MBB: NESCAC

[madzillagd]

Titan Q (+1) just threw this up on the CCIW board.  We'll see how long it lasts but the NESCAC teams listed are as follows...

http://cciw.org/custompages/CCIW_Links/General/Misc/MENTOP25.pdf

1. Amherst
6. Williams
23. Midd

Toomey, Mayer, Ben Johnson (Me-Farmington) listed as the NE Top Selections

[nescac1]

Two polls, two different NESCAC teams number one.  Not too shabby.  I predict that neither will be number one in the D3hoops poll, but that both will start out in the top five, along with IWU, Stevens Point, and either St. Mary's, Cabrini or Wooster.  And Midd, despite probably having the most question marks (at this point) of the three, is sure to be somewhere in the top 20.  Should be another great year in NESCAC! 

[NEhoops]

Great stuff guys, the season is right around the corner.

I think the NESCAC standings are going to come down to who can protect their home court. I think the following games are going to have a big impact on the standings

1/11 Williams at Amherst
1/12 Tufts at Middlebury
1/17 Amherst at Tufts
1/31 Williams at Middlebury
2/8 Tufts at Williams
2/14 Bowdoin at Bates
2/15 Colby at Bates
2/16 Middlebury at Amherst

I still think Amherst deserves the top spot, Williams is a very close second. Still wondering who is going to be the second option for Middlebury. If Tufts can take the next step they might win the league, they won 11 of their last 13 with the two losses coming to Amherst. I included the ME teams because I think one of those three will most likely be the 5th seed. I have to give the edge to Bates at this point since they host both Bow and Col.   

[nescac1]

A bit of early recruiting news from Mike Crotty (Williams '04): Middlesex Magic and Nobles Athletics G Johnny McCarthy commits to Amherst College pending admission.

Crotty continues, unsurprisingly, to send a lot of players to NESCAC schools, including incoming frosh Duncan Robinson, Harry Rafferty, and Brady Holding. 

[jayhawk]

Johnny McCarthy is an excellent two guard who can score and pass off the dribble and has an excellent outside shot. He was recruited by other NESCAC schools. However his father played basketball for David Hixon and mom also went to Amherst making him more likely to go to Amherst.

[amh63]

Just read on NERR that Exerter's Tony Karalekas has committed to Colby.  He is a 6'4" swing guard, I believe.
Wow, the season has not started and the early commits...pending admits...are appearing for next year.  "CAC"  recruiting in my mind never seems to pause.
Jayhawk...thanks for the info.  Wonder if Hixon will need to have to use  one of his "chips"...so to speak.  Would you know the year of graduation of his parents  Jayhawk?
Scary that the next generation of potential players are seeking to play for Coach Hixon.

[creakyknees]

The elder John McCarthy also played more than a little football for Amherst and Coach Ostendarp.  However, the true athlete of the family remains Mom.   

[jayhawk]

so true about Mom of McCarthy being an outstanding athlete

[amh63]

OK guys!..picked up the hints.  John, Jr....the father was in the class of 1988.  Had the jersey no. 15 in BB and 14 in football.  Actually the father was co- captain of his BB team his junior year.  Lots of two sport students even today.  Three key football players this year played for Coach Hixon for a year and the coach pointed out one more football player that has BB talent to me...Spears, who helped beat Williams at Pratt and did the same against Middlebury on Sat.

[madzillagd]

Here's a look at some games this calendar year.  I'm calling them Games to Watch although who knows at this point if any/all will be online to view.  (All times subject to change/correction)


Week 1+ Games to Watch 11/15-11/24

11/16 - Bard @ Conn College  6:00 PM
Let's be honest, Conn isn't going to be one of the Games to Watch too often so why not give them a shot when they are still undefeated.  They take on a Bard team that was 4-21 last year so this should be a good chance for the Camels to get off to a good start to the year. 

11/23 - Wesleyan @ Williams 4:00 PM
Obligatory Little Three mention.

11/24 - St. Mary's (MD) vs. Midd (At Stevenson, MD) 1:00 PM
One of the first big match ups of the year, two Elite 8 teams will meet up a week into the season.  This will be a measuring stick game for Midd and their young guys.  The last time Midd lost a game in November (or even before January) was the 08-09 season.  St. Mary's has already been pegged as top 5 in a couple different polls and likely to be up there in the D3 Hoops Preseason poll as well.  If Midd could pull off the upset here it would be huge for their confidence going forward.


Week 2 Games to Watch  11/25-12/1

11/26 - MIT @ Tufts 7:00 PM
One team on the rise, one team on the fall?  Nice match up between NEWMAC and NESCAC.  MIT won this match up last year but I suspect this will be a better contest this year .  Tufts started the year 3-5 but finished 14-4 in their last 18 games.  MIT graduated a couple key bigs but reloaded in that department as well.  WPI is the team to beat this year in the NEWMAC, MIT will be looking to extend their recent success and these are the types of wins that will prove they are here to stay.   

11/26 Curry @ Williams 7:30 PM
Curry finished 21-8 last year, their season ending with a 2 point loss at Midd.  They gave the Ephs all they could handle last year in a  97-93 Williams victory at Curry.  Curry was led by Sedale Jones with 34 points.  Jones was a senior last year but Curry does have A.J. Stephens (17.0 ppg), Labros Papalambros (15.8 ppg) and Antonio Jones (11.0 ppg) who should all be back.   

Week 3 Games to Watch  12/2-12/8
12/5 - Bates @ Colby 7:30 PM
12/6 - Bates @ Bowdoin 7:00 PM
12/7 - Bowdoin @ Colby 4:00 PM
It's pecking order week in three non-conference games as we sort out the likely middle rung of the NESCAC this year.  Be interesting to see if any team can assert their place on top of the pack. 

