MBB: Conference of New England

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

The last post was an accident how do you modify or delete a post you don't want.  There's no option that I can see

Up in the right hand corner of each post are options to modify or delete, but you have to be signed in to see them, and they are only in the posts you post.  These are right where the quote button is on everyone else's posts.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Just to weigh in: I think CSC has the most talent in the conference if they put it together and the best shot at doing something in the big tourney.  It would be ideal to see them get in sync and run the rest of the way and make some noise against one of the big boys, but its been a long time now and I just don't know if they can do what needs to be done.  That being said, Endicott is certainly much better than I expected them to be and can represent us well if indeed they end up on top.

To recap the weekend:

AJ gave us the heads up on Gordon:  57-46 over UNE.  There just weren't very many possessions in this game, which contributed to the low score.  GC forced a few extra turnovers and really shut down McManus, which is the key to beating UNE; their supporting cast is really not strong enough to take out the top CCC teams without McManus lighting it up from the outside.  He did end up with 11 (7-8 FTs) to add to Stickney's 13.  GC, of course, led by 15 and 8 from Herr and 18 from Marstaller; Beebe had 10.  I'm a little concerned with the 18 points on 18 shots from Marstaller.  I know it was just UNE, but he's got to be a little more productive with that ball in the post.  50% is good and all, but you have to get to the line more than that if you are going to miss 9 shots down low.  It's fine for now, but that aspect of his game will need to improve against better post players.

EC over Salve by 20, 66-46.  EC seemed to breeze through this game with very little trouble.  They were way ahead in rebounding and nearly doubled up SRU in points by the half.  Marinkovic just ate up Grendal with 14 points, 9 boards and 5 steals.  George had 15, Burton had 12 and Ellis had 11.  They shot threes at will and never seemed to be seriously challenged or half to work hard.  Coute had 15 for Salve.

NEC over Nichols big 88-63.  Nichols must have no idea how to play defense, because they never seem to have trouble scoring.  Although, NEC just may be getting better, which hasn't happened in quite a while.  They are keeping these young guys around.  There's going to be one big fight up north for that #4 spot.  Jaziri led NEC with 25.  Quinn and Miller both had 10, three other players had 9 points.  Lewis and Butler both had 12 for NC, Baskerville and Costello both put in 11.  The turnovers were even, but NEC got 20 extra rebounds which led to 20 extra shots and the big win.  This one was never in doubt.  NEC is really getting their team together here.  As far as I can tell (last year's roster is still up on their website) they have no seniors and only three juniors, with their two best players only Sophomores.  If they can keep this squad together, they will be very dangerous over the next couple years.

WIT 75 ENC 52.  Doyle and Bolton each had 16 as WIT beat ENC from the backcourt (ENC's defacto "strength").  Gaine had 11.  ENC couldn't get to the line or hit their three pointers.  They once again rebounded fairly well, but committed too many turnovers.  Jasmin had 10; Dan Shaw had 12. 

Curry over AMC big as expected.  Nothing like a trip to Anna Maria to get a slow spell out of your system.  Although it seems they didn't worry too much about playing defense.  Curry was up only 9 at the half, but ran the AMCATS out of the gym in the second half.  Sadlowski had 19 and McDonald had 16 for AMC.  It seems the benching got through to Bartelle and he put all that talent to good use with 27 pts, 6 boards and 4 assists.  Lamb had 18 and 8 with 5 steals.  Largesse and Jones each had 15 points, Jones got 7 assists as well.  Lamarre pulled down 17 boards.  It looks like Wynn wanted to get his guys some confidence and only used 2 bench players for a total of 18 minutes.  Curry passed the ball, like we haven't seen from them in a while and only made two unforced turnovers.  Curry was raining in the threes (14-33) and seem to have gotten the message of team ball.  It was though, just Anna Maria, so we will have to see how CC does in its next game against Roger Williams tomorrow.

I hope Curry keeps playing like this because the matchup of their athleticism and Endicott's solid fundamentals on Feb 11th will be one for the ages.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

I did a quick check of the box scores.  St Clair has averaged 19 ppg so far this year.  If he continues at that pace and CSC makes the conference championship game, he will get the 2000 point mark.  I don't care who you are or who you root for, that's a big deal.  Certainly, as we mentioned before, his scoring may be the key to CSC getting back in this thing.

