MBB: Coast 2 Coast Athletic Conference

[watcher]

smcm is going to be very tough next year even though lost of mike smelkison and tyson are going to hurt but they big back a core of good players and have a nice d1 transfer from umbc coming.

[Pat Coleman]

Should be cool, but keep in mind that D-I transfers aren't automatically superstars at Division III. Often times they come in thinking they can just show up and dominate, and that is just plain not the case.

[Pat Coleman]

I don't think I'm speaking out of turn when I say that Bob Quillman and I enjoyed watching St. Mary's play this weekend. Great run!

And thanks to the St. Mary's players for the shout-out Saturday on the streets of St. Louis.

[watcher]

that is a good point, and I hope this is as good as they are saying and buys into the system but even without him this team is going to be in good position with talent and players they.

[Matt Letourneau]

If there is one team that should know there are no shortcuts, it should be St. Mary's.

Now, Lesense was a transfer from Delware State, where he had...issues...and Irmer was a transfer from Hampden Sydney, but...

Obviously transfers aren't automatically bad, but it took a while for that team to gel.

Speaking of UMBC--how about Maryland teams NOT playing in College Park this year!  SMC, Mount St. Mary's, UMBC, Coppin...

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

My D3 knowledge got me laughing about the D1 tournament for the following reasons:

Coppin St. and Mt. St. Mary's will play each other in the play-in game tomorrow night... in Dayton, OH. If there had been anyone with even a small bit of D3 knowledge, I am sure that game could have been arranged to be played at the 1st Mariner Arena (well, the circus is in town) or as our sports anchor at my station said, McDaniel College, instead!

Then, on the women's side, #1 Maryland will play #16 Coppin St... in NEW MEXICO! Sheesh! If you are going to match teams up and send them places, at least make it make some sense. Just ask the D3 crews. They may not get it right all the time, in my opinion, but at least they figure out the traveling and match-up thing most of the time!

[Matt Letourneau]

Well...the play-in game is always in Dayton, but I have no idea why...I guess they figure that its centrally located and they have to have the arrangements made before they know the teams...

It is pretty funny...too bad its not a local game.   Towson would work, too. 

[cuabigdog]

D Mac..

It is my understanding that the MARYLAND U WOMEN [ #1seed ] play against Coppin State on  Sunday March 23 at 2:30 in COLLEGE PARK at the COMCAST CENTER .....

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

Yeah... I misread the damn bracket that Comcast SportsNet apparently put up on the screen last night. I was so busy with D3 "stuff"... I wasn't paying as close attention as I should have.

Disregard the comment about the women... thanks!

[Pat Coleman]

Agreed: West Virginia, New Mexico, Vandy, Montana, Pitt, Wyoming, Baylor and Fresno State are in Albuquerque.

Hope Dave didn't air that on his newscast.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

I have to be producing a show to do that, Pat!

Though I am doing the 6PM show today... but letting the sports guys deal with the sports stuff, for once!

[Titan Q]

I don't think I'm speaking out of turn when I say that Bob Quillman and I enjoyed watching St. Mary's play this weekend. Great run!

And thanks to the St. Mary's players for the shout-out Saturday on the streets of St. Louis.

I was impressed with St. Mary's and really liked the Franz kid - he's going to be a good one.

[watcher]

I agree Franz is going to be a great player and should of been rookie of the year. He played a more role player style this year to allow the seniors tyson and smelkison to run the show but we saw what he is more then capable of doing when he is called upon to step up in big games and be the focus of the team which with the graduating of those players he will become.

[CACsportsnut]

Now that the season is over for all teams in the CAC (Congrats to the Seahawks and there inpressive run, they put our conference back on the map!!). But now that it is over, why not have an early look at next year. I want to try and keep this forum going, considering from October to March it's great, but March to October it is pretty much dead.

Let's start with Cindarella herself...

