MBB: MAC Freedom League

[naismith]

Who are the most promising Royal recruits?

Inquiring minds would like to know??

[ColonelJohn4Life]

All of last season, I dismissed all of these role players, and this team danced well into the weekend of the NCAA's.  They proved me wrong.  Until I see otherwise, they are still the team to beat.

As far as Royal recruits, no idea - ask Ned Flanders.  As far as Lady Royal recruits / transfers, I've heard some interesting reports.

Naismith, you won't get the chance to do your peanut trick should King's take it all because Apocalypse will have happened by the time you get to Scandlon.  Mickelson wins a major, the Red Sox and White Sox win in consecutive seasons... old ghosts that give us superstitions can't handle THIS.

[Section J Guy]

Colonel John talking Lady Royal basketball? Oh baby.

Lock of the Week

Royals 20+ win season and Drew in last place.

[ColonelJohn4Life]

No coincidence that Section J's initials are S.J.  Is that what those letters mean?  I've seen it as a suffix for many U of S Presidents and faculty...

So, Guy S.J. Ill take that Drew bet one up.  Assuming Del Val and FDU are still in the conference, I'll take that bet.

[gordonmann]

Any of you guys making the trip to Glassboro, NJ for the Wilkes football playoff game?

I know it's colder weather than you'll find inside the Marts Center, but Coach Sheptock has put together a fun young team that plays hard-nosed football.

[Coach C]

cj4l -

What would you do if all 3 of those teasms managed a TIE for last place?

C

[Section J Guy]

Bucknell beats the Cuse? Upset City...

[ColonelJohn4Life]

Wilkes knocked out of the NCAA's in football.  At least they made a good showing and kept it close.  Glad I didn't make the trip - passing it up for the Split Rock "Great Brews of America" festival. 

Colonels basketball is 2-1 after the win over Baptist Bible.  T minus 6 days until the Battle for Public Square renews. 

Bucknell beats the Cuse, not as big an upset as we'd like to believe.  Bucknell did beat Pittsburgh about this point last season, to say nothing of the 14 over 3 shocker in the NCAA's over Kansas.  Besides, Syracuse this year is just Gerry McNamara and a bunch of zeroes.

Coach C - if they managed a tie, I'd use my knowledge of the complex MAC tie-breakers to convince others that I've won the Drew bet.  I believe the tie-breaker in that spot involves a three-sided coin toss by the Burdett Survivor Champion. 

[naismith]

Yes CJL,

Wednesday will give us a clue as to how this season might play out.

Wilkes has a horn of plenty at guard.
The Defenders don't take a minute off. 40 hard minutes. Did expose Wilkes inside as they scrapped and scored inside.
Apparently EW still has a propensity for fouls. DG much improved and frosh SK looks like a player.

Kings Cousart continuing his stellar play. He'll have his hands full against the Colonel quartet but JC is a player. His game stepped up late last season and he played terrific in the NCAA's. Kings still seems to have a strong inside presence and this may give Wilkes some headaches.

Should be interesting.

As for Wilkes football, they had a great year. Played Del Val to a standstill and pretty much handled everyone else.
Rowan is in another league team speed wise and it showed. 

[thebear]

In the Potsdam game, Wilkes had a huge size advantage.  Walters was killing Potsdam inside, and the guards stopped getting him the ball. 

He's a load for any D-III player with his size and mobility.  All the big men on both sides were in foul trouble, so it could have been the reffing.  Lots of physical post play both ways.

Wilkes looked a step slow getting the ball out to the wings, and they just didn't take (or make) many threes (except for Kable)

Shovlin is a player, but was completely dominated by Ducena both ways.  Ducena lit him up from the arc, and had several nice drives to the hoop.  Shovlin had 7 until he picked up 4 late points in garbage time against the Potsdam newbies.  Ducena et al also forced JS into 7 turnovers.

Wilkes looked a step slow at both ends against Potsdam, perhaps they weren't prepared for anyone to take it to them that hard both ways in the first game.

Kline will be a player.  Goode looked much better against Paul Smiths than he did against Potsdam.  Wilkes guards had trouble getting the ball inside against Potsdam's pressure, and MUCH smaller Potsdam, outrebounded WC 34-25.

I think not having Cardamone's senior leadership and big body hurt Wilkes as well.

