MBB: MAC Freedom League

[CCHoopster]

Looking through the rosters, at least those that are up, it appears only two schools recruited transfers. DeSales brought in one and Del Val brought in three. (could have miss someone).

[jmcozenlaw]

Looking through the rosters, at least those that are up, it appears only two schools recruited transfers. DeSales brought in one and Del Val brought in three. (could have miss someone).

DelVal brought in two. One was actually at DelVal and didn't play hoops. DeSales has the kid on his 4th school (who averaged 20 points a freshman or sophomore at a D2 school) and another senior who transferred in from another D2 school, where he was the 6th man, before the start of the 2015-2016 campaign (he took the spot of the transfers from Bloomsburg and Lehigh). You will see more and more of this as the cost of private college continues to skyrocket, with no end in sight, and more and more students and student/athletes (not lucky enough to get big aid packages) doing their first two years and the wickedly growing community colleges and juco's. Bucks County Community College, by the end of this academic year, will be up to over 60 colleges and universities that will recognize every one of the 60 credits earned in the first two years..............and some of the private schools are even offering up to $20,500 scholarships to a BCCC student who gets at least a 3.5 GPA, and $18,500 for at least a 3.0 GPA. They can't build out their facilities fast enough to keep up with the extraordinary demand. Someone didn't think this through.

[CCHoopster]

JM:

which transfer was on campus at Delaware Valley last year?

[jmcozenlaw]

JM:

which transfer was on campus at Delaware Valley last year?

My contact at DeSales was told that a Dan Polson (?) went to a private high school in New Hope, minutes from DelVal's campus, and was actually on campus last year but didn't play (don't know if he is a "player" or not). I asked him if he was aware of any higher level D-1AA or D-II transfers down to the D-III level with DelVal and he wasn't aware of any other than your garden variety "can't afford four years...........can afford two years after a cc or juco start" similar to Daulton Derr a few years ago. Watch this dynamic going forward, especially as small school budgets get tighter and financial aid is squeezed. I know many examples where this is happening and it will eventually get most, but not all, of the schools who offer at least one, at sometimes two, what are known as "superpackages" each year based on need and athletics, with grades having very little impact. Albright is notorious in football for year one and they slash it for some in year two, thus the exodus of 15-20 players a year. Hoops doesn't have that issue given the much smaller number of players. I've always said that many of your better basketball programs don't necessarily have football programs so the competition amongst coaches at the front door of financial aid is not as fierce. Not having a wrestling team as well........your hoops team had best be golden!!

[CCHoopster]

Just did a quick google search... https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HDSkskG-RIY 

*Paulsen was at DeAnza College last year. Looks like a nice shooter. Big bodied kid. If the link does not work google Dan Paulsen Basketball. Certianly not as talented as DeSales transfer. He is good!

[jmcozenlaw]

Just did a quick google search... https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HDSkskG-RIY 

*Paulsen was at DeAnza College last year. Looks like a nice shooter. Big bodied kid. If the link does not work google Dan Paulsen Basketball. Certianly not as talented as DeSales transfer. He is good!

They could use a big bodied kid (or four) as after Tyrea Williams, I'm not sure that the new coach has anybody over 6'3". He would have to be a miracle worker this year. I think they squeezed into the #6 spot in the MAC Coaches Poll. Word is that Stitzel had two freshman and a big time transfer coming in..........big kids, athletic, fast and impact players from Day One. None came aboard when he left in mid/late May. I don't know if any followed him to Mville. The new coach came aboard way too late to grab much of anything. He's going to need two very good recruiting classes to get things back on track come the 2018-2019 season. Maybe get the big bodies down in FL like Eastern has been doing for the last several years. They lose their best two players after this season. Should be interesting. Stitzel will be missed. If he turns around a moribund Mville program and if Magee ever retires, if the timing works.........Stitzel may be the next coach at Philly University.

[CCHoopster]

he definitely has an uphill battle and if they make the playoffs, he will cement himself as a quality coach in the league.

While eastern certainly has gotten their fair share of players from Florida and other places, at some point they need to consistently make the playoffs to justify perceived success in recruiting.

[lefty2]

Misericordia opens with a 120-116 double-OT win at #25 Susquehanna.

