MBB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[imderekpoe]

Does anybody have a schedule for Wooster's scrimmages yet?

The schedule that I have is:
Sunday, October 28      Intrasquad Scrimmage @ 12:00 p.m.
Friday, November 2      Scrimmage vs. Defiance College at Wooster  7:00 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 10        Scrimmage @ Ashland University  6:00 p.m.

Note the corrected time for the scrimmage at Ashland on Nov 10.

[smedindy]

I was in the middle of a long, and insightful post about 2-9 in the NCAC (since Wooster will be #1 and Denison #10 - I assume) and the tab closed.

The magic...lost...

Anyway, I saw on the Wabash website that Gary Simkus is indeed playing basketball this year, so, with that info, I'm picking them this way, for now.

1. Wooster
2. Wabash
3. Wittenberg
4. Kenyon
5. Ohio Wesleyan
6. Allegheny
7. Earlham
8. Hiram
9. Oberlin
10. Denison

However, Hiram and Oberlin will have 5 to 7 conference wins and the distance between #4 and #7 is very small, IMHO.

[David Collinge]

Wesleyan fifth?!?  I'm sorry to not have benefited from the insight that was your original post. 

Your top five agrees with my current thinking (albeit not in that order), but I'm not ready to crown Wooster just yet (or to dethrone them either.)  After all, this is a team that lost half of it's "starting six" (counting both Will and Vandervaart) to graduation.  I'm interested to see them in the scrimmage on Sunday.

[smedindy]

OWU lost three of their top five scorers, including Chojnacki. Do they have enough left over? I don't think Rudegeair can be THE man, and Jean doesn't have the offensive moves. A lot of people can shoot the 3 but is that enough?

But a 5th place OWU could still be 10-6 or 9-7 in the conference because of how close it will be.

[David Collinge]

Nearly cross-posting, here's what I've been working on regarding OWU this evening:

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2007 NCAC Tournament runner-up Ohio Wesleyan has posted its roster.  The Battling Bishops return nine letterman from last season's 18-10 (10-6) squad, eight of them having averaged at least 11 minutes per game, and two of them garnering all-conference honors.  This senior-dominated squad figures to be led by 6'5" posts Dustin Rudegeair (12.8 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 2nd team all-NCAC) and Jesse Jean (10.0 ppg, 6.5 rpg, HM all-NCAC) and point guard Casey Teeters (2.6 apg, 1.7 A/TO, 5.0 ppg).  Overall, the Bishops bring back 65.1% of their scoring, 73.8% of their rebounding, and 68.6% of their minutes, despite losing (to graduation) Ben Chojnacki, a three-time first team all-NCAC honoree, and two other starters. 

Competing for playing time on this experienced squad are two upperclassmen returning from injury-plagued 2007 campaigns and five first-year players, including yet another recruit from Medina High School.  Despite being located roughly halfway between Wooster and Oberlin, Medina H.S. has instead sent several players 100 miles southwest to Delaware, including 2007 grads Ben Chojnacki and Matt Shirer, as well as four-time first team all-NCAC honoree (and new Wittenberg assistant coach) Travis Schwab.  The latest Battling Bee to become a Battling Bishop is 6'5" wing Dillon McBride, who was an all-district performer in high school and now has some mighty big shoes to fill.
-----

It's true that OWU has graduation losses, but so do Wooster (3 starters including Port and Vandervaart) and Wittenberg (4 starters including Borchers), and OWU does return a lot of its rotation from a pretty good team last year.  Wabash and Kenyon lost almost nothing, and Simkus' return should be a benefit to Wabash, but is that alone enough to close what in my opinion was a considerable gap to the top three?    They finished fifth and sixth last year, respectively, and I haven't even begun to consider fourth-place Allegheny yet.  I have a lot of respect for Mike DeWitt and the program he's building down there, and I doubt if I'll pick them lower than 3rd when I get around to making a preseason prognostication.

[David Collinge]

NCAC media day for both men's and women's hoops is set from next Thursday, Nov. 1.  The conference website has also posted its capsule outlooks for each team.  One roster I'm dying to get a look at is Hiram's:

Second team All-NCAC forward Mike McDevitt is the top returnee as he heads into his senior campaign for Hiram. He will have a lot of new players around him as 16 newcomers, including 13 freshman, are on the roster.

