MBB: NESCAC

P'bearfan · July 23, 2013, 02:04:36 PM

Apologies if this was posted earlier but it looks like Will Hanley (Bowdoin 2012) is doing very well in Spain. Earlier this month he signed a 2 yr deal to play with Lagun Aro Gipuzkoa BC in Liga ACB (the first tier league). In one year he's moved up 2 divisions! Congrats and continued success to Will!! (GoUBears)

rlk · July 23, 2013, 02:47:27 PM

Quote from: rlk on July 22, 2013, 01:10:30 PM
Quote from: amh63 on July 22, 2013, 12:41:34 PM
Nescac1....there is a recent post on the NEWMAC board that cites two starters from MIT also playing on the BB team during the cited "Jewish " games.
It will be interesting to find out the Williams' player's court time with such proven div3 stars.
In any case, the experience will prove positive for him and will carry over positively for Williams.

I'm the one who posted that...

Greenman is on the youth team (U19, I think); Mitch Kates and Will Tashman are on the open team. Kates did play on the youth team in 2009, though. If the youth team has the same level of players that the open team has, though, he's probably on the court with some future D1 players.

As I mentioned there, Kates and Tash appear to be the only D3 players on that squad (the rest are current or former D1, and at least one player with international pro experience). Unfortunately, no new blogs since early in the practice (http://bobisrael.wordpress.com), and Mitch hasn't been updating his fb status much (too busy, I'm sure!), so I don't know a lot more beyond the first two game results (lost to Argentina 86-83, beat Germany 89-55). Haven't found any box scores, although I'd sure like to.

Just posted an update on the NEWMAC board. I'll be posting updates there as I have them. One more group game tomorrow, semis on Sunday, finals on Monday. See http://live.maccabiah.com/GameSelect.aspx?sportType=Basketball&id=63 also.

Colby Hoops · July 23, 2013, 02:56:42 PM

Former Bates player and student-assistant, BJ Dunne, the youngest head coach in the country.

http://www.vassarathletics.com/coaches.aspx?rc=528

P'bearfan · July 23, 2013, 04:44:10 PM

QuoteFormer Bates player and student-assistant, BJ Dunne, the youngest head coach in the country.

BJ Dunne is a great guy and deserves this opportunity. Last year he coached my son at the Harvard camp. He quickly got 12 guys who didn't know each other at all to play like a real team. He's also very down to earth and approachable. Congrats and best of luck! (except against Bowdoin)

nescac1 · July 23, 2013, 04:55:27 PM

Congrats to BJ Dunne, impressive, only three years out of college!

In other NESCAC coaching news, Kevin Snyder joins Dave Paulsen's staff at Bucknell. Snyder played for Paulsen for three years:

http://www.bucknellbison.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/071213aaa.html

nescac1 · July 24, 2013, 04:14:35 PM

Hamilton recruit Carlos Fineman is also on the age 17-18 US Maccabiah Games team. Fineman wins the award for "best soundtrack choice accompanying a high school highlight video":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSlTwJSMif0

middhoops · July 24, 2013, 09:20:15 PM

Fineman appears to have decent hands and great size but will need at least a year to develop offensively for the NESCAC. He is a flat-footed, below the hoop big guy, a la Ken Click.
Hopefully he gains some quickness once adjusted to the college game.
Regardless, this Colonial recruiting class looks like they'll have good future players to go with Hart.

magicman · July 25, 2013, 04:04:00 AM

Quote from: middhoops on July 24, 2013, 09:20:15 PM
Fineman appears to have decent hands and great size but will need at least a year to develop offensively for the NESCAC. He is a flat-footed, below the hoop big guy, a la Ken Click.
Hopefully he gains some quickness once adjusted to the college game.
Regardless, this Colonial recruiting class looks like they'll have good future players to go with Hart.

middhoops I think you meant the Continentals' recruiting class, if you were referring to Hamilton. Colonials are pretty close though.