[CCHoopster]

Good night for the Freedom... Teams went 6-1 on the night (D3 games) with FDU Florham competing against D1 Farleigh Dickinson. Nice night for the freedom! A few observations just off of box scores (plenty of time to kill during night work!)

- DeSales: Quality numbers/stats across the board. Great FG %.
- Miseri: They can put points up. Can they get any stops?
- Kings: Only 13 3's but went 10/13. Only beating a non D3 school by 11 (a branch campus school at that) would have me slightly       concerned. But a win is a win early in the season. They shot it from deep well.
- Wilkes with a big win and a big performance from their back court.
- Eastern: Seem to have a "solid" recruiting class each year. With that said, does Turk have/get any help this year?
- DVU: They held Immaculata to 16% from the field and had 4 guys in double figures. One transfer did not play of the three they have. They shot it surprisingly well and seem to have good depth???
- Manhattanvile: 3 guys played over 30 minutes all scoring in double figures with only 6 to's for the game. They will need some more fire power to compete with a few teams in the league.

Excited for the year!

[jmcozenlaw]

Good night for the Freedom... Teams went 6-1 on the night (D3 games) with FDU Florham competing against D1 Farleigh Dickinson. Nice night for the freedom! A few observations just off of box scores (plenty of time to kill during night work!)

- DeSales: Quality numbers/stats across the board. Great FG %.
- Miseri: They can put points up. Can they get any stops?
- Kings: Only 13 3's but went 10/13. Only beating a non D3 school by 11 (a branch campus school at that) would have me slightly       concerned. But a win is a win early in the season. They shot it from deep well.
- Wilkes with a big win and a big performance from their back court.
- Eastern: Seem to have a "solid" recruiting class each year. With that said, does Turk have/get any help this year?
- DVU: They held Immaculata to 16% from the field and had 4 guys in double figures. One transfer did not play of the three they have. They shot it surprisingly well and seem to have good depth???
- Manhattanvile: 3 guys played over 30 minutes all scoring in double figures with only 6 to's for the game. They will need some more fire power to compete with a few teams in the league.

Excited for the year!

Let me give you the DelVal perspective:

-Immaculata would get beat by the Mighty Mac Women's teams from back in the day (national champs). They look like and play like an average Philly Suburban High School team (I don't say the Philly Catholic League because with this open enrollment/recruiting/AAU-like sham that is getting worse........many of those teams would beat Immaculata)
- DelVal has very little in the way of depth. You will eventually see a seven man rotation (Kimbro, Williams, Butler, Matsinyea, Brown, Russell and Cianchilly)
- Brutal outside shooting. 0-13 from three vs. Gettysburg outside of Brown's 3-4
- Polson hit a couple of three's against Immaculata but did nothing against an average-at-best Gettysburg team. Naccarata is blech. The rest will see a few minutes in blowouts.

I'm even further emboldened in my prediction of a 4-10 MAC record (in line with the coaches #6 prediction). If they sneak into the playoffs, the coach should be the MAC Coach of the Century!!

He needs two monster recruiting years, including 4-5 players (with at least 2 having some size), who can contribute day one next year. I hear he has connections all over the place so we'll see.

[CCHoopster]

JM-

Why do you come across so bitter towards Delaware Valley? Instead of knocking them on here and the CSAC board, why not just say nice job starting out 2-0 for a young team with a new coach. If they beat Alvernia today, I would like to see your thoughts. Not saying you are wrong on your 4-10 conference production; it just seems like you have an ax to grind against them. Are you one of the DeSales/Wilkes assistants?

[jmcozenlaw]

JM-

Why do you come across so bitter towards Delaware Valley? Instead of knocking them on here and the CSAC board, why not just say nice job starting out 2-0 for a young team with a new coach. If they beat Alvernia today, I would like to see your thoughts. Not saying you are wrong on your 4-10 conference production; it just seems like you have an ax to grind against them. Are you one of the DeSales/Wilkes assistants?

In answer to your last question, I may or may not be.........now, or in the recent past.

