Empire 8

[haterinthehouse]

Ithaca alum and former assistant coach at Cornell University, Zach Spiker, named Head Men's Basketball Coach at Army.
http://www.goarmysports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=48141&SPID=4606&DB_OEM_ID=11100&ATCLID=204806493

[FisherDynasty]

SJFCards, to give you a little insight on the current year fisher team.  They will have 6'8 Evans back from injury as well as Wescott both play the 4 and 5 spots so that should help out Wopperer in the middle.  In addition, they are bringing in a 6'6-6'7 big that could possibly be the best big brought into fisher to date.  That should hold up in the region to help fisher win the E8.  Outside of the region, it probably won't be enough as the new big is young, and wopperer is a little light, and evans is in experienced.  The guard spots will be solid as usual with Newman, O Franklin, the fresh pg from last year and others.  I also believe they have a super athletic transfer coming in that could be the best athlete fisher has ever had.  That being said I would give them the #1 pre-season voting to win the conference as it does not appear to be many strong teams in the e8 this upcoming year.

[sjfcards]

SJFCards, to give you a little insight on the current year fisher team.  They will have 6'8 Evans back from injury as well as Wescott both play the 4 and 5 spots so that should help out Wopperer in the middle.  In addition, they are bringing in a 6'6-6'7 big that could possibly be the best big brought into fisher to date.  That should hold up in the region to help fisher win the E8.  Outside of the region, it probably won't be enough as the new big is young, and wopperer is a little light, and evans is in experienced.  The guard spots will be solid as usual with Newman, O Franklin, the fresh pg from last year and others.  I also believe they have a super athletic transfer coming in that could be the best athlete fisher has ever had.  That being said I would give them the #1 pre-season voting to win the conference as it does not appear to be many strong teams in the e8 this upcoming year.

Wow that sounds great. I will take any type of above average talent at the 5 spot after the last few years. They always seem to be piecing it together at that center spot each year.

[AUPepBand]

Basketball practice official begins this week (Oct. 15) and Pep is interested to see what Coach Dale Wellman has brought to the court in his first recruiting class. Pep has seen them at Study Hall at the library most nights all semester.

Pep hasn't noticed any big centers but Pep was pleased with how the Saxons competed last year with no height whatsoever. Certainly was a shocker watching the webcast at the library as AU, after losing by 30+ at McLane Center, turned the tide on Fisher and won in Pittsford.

On Saxon Warriors!

[sjfcards]

Fisher's schedule is posted on their webpage. A few interesting out of conference games (Carnegie Mellon, Desales, and SLU) Should be a fun year. I am starting to get excited.

[FROMAFAR]

SJF CARDS, I am getting ready myself.... not much time left in E-8 for Tigers and again, I am somewhat disappointed... I have used Stevens Tech to get to see the teams, since I am in the City..It was perfect..... Sometime this week I will post my pre-season predictions..........I know you guys can hardly wait, but it stirs the juices and  creates good clean banter and some fun... This site has been great for that, and I believe some real good input..... excluding myself, of course...I think the league overall, talent wise, is down a bit but there are some real interesting match-ups and players in this league that should create some ups and downs, and give everyone a chance of beating anyone on any given night, as they say....but what do I know    

[bomber3]

Long time reader of the site new time poster -

Here are some of the few questions heading into the season (predictions and quick write up to follow soon)

IC - how will they replace 5 of top 8 from the best season in school history?  All league burton and bostic's shoes won't be easy to fill.  How far can cruz/marcus carry the team? How will the new recruits handle playing big minutes?

Fisher - can they reclaim the dominance they had in years past? With core returning they should be the favorite in the league. 

RIT - how will they replace the nation's leading rebounder and one of the best post players in the E8 over the past decade?  Can they make a repeat trip to NCAA's?

NAZ - how will Corey McAdam play without big brother? How will he respond to triple teams all year long as only legitimate scoring option? What will new coach's system be?

