca

ALL-LIBERTY LEAGUE HONORABLE MENTION:
Sebastian Alderete, Jr., G, Ithaca
Ben Crawford, Sr., F, St. Lawrence (graduated)
Patrick Mahoney, So., F, RPI
Alex Seff, Sr., G, Vassar (graduated)

Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan) · October 24, 2019, 05:01:36 PM

Looks like Ithaca is sitting pretty.

magicman · October 24, 2019, 05:08:47 PM

d3d3d3,

Do you know who Noah Meron will be playing for?

Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan) · October 24, 2019, 05:09:09 PM

Quote from: magicman on October 24, 2019, 05:08:47 PM
d3d3d3,

Do you know who Noah Meron will be playing for?

Ivy League. Brown, right?

magicman · October 24, 2019, 05:12:03 PM

Yes, I just went back a page and saw that d3d3d3 had posted back in May that he was leaving for Brown. Thanks, Ryan and thanks d3d3d3. plus K.

d3d3d3 · October 24, 2019, 05:46:11 PM

Meren will sit this season out. Eligible for the 2020-21 season.

Caz Bombers · October 24, 2019, 10:19:19 PM

Quote from: Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan) on October 24, 2019, 05:01:36 PM

Looks like Ithaca is sitting pretty.

this season will test the irresistible force/unmovable object hypothesis vis-a-vis IC men's basketball. Despite all the other teams but his being wiped clean of All-Stars, will Jim Mullins still find a way to finish .500? Probably!