MBB: NESCAC

[nescac1]

Very nice and easier-than-anticipated road win for Williams.  The Ephs dominated the first half, and the second half was fairly even, but Trinity never got closer than 18.  Lots of positives for the Ephs: the defense was generally very strong, and Williams, uncharacteristically, dramatically won the turnover battle.  The Ephs were very aggressive on defense, jumping a lot of passing lanes, and Trinity was very sloppy with the ball.  The Ephs got a lot of easy hoops out of the offense, including burning Trinity for a lot of back-doors cuts, which was great to see.  Even though the Ephs shot 39 percent from 3, it's encouraging that Williams won easily when they really could have shot a lot better -- you won't often see Robinson and Rooke-Ley combine to go 1-8 from 3.  Williams played a zone defense the majority of the game and it was very effective, creating a lot of turnovers and difficult shot attempts.  Only one Eph played more than 30 minutes, so hopefully the starters will be ready to play big minutes tomorrow.  Finally, great to see Ryan Kilcullen, who has been quiet since Mayer returned to the line-up, have a big offensive game, with 13 points including two triples. 

The Ephs do have several things to improve upon if they want to beat Amherst.  They need, ideally, better outside shooting from Robinson and Rooke-Ley.  The Ephs fell asleep a few times in terms of boxing guys out, and Trinity dominated the boards, with a 13 rebound advantage on the day.  Michael Mayer, while improving, still has yet to show his dominant all-American form -- too often he is content to settle for awkward-looking fadeaways (which he sometimes will hit, to his credit) instead of making an extra move and taking it up strong.  It was great to see him hit his first three of the season (if he can force George and Pollack to cover him on the perimeter, that would be huge for the Ephs), and the back-door cuts were so effective that he wasn't posting up all that much anyway in order to clear the lane. 

I seriously doubt Williams will play that much zone tomorrow -- Amherst's shooters are just too good. If Williams is as careful with the ball vs. Amherst as they were vs. Trinity and as patient running the offense (Williams took very, very few bad shots today, mostly good looks from 3 and a lot of shots in the paint), if they do a better job on the defensive glass, and if they hit a slightly higher percentage of open threes, that is all an Eph fan can ask!  Should be a great battle, for sure.  Amherst can certainly be encouraged but its own large margin of victory when its two star shooters were both a bit off from deep.  Pollack is clearly making a big difference for the Jeffs and his physicality will present a real challenge for the finesse-oriented Eph bigs. 

[Bucket]

Heartbreaking loss for Panthers, though not disheartening like the previous game. Team played hard, played very good, inspired d (with just a few lapses). Safford was hounded into a subpar (for him) game, until that NBA-range dagger with :11 left.

Joey had a contested look at the buzzer—in and out.

Safford's shot notwithstanding, the difference for Bates tonight was Malcolm Delpeche. He was the team's most consistent scorer, getting big buckets when Bates needed them, and consistently altered many otherwise easy looks in the paint for Midd. Other than some fast break points, I can only think of a Matt Daley bucket when thinking of points at the rim.

Still, Midd was in control for most of the game. Dylan Sinnickson provided the Panther offense with the jumpstart it sorely needed. 17 first-half points, 23 total. Midd was really playing well in the first 10-15 minutes; jumped out to a 15-point lead. Was 11 at the half.

Bates closed it to 3 or 4, but Midd pushed it back over 10, before a number of missed free throws allowed Bates to close the gap for the home stretch. Bates really upped the pressure on D, taking away a lot of the looks Midd was getting in the first half. They fouled a lot, too. But that worked to their benefit as well, as Midd started the second half 3-10 from the line.

Really hard to see the Panthers go down in defeat after playing so much better that the previous two games. Bates, as folks have said earlier, will give everybody in the league fits.

Coulda done without Safford's mouth at the end, but maybe I'm just getting old.

[booyakasha]

Coulda done without Safford's mouth at the end, but maybe I'm just getting old.

Pot, meet kettle.

[grabtherim]

Congrats to Bates on a hard fought win. They never folded when they easily could have. Midd seems to be missing pg play to free up their scoring guards, Kizell especially needs to be spotted up more to be at his best. Brown may eventually be that guy and Pendergast another candidate cant seem to avoid the injury bug. Given the expectations, it's been a tough season for the Panthers so far and its only just begun.

[Bucket]

Coulda done without Safford's mouth at the end, but maybe I'm just getting old.

Pot, meet kettle.

?

In his exuberance, Safford let loose a torrent of trash talking at the end of the game. Like I said, I coulda done without it. But maybe that's just me.

I'm not sure where I've engaged in the same, as you imply. I seem to think I was even-handed in my recap of the game and full of praise for the Bates effort.