Utica - how will team respond without doug herring, all conference player the past three years? Disappointing not to make E8 tournament but could make run at top this year?

Hartwick - new coach should change the losing mentailty but without coco will it matter?  Addition by subtraction without ball-dominant coco? Can they compete for final spot?

Stevens - how much will loss of all conference virgil gray effect team? Can they regroup after missing conference tournament?

Alfred - last year took great strides rebuilding program despite tiny frontline - can wellman continue in second year with his recruits? Can they compete for 4th spot?

Elmira - can they avoid 20 losses? Knock any of the top 4 off? Will they ever contend?

Predictions and projected wins to follow.

[TheNextLevel]

As usual, I Look for Ithaca and Fischer to battle for the top spot.  Culpo did turn around the losing mentality at Hartwick, will it continue with the new coach...time will tell.  Cocco was a great talent, but could shoot you out of a game as fast and as often as he could shoot you into one.   Look for Elmira to continue to make slow but steady progress under their new coach.   RIT will not be able to overcome the loss of Carson this year.  But if the young players reach their potential, they may contend next season. 
Just my opinion, what do others think?

Long time reader of the site new time poster -

Here are some of the few questions heading into the season (predictions and quick write up to follow soon)

IC - how will they replace 5 of top 8 from the best season in school history?  All league burton and bostic's shoes won't be easy to fill.  How far can cruz/marcus carry the team? How will the new recruits handle playing big minutes?

Fisher - can they reclaim the dominance they had in years past? With core returning they should be the favorite in the league. 

RIT - how will they replace the nation's leading rebounder and one of the best post players in the E8 over the past decade?  Can they make a repeat trip to NCAA's?

NAZ - how will Corey McAdam play without big brother? How will he respond to triple teams all year long as only legitimate scoring option? What will new coach's system be?

Utica - how will team respond without doug herring, all conference player the past three years? Disappointing not to make E8 tournament but could make run at top this year?

Hartwick - new coach should change the losing mentailty but without coco will it matter?  Addition by subtraction without ball-dominant coco? Can they compete for final spot?

Stevens - how much will loss of all conference virgil gray effect team? Can they regroup after missing conference tournament?

Alfred - last year took great strides rebuilding program despite tiny frontline - can wellman continue in second year with his recruits? Can they compete for 4th spot?

Elmira - can they avoid 20 losses? Knock any of the top 4 off? Will they ever contend?

Predictions and projected wins to follow.

[FROMAFAR]

Let me reply to Bomber 3.. and welcome to site....Keep in minde this response does not take any recruits into account since I am not well versed on who each school is getting.

IC... Lost not only too much talent but too many players. Cruz and Marcus have talent but need support.

Fisher.. Korniker will have them ready, and everyone back.. Franklin, Gettings, Cornett, Newman.. all experienced... Tough to knock.

RIT... I am prejudiced, so take that into consideration... Cannot replace Carson, however Kornichak, Lowe, Sweet, have been through the wars...actually Carson only one gone.... I don't think OUR offense will suffer too much, but our rebounding and defense will......... HOPEFULLY enough to make playoffs.

NAZ.... Corey Mc Adam may be exposed this year. New Coach, MAY teach defense.. If Mc Adam plays defense he may actually get into foul trouble, which will hurt Naz big time..... I don't see any supporting cast, and if Mc Adam try's to do it all on offense, look for whoever he is guarding to light it up....  Thye could be under .500 this year.

Utica... They not only lose Herring, they lose Maxwell, Smith and McClendon.. They return Patterson Trahams Whyte and Preston... I look for these guys to be about.500 on the league.