St. Marys - they lose a good amount with who I felt was the best all around guard in the league, Lesesne, and also a above average play maker in Smelkinson, and TJ Jordan might have been inconsistent, but when on, he was effective none-the-less. They do however return Alex Irmer, Calvin Wise, and Alex Franz (he got cheated on R.O.Y.). That is a good 3, especially Franz who I feel is a budding star. Throw in Mikey Fitzpatrick, and Another decent bigman like Bowden and Jarcinski (all freshman as well as Franz) and a good recruting class, there is no reason this Cinderella's hopes next season have struck 12.

Galluadett - where most people think of them to have a dwn year, I see them being a sleeper team. Jon Mowl is good. He can penetrate, he can shoot it, he can play defense. Lance Gonzalez make my all hard-nose team, and the rest of the role-players will help contribute to some big wins. Onye Davis will be missed, as he was second in the conference in rebounding and there true only inside presence. A big man is much needed, but there only a step away from hanging with the middle of the pack in the CAC.

Marymount - they could do what they did this year *cough...underachieve...cough cough,* or they can really make some noise next year. Stanbeck is gone, so scoring will have to come in other ways, Mazzuchi is gone, so perimeter defense will be something the staff looks for. But Gray is back (scoring and rebounding, R.O.Y in Sean Ingram is back (scoring and ball handling), and Majors, Simenou and Pruitt give some backcourt depth. Elvis Ellis could be key, he is a 6'6 big-body that could easily get 10-12 a game. The season is as easy to predict as a coin flip, but the talent is a major major major upside, and with talent, brings opportunity.

Hood - Gutekunst is gone, but that is nothing new after the first semester. this is a guard oriented team without him, and they struggled with that. but you have to believe that Dickman will get a bigman in. however...if not, Rian McHenry could emerge as a major contributer, and potential stud in this league. 6'6, long, strong and only a freshman. Mark McGlone who would make my all-freshman team is a solid inside out player. But there team goes as the guards do, and returning, who I feel, the deepest backcourt in the conference is big for Hood. Junghans is a cold-blooded scorer, Abercrombie can fill it up, and Anthony Bennett was my 6th man of the year. Combined they scored 40 a game this year, and I can see that only going up. Better believe theis team can be as dangerous as ever, and will be right in the mix again next year.

Mary Washington - Re-load. That word is the epitamy of this program. Last year they lose Fitgerald and Lee, and they still make it to the Conference Championship. Now that Baker is gone, and Pierece has seen his days as an eagle fly by, who will step up. Well it starts with Matt Hale. The best pure shooter in this conference is also a great ball handler, and for his size is a great pereimeter defense. Whitworth is back, and he provides some inside outside game. Altman is a hidden gem in this conference, and he is a potential 18-10 a night wating to happen. Ben Stokes is a great shooter, and they have some good talent off of the bench. A recruiting class would really help, as since Baker is gone, they need a slasher to be able to kick to the shooters. But the season is a whole 9 months away, and that is a loooooong time for a team to re-load, especially one in as rich of a talent pull area as Mary Washington sits.

Salisbury - Gary Ward will be missed. His shooting improved every year, and he also gets a spot on my hard- nosed squad as his defense is way above average for his size. Jonas Vaitkus was a man they really did not use much. His post moves were outstanding, just no ne new because he did not get the ball. He will be missed. Greg Palmer is back, and with his work ethic, he could score 20 plus next season. But can they stop people? They showed they can in the first round game against number 1 seed York. Wesley Sweet was a key transfer for them, and he could emerge as a difference maker on both ends of the floor next season. If I were Steve Holmes however, I would have Palmer shooting 700 shots a day, and touching the ball every time down floor. He is something special.

York - Out of all teams, they lose the most. McGowan is gone, Winters is one and done, and Lankford had a good two years, but he's leaving as well. That isnearly 50 + ppg gone, the leading 3 rebounders, and your 3 leaders gone. However they return rough and ready, do-it all guard Nick Brady, and steady-eddy Jeremy Keefer. Brady could be a 16-18 point per game scorer since he will be getting more touches and most likely able to do more things, while Keefer has shown flashes of brilliance. He has a perfect basketball body, and great IQ of the game. But can these two young players, lead other young'ins? Foley bleeds potential, and if Kelley has shaken the injury bug they have a decent core of 4. After that, the openings are endless. Can they play defense and rebound? A good bigman is needed, no scratch that, is something to kill for right now. Jeff Gamber is a wonderful coach, and has brought in some great players in the past few years. So the chance of another big coming in is good, and if that happens, York could contend for its 4th regular season title in 5 years.

