MBB: NEWMAC

[rlk]

No more ball 'til fall    It seems like just yesterday I was getting all ginned up for the MIT-Harvard opener.  Nothing to do for it but watch the rest of the tourney play itself out and hope some of the other northeast teams advance.

People are always really surprised that I don't care very much about D1 and pro ball.  After seeing the D3 game from as close up as I have (managing the MIT team during my student days, and these days photographing it from the baseline), there's just a connection there that I don't have with D1 and pro.  And while the players might not be quite so athletic, nobody can tell me that the quality of play at the higher levels of D3 gives up anything to D1, and I've seen more than enough sloppy pro ball (throw up the first halfway open shot, or toss an alleyoop and hope for the best).  Players like Kates, Tashman, Berthiaume, Kolb, and Coppola give up nothing in basketball skills to anyone at any level.

Yes, we lost to Harvard, which is an above-average D1 team, but there was absolutely no fear out there, and Harvard knew that it wasn't a scrimmage they were playing.

Well, look forward to next year.  Going to be a tough one for the Engineers, with an all-underclass team, but that's what we thought four years ago too.

[BBallers]

Congratulations to all of the D3 Hoops All-Regional teams and the large NEWMAC representation!
D3hoops.com 2013 men's All-Northeast Region team
Players were nominated for these awards by the Sports Information Directors at the various schools.

Player of the Year: Aaron Toomey, G, Amherst
Coach of the Year: Mike Maker, Williams
Rookie of the Year: Tom Palleschi, C, Tufts

First team     
Pos. Player School Yr. Hometown
G
Aaron Toomey
Amherst
Jr.
Greensboro, N.C.

G
Tahrike Carter
Rhode Island College
Sr. Brooklyn, N.Y.

F
Will Tashman
MIT
Sr. Atherton, Calif.

F
Willy Workman
Amherst
Sr. Northampton, Mass.

C
Michael Mayer
Williams
Jr. Durham, N.C.

Second team     
Pos. Player School Yr. Hometown
G
Joey Kizel
Middlebury
Jr. Short Hills, N.J.

G
Mitchell Kates
MIT
Sr. Colts Neck, N.J.

G
Alex Berthiaume
Springfield
Sr. Springfield, Mass.

F
Anthony Click
Anna Maria
Sr. Springfield, Mass.
F
Taylor Epley
Williams
Jr. Louisville, Ky.

Third team     
Pos. Player School Yr. Hometown
G
Lee Vazquez
Westfield State
Sr. Attleboro, Mass.

G
Sedale Jones
Curry
Sr. Pittsfield, Mass.

G
Nolan Thompson
Middlebury
Sr. Akron, Ohio

F
Mark Comstock
Castleton State
Sr. Rutland, Vt.

C
Peter Kaasila
Amherst
Sr. Plaistow, N.H.

Fourth team     
Pos. Player School Yr. Hometown
G
Darius Watson
Albertus Magnus
Jr. New Britain, Conn.

G
Marco Coppola
WPI
So.
Watertown, Mass.

G
Gabriel Moton
Brandeis
Jr. St. Petersburg, Fla.

F
Joshua Ford
Mitchell
Jr. Jersey City, N.J.

C
Matt Devine
Westfield State
Sr.
Pembroke, Mass.

[BBallers]

My apologies for the formating when I copied and pasted the information, but NEWMAC was represented in the All Northeast Region Team by:

Will Tashman, MIT - 1st Team
Mitch Kates, MIT - 2nd Team
Alex Berthiaume, Springfield - 2nd Team
Marco Coppola, WPI - 4th Team

It was fun watching these players perform this season and they should be congratulated!

[NEWMACJACK]

no Brian Vayda?

[WPI89]

I think it is almost silly that Bartley did not win COY.  Did he pee in someones coffee?

[amh63]

WPI 89....poster on the CAC board raised the same point....based on a criteria cited by Pat C. Of D3.
Oh yes...thanks for your confidence for the Jeffs.   Really wanted to see a game between our schools.

[mass_d3fan]

First off, Congradulations to WPI on a record setting season in terms of rthe winning streak and overall wins.  Congrads also to Marco Coppola for getting a 4th-team All-Regaion nod.

Also All-Region kudos go out to Will Tashman (1st team), Mitchell Kates (2nd team) and Alex Berthiaume (2nd Team).

I went to the 2nd half of the game last weekend after seeing online that there was seating available (lot of talk around Worcester that it might sellout). This game was my fear for this team all year.  They should be commended for not having hit them earlier in the season.  Even though Randolph-Macon did not hold a big size advantage, they completely dominated the glass (42-23) and the interior play.  This could have turned into a blow out if not for R-M's turnovers (18 - many of them unforced) as WPI had a 13 pt advantage in points off turnovers.