[smedindy]

It's true that OWU has graduation losses, but so do Wooster (3 starters including Port and Vandervaart) and Wittenberg (4 starters including Borchers), and OWU does return a lot of its rotation from a pretty good team last year.  Wabash and Kenyon lost almost nothing, and Simkus' return should be a benefit to Wabash, but is that alone enough to close what in my opinion was a considerable gap to the top three?    They finished fifth and sixth last year, respectively, and I haven't even begun to consider fourth-place Allegheny yet.  I have a lot of respect for Mike DeWitt and the program he's building down there, and I doubt if I'll pick them lower than 3rd when I get around to making a preseason prognostication.

I don't know - 'Bash did beat OWU on the road last year. This is just a hunch. I respect OWU, but the rest of the league is getting better. I think it's going to be a case of 2-9 beating up on each other (like the Big 10), and many close games against Wooster.

[ScotsFan]

Ahhh.  It's nice to see some meaningful basketball discussion in here once again!

I thought that I would add my two cents on how I look for the NCAC to shake out this year for what it's worth...

I see Wooster as the team to beat once again.  I know that is a big surprise to many of you!!!   Even with the losses they sufferred (most notably Port) I still think this team has far more talent than any other team in the conference.  Wooster's backcourt is the best in the conference.  Bidwell should step in and fill Van Horn's shoes at the 3 and Will was already starting the 2nd half of the season due to Vandervaart's injuries.  I see Cooper really stepping up his scoring this season with the loss of Port.  I think a major key for Wooster will be the play of Will, Elam and Melick posting up.  Vandervaart's presence in the middle might be sorely missed if those 3 can't pick up thier game.  Especially Elam and Melick.

As for the rest of the league, I really don't know who I would consider to pencil in as my #2 team.  You can make arguments for several teams right now.  Witt lost even more than Wooster did IMO.  They really lack any proven inside presence for the first time in a looooong time.  And they are the thinnest I can remember on the inside as well.  I would be really hesitant to pick them to finish above either OWU or Wabash at this point.  IMO, it's pretty much a pick 'em between either Wabash and OWU in the battle for 2nd and 3rd.  You can make pretty strong arguments both ways.

Outside of the top 4, I see teams trying to get better in Hiram and Oberlin which is encouraging.  Kenyon should be better this year with all that they have returning.  I really don't know what to expect from Allegheny.  And will Tristan Gregory be able to carry Earlham with the losses of Jewett and Henry?  And Denison would be my choice to bring up the rear.  I don't see how they overcome all of the losses they've sustained.

I just think overall, however, while the gap is closing, it was still pretty big between Wooster and the rest of the league last year and I don't see that gap closing all the way just yet.  It wouldn't surprise me to see Wabash or OWU knock the Scots off though.  On the other hand, I also wouldn't be surprised to see the Scots run the table in the conference as well.  One thing I do expect is a for Wooster to be in a lot more competitive games this year than in years past.

[ScotsFan]

I'm interested to see them in the scrimmage on Sunday.

How did they look in the scrimmage?  Any of the freshman look like they might be able to contribute?

[seinfeld]

One player to keep an eye on is Brent Pleiman from Ohio Wesleyan. He is from the same high school (Russia) as Dane Borchers. He missed all of last season with an injury. At 6-8, 250, he is a load, and was an All-Ohio player in high school. If he is healthy, he could give OWU the best frontline in the conference. I really think the Bishops are the most likely team to challenge Wooster this year.

[woosterbooster]

The intrasquad scrimmage at Wooster was fun.  James Cooper picked up right where he left off last year, throwing shots into the hole from anywhere he pleased.  Even the excellent-defending Brandon Johnson, who attempted to guard him, had his hands full.  Will, Elam, and Melick were all loads under the basket, playing as physical as ever.  I'd like to see Will look to the basket more, though, rather than giving the ball up as often as he does.

Bidwell's offensive game looks to be dramatically improved.  For one short stretch, he was Super Marty, putting in four or five shots in a row including two or three three-pointers and a nice pull-up jumper.  Devin Fulk was kind of quiet, but we know what he can do.  Last year's two best freshmen guards, Geitgey and Molz, both had their moments shooting the ball, but I don't see either of them getting too much crunch-time on the court.  Rob Tenenini performed solidly at forward.

I'll have to admit I was not impressed with the incoming freshmen class.  Nobody at all, of those that took the court, seemed ready to play at this level.  Bryan Wickliffe, touted as the best prospect, remained on the bench, and I was told he was injured.  Hopefully he'll be able to participate soon.  Local product Kaleb Reed (Northwestern High School) didn't seem to be there at all.