Hartwick... They did learn how to win, but now a new coach, new system, maybe a coulpe of years away... They lose COCO and Bealieu, but I agree, Coco took away from team concept. The return Blazek, good freshman, and should build around him. decent role players.. Kyle, Phillips and Doyley.... another.500 team

Stevens.... My adopted team since I see them the most and some alumni are friends of mine...This team will be very interesting this year. They lose Virgil Grey, who was a good talent, but unfortunate for him, he didn't have that point guard who could create for him... The loss of Greco last year was devistating for Grey. The loss of Passalaqua is not really a big deal either in that while he could shoot, he necver went to the basket, and like Mc Adams he avoided defense because he wanted to stay in game..  I am told the person he guarded had career games quite often. His steals came away from the ball.  Baker leaving means nothing, just less turn-overs. So overall this is addition through subtraction. The rumor about Greco being back turns out true. He will be playing again, and that may save the Ducks. The 3 point shooting they lose from Passalaqua will be picked up by Greco, Cutri, and some benck players... Higgans and Smith will be tough off boards, as long as they stay out of fould trouble..... If this team looks to run they could be a tough out. They will have some court IQ and toughness back with Greco, and could surprise a bit.  I look for 9-7......

Alfred... Greatt coaching job last year from Wellman, they will certainly inprove... need some height but could win 6- 7 games.

Elmira.. Tough to chart..,  everyone back except O'Brien. I think Torgalksi has the ability to coach, needs to recruit... This would be his first recruiting class....wait and see here.





Fisher
RIT
Stevens
IC
Naz
Alfred
Hartwick
Utica
Elmira


Apologies for mispelling, forgetting someone, or even putting someone on wrong team, because remember What do I know  
     

[e8bballfan]

After looking at the pre-season Top 25 noticed that both Ithaca and Fisher are among the "others receiving votes." Ithaca will quickly drop out of that category (to not mentioned at all) and I bet Fisher will get some top 25 love this year. That team has too much experience and is too well-coached to bomb.

IC - Same as everyone has said...Lost too much...Marcus and Cruz were really the only underclassmen to ever see PT so let's see if the others can step right in.

Fisher - I think will win conference.

RIT - Carson was a beast for last 3 yrs (didn't do much of anything his FR year) and team is VERY well-coached. Kornichak can take care of the ball and Scott Young and others are solid.

Naz - Don't know much about Coach Broderick and his Oswego past but I'm sure his defense has to be better than Daley's. McAdam will have to take it easy on d as he can never get into foul trouble. However, a lot of youngsters played for them last yr so we'll see if they matured. With all the unknowns about Coach Broderick they might be my dark horse to make conf. tourney.

Utica - Herring made them go and the others (Maxwell, Smith and McClendon) weren't bad at all. Return some solid players and could make it into top 4 and conf. tourney.

Hartwick - I don't know anything about them besides no Coco, lost Coach...

Stevens - Wonder how Greco will do after year off. Higgins is solid and will need to step up on offense for them. They could break into top 4 and conf. tourney.

Alfred - That team scared some opponents last yr and will continue to improve and win some games ppl didn't expect them to.

Elmira - Will it be a typical Elmira year? This is another team that can win some games ppl never expected them to.

I think it will go like this...

Fisher (if they don't host they should be disappointed)
RIT (great coaching, solid players)
Stevens (just a hunch)
Naz (like I said, dark horse to make conf tourney)
IC (just too immature to win close games as they lost alll their #1, 2, 3, and 4th option from last yr...)
Utica
Alfred (will win games that will screw up conf tourney hopes for teams like IC, Utica...)
Elmira (same as AU)
Hartwick


I am looking forward to the e-8 SID's updating the rosters and such so we can really see what freshmen/transfers have come in...maybe that will mix things up

[bomber3]

Let me reply to Bomber 3.. and welcome to site....Keep in minde this response does not take any recruits into account since I am not well versed on who each school is getting.

IC... Lost not only too much talent but too many players. Cruz and Marcus have talent but need support.

Fisher.. Korniker will have them ready, and everyone back.. Franklin, Gettings, Cornett, Newman.. all experienced... Tough to knock.

RIT... I am prejudiced, so take that into consideration... Cannot replace Carson, however Kornichak, Lowe, Sweet, have been through the wars...actually Carson only one gone.... I don't think OUR offense will suffer too much, but our rebounding and defense will......... HOPEFULLY enough to make playoffs.