Now I notice as soon as I counted it on my own, they posted stats on the CCC page through games on the 10th.

[Trueball38]

ok I looked but I still don't see it I see the quote but not modify or delete.  Does that mean anything.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

I have no idea.  Maybe you can't edit your posts until you've posted a certain number of times?  I have no clue.  There is a modify, quote and delete buttons on every one of my posts.

[Trueball38]

ok thanks

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Tuesday night games:

CSC @ AMC (hopefully the losing streak stops here; for all our sakes)
EC @ UNE
NEC hosts Bard
WIT @ NC
RWU @ CC
ENC hosts Newbury

[dwebbs]

Dear Hoopsfan,
First, you really need to be at the game to write things like Marstaller needs to make more than 50%. Either way, they still won.

Staying on the sam track, if you were at the CSC.GC game Thursday night, you would not say CSC has the best overall talent. Without Schnack and Mark Beebe, and Marstaller in foul trouble early, Gordon bench picked it up. Nick Mario, John Beebe, and Freshman Tim Deluca helped the team out in a big way. St. Clair still hadhis game, but their guards were completely shut out by gordon. They were putting up shots that got nothing but backboard. We'll see if they turn around.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

On the first point, I hope I made it clear enough that I knew it was only UNE and that this wasn't a knock on him.  I was just noticing that he only went 9-18 and only got to the line once.  I wasn't predicting how things were going to go.  I just pointed out a curious stat.  I know Marstaller's got game and he can improve that production, it was just something to look at in the future, especially when the competition picks up.

On the second point, I think you agreed with me.  CSC is wasting that talent away.  Talent is a measure of potential, not actuality.  GC and EC have both been playing well above my expectations for the year.  All I was saying is that if every team could play their best game, CSC would be the best team.  However, we have seen nothing even remotely close to their best game and at this point I don't expect to see it.  GC will have to bring their A game to New London for the match-up, but unless things change drastically, I still see GC pulling it out.

[dwebbs]

Differant. I think talent is what the players are doing right now. For example, on paper, the Yankees had the most talent of anyone last year, but on the field, other teams preformed better. Granted baseball isn't as much of a team sport as basketball, teams like EC and GC have better players coming off the bench to support their starters, who are already performing better than CSC. Unless CSC makes a serious K turn, I don't think they have the most talent in the league.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

I'm not going to get into a semantics debate on here, so this is the last thing I'll say on the matter, but the definition of "talent" isn't up for debate; it's pretty set in stone.  It means "an innate ability."  You have talent or you don't.  It's up to you how much of it you use.  People can develop skills by hard work and practice.  No matter how hard I work I will never be as good as Tim Dwight (to use another not so tall, white guy); he's just got way more talent than me.  I hope you will agree.  But, if he stopped working out, sat on his butt for the next 18 month and gained 300 pounds; I could probably take him in a sprint and be of more use on a football field.  That doesn't mean his talent level has gone down any, he just stopped using it.

We totally agree that CSC is not using what they have; they are not right now the best team in the conference, nor will they be without some miracle of modern coaching.  They still have more talent assembled there than anyone else does.  That makes it even sadder, because they are wasting so much.  I don't think CSC would have to work as hard as Gordon does to be at the same level.  Props to the GC team for busting their butts and proving talent doesn't matter.  It just doesn't change how much talent a person or team has, it's about how they use it.

All that to explain my earlier statment:  It's a shame CSC is wasting all that talent.  They are easily the most talented team in the CCC and they just aren't doing anything with it.

Now I'm done.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Tuesday night games:

CSC @ AMC (hopefully the losing streak stops here; for all our sakes)
EC @ UNE
NEC hosts Bard
WIT @ NC
RWU @ CC
ENC hosts Newbury

I thought ENC could pick up another win here, but I'm not so sure anymore.  Newbury hung with NEC recently and beat Mass College over the weekend.  Neither is too impressive, but both those teams are better than ENC.

Wentworth and Nichols is very intriguing.  I have to imagine two teams who score lots, but don't play defense will be very fun to watch.

[akirk]

dwebbs

I have to agree with Hoops Fan on this issue.  Talent is not what is done on the court.  It is the raw ability.  Talent can be hampered by bad chemistry, which is the current problem for CSC.  Also a 7 game road streak would be hard for any pro team let alone d3 .  Talent wise CSC is ahead of all teams (basically due to St. Clair).

