MBB: NESCAC

lefrakenstein · February 04, 2013, 08:24:34 PM

Quote from: walzy31 on February 04, 2013, 06:15:17 PM
Toomey received POTW as anticipated. I felt like I wrote the release.

I like Kizell as a player a lot and thought he deserved 1st team last year. However, his numbers are down across the board this year and I would put him as the Panthers 2nd team nod and give Thompson the 1st team election.

The big three will each get two players on those teams (Toomey, Workman, Mayer, Epley, Thompson & Kizell). Sha Brown will get one of them as a career nod and since he has made the team every year. The other three slots are up for discussion, as is who will be 1st and who will be 2nd. I would probably go with Vadas, Ferris, and Hart as my three with Bowdoin getting short-changed.

For Amherst, I would be a little sad for Kaasila if he didn't make all-NESCAC this year. I like Workman as much as anybody, but since the break I think Kaasila has been arguably Amherst's second best player, and I think certainly Amherst's second-most irreplaceable player. Again, I'm not trying to take anything away from Workman, but Kaasila is having a great year and it would be nice to see him get some recognition.

toad22 · February 04, 2013, 08:40:28 PM

I really like Kaasila as a player, but Workman is a better player. Kaasila probably should be the second team NESCAC center this year. The problem will be Amherst's two top players, Toomey and Workman, will be put on the teams before Kaasila. I don't know if Amherst gets three places.

amh63 · February 04, 2013, 09:49:09 PM

Seems strange to see a "CAC" team play a Monday game. Tufts goes to Clark tonight and it goes into OT. Tufts wins by one point, 65-64, I think. Tufts still down after a tough loss?...or playing 3 games in four days. Funny scheduling by the Tufts' coaches. Both WBB and MBB teams have only one remaining conference game while most if not all the other conference teams have two games remaining in the regular season. Just trying to keep the board posters up to date.

nescac1 · February 05, 2013, 06:51:56 AM

Top 25 out ... Midd/Amherst/Williams go 5/6/7 heading into the big weekend, which will of course shake that up a bit.

Listened to Coach Maker on Hoopsville. Surprised to hear him "guarantee" a "resounding victory" over an "overrated" Amherst team. OK, not really, instead it was the usual totally inoffensive / unrevealing commentary from Coach Maker. He did say that this was the best Amherst team he had seen in his five years as an Eph coach, which, based at least on what I've seen, I'd agree with ... the most talented and experienced team since the Andrew Olson era for the Jeffs. He also noted that the 2003 championship team will be on hand and honored at Chandler (hard to believe it's already been ten years since then)! Should make a fun atmosphere even more fun.

amh63 · February 05, 2013, 10:25:53 AM

Actually caught some of the interview last night on Hoopsville. Williams coach even encouraged the Chandler "crazies" to come out...his words...but think it is appropriate to the Williams students for the most part.....should we expect to see painted purple and gold student bodies in the stands (like that school in the South)? Williams' Prez may wish another label...being an UNC fan.
Trying to remember when was the last time I attended a game in Chandler.....it was a mid-week game...remember seeing Coach Hixon there and the Williams coach at the time is now the AD at Big Green. Saw someone from Williams bring him a bag of popcorn as he leaned on the rail on the walkway. Was visiting/working in Pittsfield at the time...on a business trip. Remember paying to get in and not getting a discount for being an Amherst alum!....no respect. Asked Coach Hixon about the popcorn gift. It was brought by a coach who was a former assistant coach at Amherst....where they became friends....small world.
Will catch the game on-line in Florida...hopefully.
Did watch the Tufts game on the D3hoops video and will mention a few observations. My son asked me why Amherst was not passing the ball down low to "Big Pete" as frequently in the second half. I told him that Tufts was packing the inside and may have changed into a form of zone defense. The game announcers (from the video) mentioned two defensive changes by Tufts in the 2nd half....a zone employed for a time (guess I can see such changes!) and two defenders being put on Aaron T. Adjustments by Tufts. When Amherst would build a lead, Tufts came storming back to tie or take a lead for a while...then Amherst would take a 5- point lead. My friend and host pointed out that every time Tufts scored...like a big 3 point shot....Aaron would follow with a scoring drive or get to the foul line....slowly and surely taking control of the game flow... countering the Tufts fine counter punches. One last point. In the last 5 minutes or so, Aaron was stripped of the ball and went to the floor...turnover. Tufts rushed down the floor and scored. Saw Big Pete racing down after the Tufts player to make a stop. He went from under the Amherst basket to the other end and almost caught up...the ball was stripped from Aaron above the arc. Great effort by Kaasila. He is faster this season, it seems.
Oops....Kaasila actually got the rebound on the play cited above. Amherst defenders delayed the Tufts players and the shot which missed. Have to be careful here since "big Pete " will be mad and come after me....he is much to fast this year!

Bucket · February 05, 2013, 11:14:58 AM

Quote from: amh63 on February 05, 2013, 10:25:53 AM
Actually caught some of the interview last night on Hoopsville. Williams coach even encouraged the Chandler "crazies" to come out

Bummed that Middlebury students will be on break for the big games this weekend.

lefrakenstein · February 05, 2013, 05:51:23 PM

There should be a line on Kaasila scoring 1,000 career points.