Ryan Kolb & Dom Mastascusa kept the Engineers in the game in the first half as they combined for 18 of the team's 30 points on 8 of 13 shooting.  The rest of the team shot 4 for 16.  In the 2nd half, Kolb & Coppola both shot 50% shooting a combined 11 for 22 to provide 27 of 38 poinrs.  The only other Engineer to score was Zach Karalis who went 3 for 8, all from beyond the arc.  For the game he was 4 for 13, well below his normal percentages.  It was another tough game for Sam Longwell as he went 1 for 7 for 2 pts.  PG Aaron Davis did not provide much scoring but did dish out 6 assists with only one turnover.  It was also a horrific night on the FT line for WPI going 6 for 13 (46%).

R-M was well balanced on the scoring end and boxed out well all night.  They were very impressive down the stretch on the line as well. They were 17 for 23 for the game, including 8 for 10 in the final 2 minutes.  I was very impressed with sophmore Joe Hassell.  He provided 18 pts/6 boards off the bench. Andre Simon had a game high 11 boards. In all the Yellow Jackets had four players pull down more boards than the top rebounder for WPI (Kolb-5).  They shot the lights out with every player who took a shot going for 50% or more, except for Connor Sullivan who went 4 for 10 with all his misses being 3ptrs.

You have to give a lot of credit to Randolph-Macon going on a long road trip for the 2nd straight week and winning. They did what WPI had been doing most of the year - finding a way to win when they needed to.  Cinderella's slippers will certainly fit if they can do it a 3rd time in 3 weeks. Good Luck to them this weekend at Amherst, they are going to need all they can get.

amh63

It pains me to say this, but after watching Amherst a couple of times the in past few weeks online, I do not think the Lord Jeffs would have struggled too much with the Engineers.  The only chance the Engineers would have had would be to shoot an ungodly percentage, create a large differential in points off turnovers and hope that Amherst would shoot as badly as they did in the games with Springfield and Babson early on.  That front line with Kaasila & Workman together with guards Toomey, Williams and Kalema coming off there bench is just too much overall athleticism and power for the Engineers.  This team can get its scoring from every position on the court.  I did see much of that great game Kaasila had against Middlebury.  When the LJ's need him to produce big, he does.  The Lord Jeffs also have a lot of other talented players that contribute as well, but I believe Kaasila & Workman would have had big games and that would have opened up the outside for Toomey & crew. I saw some of their game with Plattsburgh, and you could tell they lost focus a bit because they knew the could handle the Cardinals easily.  When Plattsburgh took advantage of Amherst sleep-walking, the LJ's were able to do what most teams can't - snap the switch back to on and pull away.

[amh63]

Mass_d3fan.....Thanks for your gracious view for the Amherst team.  Always enjoy an independent observer's insight.  Yes. "Big Pete" as we refer to Peter Kaasila, is your best example of a classic center.  If I recall, you do like an offense to go inside to score if it is available.  Amherst Coach Hixon does also.  If an inside game is established then it opens up all sorts of options...drive and dish, kick out to open shooters.  A real posting #5 will box both box out to open the lanes to scorers and team mates to rebound....of course, block shots, etc.  Yes, Amherst has at least five players that can score in double figures at the same time.  But it is important to be aware that it is also a good defensive team now.
Any way, nice to hear from you again.  Hoping to see the Jeffs win Sat....have already booked me room to Salem.  With 8 teams going this year...rooms are going to be tight.  It is to be noted that the WBB team is going to its 5th straight Final 4.  Lots of BB games for me to watch.

[donho]

Mass_d3fan, lucky we will take.however it has been flat out HARDWORK and pretty darn good coaching that have gotten the Jackets to this point. Hoping to watch a good one Saturday!!

[Hugenerd]

Nicely made highlight video of Mitch Kates:

http://vimeo.com/61886886

[WPI89]

Does MIT's Massey rating (and by association WPI's) go up after Harvard's big win last night? 

[BBallers]

Does MIT's Massey rating (and by association WPI's) go up after Harvard's big win last night? 

I would love to see both teams play more Division I schools, but I imagine that most D1 schools avoid good D3 programs.  I believe they would compete well.

[Hugenerd]

Congrats to Will Tashman for being named 2nd team All-American.

[rlk]

Looks like Mitch Kates and Will Tashman will be together on the court once more!  They're both playing for the US in the Maccabi Games this summer in Israel.  http://www.maccabiusa.com/seclect-a-sport/basketball/581-usa-basketball-team.html

[rlk]

I haven't heard anything directly, but I've seen facebook photos suggesting that the MIT basketball team is fine.  Most of them live in a fraternity on Bay State Road, which is the other side of Mass. Ave. from where the bombs went off.

I hope everyone from Emerson is also OK.