MBB: Old Dominion Athletic Conference

[wahoo]

This may sound alittle crazy now, but I would not be surprised to see this as the starting 5 for the Marlins.

Meredith-PG
Fields
Dixon
McDuffie
Julius Carlton

with Hassell and Potts coming off the bench 

[LCasid]

Lynchburg: Lost Kwame Safo, and I don't think that Echols is really an outspoken leader. I know that Wooldridge has a sturdy head on his shoulders, but again, what about when he is out of the game?

Danny Reed proved his freshman year that he can be a high quality leader. Steven Echols could and, barring any significant additions to the team, most likely will be the main PG. He ran the point quite a bit his freshman and sophomore seasons when Kwame was out of the game or when Kwame switched to the 2-guard position. He also ran it in high school on a very, very successful Carlisle School squad. He has proven to be a very good scorer and he has also been able to make his teammates better with his passing and skill set. I don't expect him to have any difficulties whatsoever in being able to run the point for Lynchburg next year.

[HSCfan]

LCasid - For some reason I had forgotten about Danny Reed. With Echols in the starting role and Reed at the back-up, the Hornets appear to have that crucial position taken care of. I know that Echols is a potent scorer from anywhere on the floor and it will be interesting watching him in his "new" role this season. I'm sure he will draw alot of attention - doubles off of ball screens, over-rotation on his drives from the wing - and his ability to pass the ball out of traffic and to the open man will be crucial for LC. Of course, having a guy like Wooldridge set that ballscreen can cause a whole new set of problems for opposing defenses!

[LCasid]

no no, danny reed is by far NOT a PG. lol He is a SF/PF, but he brings valuable leadership to the mix. danny reed setting screens and popping out to the three could make for a dangerous pick and roll combo too

[HSCfan]

Well Scotty, chalk me up for being a work-a-holic today. When the screen gets fuzzy and you can't distinguish "leader" from "point guard" then it's time to punch that clock! I guess that Hampden-Sydney rhetoric is getting a little rusty these days!

[jdubyadubya]

Paul Meredith is going to be a terrific point guard for the Marlins.

[ODACHOOPS]

I can't agree enough with the fact the pg position will be so important this year even more so then in years past just due to a). Significant loses across the board to most teams and b). The extreme weakness at the post position.  It is often easy to hide a weak pg when your team has that "dominate low post threat" and your pg's main job is to get the ball over half court, throw it into your big and get out of the way.  However when your team lacks that presence and instead has a skilled wing (trawick, fields, king), it is even more important to have that solid pg who can get your wing the ball when and where he needs it.               
I don't know it Dixon can fill that role for the marlins at pg. I think he has descent ball handling skills but just not sure if that's the guy you want handling the ball 30-35 min a game.  Pushing him to pg does however free up a wing spot for potentially a more skilled and explosive perimeter player and still allows you to keep Dixon and his leadership on the court. 

[hasanova]

Terrific Nova. Maybe that will stop the girls from their bickering. Karma for you(remember a couple of years ago when some idiot was deleting your karma -- now you have more than you know what to do with).

Thanks.  Good to hear from you.  He's still at it - he's hit me at least 10 times over the last month or two.  I won't post for a week and he'll ding me every day even when nothing was warranted - I asked him to stop again a month or so ago.  Maybe when my nephew's hoops eligibility is over next spring at the "other" school he decided to attend, it'll stop. 

[hasanova]

GC: Kimbrough was personally my favorite ODAC point guard. Whether things were going well or were a bit out of whack, he always was a steadying presence with that Tim Duncan poker face of his. He flat-out played hard. T.C. Anderson is next in line (am I correct hasanova?)?

Hi HSC fan.  Kimbrough was one of my favorites as well - he'll be sorely missed.  Caleb's a great competitor and a really solid athlete ... he was also an ODAC tennis champ one season he chose to focus on that sport ... some years he passed to concentrate on basketball.  Yes, I see T.C. Anderson at the point with Henson.  I think George Neville may start at one Forward spot, but that still leaves one open starting position.  I think GC arguably lost the most due to graduation with Strong, Kimbrough, Belkoski and reserve Edmond.  Sanborn and Henson will be locks, but the other spots are up for grabs.  I hope the Quakers have a solid recruiting class!

[hasanova]

I think it's pretty safe to say that Pat Coleman is a ragging moron who results to acting like a little whining baby who got recess taken away from him whenever anyone argues against him.

