MBB: NESCAC

[amh63]

Finally home after a long trip to NE and Homecoming.  Missed a lot of the chatter on this board.  Besides watching soccer games, a football game and talking to the AD, football coaches, old friends and fellow MBB "camp followers", the new prez, the WBB coach and even several WBB players......I actually got to chat with coach Hixon, several of the players and watched a bit of the "Captain's practice" held on Sat.  What do I have to say about the upcoming season?  My impressions/comments follows.
Amherst indeed has 23-24 candidates for the team.  Coach Hixon has no problem carrying such a large squad if the players show that they can play and are working hard for spots.  Coach Hixon also told me the Coach Paterno remark....to alumni...."We love your interest and money, but not your advice".....hope I go it right.  Have been wondering what he was telling me.
Saw Workman and Kaasila walking to the practice and asked them jokingly if Workman had gained some weight and if Kaasila had lost some weight.  Workman did look bigger and slightly taller.....using Kaasila as a reference. 
The 6'10" "walk-on" player so far looks promising according to Hixon.  I take it as the walk-on is not a long term project.  Seems the player has good defensive moves and shot blocking ability.  We can hope!
Not sure who was who during the practice wrt the new players.....since there seemed to be several "recruits"  hanging around.
One friend and fellow "camp follower" who is most knowledgeable about  MBB talent (he was a former BB captain at Amherst, had a son who played BB at Trinity and "scouted" talent in the NYC and NJ area) simply stated after watching the practices on the floor that Amherst is loaded this year and should be able to reach the Final Four again.   I too was impressed with the play on the floor by all the returning players....but I am bias.

[Pat Coleman]

Frontpage article refers to Brandeis as the Jeff's hardest non-conference test. Subtle jab at the Ephs or d3hoops.com forgetting that one of the Williams games is a non-con every year?

The Little Three isn't a "conference?" That's how I read it referred to.

The point is games that are scheduled as true electives. This isn't.

[Colby Hoops]

Colby Hoops, Williams certainly could lose a lot earlier in the tournament this year ... heck, first they have to worry about making the tournament, which is no easy feat in D-3 (as you know well as a Colby fan, even teams having very strong years can be left out)

That's for sure, although I'll blame that one on a sloppy loss to Conn late in the season, rather than the selection committee. 

As for Williams and Midd, I'm basing my idea that they could be slightly worse just by comparing them to previous teams.  I have little to no knowledge of teams outside the NESCAC other than what I read on this board. As much as it pains me to say it, I think Amherst may end up as the best NESCAC team, as I'm not as sure the Meehan loss will be nearly as big as losing Whittington or Locke.

[walzy31]

Coach Hixon also told me the Coach Paterno remark....to alumni...."We love your interest and money, but not your advice".....hope I go it right.  Have been wondering what he was telling me.

I think the famous Paterno quote is:
"We want your money but not your two cents." --Referring to Paterno's desire to have alumni and supporters at games and donating to the program, but not being Monday morning quarterbacks or thinking that they know more than the people directly involved with the program.

Doubtful Coach Hixon (or the Amherst Athletic Department) is okay with a roster of 20, let alone 23 or 24.

[NEBBall25]

As much as it pains me to say this I think Amherst could be loaded this year and be by far the top team in the conference. I think Williams and Middlebury will be good but not great like last year. They lost too much. After that I think any team could sneak up in there. In fact in my predictions, to stir the pot a little, will be putting a team other then those 3 in the top 3.

Predicted Finish:

1. Amherst
2. Williams
3. Trinity
4. Middlebury
5. Bowdoin
6. Tufts
7. Bates
8. Hamilton
9. Wesleyan
10. Conn
11. Colby

Hamilton being a major wild card here. Thoughts??

[amh63]

Thanks Walzy....for the "cold" clarification of the Paterno remark.  Actually, Hixon did remark to me that the department could let me know what is going on.  I too believe that the final team will be around 16-17.  My fellow camp follower stated that Hixon told him that a roster of 16 would be best.  Hixon's remark to me followed a discussion wrt to the status of a returning player that missed all of last year.  He stated that the 6'7' player is not able to work out two hours daily at this time and is working hard at his game, etc. 
On Sunday, I chatted with my favorite backup point guard, Noon, about his summer in the D.C. area.  I kidded him that he is having such a great season that his team will go far into the post-season such that he will not make the BB team.  In truth, I was glad that he is healthy since his parents told me that he sustained a painful injury during soccer last year that did not allow him to play BB well.