[Vandy74]

Coulda done without Safford's mouth at the end, but maybe I'm just getting old.

Pot, meet kettle.

?

In his exuberance, Safford let loose a torrent of trash talking at the end of the game. Like I said, I coulda done without it. But maybe that's just me.

I'm not sure where I've engaged in the same, as you imply. I seem to think I was even-handed in my recap of the game and full of praise for the Bates effort.

You don't need to defend yourself Bucket.  Boobyakasha signed up on board over 6 years ago and has posted 62 times.  It would seem that he doesn't have much to say.

Congratulations to a good young Bates team which is only going to improve.  As clutch as Safford's 3 pointer was don't forget the one by Adam Philpott 2 minutes earlier that answered Kizel's 4 point play and killed the chance for the Panthers to gain the momentum.  Impressive all-around performance from Malcolm Delpeche as well.  I thought overall that Middlebury played  well tonight.  Bates was game enough to play just a little better.

[nescac1]

Didn't Safford also hit a huge, clutch deep three late in the game against Bowdoin (in, ultimately, a losing effort, but still?).  He was a pretty good player last year (not as good as the hype that followed him from high school, I'd say), but his improvement has been staggering: from 11.7-4.3-3, shooting under 42 percent from both 2 and 3 and 67 percent from the line, to 21.4-4.6-5.2, plus 2 spg, with improved efficiency overall (48/37/76 shooting), and several particularly memorable shots.  He's basically gone from a roughly average NESCAC starting guard to playing like one of the better guards in the country and a potential all-American.  Talk about making the leap!  Right now, he and Toomey are clearly the first-team all-NESCAC backcourt ... bumping Joey Kizell, who was a first-team preseason all-American.  Wild. 

[booyakasha]

I'm not sure where I've engaged in the same, as you imply. I seem to think I was even-handed in my recap of the game and full of praise for the Bates effort.

Agreed, up until the potshot you take on an 21 or 22 year old kid who obviously is not allowed to come on here and defend himself. I find your contempt for "Safford's mouth" particularly ironic, considering you were removed from a basketball game by officials earlier this season for a mouth of your own.

Vandy - Not sure what my post count has to do with anything.

[jayhawk]

Since none of the usual suspects posted about Amherst last night.
Hamilton played well especially Bradley Gifford and Matt Hart- The game really broke open when foul trouble for Hamilton resulted in a loss of players.

Off night for Connor Green with shooting misses and foul trouble.
For Amherst both David Kalema and Ben Pollack stepped up. Amherst guards are good rebounders.  Ben has 18 points on 7 for 7 field goals, 8 rebounds in 19 minutes.
Senior Connor Gach played significant minutes at guard/small forward and played well. Connor is a very solid 3 pt shooter.

Considering Amherst 3 starters from last year, Amherst is started jell after playing some hard fought games.
Plenty of fine teams in NESCAC this year- nice season is underway.

[Old Guy]

Arrived exhausted back "home" in West Africa after three and half days of interrupted travel (starting in NY on Tuesday - what a mess - first flight delayed six hours, the rest of my scheduled flights shot to hell). Got here at about 2:00 a.m. and was able to watch the whole Bates-Middlebury game. Great presentation. After midnight here, the internet connectivity is very good (not much traffic). Before midnight, little or no possibility for video. This presents a dilemma, of course, as last night's game started about 2:30 am and as most will attest, I need my beauty sleep. Will hope to get live stats for the Tufts game Sunday.

That said, I wish I didn't have such a keen rooting interest, or I would have enjoyed last night's well-played game. Bates hung around - you knew they would as they have tough and experienced leadership - and played better than Midd in the stretch. Nonetheless, there was much to be encouraged by. The Panthers will be a tough out in the league.

As I wasn't at the game (was Booyakasha?) I can't evaluate the fairness of Bucket's rebuke of Safford. Generally, I take the view that winning in the other guy's gym is savory enough, though I understand why this game might have been especially satisfying for the Bobcat juniors and seniors.

[amh63]

Enjoyed being back in LeFrak for the Hamilton games...men and women.  Liked saying hi to friends, parents, old alums, etc. better.  Watched the games to adjust my "eyes" to live game action so to speak.
The flow of the Hamilton game was interesting.  Hamilton came out playing with intensity and in a zone.  George seemed to struggle with the intensity and physicality of Hamilton...of a CAC game.  Though Amherst took a large early lead, Hamilton came back strong, with every shot seemed to go in.  Hart shined for Hamilton with his play....even when Killian guarding him.  Hamilton ties the game with less than a minute to go....but Amherst makes the last basket and goes into the half with a 2 point lead.  Hamilton comes out and takes a 5 point lead in the second half.  Amherst adjust to the refs calls and Pollack makes his presence known...and Amherst starts to pull ahead.  Hamilton's shots does not go in and Amherst's physical play starts to deflate Hamilton so to speak.
Hamilton tries to press Amherst and Toomey in the last 10 minutes, only to pick up fouls.  Finally, Hamilton's coach calls the press off...game over as Hamilton puts in the bench...Amherst follows.
As I walked out of the gym, Connor Green's dad points out Pollack did not miss a shot in the game.  I point out that his son played hard even when his shots did not go in.   Expect Amherst to be ready for Williams today.  Hope Amherst's shooters to shoot better from outside today and cut off the inside cuts.

