Empire 8

[Pat Coleman]

i'm just sick of jose queervo never having anything but sarcastic remarks

That is actually the funniest nickname yet.  You need to school fan of d3.  The Chair happily encourages free dissent in E8Nation.

I agree fisher fans are rather high on their horses sometimes but you just constantly add to the fire

The Chair will stipulate that the Fisher fans are certainly high on something.

As for adding to the fire, the Chair likes to encourage robust debate in E8Nation.  He also feels it neccessary to prevent any of the E8Nation denizens from becoming too impressed with themselves or taking their posts too seriously.

Q,

I don't recall you being named chair of the E8 basketball boards. You've been an absentee chair on football already -- I definitely don't recognize your self appointment here.

[fisheralum91]

fisher dyn- he was the guard for the sec III class A champs.
Leading scorer and a big talent!

[Cadillac]

Serious question Fisher fans... are freshmen the key again next year?

13 came in... are the ones we haven't seen already being recruited over?

[bamm]

Think about that one for a minute. BTW, Go Albany! I think they have a chance against Virginia.

This is two years in a row for Albany.  I will be in Glens Falls this weekend (HS Boys Championships).  They played a late Friday game against UConn last year that made for great drama inside a local Irish Pub (lots of drunken locals and HS fans cheering them on).  This year they play an early afternoon game (12:15) on Friday, and while I may be at the bar again (OK, I definitely will be)... can't guarantee the drama will be the same.

BTW... I spotted Kornaker at least year's Campbell-Savona/Stillwater Class C championship game (he was scouting Matt Newman, who dominated the game).  I didn't see any other E8 coaches, though I'll keep my eyes open again.

[FisherDynasty]

Cadillac, Freshmen in my opinion wont win you the big tourny games so they wont exacly be key again next year, however, having 2 major fresh contributors would be the type of boost to get back to the sweet 16, as there are a number of starters coming back.  I dont think a freshmen would be able to come in and start as a big over smalt or beigal right away.  I think the big guys as freshmen this year are very talented, just need that year to get stronger, look for 1-2 to get some quality minutes and contribute next year.  Also, Newman and baltz will not lose their starting positions to freshmen either, and bearden will be a senior and he has started a few games this year so look for him to start.  Out of the the 5 likely starters, he is the most likely to get beat out by an incoming talent.  Fisher will need more depth at the guard positions tho, the returners mckeaver and coyne are okay for the pg position but the 2-3 spots are very shallow.  The only player fisher could squeeze in there is billy liddel who is going to be good but i dont think will be ready to get 20 min agame next year.  Out of the 13 fresh from last year look for about 4 of them to get cut, and another 2-3 quitting. I'm not really sure how  hard of workers this fresh class is but if the get stronger and continue to improve like past fisher players then another could squeeze in the line-up by 2nd semester of next year. 

[JQV]

i'm just sick of jose queervo never having anything but sarcastic remarks

That is actually the funniest nickname yet.  You need to school fan of d3.  The Chair happily encourages free dissent in E8Nation.

I agree fisher fans are rather high on their horses sometimes but you just constantly add to the fire

The Chair will stipulate that the Fisher fans are certainly high on something.

As for adding to the fire, the Chair likes to encourage robust debate in E8Nation.  He also feels it neccessary to prevent any of the E8Nation denizens from becoming too impressed with themselves or taking their posts too seriously.

Q,

I don't recall you being named chair of the E8 basketball boards. You've been an absentee chair on football already -- I definitely don't recognize your self appointment here.

While the Chairman is perfectly happy to defer to the Secretary General of the D3UN, he feels the need to respond in kind.

The Chairman has kept a watchful eye on E8Nation during the winter but does not find the need to micromanage or rule with a heavy fist.  Furthermore, while I am not the Chairman of the E8 hoop board, E8Nation lays claim to the E8 Hoop Board as a protectorate, similar to that of Puerto Rico.

We further welcome all denizens of E8 Hoop PP to fully participate in the representative democracy on E8Nation.

[superman57]

bud I dispute your point because the could have let cuse play the first and second round in Buffalo...which would have been a huge draw...almost like how they played at the Pepsi Arena in 2003 in the sweet 16 and elite 8

[whatman]

To Cadillac and Dynasty.......I agree most likely Newman and Baltz won't lose their starting positions because they are both "golden boys" in Kornacker's eyes. Their were many times this year when Coyne and McKeever came off the bench and provided Fisher with quality minutes. McKeever and Coyne are much better defenders then both Baltz and Newman hands down. Newman gave up nearly 30 points to Harris in the tourney game. McKeever in the 4 or 5 minutes he did play shut down Canori after he scored 16 points in like 10 minutes the first time Fisher played Naz.   The problem is they both would come into the game for maybe 4 minutes at a time. It's kind of hard to get into the flow of the game when you get in for that amount of time. I think Bearden will start and play just as much as Mueller did this year. He is a good defender and has proven he can be a scorer. I think if Coyne and McKeever want more minutes they will have to score and that goes hand and hand with playing more minutes. I hope Kornacker shows a little more loyalty to the upper classmen than he has in the past (Fenyn perfect example).

