MBB: NEWMAC

[jabnike23]

Not a chance Kates is POY at this point in time.
Vayda or Cavalieri is the logical selection.

[jabnike23]

At least we can agree on one thing... Braithwraite DPOY and Deflection Champ for sure!

[Hugenerd]

Not a chance Kates is POY at this point in time.
Vayda or Cavalieri is the logical selection.

Look at the history of the award.  The winner of POY has been from a team that finished in the top 2 in the conference in the regular season for the past 9 years (this year would make it 10).  Neither of them fit that qualification and neither is that much better to have voters overlook that.  

Also, Kates is by far the best point guard in the conference, and it is hard to compare the effect of a player who is a pg to those that are forwards.  Cavalieri and Vayda may be averaging close to 19 ppg and 9 rpg, but Kates isnt far behind in scoring with 15 ppg. However, Kates is shooting better from the field than both of them (50%, 6th in the conference, Vayda is 10th, Cavalieri not ranked), he is 2nd in the conference in both assists (5.3 per game) and steals (2.6 per game), while Vayda and Cavalieri get about a third of those numbers.  Kates is also 2nd in the conference in A/TO.

Therefore, Kates may score a few less points than those two, but his role is not a scorer for MIT. Kates also has far superior numbers in all the pg categories (assists, steals, A/TO), while the other two have more rebounds.  Regardless, your comment that there is "no way" you can call Kates the NEWMAC POY to this point is very superficial and based solely on points and rebounds.  If you look at the entire resume, Kates' play compares well with anybodys in the conference.

[mass_d3fan]

There is a very valid arguement for Kates.  Factor in the assists, and he is providing 19.8 pts of offense compared to Cavalieri's 20.9 and Vayda's 20.3.

Then take into account that he runs the show for MIT, a 9-1 team ranked in the top 20 in the nation, and he certainly is a very good choice as MVP at this point.

Also, Nerd is right, this award is not going to go to someone on a team the barely .500 or under unless they post out of this world numbers.  So far, Vayda & Cavalieri are performing very well, but not out of this world.

[Hugenerd]

I guess we agree then mass, I was adding that other stuff while you were posting.

[mass_d3fan]

Yes, at this point, Factoring it all in, Kates would get my vote.  I'd have Cavalieri 2nd & Vayda 3rd.

[mass_d3fan]

By the way, Congrats to Anthony Coppola for being named NEWMAC Player of the week and leading Wheaton to the Park Lodge Tournament Title.

Congrats also to MIT & WPI for both moving up in the national poll to 19th & 22nd respectively.

As Nerd stated, MIT is off til 12/31 when they go after D1 Harvard.

WPI comes back on the 12/28 at (ORV:#27) Western Conn. & then on 12/30 with  (ORV:#31) Becker at home.

Enjoy whatever down time your coaches give you gentlemen!

[jabnike23]

Springfield handles Conn College 69-57.  Cavalieri goes for 28-pts/8-rebs.  Rankins pours in 16, and Coburn has 5 rejections.

[jabnike23]

And for POY

Hugenerd -  "The winner of POY has been from a team that finished in the top 2 in the conference in the regular season for the past 9 years (this year would make it 10).  Neither of them fit that qualification and neither is that much better to have voters overlook that."

Springfield finished 2nd in the NEWMAC last year.. I don't think MIT and WPI are shoe-ins for a one two punch in the regular season standings.....

I guess we'll see when league games start.  Happy holidays and winter break to all.

[Hugenerd]

And for POY

Hugenerd -  "The winner of POY has been from a team that finished in the top 2 in the conference in the regular season for the past 9 years (this year would make it 10).  Neither of them fit that qualification and neither is that much better to have voters overlook that."

Springfield finished 2nd in the NEWMAC last year.. I don't think MIT and WPI are shoe-ins for a one two punch in the regular season standings.....

I guess we'll see when league games start.  Happy holidays and winter break to all.

We are talking about a 1st semester award, and neither of them have the first or 2nd best record right now.

Springfield's finish last year doesnt mean anything, both Springfield and Clark lost major contributors to graduation (WPI and MIT really did not).  Also, 8 wins may not be enough for 2nd in the conference this year.  WPI is much improved, and MIT has the opportunity to be better than last year if they can get healthy.

Also, I fully expect Hollingsworth to be back to his dominant self by the start of conference play.  If you look at his last 3 games, since returning from injury, he is averaging 19 ppg and 7.5 rpg in just 24 minutes per game.  I still think he has the best shot at POY, although I think both he and Kates (and possibly Tashman) are 1st team all-conference performers.

[mass_d3fan]

While all 3 may be performing at that level, I do not think you will see 3 from one team make first team.  since the NEWMAC moved to a 1st & 2nd team, that has not happened - Even in the years when WPI was going 11-1
in conference play.

[Hugenerd]

Its unlikely, especially for 3 players to put up huge numbers on the same team, but I think Tashman should be in the conversation.  He is definitely of that quality a player.

[mass_d3fan]

Agreed

[WPI89]

Anyone know what happened to Jake Nelson?  He was hyped as a super point guard out of NH - that was supposed to get significant minutes right away at the point for WPI.  I even thought I saw him on their roster early?

Sorry if I missed an earlier thread on this...................

[CCC Talk]

Transferring to Rivier in NH.