MBB: Little East

[ECSUalum]

Just from word of mouth (maybe I read it in the paper?) I know Eastern has 6'10 David Canny Jr from Torrington coming in. Wasn't anywhere near Jordan Williams (Torrington/UofMaryland great) dominant, but seemed to consistently put up 25-35 points a game (as he should). Torrington still finished middle of the road in the NVL, so it probably points to why even with the height, he didn't go outside DIII. He played AAU with Walter Wright, Tyshon Rogers and the like so he had the opportunity to get looks...

and speaking of the Canadian NBL 7express, Marcus James (I know you know the name, from Wilby) went 18th too haha

WOW, Eastern finally lands a big guy!! If Coach Geitner can mold Canny like he did Chris Robitaille, we will have a top LEC scorer/rebounder/shot blocker!!
I assumed Geitner would get a big guy sooner or later, which they will need to make a run in D-III.  Together with Traychone Preston, Brian Salzillo and Mike Garrow, ECSU is starting to put the pieces of the puzzle together. Should be another very interesting LEC battle this year.

Canny's Stats for Jr/Sr yr at Torrington HS:
http://www.maxpreps.com/athlete/dave-canny/HNznQfTsEeKZ5AAmVebBJg/gendersport/basketball-stats.htm

[pjunito]

Sounds like a solid team ECSU... It's good to have strong teams in Connecticut. It was fun last year..

Any word on how West Conn looks? Word on the street was the coach (can never remember his name) was seen all over the Waterbury area.

[lildave678]

Sounds like a solid team ECSU... It's good to have strong teams in Connecticut. It was fun last year..

Any word on how West Conn looks? Word on the street was the coach (can never remember his name) was seen all over the Waterbury area.

Yeah, definitely saw him multiple times especially at the big time NVL games (Wilby/Crosby x 3, NVL Tournament most notably) but haven't heard anything about the area players besides Canny, Mike Bozzuto from Wolcott heading to SCSU, and Walter Wright from Wilby heading to JuCo.

EDIT: Turns out West Conn has Tre-Kel Douglas from Kaynor Tech coming in (same team the Gibbs AMC recruit is from). He was their leading scorer, a 6'1 guard who can get to the rack with ease. I'd imagine he'd come in and make an immediate impact.

[ECSUalum]

Sounds like a solid team ECSU... It's good to have strong teams in Connecticut. It was fun last year..

Any word on how West Conn looks? Word on the street was the coach (can never remember his name) was seen all over the Waterbury area.

Thanks pjunito,
I think Coach Geitner is really starting to build a program that can compete outside of the LEC.  Cautiously optimistic they can win LEC.  Need to check to see who Coach Walsh at RIC has recruited.  He always seems to attract top quality talent.  I also think Coach Campbell @ WCSU will rebuild, it was sort of hard to watch WestConn do poorly last year after the D Brooks era.  I am sure 7express will brief us on WCSU as the season approaches.
The ultimate goal is to field teams in the LEC that can consistently play with the NESCAC.  Only RIC has seemed to do that historically.
It would be great to see ECSU schedule Williams and/or Amherst besides the annual Trinity/Wesleyan match-ups.

[pjunito]

Thanks for the updates ECSU.... Again, I think having strong division 3 programs in Connecticut make it fun for the state. I get the feeling that Williams and Amherst shy away from those teams that they "should" beat; especially when those teams can compete with them.

[7express]

Only thing I've heard is Jerry Washington is going to play this year.  Word on the street is that he may be an overall better player then DaQuan was.  Not as flashy, but makes smarter decisions was the scouting report I heard on him.  I have my doubts but it remains to be seen.  He's been enrolled at Western for at least 1 year (12-13) and quite possibly was here the year before that (11-12), so not sure where he's been.

[madzillagd]

Thanks for the updates ECSU.... Again, I think having strong division 3 programs in Connecticut make it fun for the state. I get the feeling that Williams and Amherst shy away from those teams that they "should" beat; especially when those teams can compete with them.