[FisherDynasty]

Whatman, Yes mckeever and coyne did play well at times and are better defenders then both newman (depending on the match up newman is better at guarding bigger players not as good as smaller quicker) and baltz who makes up for his lack of D on th O end but is a liability when not hitting the shots.  But he does rebound fairly well better then coyne and mckeever.  I think the rotation will be the same not bc they are the golden boys but because both newman and baltz have more uprise in their games, both will be very good.  I think Mckeever and Coyne will need to try to stay positive and just paly wihtin the system, take it game by game, some games they will out play newman and get a lot of minutes, others they may have to sit.  Its going to depend on the match ups and the flow of the game.  Mckeever has had some big games but also some non factor games, same with Coyne.  Coyne usually provides good D non turnovers and a few big shots here and there but doesnt have the fire power or size to get a ton of minutes.  There were times id be sitting on the sideline hopeing for him to get more bc i feel like he does turn the ball over the least out of all 3 and is he very determined.  They are just going to have to understand that all 3 are good but only 1 can start, if they can get that in their heads all 3 should have good years.  Its going to be tough when im sure they are sitting on the bench at times thinking they can do better then the other but all 3 did have starting spots this year and newman clearly won/earned the spot.  All 3 offer different things, Newman better penetrater, better vision: Mckeever probably the best D and best shot: Coyne Best handle and most consistent.  Their senior leadership will be very important next year, but Newman is the up and coming and if they are going to go anywheres far he is going to need to lead the ship. Growth from Freshmen year to sophmore year is huge and it will show come season time next year. 


I do agree it is very hard to come into a game 4 minutes at a time, that is where Kornacker is a little flawed in his coaching, he gives up on people very quickly and makes judgements in a very short period of time.  Some people just need minutes to produce.   but that is irrelevant to this scenario seeing that all 3 had starting positions for multiple games this year.   Kornacker does put a little bit of pressure on being able to score but doesnt base playing time at the pg spot on it.  Newman does not shoot a lot neither did matt st. croix when he started at the PG position. 

[keystonelight]

If you guys paid real close attention...McKeever never started a game this season.
Also McKeever has by far the best handle on the team and he displayed that against brockport. Coyne and McK. can come out and play lockdown defense which requires an intensity that i think newman will find this next year. However newman is the golden boy in kornakers eyes there is no denying that and if he gets up the confidence to shoot like i know he can it will be tough to rip the starting job away from him, near impossible. Newman practically single handedly won a state championship for Campbell-Savona next year and won co-mvp honors along with Will Cornett who is playing at the Falls again this weekend and is now the teams leader. p.s. cornett is also still looking at fisher.

[dewcrew88]

bud I dispute your point because the could have let cuse play the first and second round in Buffalo...which would have been a huge draw...almost like how they played at the Pepsi Arena in 2003 in the sweet 16 and elite 8

They couldn't have let them play in Buffalo... They weren't a high seed like Duke was, and they have go to Buffalo from NC to play VCU...

[whatman]

I just hope Kornacker realizes the mistakes he made this year as far as substitions go. Yes Fisher did win a lot of games but there were some that could of went either way. It just puzzled me that Mckeever and Coyne would come into lets say a Friday night game, play well and never see the floor on Saturday. It was like Kornacker and company forgot about them. Next year is going to be much different for Fisher and Kornacker is going to need to play Mckeever, Coyne, Bearden simply for their experience. They do not lose anything when those guys play. At times this year the team actually played better. There is no doubt Newman, Baltz are going to be the next stars at Fisher but it's my opinion that Newman never "won" the starting pg job. I think Kornacker had his mind made up from day one.

[Cadillac]

Whatman - I agree with almost everything you said.

IMO, McKeever should have guarded Harris in the second half vs. Brockport and the coaches have admitted as much.  Coyne and McK played some nice minutes this year.  I hope they don't get Fenyned (or Gilletted).

For the record, I'm a huge Newman fan too.

[Cadillac]

p.s. cornett is also still looking at fisher.

As much as I'd like to see Newman and Cornett in a backcourt again, I just don't think it would work.  Cornett is very hesitant to shoot.

[whatman]

I just have a strange feeling they will be Fenyned and Gilleted....I see Kiernan saw the light and got the hell out of dodge. It's too late for the other two.