Did you perhaps mean "raging moron who resorts"?  Usually, a well written argument gets more credence than yours will ever garner, even when it uses "facts" as "unsafe" as yours.  

There once was a newbie delighted
To post all his jabs unrequited.
It's sad, his spellchecker,
Can be bad, like his pecker,
And turn off his brain when excited!

+k!  As per usual, your rejoinder tops mine.

Something tells me no plug will need pulling - doubt LC will be back (and Scotty might kill him if he tries)!

Thanks, Mr. Ypsi.  I love it when opportunities for "poetic justice" just fall in my lap. 

[HSCfan]

Hasanova - I agree that Guilford lost the most from 07-08. Whenever you lose a national POY candidate as well as three of your top supporting cast members, it is hard pressed to find anyone in as tough of a predicament that following season. You mentioned it, however, that the Quakers will have two solid building blocks on which to accelerate the learning process of this year's team: Sanborn and Henson. As we have already touched upon, it is a luxury to have a coordinated 6-10 presence in the lane, not to mention the fact that Tyler is well ingrained into the system and has been able to develop under one of the top post players in ODAC history. Henson was streaky at times in 07-08, but knowing Coach Palombo, he's had Clay suring up that jumper all spring and summer (under the appropriate NCAA DIII guidelines, of course  ) Along with his dead-eye long range skill, Henson impressed me with his ability to get into the lane and pull up over traffic and finish. The Quakers will need more of that this year.

[jdubyadubya]

Nova - that's really sad to think that someone would persist over time like that. It's some sort of sickness I'd say. I hope they get help.

[hasanova]

Hasanova - I agree that Guilford lost the most from 07-08. Whenever you lose a national POY candidate as well as three of your top supporting cast members, it is hard pressed to find anyone in as tough of a predicament that following season. You mentioned it, however, that the Quakers will have two solid building blocks on which to accelerate the learning process of this year's team: Sanborn and Henson. As we have already touched upon, it is a luxury to have a coordinated 6-10 presence in the lane, not to mention the fact that Tyler is well ingrained into the system and has been able to develop under one of the top post players in ODAC history. Henson was streaky at times in 07-08, but knowing Coach Palombo, he's had Clay suring up that jumper all spring and summer (under the appropriate NCAA DIII guidelines, of course  ) Along with his dead-eye long range skill, Henson impressed me with his ability to get into the lane and pull up over traffic and finish. The Quakers will need more of that this year.

I've also been impressed with Sanborn's progress.  Tyler went to Elkin HS in Surry County (NC).  I went to North Surry, so I'm familiar with the EHS program.  Elkin's a 1A school, which is the smallest NC classification.  At 6'10", Tyler was able to dominate at the 1A level without a lot of serious competition.  He's worked hard, however, and should be a force this year.  Henson is, in my opinion, the best conditioned athlete on the team.  Clay was also a great HS soccer player and his ability to run is obvious.  Palombo is a good coach, so I have confidence he'll make the right moves to keep the Quakers in the mix again this fall.  This season should be interesting!

[hasanova]

Nova - that's really sad to think that someone would persist over time like that. It's some sort of sickness I'd say. I hope they get help.

Hi JWW.  It's been frustrating.  At times, this person just made me want to stop posting.  In weak moments, I've been tempted to do the same thing (smite) in return, but I knew two wrongs don't make a right.  We exchanged a couple of pleasant emails when my nephew was considering transferring to his DIII school, but his demeanor really changed when my nephew opted for a DII program instead.  Granted, my nephew is a very tall and talented player who would've made a significant impact there, but that's life ... and it was not a decision I made or even influenced in any way!  I wish him and the program he supports much luck!  Peace

[ODACHOOPS]

Henson is a lethal and deadly long range shooter who has the potential to get hot quick! I would like to see him continue to develop his game inside the arch.  I know at times last year he showed glimpses of being able to put the ball on the floor and score but especially this year with the departure of the sr's he is going to have to score a lot more and I don't think he'll find himself left open on the perimeter near as much since their is not an All-American that teams our doubling down on.  Tyler is a great presence and will definitely be called upon to do a lot more then just rebound and block shots this year. He will need to dominate the post and have some really big games which I think he is definitely capable of having with the ODAC being so "post weak." I just hope people don't put the pressure or expectation on him to be "the next strong" because he doesn't have that potential nor talent level to get to the level of a strong.  Overall I definitely think Henson and Tyler should be able to lead the young Quakers to a competitive season.