While Potsdam was Elite 8 last year, they lost 6 of their top 9 regulars, and while the starters all have some experience, the rest of the roster is a development project, although Dobbs & staff seem to have mined the mother lode of NYC for several athletic wings.  I think Dobbs and his staff deserve a lot of credit for having such a young team ready to play.   

[naismith]

Bear,

Thanks for the update.
Take it you attended both games?

Did Potsdam press full court?
Did  they then play zone or man to man?

What about Wilkes?
Were they pressing, zoning or man to man?
What combinations did Wilkes play in the backcourt and what seemed to click the best?
Was the lack of threes because of pressure, poor rotation (if they were zoning), lack of screening (directed at man to man) etc.
You get the drift.

I'm really trying to get a feel for this squad's potential. I am of the opinion that they can go as far as their inside game will take them. I think the backcourt is fine........and deep.

I tend to agree that, when playing a more physical team or one that tests their rebounding, Cardamone has the presence and ability to contribute.

I guess Coach JR will have to pick his spots.

May miss the Kings clash Wed., so if you attend, please give us some of your analysis soon afterward.
You have some well thought out insights.

Naismith

[thebear]

I was there for the whole Potsdam-Wilkes Game, but knowing it would be a blowout, arrived late 1st half of Wilkes-Paul Smiths game, which if there was a mercy rule in hoops, they would have stopped at 45-1.

Did Potsdam press full court?

Some, but not a great deal

Did  they then play zone or man to man?

Potsdam is pretty much a half-court pressure man-to-man team.  They are long and athletic, and deny everything.

What about Wilkes?
Were they pressing, zoning or man to man?

Wilkes tried pressing, but that plays into Potsdam's athleticism.  Eventually Coach JR realized that pressure was just exposing him to mismatches in the frontcourt. Potsdam shoots the three very well, and positions 1-4 can all handle pretty well and create shots.  Wilkes tried a little zone, but Ducena disabused them of that notion pretty quickly, then they were faced with playing man against a quicker, smaller, more athletic team.

What combinations did Wilkes play in the backcourt and what seemed to click the best?

I thought Kable and Constantine did the best job.  Kable was bombing threes from NBA range, but didn't get many open shots. 

Ducena played 38 minutes for Potsdam, and he had Shovlin tied up in knots (7 turnovers).  He's a smart experienced NYC player who's come through the chairs from reserve to starter, and can play with anyone in D-III.

Gould was in foul trouble, and had 5 turnovers in 21 minutes. He and Potsdam's point guard Bisesi were going hammer and tongs at each other.  I thought Gould lost his cool a little and that may have impacted his play.

Was the lack of threes because of pressure, poor rotation (if they were zoning), lack of screening (directed at man to man) etc.
You get the drift.

I would have to say that Potsdam's pressure really flustered Wilkes and kept them from running much of a set offense.  Every shot they took except for a couple of steals/long rebounds was heavily contested.
Wilkes set plenty of screens, but Potsdam just switched/fought through them at every chance.

I'm really trying to get a feel for this squad's potential. I am of the opinion that they can go as far as their inside game will take them. I think the backcourt is fine........and deep.

Walters had flashes of brilliance.  He's big, mobile, and seems to have decent hands, but the backcourt may be too concerned with their own stats to worry about feeding him.  Goode made almost every shot he took.  The big stat was out of 28 offensive rebound opportunities, Wilkes, with a major size advantage, only grabbed 6 offensive rebounds.  That won't cut it unless you're shooting 50%+.

I think Wilkes has a decent front court for D-III as long as they see the ball from time to time.  When you don't feed your big men, they stop working.  That's true at every level.

I didn't see great guard play from Wilkes, Potsdam has five returnees total, one at each position, and they were able to handle Wilkes, even with the newbies playing 80+ minutes.


As for the next game, unfortunately, as the nickname indicates, I'm a denizen of the far north woods (Potsdam). 

You have some well thought out insights

Thanks - you asked some excellent questions as well.

[naismith]

Thanks Bear.

I'll have to follow Potsdam this year.
Having seen Shovlin play since high school, it is very rare when someone gets the best of him.

In fact, rumor has it that former DIII player of the year Dave Jannuzzi (also played some tremendous semi-pro and Europe)  couldn't handle CS too well.

Ducena must be a real player.
I'll be watching

Thanks again for the terrific insights.

Naismith

[Section J Guy]

How does the Aussie look ?

[ronk]

    Only saw 1st half of the Catholic game, but the aussie shows promise. got a few offensive boards and neutralized a good center(Sowden).