MBB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[ScotsFan]

...any word on who is new in Crawfordsville this year?

Billy,  somehow, I think the only thing on the minds of the Wabash faithful at the present time is their undefeated football team.  And who would blame them?  As for me, seeing as how Wooster has lost to Kenyon and barely got over on Oberlin on the gridiron, the basketball season can't start soon enough!

Wooster's roster is up and they are surely a young bunch.  One point of interest is that Port, who has 2 years of eligibility remaining, is listed as a senior.  Here's the link to Woo's roster:

http://athletics.wooster.edu/mb/roster.php

Also, Wooster's Black & Gold intrasquad scrimmage is Saturday morning at 9:15 am.  I'm debating if that is too early for me or not??

[smedindy]

I do know that if we take care of business in football, we're going to have some *fun* staffing the tip-off tournament in hoops!

ah, well, what can you do? 

[David Collinge]

One point of interest is that Port, who has 2 years of eligibility remaining, is listed as a senior.

I wouldn't read too much into that.  Tom is a senior, academically, and should be listed as such.  I have no idea whether he plans to return for a 4th season of hoops, but I'm sure he'd be listed as a "senior" either way.

In addition to the intrasquad scrimmage, Wooster is having it's erstwhile "Midnight Madness" (now called "Halloween Hoops Madness") celebration on Friday at 8:30pm.

[smedindy]

Wooster #3 and Witt #10 in pre-season rankings.

The other eight...not so much....

[wally_wabash]

If I remember correctly, they pushed the Saturday games of the Tipoff Classic back to the evening when Wabash hosted a first round football game in '02.  I'm guessing they'd do the same this time around.  I would hope so anyway...it's not often the #1 team comes to town and I don't want to miss that.

[Li'l Giant]

Well it will certainly be a long day for you Wally to do football and hoops. Of course, I'm more than a little envious of the chance.

[smedindy]

Actually, the Friday game will be the fun one, since the SID has to attend meetings if we host - and both days will be full o' hilarity if Wabash has to travel...

[wally_wabash]

I'm sure Brent would take one for the team if it meant Wabash gets to host a playoff game. 

[ScotsFan]

Did anyone happen to attend the Halloween Hoops Madness last night or the Black & Gold intrasquad scrimmage this morning?  Just wondering how the newbies looked.

[WoosterFAN]

Quick internet search, I found the following:
Kevin Vargo
HM All-Ohio DIvision III

Marty Bidwell, Fenwick
All-Ohio DIvision III Third Team
Southwest District Division III First Team

Brandon Johnson - All I could find is a picture of him dunking!!
http://www.snponline.com/NEWS2-23/2-23_cwgroveportscene.htm

Jerrin Brindley
District 5 Basketball Coaches Assn Second Team

I am really interested in the Bidwell kid.  I think he was also All-State in football.
He might be a banger!!

I, too, am interested in the how the Scots looked at "Halloween Madness"!!

[blindwatchmaker]

Wasn't able to make 'Halloween Madness' or the scrimmage but saw a short write up in the Daily Record.  Jamie Yoder beat out Kyle Witucky in the 3 point contest connecting on 21 in a 45 second span.  The slam dunk contest was won by first year Brandon Johnson.

For the Black and Gold scimmage- 'Black' team won 76-63.  Yoder and Witucky lead the 'Black' team with 21 and 20, while Cooper had 17 for the 'Gold'.  Not much else in the article...

[ScotsFan]

Looking at the Scots roster, here is my guess as to who will be the starting 5 for Wooster.  I am going to guess it will be guard oriented due to the fact that they are switching to an up-tempo style of play.  So my starting 5 would be Port, Witucky, Van Horn, Vandervaart and Cooper.   That starting line-up should be lethal from beyond the arc as Van Horn, Witucky and Cooper were 1-2-3 in the NCAC in 3-pt. shooting percentage and Port was also 9th in the conference.  That's a pretty good group of shooters in your starting rotation. 

Off of the bench, it will be interesting to see how deep Moore & co. will go.  He has plenty to choose from.  Looking at the returning leterwinners you have to start with Fulk, Will and Stevens.  Newcomers who I feel could contribute could be sophomores Jamie Yoder who played JV last year and Cody Drake who missed the entire season due to injury.  I would also expect a couple of freshman to make impacts in the rotation and that would be Brandon Johnson and Marty Bidwell. 

Just from the players I have listed, that would put Wooster at 12 deep off of the bench.  The Scots went with a 9 man rotation last year in their conventional offense.  I wouldn't be surprised in the least to see Wooster go to a deeper rotation this year because of the up-tempo style they will be playing.  I, for one, am excited to see how this new style of play will work out.  Wooster definately has the personnel in place to make it a success. 

I can't remember a Wooster team this deep with shooters.  Wooster could easily have 4 guys on the floor at all times that are a legitimate threat from downtown.  Not to mention the altleticism that this team has from top to bottom.  I am very optomistic about this coming season. 

One thing for sure, we will get an idea of just how good this team is very early as they have put together one of the toughest non-conference schedules in the country.  By the end of December, we should have a real good gauge on how good this Wooster team really is.

[smedindy]

http://www.wabash.edu/sports/basketball/roster

Wabash roster is up.

Interesting that Mike Russell and Dustin Huff are on the hoop roster as well.

[David Collinge]

ScotsFan,
I agree with your projected lineup and much of what you say.  However, when you say

That starting line-up should be lethal from beyond the arc as Van Horn, Witucky and Cooper were 1-2-3 in the NCAC in 3-pt. shooting percentage and Port was also 9th in the conference.

I feel compelled to remind you that those shooting numbers were put up by players on a team that had big bangers down low as the primary offensive option.  With Vandervaart as the lone inside player, defenses will be freed up to guard the outside shooters a bit more closely this year. 

That said, it may be that Tom Port will spend his evenings closer to the basket than he did last season.  That would take away his long jumper (except for early in the posession, on the run) but might help take the pressure off the other shooters.

I'm anxious to see Jamie Yoder, a graduate of my high school.  He won the three point shooting contest at Hallowe'en Madness, then was the leading scorer in the B/G scrimmage.  It's quite possible that he could be an offensive spark off the bench, kind of like Cooper and Snyder in recent years.

It will be very interesting to see how all this develops, especially since they'll see a quality opponent in game 2 (St. Thomas or UW-Stout).

[ScotsFan]

David,

I was thinking the same thing about Yoder and his comparrison to Snyder after I seeing how he did this past weekend.  I saw him in action a couple of times in high school taking on my alma mater (WHS) and was a dangerous shooter back then.  And he's a coaches son, which means he's probably got some good basketball smarts to go with his talent. 

As far as how Wooster will create open looks from the outside without the presense of a dominant post, I would look for a lot more penetration and kick outs.  With their guard oriented line-up, Wooster is not lacking in ball handlers who can take it to the basket.  Even Port could be utilized this way.  At least that would be one way they could be effective at getting open looks from the perimeter.  I too agree in your assessment that Port will be utilized more with his back to the basket, even though that may not be his strength.  He is a versatile player, and I think he could be looking at a big year.

Also, I wouldn't go as far as to say that Wooster's bigs were their primary offensive options.  One of them yes, but 3 out of Wooster's top 4 scorers were primarily perimeter players.  I know what you mean though, as far as the offense running around the post players.  Opponents won't have to worry about doubling down on us like in the past.  That is why I feel that dribble penetration can be almost as effective.  Not to mention the fact that it could get Wooster a lot more trips to the line.