It'll be interesting to see which way coach Moore goes with his starting lineup.  Johnson, Cooper, and Will are locks.  Will he add Bidwell and Fulk, going small and very fast but sacrificing size?  Or, will it be either Bidwell or Fulk plus either Melick or Elam, a more traditional lineup? 

My guess is that Devin Fulk will once again be the third guard with Bidwell and Melick getting the nod along with Johnson, Cooper, and Will.  Devin will certainly get plenty of minutes, as will Elam.  Look for Rob Tenenini to possibly be in an eight-man rotation, although Wickliffe is the wild card in this prediction, since I haven't yet seen him play.

[smedindy]

One player to keep an eye on is Brent Pleiman from Ohio Wesleyan. He is from the same high school (Russia) as Dane Borchers. He missed all of last season with an injury. At 6-8, 250, he is a load, and was an All-Ohio player in high school. If he is healthy, he could give OWU the best frontline in the conference. I really think the Bishops are the most likely team to challenge Wooster this year.

Hard to tell with freshmen, though that IS a load. You wonder, though, with that size why he didn't go mid-major D-1 unless it was the injury.

The thing about OWU that is that if they're not shooting well, they won't win. They need some help in the middle, otherwise teams will just play a 3-2 or 2-2-1 zone and pressure the wings when they shoot.

[ScotsFan]

Hard to tell with freshmen, though that IS a load. You wonder, though, with that size why he didn't go mid-major D-1 unless it was the injury.

Pleiman is a sophomore.  He injured his back forcing him to miss his entire freshman season.  Still, he does lack experience and he is still unproven at the next level.  Size and success at the high school level doesn't always translate into success at the college level.  I just have to wonder how much Pleiman will actually contribute with no experience. 

Also, thanks for the update Wooster Booster.  IMHO, Will, Cooper, Johnson and Bidwell are locks to start.  My gut tells me that Fulk will be coming off the bench to spell Cooper with Geitgey and Molz spelling Johnson.  BTW, there was a lot of talk about Kevin Truitt possibly making an immediate impact at PG.  Did he see much action?  As for the other starter, I'm also leaning towards Melick getting the nod there with Elam coming off the bench.  I would guess that Tenenini might get some minutes as well and it will be interesting to see if Wickliffe is the real deal and whether or not his injury could cost him a shot at cracking the rotation for the Scots. 

One final thought I've been having is the fact that Wooster had been having quite a stretch of getting immediate impacts from freshmen or 1st year players .  There was Bryan Nelson,  Kyle Witucky, Tom Port,  James Cooper, Brandon Johnson etc.  But, last year's class didn't really have one freshman that made an immediate impact.  There are still some in that class that could develop into fine players for Wooster, but no standouts after their 1st year.  Will this be two seasons in a row where Wooster has no stand-outs from their freshman class?  Of course, a contributing factor to freshman not making an impact is that Wooster has so many talented upperclassmen that it is hard to crack the rotation as a freshman. 

[smedindy]

Hard to tell with freshmen, though that IS a load. You wonder, though, with that size why he didn't go mid-major D-1 unless it was the injury.

Pleiman is a sophomore.  He injured his back forcing him to miss his entire freshman season.  Still, he does lack experience and he is still unproven at the next level.  Size and success at the high school level doesn't always translate into success at the college level.  I just have to wonder how much Pleiman will actually contribute with no experience. 

Thanks for the clarification.

Still, to be that big and not get a D-1 offer? (Just a conjecture - it wouldn't surprise me if a lower echelon D-1 offered him and he said no, but with that size the MAC or MVC could have used him.)

[woosterbooster]

Scotsfan -

I agree, this is probably a second year in a row without an impact freshman, unless Wickliffe turns out to be one.  I'm really hoping that whatever is ailing him isn't too serious and that he'll be on the court next Friday night against Defiance.

I don't see either Geitgey or Molz as regulars in the guard rotation.  I think it'll be a three-way, as last year, with Cooper manning the point when Johnson is on the bench.  That's why I see Fulk not starting, so they can easier manipulate this.  That leaves a three-man big dude rotation with Will, Melick, and Elam, and Bidwell being spelled by by Tenenini.  Again Wickliffe my find some room in there somewhere.  And, there is certainly much flexibility available.  A lineup of one big guy, Bidwell, and three guards could do lots of damage going up and down the court if they could rebound.

Truitt, along with the other freshmen that played, didn't impress.  While I might be wrong, none of them seemed to be at the level that Elam, Melick, Molz, or Geitgey were at during this same scrimmage last season.  They're going to need to watch and learn and hit the weights to get time on this team.