Williams and Amherst both played 8 games last year in the regular season against teams that made the tournament.  ECSU played 2 (against RIC).  I'm not a strength of schedule expert but I'm guessing it doesn't give Williams and Amherst much boost to play against ECSU whether the games are competitive or not.  As for the shying away, Amherst has played the usual #1 team in the LEC year after year and they keep beating them so I don't think they are shying away from the competition.  I think it just comes down to time/money/SOS.  I'd imagine Williams gets similar points for playing Salem St every year (a team that often wins 20 games but doesn't make the tournament) as they would playing ECSU (a team that often wins 20 games but doesn't always make the tournament). 

[madzillagd]

Ask and you shall receive..... ECSU at Amherst on 1/7

[ECSUalum]

Ask and you shall receive..... ECSU at Amherst on 1/7

That is exciting, hopefully we can give Amherst a good game up in LeFrak!!  Amherst College......... always a class act!!!!

Karma points for all!!!!

[amh63]

ECSUalum....I hope for oursakes that Madz's post is correct.  I have not been able yet to confirm and hope it is not  a date on the women's side....being that Amherst has played ECSU yearly in women's BB.
I will post Madz on the MBB board to find out his scource.  Madz is a most knowledgeable poster that has a nephew that is on the Williams' BB team and is a Ephs supporter and a fan of NESCAC basketball.

[ECSUalum]

amh63,
Suspect it was from here:
http://www.d3hoops.com/teams/Amherst/men/2013-14/index

[amh63]

The schedule published by D3 is most interesting, but puzzling.  There are not listed the opening and early tournaments that Amherst hosts and plays in involving regional/local teams.  Also the last game of the reg. season has the game with Middlebury, but not the one with Williams.  Normally, for conference games, one host back to back Fri/Sat. games and when traveling, play a pair of week end games.  Also this year, it should be the men's team that has the evening game, not the women's games.  The Brooklyn game to start the season is a puzzle also....maybe a return game since Amherst went to play in Brooklyn last year around the first of the year. 
Must be a shake up of scheduling of sorts....maybe because Williams plays in a D3 hoops tournament around the Holidays?
Lots of changes it seems....and maybe because of it, there was a space to finally schedule your Warriors and that very tall player.  Amherst is bringing in about 6 players and two very talented front court player.

[Pat Coleman]

The schedule published by D3 is most interesting, but puzzling.  There are not listed the opening and early tournaments that Amherst hosts and plays in involving regional/local teams.  Also the last game of the reg. season has the game with Middlebury, but not the one with Williams.  Normally, for conference games, one host back to back Fri/Sat. games and when traveling, play a pair of week end games.  Also this year, it should be the men's team that has the evening game, not the women's games.  The Brooklyn game to start the season is a puzzle also....maybe a return game since Amherst went to play in Brooklyn last year around the first of the year. 
Must be a shake up of scheduling of sorts....maybe because Williams plays in a D3 hoops tournament around the Holidays?

Williams doesn't play in any of our tournaments. And that is the Amherst schedule. Always a chance the game times could be wrong but I got it from the Amherst coaching staff so it's legit.

[amh63]

Pat C. ...appreciate the input on the "puzzle".   Sorry that I may have left an impression that doubted D3.  Anyway, I will discuss the topic with the coaches at some time.
The answer to the missing Williams game may have been answered by a Middlebury poster on the Nescac board.   The question of the times is also a league thing and should prove interesting. 

ECSU ...wonder if the date for the men's game will match that of the women's game.  Seems logical for fans and cost factors.
Found my answer on the WBB game.  It is in December.   Interesting that Keene is also scheduled in one of the Amherst  schedules...to lazy to check which one...think it is on the women side. In any case, it does reflect the two conferences are looking at each other to upgrade their opponents.

[Pat Coleman]

It did sound skeptical but thanks for clearing it up.

I wouldn't be surprised if the game times might be different but I would say that I believe the conference office input all of the conference games. They were already loaded earlier in the offseason.