NAZ.... Corey Mc Adam may be exposed this year. New Coach, MAY teach defense.. If Mc Adam plays defense he may actually get into foul trouble, which will hurt Naz big time..... I don't see any supporting cast, and if Mc Adam try's to do it all on offense, look for whoever he is guarding to light it up....  Thye could be under .500 this year.

Utica... They not only lose Herring, they lose Maxwell, Smith and McClendon.. They return Patterson Trahams Whyte and Preston... I look for these guys to be about.500 on the league.

Hartwick... They did learn how to win, but now a new coach, new system, maybe a coulpe of years away... They lose COCO and Bealieu, but I agree, Coco took away from team concept. The return Blazek, good freshman, and should build around him. decent role players.. Kyle, Phillips and Doyley.... another.500 team

Stevens.... My adopted team since I see them the most and some alumni are friends of mine...This team will be very interesting this year. They lose Virgil Grey, who was a good talent, but unfortunate for him, he didn't have that point guard who could create for him... The loss of Greco last year was devistating for Grey. The loss of Passalaqua is not really a big deal either in that while he could shoot, he necver went to the basket, and like Mc Adams he avoided defense because he wanted to stay in game..  I am told the person he guarded had career games quite often. His steals came away from the ball.  Baker leaving means nothing, just less turn-overs. So overall this is addition through subtraction. The rumor about Greco being back turns out true. He will be playing again, and that may save the Ducks. The 3 point shooting they lose from Passalaqua will be picked up by Greco, Cutri, and some benck players... Higgans and Smith will be tough off boards, as long as they stay out of fould trouble..... If this team looks to run they could be a tough out. They will have some court IQ and toughness back with Greco, and could surprise a bit.  I look for 9-7......

Alfred... Greatt coaching job last year from Wellman, they will certainly inprove... need some height but could win 6- 7 games.

Elmira.. Tough to chart..,  everyone back except O'Brien. I think Torgalksi has the ability to coach, needs to recruit... This would be his first recruiting class....wait and see here.





Fisher
RIT
Stevens
IC
Naz
Alfred
Hartwick
Utica
Elmira


Apologies for mispelling, forgetting someone, or even putting someone on wrong team, because remember What do I know  
     

I didn't realize Utica lost Maxwell and McClendon on top of Herring.  Maxwell was underrated for them and was a tough matchup due to his quickness.

Also I didn't realize Baker was gone for stevens.  He killed ithaca @ stevens so it surprises me to hear you say he won't be missed.  Maybe I didn't see enough of him.

If the Naz coaches ANY defense it will be more than McAdam has seen his first three years combined but I'm not buying the foul trouble prediction.  He's too smart to get in foul trouble and will simply let players by him to stay on the court. 

Maybe you have more info on stevens than the rest of us but losing their top two players from a mediocre (at best) team last year makes me think they're in for a longgg year in hoboken!

[FROMAFAR]

Bomber 3, I agree McAdam won't get into foul trouble, because he wants to stay on the court, and is needed on the court, I guess my point was, here's a new coach who obviously knows NAZ has been known not to play defense...so he probably instills it in the team, and his leader has to buy in.... could be a problem if he actaully does play defense... but I agree with you he won't.....