P'bearfan · July 25, 2013, 08:38:20 AM

QuoteFineman appears to have decent hands and great size but will need at least a year to develop offensively for the NESCAC. He is a flat-footed, below the hoop big guy, a la Ken Click.
Hopefully he gains some quickness once adjusted to the college game.

middhoops - agree with your assessment. It also looks as if he's been playing against competition that is generally smaller (shorter; not very physical) and not especially athletic. These will be big changes come the fall. It can be a big shock to your psyche when you go from dominating inside to being routinely pushed around. Hope he's able to make the adjustment and help Hamilton be more competitive.

middhoops · July 25, 2013, 01:51:20 PM

Quote from: magicman on July 25, 2013, 04:04:00 AM
Quote from: middhoops on July 24, 2013, 09:20:15 PM
Fineman appears to have decent hands and great size but will need at least a year to develop offensively for the NESCAC. He is a flat-footed, below the hoop big guy, a la Ken Click.
Hopefully he gains some quickness once adjusted to the college game.
Regardless, this Colonial recruiting class looks like they'll have good future players to go with Hart.

middhoops I think you meant the Continentals' recruiting class, if you were referring to Hamilton. Colonials are pretty close though.

Oops, sorry.

P'bearfan · July 28, 2013, 01:33:50 PM

QuoteApologies if this was posted earlier but it looks like Will Hanley (Bowdoin 2012) is doing very well in Spain. Earlier this month he signed a 2 yr deal to play with Lagun Aro Gipuzkoa BC in Liga ACB (the first tier league). In one year he's moved up 2 divisions! Congrats and continued success to Will!! (GoUBears)

Here's a link to a story about Will Hanley on the Bowdoin web site:

http://athletics.bowdoin.edu/sports/mbkb/2012-13/releases/20130724vrw20q

nescac1 · July 29, 2013, 03:25:45 PM

Congrats to Mike Greenman who helped the U.S. junior team win the Maccabiah games. There was no box score posted of the championship game, but Greenman seemed to be a consistent scorer in the other games. Hopefully the experience will put him ahead of the curve and enable him to contribute in at least a back-up role as a first-year, since by far the biggest question mark on the Ephs next year is who will replace Nate Robertson's ball-handling and playmaking acumen. The Ephs will certainly have no shortage of elite scorers, but need a few good facilitators to step up early.

Since it remains quiet here for the summer, I'll share the most random Eph hoops-related story of the off-season: check out the nifty no-look pass by Williams alum and current Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn:

http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/tyreke_evans_pulls_a_god_shammgod_on_seattle_mayor_mike_mcginn/14164268

madzillagd · July 30, 2013, 02:04:19 PM

Another coach on the move, Bates assistant moves on.

http://athletics.jsc.edu/sports/mbkb/2012-13/releases/20130730pisvtk

P'bearfan · July 30, 2013, 02:25:12 PM

QuoteAnother coach on the move, Bates assistant moves on.

Tommy's a nice guy and this sounds like a great opportunity - wish him the best of luck. It will be interesting to see who Coach Furbush brings in as an assistant. Since everyone is in the middle of recruiting for next year and the assistant coaches are typically heavily involved in the recruiting process, this kind of change can be disruptive.

middhoops · July 30, 2013, 05:52:55 PM

Johnson State is lucky to get a coach with the experience of Verdell but he has a huge task ahead of him. Recruiting for Johnson athletics is very challenging. On the upside, you won't lose a lot of players to disappointing high school academics. However, Johnson, Vermont is a rural, semi-remote small village with one traffic light. Ok, they may not even have one. Their roster is packed with Vermont high school players. Matt St. Amour is the best Vermont player of the last two years and even he is a DIII player. It's grim.
Coach Verdell will need to be a brilliant marketer.

One would hope that Verdell has great success, starts a winning program at Johnson, then has the opportunity to move up relatively soon. That would be a perfect win-win outcome.