[nescac1]

Sorry, but I think it is crazy to put Middlebury, a returning conference champion and Final Four team which has lost something like five games in two years and returns three starters including a first team all american and a potential conference DPOY, behind Trinity, which returns two starters (from a significantly worse team), ZERO all conference players, and nobody who scored over ten points per game.  Trinity has MAYBE one player who would start for Midd. 

Also, I would be stunned if Bates finishes above Wesleyan. Bates lost a LOT more than Wesleyan, with Ellis plus a few other key pieces graduating.  I'd go something like:

1. Williams/Middlebury/Amherst (yes a cop out but they are pretty tough to distinguish at this point), 4. Bowdoin 5. Wesleyan 6. Tufts 7. Hamilton 8. Trinity 9. Bates 10. Conn 11. Colby. 

Preseason all conference:  Sharry, Hanley, Wang, Toomey, Sha Brown first team (Sharry POY), Sullivan (from Hamilton), O'Connell, Workman, N. Robertson (who I could see sneaking onto first team in place of Toomey if he consistently plays the way he did the last two games of last season), N. Thompson second team.  Other contenders: Klemm, Kaasila, Vadas, S. Anderson (Tufts), E. Dean.  Thompson DPOY (other contenders Sharry, Workman and St. Jean), ROY, who knows at this point.

Preseason all-crazy watch I'll leave to Walzy. 

[NEBBall25]

I agree Bates lost a lot more then Wesleyan but I just dont have faith in Wesleyan at all after watching them play a few games last year.

Also I saw Middlebury play twice last year and walked away very un-impressed with their guard play. Of course their bigs were very good but they took a hit there losing Locke. And from seeing a few of the recruits Trinity brought in play in high school I think its a crazy statement to say they may not have one guy who would start for Middlebury. And also crazy to think they are going to be significantly worse. Do I think the 3 teams, Amherst Williams and Middlebury will finish 1, 2, 3. Yes. Do I want to stir the pot a little and make people think outside the box of teams other then just Amherst, Williams and Middlebury. Yes. I think of all the teams Trinity of Bowdoin has the best chance of passing one of those 3.

[grabtherim]

I agree Bates lost a lot more then Wesleyan but I just dont have faith in Wesleyan at all after watching them play a few games last year.

Also I saw Middlebury play twice last year and walked away very un-impressed with their guard play. Of course their bigs were very good but they took a hit there losing Locke. And from seeing a few of the recruits Trinity brought in play in high school I think its a crazy statement to say they may not have one guy who would start for Middlebury. And also crazy to think they are going to be significantly worse. Do I think the 3 teams, Amherst Williams and Middlebury will finish 1, 2, 3. Yes. Do I want to stir the pot a little and make people think outside the box of teams other then just Amherst, Williams and Middlebury. Yes. I think of all the teams Trinity of Bowdoin has the best chance of passing one of those 3.

The overall guard play in the NESCAC is really good and Midd has a few good ones.  Thompson can score and shut down nearly anyone they put in front of him.  Kizel played well beyond his years and came up big in clutch situations on the march to the Final 4, and Wolfin has to one of the best assist guys in the league.  One freshman and two sophs.  Must take alot to impress you.

[NEBBall25]

Clearly they had to be doing something right to have the season that they had. What I was saying was the two games I saw them I was not overly impressed with their guards compared to a lot of the guards in the league.

[toad22]

The loss of Meehan is a really big one for Amherst. Fortunately they have Toomey to fill in. Toomey is a real talent, and will undoubtedly step up his game even more. Still, Amherst will miss Meehan a lot. He was the glue that held last year's team together. He was also their best player. He was the one player on the team that most Williams fans feared. Time will tell if Toomey, or anyone else at Amherst, takes over that role.