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Results:

CSC 116 over AMC 70.  Wow; that's a lot of offense, although allowing 70 to that team is just as scary.  Someone's been reading our posts: St Clair got 23 shots and scored 33, although his FT shooting was pretty bad (3-8).  Thorpe had 16 and 10 (including 4-6 from three?  Since when is he a shooter).  Truncelitto had 13 points.  Foti only played his starters about 20 minutes each (which make St Clair's game all the more impressive).  Sixteen guys saw floor time, fourteen of them scored.  Thorpe, Truncelitto, Bray, Fouriner and Carter all had 4+ assists.  CSC had only seven turnovers.  This wasn't just a good team beating up on Anna Maria, this seems like a statement.  Even if there was no opposition, this is still better than they have played thus far this season.  McDonald had 26 for AMC on 70% shooting.  Sadlowski had 9 assists and Constantino had 10 points.  That is just rediculous.  NEC is up next.  They will present more of a challenge, but we'll see what CSC can do.

Endicott over UNE 60-42.  Both teams shot poorly from three and committed a lot of unforced turnovers.  UNE couldn't hit free throws or from the floor and Endicott pulled off a very unusual win.  Burton for EC and McManus for UNE were the only players in double figures with 13 each.  Marinkovic had 11 rebounds.  Nine guys on the Endicott team took three or more shots, but no one took more than 8.  George ended with 6 pts on 2-4 shooting and a FT.  Odd, but a win nonetheless.

NEC over Bard 76-54.  That had to have been a barnburner!!  Of course there are no stats anywhere.

Nichols over WIT 71-66.  This was a close one, with the home team winning.  I would assume these squads are about even, but it certainly wasn't the scoring fest I expected.  Justin Lewis scored 33 for Nichols; he is really coming into his own this season, taking over the reins from Butler, who went for 12 and 12.  Gaine had 13 for WIT, Prezzie-Blue had 12 and 6 with 7 assists and Todd Doyle had 10.  Both team shot pretty well from the floor and FT shooting was bad on both sides.  Nichols actually got fewer possessions, but made the most of their opportunities.

Roger Williams beat Curry in Milton 70-65.  Bartelle didn't play in the game.  I'm waiting on word whether he has left the team with all of the issues they dealt with recently.  Lamb had 19 with 6 assists, Mohrin had 17 and Marcus Jones had 13.  Prescod fouled out after a very unproductive night.  Barret led RWU with 16 points (10-10 from the FT line), Barranger had 11 (7-8 on FTs) and Wooley had 12.  (4-5 from three).  There were a ton of Free Throws in the game (19-23 for RWU, 25-30 for Curry).  RWU controlled the boards and shot lights out (50% from the floor, 70% from three) to win the game.  Curry needs some help getting their team in order, but I think they can bounce back from this.  Without Bartelle and losing Prescod, they did well to stay so close; although Lamb doesn't need to lead the team in assists.  Curry seems to have shut down Brandon Parrish and forced the young guys to beat them, which they stepped up and did.

ENC beat Newbury for their second win on the year 76-60, with an impressive second half run.  Down four at the half, ENC outscored Newbury 42-22 in the second half to win the game.  Apparently ENC began the second half with a 23-0 run.  How does that even happen?  ENC still committed 21 turnovers, but pulled down a ton of rebounds en route to victory.  Luc Jasmin finally showed the ability I had heard about before last season with 28 and 9.  Marcellus had 14 and 9, Corey had 12 (all on threes), Tristan Shields had 10 and 9 and Noel went for 10 pts and 6 assists.  ENC has been focusing on rebounding and it paid off here.  Now they just need to control the ball, if they hope to beat anyone besides AMC in conference.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

    
After that horrible start, RWU seems to have rebounded well, although they do have all of their big tests in conference still to come.  There is a good chance that every team in the North will be better than the 4th place team from the South.

               
   North   W   L   
   
   EC     4     0       
   GC     4    1       
   WIT    4    1       
   NEC    2   1       
   CSC    3   2       
   UNE    0   5   
   
   South   W   L
       
   RWU   5   0       
   CC     3     1       
   SRU    2    4       
   NC     2     4       
   ENC    1    4       
   AMC    0    7