MBB: NEWMAC

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Clark and Randolph-Macon are tied with 15 minutes to go.  This is quite a run Clark's gone on to end the season.

[Hugenerd]

Real tough break for Clark in tonights game.  Mark Alexander goes down 30 seconds into the game with a knee injury and does not return.  My hats off to Clark for hanging with RMC for the entire game without their best player and senior leader.  If they can somehow find a way to pull this game out it would be amazing, but they are against it now down 8 with 3:45 to play.

[2RMCFans]

We were at the game and Clark played great but the Jackets got some key offense from our point guard (Croskey) at the right moments & outlasted Clark on defense. 

We're sorry that #22 was injured and hope he recovers well-- had he been in the game, the outcome might have been different although R-MC plays really good teams all season & hangs tough. 

#'s 24 and 34 gave R-MC fans fits.  Clark is a really classy team who can mix it up with anyone.  Congrats on a great season!

[FISHERMAN]

Babson's Braithwaite, a freshman this year, has a lot of coaches talking. Even as far as Pennsylvania/Ohio region. Supposedly, insiders have him picked to have a breakout season next year. From what i can tell he did well this year on the offensive end for a frosh but really made a name for himself on the defensive end. Anyone have an in-depth scouting report on him? I'm sticking with him as my POY next year. Who's with me?

[Hugenerd]

Babson's Braithwaite, a freshman this year, has a lot of coaches talking. Even as far as Pennsylvania/Ohio region. Supposedly, insiders have him picked to have a breakout season next year. From what i can tell he did well this year on the offensive end for a frosh but really made a name for himself on the defensive end. Anyone have an in-depth scouting report on him? I'm sticking with him as my POY next year. Who's with me?

I really doubt anyone is going to be with you.  And what does having coaches talking as far as Penn/Ohio have to do with anything? Only the coaches in this conference vote, and even if others were talking, what is the significance of Penn/Ohio?  This doesnt seem like a logical or strong argument

Mitch Kates from MIT is also a freshman this year and scored more points per game and had more steals per game (among many other statistics), as was Will Tashmen.  Both put up better numbers than Braithwaite.

Hollingsworth who is the returning NEWMAC POY, went D1 out of high school (he was recruited by at least 15 schools, see link below). 

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/recruiting/player-Noel-Hollingsworth-59321

Kates could have been also, as he was recruited by several Ivy League schools (see link below):

http://cornellbasketball.blogspot.com/2008/12/recruiting-news_19.html


Braithwaite is a good player, he did well as a freshman, but there is little chance of him winning POY next year, or any year for that matter, with 70% of the all-conference players coming back next year and several of those guys being only freshman and sophomores. 

[magicman]

Your bug man is great but you can't rely on him so much. You need to spread it around a little.

My bug man is great as well. And I rely on him quite a bit. Comes in once a month, spreads it around, and all those nasty creepy crawlies are toast!  

[mass_d3fan]

Babson's Braithwaite, a freshman this year, has a lot of coaches talking. Even as far as Pennsylvania/Ohio region. Supposedly, insiders have him picked to have a breakout season next year. From what i can tell he did well this year on the offensive end for a frosh but really made a name for himself on the defensive end. Anyone have an in-depth scouting report on him? I'm sticking with him as my POY next year. Who's with me?

Hard to take this seriously, but since you seem to want to press this, so be it.

Since the start of conference play, he had only one game that you even consider was the kind of game a POY should being posting every game day.  He commits too many fouls and turnovers. He has no 3 pt range.

Who exactly are the coaches you are talking about,? I have heard no one other than yourself  thinking this way.  Why would anyone in Penn. care about a freshman player from the Brooklyn, NY on a 10-16 team in Mass.?

You claim there is all this 'buzz' about him, yet you are asking about an in-depth report on him? 

I saw that first WPI game and he played out of his mind, and did a good job on Robinson.  He also played well defensively against him 2 weeks later.  If the league gave a defensive player of the year or selected an All-defense team, he might possibly have a shot at those honors, but just being a good defensive player does not put you in the conversation for POY. 

Lets look at the games he played against the top 2 teams, MIT & Springfield.

5 Games - All Losses, 12-35(34%), 26 pts(5.2), 14 rebs(2.8), 14 TO(2.8), 102 min(20.4), 16 fouls(3.2).

If your going to be even a passing thought in the POY conversation, you must put up some big numbers against the top teams. He is a good young player, but has some big issues that need correction.  You can't foul out of 20% of your teams games if your supposed to be a high end defensive player. He is a 6'3" forward who like Perez from WPI has big problems when he is forced to play against the bigger players in the conference. 

He is not even close to players like Hollinsworth, Robinson, Vayda, Cavalieri & Coppola. These are the real contenders for that award next season.  those first four brought their teams into the conference semis and they consist of 2 sophomores and 2 juniors.  Hard to see how Braithwaite leapfrogs these guys next year or the year after.
 

[FISHERMAN]

Thank you mass_d3fan and hugenerd for your responses. I think you make some fair points. I only mentioned that some D3 coaches from outside of the region know of him and were impressed because it made an impression on me that they were aware of a player in the NEWMAC, a freshman nonetheless. I am fully aware that they don't vote for POY. I am also aware that Braithwaite would have to leapfrog some players in order to get such an award. I did do some research though and have not changed my mind that he will be leading contender for the top NEWMAC award.