As far as Stevens goes... First Baker.... good athlete, strong on the boards...NOT A POINT GUARD.....too mechanical with the ball and turn-overs ALWAYS at costly times...Look at their last game in ECAC game against Rutgers-Newark......Stevens up 10 with 3:45 to play. Baker 8 or 9 turnovers in game,  OUCH, If Stevens had a point guard, they win that game...Also, I believe I have this right, he shot 60.0% from the free throw line... He has the ball in his hands at the end of a game, SUPPOSED TO, has to make big free throws...he didn't.  This cost Stevens many times last year..... I was told he had the most blocked shots on the team, or close to it. Is a point guard supposed to do that...He could get up, but should have been on front line.... again good athlete, and should have been underneath not outside....    The loss of Grey is huge, but my point was he never reached his potential last year... A lot had to do with the ball distribution, and Grey needed the ball in the open court.. in half court game he was getting ball on perimeter and he was not a shooter... On the break we go back to a mechanical point guard... need someone who could pass on the run... Unfortunate for Grey he was better than he showed. So when I say not losing much, I mean based on what he did last year. As far as Passalaqua, stand around "Horse" shooter.  Yes he could shoot but he didn't help in other areas, and I think Stevens can make up for that. They have a few shooters and much better to spread shooting around. Makes defense have to worry about multiple threats..........Hey now the replacements have to step up..... if they don't then all I said means nothing.......... In order for them to NOT be in for a long year, this bunch HAS TO RUN......use their strengths...... Higgans and Smith quick for big men, Greco has eyes in the back of his head and not afraid to make a tough pass, and can knock down 3's, and sophomore Cutri looks like he could easily fill Passalaqua's shoes....But what do I know

[e8bballfan]

I think we all know that McAdam has too high of a basketball IQ to get into foul trouble. He is a smart player, and a good defender, but I'm sure he knows how to play good d without getting in foul trouble.

As for Stevens, replacing the top 3 scorers will be hard. Higgins will have to step up. What will be Sanchez's role now that Greco is back?? Do they play the 1-2 spots or split pg duties??

[sjfcards]

I saw some of the basketball players yesterday at the Fisher football game as they were working as ushers. I don't know how they are as basketball players but they pass the eyeball test. They look long and athletic. Take it for what it's worth, but they looked good.

I am really excited to see what Kornaker comes out with this year. Like most of you I think they can win the league. Maybe this is the year they can get back to some of the dominance they have shown in the E8 in the past.

Recruits are always important to a team trying to rebuild, like most of the league this year, so you never really know what a team has until they step on the floor, but I think it looks like this:

Fisher - a lot of talent back, and, in my opinion, the best coach/recruiter in the conference.
RIT - always a consistently competitive team. 
Stevens - I don't know much about them but they seem to have talent year in and year out.
Ithaca - I think they still have enough to make the tourny, but not much more.
Utica - Toss up between UC, NAZ, and Hartwick
Naz - If they don't play D, it could be a long season.
Hartwick -
Alfred - steady improvement from years past.
Elmira - the KC Royals of the Empire 8.

[bomber3]

I saw some of the basketball players yesterday at the Fisher football game as they were working as ushers. I don't know how they are as basketball players but they pass the eyeball test. They look long and athletic. Take it for what it's worth, but they looked good.

I am really excited to see what Kornaker comes out with this year. Like most of you I think they can win the league. Maybe this is the year they can get back to some of the dominance they have shown in the E8 in the past.

Recruits are always important to a team trying to rebuild, like most of the league this year, so you never really know what a team has until they step on the floor, but I think it looks like this:

Fisher - a lot of talent back, and, in my opinion, the best coach/recruiter in the conference.
RIT - always a consistently competitive team. 
Stevens - I don't know much about them but they seem to have talent year in and year out.
Ithaca - I think they still have enough to make the tourny, but not much more.
Utica - Toss up between UC, NAZ, and Hartwick
Naz - If they don't play D, it could be a long season.
Hartwick -
Alfred - steady improvement from years past.
Elmira - the KC Royals of the Empire 8.

as much as it PAINS PAINS PAINS me to say it but i think fisher could be back up near the top of the region

top region teams last year:

ithaca - loses all american burton, all conference bostic + 3 others
rochester - loses all american Mike Chmielowiec (spelling) and their leader, max kaplan
st lawrence - loses all conference tom wopperer, richard williams, bela vonnek + others
suny it - up and coming team could be near top
rpi - loses sam simmons
hamilton - not sure?


east region is pretty open but rochester always reloads with their cross country recruiting