He has 930 now. If he gets 10 a game and Amherst makes the NESCAC finals and the second round of the NCAA tournament, Big Pete would make it. I'd say something like -120 on him making it.

pick and roll · February 05, 2013, 05:52:38 PM

Interesting coach Maker believes this Amherst team is best Jeffs group he has faced - remains to be seen as the season plays out how good they really are. Wondering what squads posters would select as the best for Williams and Middlebury over the last five - I would have to think when they both were in Salem.

nescac1 · February 05, 2013, 07:23:57 PM

I think that the 2010 Williams team that won the NESCAC tourney and made it to the championship was not only easily the best Williams team of the best five years, but also clearly the best NESCAC team since at least the Amherst team that won the title. They dominated NESCAC (only one win by fewer than eight points vs. NESCAC teams, only regular season loss was on the road vs. a top-notch Randolph Macon squad), advanced the furthest in the tourney, made it to Salem with relative ease, once there beat an absolutely loaded Guilford team featuring two all-Americans including the best center I've seen in D-3 play, and barely lost to a loaded Stevens-Point team in the title game. That team had three all-American players in Whittington, Schultz, and Wang, plus three more stellar players in Rubin, Robertson and Geoghegan, and some solid veterans off the bench. James Klemm couldn't even get any varsity PT on that squad.

toad22 · February 05, 2013, 07:28:52 PM

I agree, that was the best Williams team since 2003. Next year's team could be the latest version in that great tradition.

Old Guy · February 05, 2013, 10:13:40 PM

The problem will be Amherst's two top players, Toomey and Workman, will be put on the teams before Kaasila. Toad22

Lynch is in the same position at Middlebury - averaging 16 a game with his usual high % - his .670 leads the league (Kaasila's second). He led the league last year too.

Not unexpectedly, Midd defeated Lyndon State, who were game but overmatched, 89-59. Congratulations to Jake Wolfin who got his 1000th point tonight (along with six more assists). Nolan Thompson had 15 points on 5-7 shooting (3-4 from the arc) and seven rebounds. Jake and Nolan have been starters since day/game one Frosh year. They have had some careers, backcourt mates, joined their soph year by Kizel. That's strength at guard.

Merryman, wearing a facemask (he went down hard on his face in the Colby game), didn't seem inhibited by it, scoring 16 points in 17 minutes, 6-9 from the floor, with two NBA threes, and six boards.

walzy31 · February 05, 2013, 11:38:25 PM

I was thinking a bit more about the all-conference teams and think that if Amherst or Williams sweeps both this weekend that they might get their third guy a 2nd-team bid (Robertson or Kaasila). I think it would take 10-0 in league to get three so Lynch's chances are much lower. However, I also think the team that ends up with the #1 seed (still could be any of the three teams) could get both their studs on the first team and not just their main man.

Random thoughts.

I guess I agree with nescac1 and toad22 on Williams' teams of the past. Williams has had a bunch of coaching turnover (three in ten years?) so I can't remember who Maker has coached against. Might be a true statement. I liked last year's team a lot though.

Rumored early line for Friday is Amherst -4.0. All bets off for now though.

amh63 · February 06, 2013, 11:40:29 AM

Pick and Roll.....believe it was the year that Amherst had a broad center that was around 6'5" and had Harper on the team....I remember Williams and Amherst played each other in the semi's. Amherst's center hurt his leg and was game and ineffective in the 2nd half. My memory is faulty.....will have to go back to the archives about 5-6 years and maybe more.
I'm back....it was the 03-4 season and Williams beat Amherst 86-81, in the Final 4 semi's. It was a team with Harper, Lee. Bedford and future stars. Tim Jones from Richmond Va. was the "center" at 6'4" and 227 #. It was a team with local D.C. area players A. Harper and R. Lee.
Another oops....Pick and Roll.....Inserted myself into a Williams and Middlebury question...but if it is to be expanded into the best "CAC" players to go to the Final Four.......Harper has to be on that team......one of the best defensive players at Amherst. In that game with Williams he scored 26 points and was on the floor for 40 minutes.

lefrakenstein · February 06, 2013, 02:04:45 PM

Quote from: walzy31 on February 05, 2013, 11:38:25 PM

Rumored early line for Friday is Amherst -4.0. All bets off for now though.

That seems a tad bit too optimistic (from an Amherst fan's perspective), in my opinion.

grabtherim · February 06, 2013, 02:44:59 PM

Quote from: lefrakenstein on February 06, 2013, 02:04:45 PM
Quote from: walzy31 on February 05, 2013, 11:38:25 PM

Rumored early line for Friday is Amherst -4.0. All bets off for now though.

That seems a tad bit too optimistic (from an Amherst fan's perspective), in my opinion.

From a Middlebury fans perspective, we will take a quadruple overtime game followed by a long bumpy bus ride to Middlebury for the Lord Jeffs. A tired Amherst squad on Saturday will be much appreciated, thank you. Seriously, good luck to everyone this weekend. So much still up in the air at the top and and bottom of the league.