You mentioned that Kates and Hollingsworth got D1 offers. According to what I heard, Braithwaite was a lock to be offered from numerous schools. He committed to Babson early and turned away the pursuit of BU, Northeastern and Cornell to name just a few. He was also the only player to ever start all four years for Coach David Lubick at national powerhouse St. Mark's. A high school I'm sure many of you in MA area of aware of. Supposedly, he also made a huge jump from year one to year two while he was in high school. I expect the same to happen in his college career.

As for your concern that he might struggle against bigger players, I don't think will be an issue. He's a strong, athletic 6'3'' wing that was recruited to play safety at BC, Syracuse, UNH and Umass.

[Hugenerd]

Regardless of how good he, or any other play, is, you aren't good to win POY finishing last in the conference, as Babson was this year.  The winner of the POY has been from a first or second place finisher in the conference each of the last 9 years.

[Hugenerd]

I didnt notice this until just now, so maybe others already know this, but Williams senior Blake Shultz and MIT freshman Will Tashman went to the same high school.  I found that interesting:

http://www.menloschool.org/news/detail.aspx?pageaction=ViewSinglePublic&LinkID=2409&ModuleID=26

[Rick Vaughn]

According to what I heard, Braithwaite was a lock to be offered from numerous schools. He committed to Babson early and turned away the pursuit of BU, Northeastern and Cornell to name just a few. He was also the only player to ever start all four years for Coach David Lubick at national powerhouse St. Mark's.

As for your concern that he might struggle against bigger players, I don't think will be an issue. He's a strong, athletic 6'3'' wing that was recruited to play safety at BC, Syracuse, UNH and Umass.

He was also heavily recruited by the Canadian curling team and the South Korean short-track speed skating team, but pushed them away for a chance to play hoops for Babson.

[BBallers]

Thank you mass_d3fan and hugenerd for your responses. I think you make some fair points. I only mentioned that some D3 coaches from outside of the region know of him and were impressed because it made an impression on me that they were aware of a player in the NEWMAC, a freshman nonetheless. I am fully aware that they don't vote for POY. I am also aware that Braithwaite would have to leapfrog some players in order to get such an award. I did do some research though and have not changed my mind that he will be leading contender for the top NEWMAC award.

You mentioned that Kates and Hollingsworth got D1 offers. According to what I heard, Braithwaite was a lock to be offered from numerous schools. He committed to Babson early and turned away the pursuit of BU, Northeastern and Cornell to name just a few. He was also the only player to ever start all four years for Coach David Lubick at national powerhouse St. Mark's. A high school I'm sure many of you in MA area of aware of. Supposedly, he also made a huge jump from year one to year two while he was in high school. I expect the same to happen in his college career.

As for your concern that he might struggle against bigger players, I don't think will be an issue. He's a strong, athletic 6'3'' wing that was recruited to play safety at BC, Syracuse, UNH and Umass.

I admire your loyalty to Babson and its players.  I remember Braithwaite a little when Babson played MIT.  From what I recall, he was a quick jumper and had some athleticism.  With this athleticism, you could be correct that he has the potential of making a big leap from his freshman to sophomore year.  However, I agree with the great points made by Mass_D3fan and Hugenerd about other conference players and applicable supporting statistics.

Your statements that he was recruited for both basketball and football also validates his athleticism.  When discussing toughness by using football analogies has some merit, a tough-as-nails 6'1" 350 pound nose tackle basketball player would still have trouble shooting over the outstretched arms of a series of 6'8" or 6'9" players in our conference.

It appears that Braithwaite really liked Babson a lot to give up scholarships to all those good D1 programs who are also good schools academically.  What basketball position was he recruited for?  I haven't seen too many 6'3" forwards recruited by D1 programs, but I guess it could happen.

If he has a great leap between his freshman and sophomore years as he had in high school, maybe he could make the second team.  At some point, talent has to be demonstrated statistically and turn into wins for Babson.

[Hugenerd]

It appears that Braithwaite really liked Babson a lot to give up scholarships to all those good D1 programs who are also good schools academically.  What basketball position was he recruited for?  I haven't seen too many 6'3" forwards recruited by D1 programs, but I guess it could happen.

He was recruited at the D1 level mainly as a safety in football.  He was a two-star recruit in football: Rivals

Not rated in basketball, as most d3 players are not, except for a few exceptions (examples: Hollingsworth, Michael Hall from Wheaton also was a star-rated player going into his junior of high school but his star seems to have fizzled a bit, Rivals, note the date on the Rivals article, mid-way through his sophomore year).

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

It appears that Braithwaite really liked Babson a lot to give up scholarships to all those good D1 programs who are also good schools academically.  What basketball position was he recruited for?  I haven't seen too many 6'3" forwards recruited by D1 programs, but I guess it could happen.

He was recruited at the D1 level mainly as a safety in football.  He was a two-star recruit in football: Rivals

Not rated in basketball, as most d3 players are not, except for a few exceptions (examples: Hollingsworth, Michael Hall from Wheaton also was a star-rated player going into his junior of high school but his star seems to have fizzled a bit, Rivals, note the date on the Rivals article, mid-way through his sophomore year).

I know a few d1 prospects who ended up in d3 because they were injured their senior year and the more attractive d1 programs backed out.  Choosing academics over athletics is a little easier when the athletics aren't so attractive.

[Hugenerd]

Congrats to MIT's Noel Hollingsworth for being named 1st-Team All-Northeast Region and Mitchell Kates for being named Northeast Region Rookie of the Year. 

In addition, Jeff Robinson of WPI and Mark Alexander of Clark were named to the 2nd and 3rd teams, respectively.