Wesley - they are the most athletic team in the conference, and if you look at it from every angle, they might be the clear-cut favorite coming into 08-09. They lose NON-ONE! RaShawn Johnson has no business in DIII, or DII. He is a remarkable talent, and he could see is ppg go nearly as high as 26-27 a game next year. James Stratton put in 4 straight 20 + point games in a stretch towards the end. So there is the zig to Johnson's zag. Khyle Nelson, Cody White, and Alphonso Wright clean rebounds and are great role players in this system, who could break out on any night. Evan Martin is a 15 point per gamer is he gets the time, and Kevin Johnson (my all freshman team) is as good of a slasher the conference has. They have scoring out the "wa-zoo" and there full court defensive pressure is in your face and bone chilling. Throw in there crazy atmosphere during home games, and you could find an extremely hard team to beat.

Villa Julie - 6'9 Kerry Dugan should have hit the pike, but a broken foot leaves him around for his senior campaign, and you can bet he is going to want to take advantage of that. Greg Woody can seriously go off on any given night. Granite, he has had several nights where he has attempted 10+ three balls, but at the same time there has been a few times he's hit 6-8 of them. Add on the fact that he is quick enough to dodge rain drops, and strong enough to finish at the rim, and you have a possible CAC-player of the year next year. Add in the fact that Mike Turner and Jason lambert might be back after missing the second semester this past year and they are a team that could be breaking some hearts come February and March.

[watcher]

I see the CAC being a very strong conference next year and even though every team loses a good players especailly York it will be a stronger league

St Marys-losing smelikison is going to hurt but losing tyson is def going to be there bigges loss. With all that said I see this team to be a better team then this year. They return 4 of there top 6 players while also being in a good D1 small forward and all there freshman a year older. They will be the biggest team in the league and Franz is going to star and dont forget about mike bowden he is going to be tough force along with already great big men in wise irmer jars and mikey fitzpatrick great shooter

Galluadett- This team is going to be tough they have a scrapy hard nose team gonzalez has no fear and light it up and Jon Mowl is a great player. Though none of the other players are going to kill you and they have no real big men, they will steal a few games esp at there place where no one likes to play

Marymount- This is a hard team to judge gray is a beast and ingram and elvis are good players. They do lose stanback who was their best player and i real think losng and Mazzuchi  was really undervalued esp for is defense and leadership. This team has the talent but very inconsistent

Hood-There isnt a better coach in the league then dickman or shooter in in junghans. McGlone is good and bennter and arbercombie are tough. With all this Hood is def going to be one a team to contend with esp with dickmen at the helm

MaryWashington-They return Hale and Altman, Hale is a great shooter and pg and Altman is a tough post player esp if he puts on alittle more weight. Losing pierce and Baker hurts but they have a great coach and playing all those players last year should help with them having more experience

Salisbury-Losing Ward is going to hurt but they are going to be a better team record wise next year. Palmer can flat out shoot the ball and wesley sweet has talent to come on strong end of the year if they get a few players in which they are rumored to be getting they are gonna be a good team

York-This team is going to have to have alot of players step up, I mean losing 3 starts one a two time player of the year and another a all conference player. Brady and Keefer are going to really have to step it up along with some other players who didnt get as much time this year

Wesley- This is def the most talented team johnson is a beast and will do what he has the past 2 years but with stratton stepping up big time at the end of the year and them all being a year older they are going to have a great chance to win the league. That being said they dont really have a inse presence and tend to street ball

Villia Julie-They return Greg Woody who is prob the quickest player in the league and is capable of scoring 30 and shutting down a teams best players. Also mike turner and there other guard(forget his name) are all great one on one players and can each score. If they get a good inside scorer then they are going to be tough esp with them guards

This is being said I think st marys and welsey are going top 2 teams with marymount and hood capable of easyly getting into the mix. The rest of the teams will need other players to step up but could be there if that happens