I don't mean to come across as bitter and I'm sorry that you took it that way (as anybody who knows me personally would say that is about as far from the truth as possible). But I am a little older, not very PC, came from a generation that wasn't coddled (they didn't give us lollipops, days off from school, crying towels and safety dogs when our candidate lost an election ) so I guess that I am more of a tell-it-like-it-is, old school type, a tough love guy vs. many of the newer, PC, kill-em-with-kindness types.

My assessments have always been based in fact and what I see vs. based on fluff and what I read in a misleading boxscore. I was simply providing some context based on what I've seen (as I would say we are already scouting them........but that might give it away) relative to what you said. If Immaculata stores their games on the internet, take a look at the second half. You didn't deny how poor Immaculata is in your response either.

The 16% from the field was not as a result of an amazing DelVal defensive performance. The Macs shot 1-20 from three........with most of them wide open shots. The coach could not believe what he was watching.

You mentioned "seeming to have good depth". I had to add in a dose of reality as a boxscore against Immaculata will give most teams an appearance of depth that doesn't really exist. Check the boxscore against Gettysburg and then after the Alvernia game. They have seven players.

If they beat Alvernia, who also only plays with 6 core players +1, I will be more impressed. Beating Immaculata was a given, even in this year. Beating Gettysburg.......a little better (I want to see where they were picked in the Centennial). Beating Alvernia.........now that is an even matchup before tip off given both teams short benches.

As far as a young team.........their best player by far is senior Kimbro, followed by senior Williams. Manny Brown might turn out to be #1A to Kimbro's #1 and he is a junior. Polson is a senior (and not that good). Naccarata is a junior as well. They are not that young. Wilkes was a "young team" last year with three impact freshmen, all starting this year.

That's why I state the urgency (and you've never disagreed) of needing not one, but two monster recruiting years as they lose their best guard and only real big, as well as Polson, and Manny Brown only has one year come 2017-2018.

Besides, if we didn't go back and forth on this board............it might just die!!

[CCHoopster]

Gettysburg was picked 4th in the CC.

Alvernia is the CLASS of the MAC C'WEALTH. They have an all American in Marshall.  Check who has won the past 5-6 years. They have won with 5-6 players for a few years now. It's their style.If DVU wins next Saturday, they go to Stockton undefeated the next Monday. That could tell a lot. either way the banter is good.

Where did you hear the new coach has connections from? What type of connections does he have? For recruiting?

As for them being young:

3 Seniors
3 Juniors
6 Soph
3 Frosh

9 of 15 sophomores or below

Enjoy your evening sir.

[CCHoopster]

Happy early Thanksgiving!

A few notes while killing time at work.

-MAC Freedom goes 5-1 last night with DeSales being the only loss.
-MAC Freedom went 9-6 last weekend
-MAC Freedom non conference total record: 20-9 (Not a bad record)

This conference is going to be really good this year. There will be 6 teams minimum fighting for playoff spots the last week of the season. There are some really good looking wins in there i.e Misericordia (LVC, Susquehanna). There are more examples.

Saturdays lineup is as follows:

(4-0) Hood College @ Del Val (3-0)
(3-1) Kings @ Scranton (3-0)
(0-3) ) Marywood @ Wilkes (3-1)

I am going to say the Freedom goes 2-1 with King's pulling the upset and Wilkes with the easy win. I like being the road team on a Saturday game over a break. Dead gyms! Del Val gets caught sleeping at home.

[ronk]

Happy early Thanksgiving!

A few notes while killing time at work.

-MAC Freedom goes 5-1 last night with DeSales being the only loss.
-MAC Freedom went 9-6 last weekend
-MAC Freedom non conference total record: 20-9 (Not a bad record)

This conference is going to be really good this year. There will be 6 teams minimum fighting for playoff spots the last week of the season. There are some really good looking wins in there i.e Misericordia (LVC, Susquehanna). There are more examples.

Saturdays lineup is as follows:

(4-0) Hood College @ Del Val (3-0)
(3-1) Kings @ Scranton (3-0)
(0-3) ) Marywood @ Wilkes (3-1)

I am going to say the Freedom goes 2-1 with King's pulling the upset and Wilkes with the easy win. I like being the road team on a Saturday game over a break. Dead gyms! Del Val gets caught sleeping at home.

Kings-Scranton will be a neutral court game @ Wilkes.