[frank uible]

Do any of you number crunchers have a conference-wide average for wins in the latter conference games from pairs on the road?

[grabtherim]

I'm not sure where I've engaged in the same, as you imply. I seem to think I was even-handed in my recap of the game and full of praise for the Bates effort.

Agreed, up until the potshot you take on an 21 or 22 year old kid who obviously is not allowed to come on here and defend himself. I find your contempt for "Safford's mouth" particularly ironic, considering you were removed from a basketball game by officials earlier this season for a mouth of your own.

Vandy - Not sure what my post count has to do with anything.

Trash talking and silly stuff during games like 3 goggles, pointing after a made shot, chest pounding etc etc has become way too over the top for me.  I guess I come from another time and place.  Watch an old tape of Jim Brown scoring a touchdown and then simply handing the ball to the ref or Bobby Orr raising his stick, quickly celebrating with a few Bruins and then heading to the face off circle after an end to end rush when he was the only guy on the planet who could do it night in and night out.  I wasnt there last night, and maybe the kid had been trash talked by some Midd guys before he let loose, even if that was the case, both sides should cut that crap out.  This stuff only takes away from a fantastic moment.  I'm not naive and dont expect or want kids or athletes at any level to lose their exuberance for the game, but isnt it cooler to enjoy a great snapshot moment with your teamates and coaches without having to bring attention to yourself or belittle your opponent?  I'm a Midd fan and was crestfallen when the kid made the shot, but ten seconds after it I felt great for him.  What a memory he will always have.  Too bad if that memory includes being proud of talking smack after it.  I hope that's not the case.     

[Panthernation]

A second half to forget for Middlebury, who made just 5 shots in the over the final 20 minutes of the game, went 1-7 from three and 14-23 from the free throw line. After a strong first half, the Panthers were completely out of sync offensively in the second half -- and still should have won the game, thanks to an outstanding defensive performance.

The game changed for Middlebury at the 5:55 mark. Up 51-42, Roberts picked up a pair of quick fouls and sat for most of the rest of the game. With Roberts on the bench, the Panthers couldn't protect the rim and Safford, Matarazzo and Delpeche attacked the basket over and over. After scoring 42 points through the first 34 minutes of the game, Bates scored 22 in the last 6 minutes to steal this game. Having said that, the Bobcats executed perfectly down the stretch (every shot was either a layup, free throw or uncontested three) and Middlebury did anything but that.

Dylan Sinnickson showed exactly what Middlebury had missed over the past couple of months in his return, but the offense stagnated again in the second half when he was out of rhythm. There were stretches when it looked like the Panthers would run Bates out of the gym—and if they can put it all together, they will do that to teams—but this team is struggling in a major way to find any kind of balance on offense.

The loss ended a streak of 43 consecutive wins for the Panthers against non-Amherst/Williams NESCAC teams.

[Bucket]

I'm not sure where I've engaged in the same, as you imply. I seem to think I was even-handed in my recap of the game and full of praise for the Bates effort.

Agreed, up until the potshot you take on an 21 or 22 year old kid who obviously is not allowed to come on here and defend himself. I find your contempt for "Safford's mouth" particularly ironic, considering you were removed from a basketball game by officials earlier this season for a mouth of your own.

Vandy - Not sure what my post count has to do with anything.

Fair enough. That makes more sense.

That said, I don't see my comments as "taking on" a 21 year old kid. I have the utmost admiration for Graham Safford. Heck of a player, clearly has the respect of his teammates, and he made the big bucket when it counted.

There was just a moment when I think his emotions got the better of him—as they do with all of us from time to time—a fair observation, I think. (And I did qualify it with the admission that perhaps it was just me who felt that way.) As for my "mouth"—yes, I can be exuberant, sharp-edged. It resulted in (unjust!) action, as you mention, earlier this year. But I draw the line at profanity, personal insult, which is a big difference, I think. But I have the benefit of years to form this opinion. I'm sure I was closer to Mr. Safford (without his talent!) when I was 22.

Anyway, enough about this. I don't want to take away from Bates's victory or the great effort and quality play exhibited by both teams last night.