12/3 - Tufts @ WPI 7:00 PM (Nice catch by Nescac1)
WPI coming off a 26-3 year with all the main ingredients back.  With Tufts playing MIT the week before, it will be an interesting comparison of the two NEWMAC clubs.  There is a chance that all three of these teams could be in the tournament at the end of the year but I'm guessing two at the most will actually make it.

Week 4 Games to Watch 12/9-12/15

12/12 - Amherst @ Babson 7:00 PM
Last year Babson managed to hand Amherst one of their two losses on the year.  Amherst shot only 6-25 from the 3 point line with Toomey and Workman combining for 4-13 from the field overall in 78 minutes of action.  Will the national champions put a beating on Babson to prove a point or will Babson pull off the upset again?

12/10 Morrisville State @ Hamilton 8:00 PM
12/11 Hamilton @ Rochester 7:30 PM
Talk about Finals Week.  Hamilton isn't going into the break lightly with games against Mo St & Rochester.  M St. finished 23-6 last year beating Ramapo and RIC before eventually falling to St. Mary's.  Rochester finished 22-5 behind Dibartomelo's shooting.  Dibartomelo is playing in Spain this year however so maybe this is the year Hamilton can sneak a victory after having a tough time keeping up with the Yellowjackets the past two years. 

Week 5 Games to Watch  12/16-12/22
Holiday

Week 6 Games to Watch 12/23-12/29

12/29 - Bates @ Salem State 6:00 PM
Slim pickings with the only other game happening this week a Williams-Wash College contest.  Wash College only won four games last year so I bring you the exciting match up of Bates and Salem State instead.  Bates (10-15 last year) takes on Salem St (16-11 last year) in Salem's own tournament.  This might well be a very entertaining game with two teams that compete hard but just don't see to get over the top every year. 

[nescac1]

Great summary, madzillag!  My only additions:

Williams will likely play Washington & Lee on the road in the title game of that holiday tournament.  W&L has a habit of occasionally surprising good teams (last year they beat Tufts, Virginia Wesleyan, and Guilford), and they return four starters.  Also will, along with the Hampden Sydney game, be a nice barometer of how the top two conferences on the east coast match up this year.   

December 3, Tufts at WPI.  Two of the projected top five teams in New England battle early in the year. 

Kudos to Tufts by the way for scheduling a lot of tough regional games -- at WPI, MIT, and at RIC.  Tufts is on the road (also on the road in the Midd and Williams games) vs. four of the best teams in the region.  Tufts may also end up playing at Rochester (I believe) in the title game of Rochester's opening tournament, a fifth tough road game.  The Jumbos will either gain a lot of confidence by knocking off a few highly-regarded teams on the road early in the year, or place themselves in a position where they will likely need to win NESCAC to make the tourney. 

[amh63]

Nice effort guys to get the interest going here, if it is needed.
The Williams game with the Generals should have a few posters here clocking in.  Bucket, I believe, has ties to Washington & Lee and the HBC in that  lovely town...much like Williamstown....is an Amherst man.  Less than two hours from the DC area.  Maybe a nice weekend excursion, NESCAC 1.

[nescac1]

I'll be there .  Hope to see you there! 

[Old Guy]

I have been waiting for Swords to become a factor ever since his FY.  Actually, looking back a little, the polar bears front court players have height but NEVER shown much otherwise.  My question to others is what do you know that makes you think Swords will step up this season. amh63

I can think of two words why Swords will be better this year and perhaps a big factor in the league: "Andrew Locke."

You don't get 6'11", 7'0" players to come to D3 if they are finished talents. Big kids develop late. Andrew Locke was a presence by the time he was a junior - he changed games. As a frosh he was a leaf in the wind (though he led the league in blocked shots, playing eight minutes a game, one of my favorite stats).

I don't follow Bowdoin as closely as some, but I believe Swords' second half was markedly better than his first. He's coming along, and a surprisingly strong senior season by Staiger (6'11") gave Coach Gilbride the opportunity to stick to a development plan for Swords, to ration his minutes.

When I saw him a Midd as a frosh in very limited time, I was surprised by his agility. I thought he would be big, slow, and awkward. He certainly looks like an athlete. And are you aware, did I mention - he's seven feet tall!

I was told two years ago that strength and conditioning (stamina) were crucial for Swords (Locke was never a moose but put on 40 pounds in two years). They don't have similar body types but they may have similar career arcs in college. Looks like Swords may have to play 30 minutes+ this year (and stay out of foul trouble), but he's a candidate for sleeper-of-the-year, though hardly an unknown. Could be an interesting Ephs-Polar Bears contest on Jan. 17, with Swords matching up against the presumptive POY (alas, in Williamstown).

[amh63]

Old Guy...good points all with respect to Swords.  I agreed that it takes time for some players to develop and when you have a seven footer, a coach can be patient. Both you and the earlier poster pointed out Swords' footwork as being surprising good...my interpretation..at this stage.  However, even last year, Swords did not lead the conference in blocks as his time on court increased...as you pointed out for Locke.  I " endured" watching the Polar Bear broadcasts from Maine...with the naive "black bear" announcers ....just to observe Swords play.  It seems that Swords did not position himself well...did not know his role on the floor when he was put into the game.  His coach will have to increase his time on the floor this year and hopefully he will become more of a contributor to his team.
I must give you a jab.  I smiled when you associated "moose" with Locke.  Only a Maine raised guy would make that association...not beast or monster, etc.