[amh63]

Decided to put my few cents into the "fun" and quite fantasy-like area of conference order of finish....in the pre-seson period.  Must remind myself and other posters that in the college game, the key/strength of the team and its success is the guards/guard play.  During the season, as injuries occur and players get banged around and tired, etc.  depth and luck play more a role.  Having said that, those pointing out Meehan's loss as a major one is correct.  One has only to look at the year before when Amherst collapsed when Meehan was out.  Can Toomey replace him as the leader/glue of the team as the point guard?  Only time can tell.  Near the end of the season, Toomey was tired and had been banged around.  Noon's father told me that in a conversation with Toomey's father in the post season, Toomey's father was stating that he felt that his son was wearing down and sore from games.  Noon's father replied that his son could not play due to injuries from games.   Is Toomey a talent and can he guide the team in his own way?  You bet.  In a slick BB mag.'s front cover for the ACC, I saw a pix of H. Barnes, of UNC.  He is expected to lead UNc to the title game this year and UNC is ranked No. 1 in the pre-season.  I bring this up because, Toomey was the only player in North Carolina that took points away from Harrison Barnes in the voting for player of the year.  Amherst needs to develop other ball handlers, point guards.
In this line of thought, I believe that Midd.'s other big loss is in their guards that graduated.  Who has the best guards returning maybe a better way of evaluating teams as the season goes forward....offensive and defensive guards.....i.e. Wes.'s guards, etc.
Some posters have pointed out the importance of all -american Whittingham in games past.  Yes, Amherst won when he was out and Amherst lost when he was in games.  Waller of Amherst was out when Amherst won and Waller had a huge game in the elite 8 game at Williams when Whittingham was in.  I believe that in that game, it was the guard play on both sides in the last few minutes that determined the game's outcome.  The front line on both sides appear to neutralize each other.  I felt that as Amherst was fighting back, Coach Hixon left it in Meehan's hands in the last few minutes.  Toomey was tired and couldn't make his outside shots.  Meehan was the captain and the senior leader.  Oh well, I also maybe remembering the game through rose colored glasses too.
Bottom line here is all the posters have made good points.  The teams with the strongest guards should at this time of the season be given the higher seeding.

[OchoLoko41]

I am also pretty shocked everyone thinks Wesleyan can contend for the upper half of the league. As I remember everyone said this last year as well and they came in last place so I am not sure why people think all of sudden they are going to be different this year.

I swear you take a day or two from the boards and everything suddenly gets interesting...

You have to take into account that, unlike most teams in the Cac that had at most 1-2 major contributers out at any one time,  Wesleyan lost 3 major contributers (Thomas, Maltz, and St Jean) for the majority of the NESCAC Season, in the case of St Jean and Maltz for essentially the entire season.

I dont believe that any team in the NESCAC, regardless of its preseason rating or whatever else it brings to the table could withstand season ending injuries to two players capable of throwing up double double any single night (Maltz and Thomas) along with losing one of the intangible guys in the NESCAC (I challenge anyone to name a player does more on the court that doesnt end up in the stat sheet than St Jean).

Along with these major injuries Wesleyan also had other players go out for sizable lengths of time, forcing their major players (Brown, Beresford, Callaghan, Mendell) to virtually go without rest for the majority of each game.

To not take these injuries into account when assessing the upcoming season is foolish.  What would Williams have been if Troy, Robertson, and Klemm basically missed last season? or an Amherst team without Workman, Toomey, and Kaasila? Would we still be questioning if these teams were going to challenge for the top of the league, I think not.

Personally I not only believe that Wesleyan will be highly competitive in the Cac this year, I expect them to be in the top 4 and challenge for a league title.

Anyway thats my two cents

[TheHerst2and4]

Just to make a slight correction, Harrison Barnes of UNC played his high school ball in Iowa. Toomey was an all state player, but I believe the player that won the award was UNC's Reggie Bullock.
I'll echo previous statements that last year's top three teams all lose key players, but have strong returning casts.
I don't think Amherst fans can overstate what Meehan meant to the team. The kid played tough and played hard for the entire game/every game. I enjoyed watching him play.
I'll save my predictions, team evaluations, and biases for a later discussion. Something I think we can all agree on is that this year will be an exciting year where the northeast region is very talented.

[amh63]

TheHerst.....thanks for the correction.  Mr Bullock did win the state's player of the year and was selected as a first team Parade All-American.  The 6'7'" guard was hurt late in Feb. and missed the rest of his freshman year after a strong start. Barnes, a 6'8" fwd, went on to gather all sorts of honors and is the pre-season pick for player of the year in Div1.