MBB: NESCAC

[NothingButNESCAC]

amh63,
Not gonna act like I am some type of expert on the details of Bowdoin recruiting. I just have heard that Bowdoin faces more restrictions in terms of numbers they can bring in as opposed to other schools. That is really it. You didn't read too much into my post, but I just don't have the hard evidence to really back up whether this is actually true besides some anecdotes which I'm sure have occurred under similar circumstances at other NESCAC's.
And while Amherst and Bowdoin do have a host of similarities, I think Gilbride would never be able to bring in so many players as Hixon has. This is especially true in regards to the transfers which I could not imagine Bowdoin doing.

[madzillagd]

I think Kilcullen's issue has been that he plays a position that doesn't exist in the Maker system. He would be a perfect 4 on most D3 teams - a guy who can defend a bit in the post but can stretch the defense on offense. Not really a knock on him in any way, he's a good player and we saw when Mayer was out last year just how talented he is.  I'm confident this year he'll put up solid offensive numbers but he'll struggle a but on defense having to play bigger 5s.

[toad22]

I know of no Eph fans who have be disappointed with Kilcullen. He was a kid who was recruited by Maker out of prep school. He is a perfect "point forward" in the Maker offense. He has had the misfortune to play behind Mike Mayer last year. I believe he will have a very fine senior year.

[middhoops]

One last D1/D3 story.  I promise.
A kid from Burlington (VT) High School wanted to play at the D1 level.  Skinny, not tough, not athletic; he went off to Northfield Mount Hermon for a year and improved enough to be an invited walk-on at UVM.  Sat the bench as a frosh.  Stuck, though.
Played sparingly as a soph but showed great signs of growth in his game.
Earned a scholly after that and led the team in scoring his last two years as his team won over 20 games each year.  He grew to a very tall 6-8  (as in he was taller than a lot of guys listed at 6-9), could finish with a flair and hit 3s at a decent rate.  Could not have been a stud in a higher league, but was viewed by 100% of coaches as a D3 prospect out of prep school.
Who knows which kids are going to improve that radically?

Hixon didn't want Ryan Sharry, instantly creating new parity.
Thank goodness!

[P'bearfan]

Watching the Spurs dismantle the Heat raised an interesting question: is there a team in the NESCAC that runs (or is capable of running) a Spurs type offense? There are some very good shooters in the conference and some very strong big men but I'm not certain there are enough passers (1-5) to replicate what the Spurs do.   Thoughts?

[nescac1]

I think Williams basically ran the closest thing we will ever see at a D3 level down the stretch last year, especially in those back-to-back-to-back games vs. AMC, MWC, and Amherst, where the Ephs put on an offensive clinic the likes we may never see again in NESCAC.  Mayer like the Spurs big guys can shoot, handle, pass, and post, and the Ephs surrounded him with guys who could all handle, pass, and shoot, and the team moved the ball equisitely.  Ephs-Whitewater was kind of reminiscent of some of the better Spurs-OKC battles, where the Ephs' execution at times worked well, at times was flummoxed by Whitewater's far superior athleticism. 

If Maker sticks around next year (something I'm growing increasingly pessimistic about), I think next year's Ephs team could be even more Spurs-like in terms of constant motion, ball-movement, and lots of open three-pointers.  If you look at the projected lineup 1-5, Kilcullen, Robinson, Wohl, Rooke-Ley, Greenman, none of those guys (other than Wohl) are above-average athletes, or particularly big or strong, for their positions, but each range from above-average to nationally elite in terms of ability to shoot, pass, and handle the ball at their positions.  Williams could not post up like last year's Eph teams, and certainly not like a D3 version of the Spurs, but in all other respects, I'd imagine they would mirror that sort of offense -- tons of cutting, great passing, lots of threes and layups generated by off-the-ball movement when teams overcommit to stopping the three.  Of course, if Maker does move up the coaching ladder, who knows what sort of system the Ephs would run -- but I hope they would get a coach with a similar philosophy, (a) to suite the personnel on hand and (b) because it's just a lot of fun to watch! 

[middhoops]

I was thinking the same thing last night, nescac1.  The Spurs reminded me of the onslaught of two on ones against Albertus Magnus where Mayer would pass and Wohl/Robingson (or pick anyone) would get a wide open layup.  Maker's offense with really smart selfless players executing to perfection was great fun to watch as a fan of the game.
That said, I'm going to miss Michael Mayer about as much as I miss Aaron Toomey when next January rolls around.

The Spurs were the closest thing to the Larry Bird era Celtics that I've seen in the NBA in a long time.  And yes, that IS a helluva wait.  Hopefully more teams try to emulate Popovich's system.

[amh63]

Have to admit that I did not watch much of the NBA Finals and was distracted by other sporting events....golf and soccer.  Therefore....here is a thought...POP wins his fifth ring and retires!  Sees that there is an opening at Williams and joins the staff to puts in his system.  Just kidding around a little bit here.
Did notice that one of Williams' assistant coaches from last season is gone.
I do have a general question on players.....have been reading about Amherst's soccer team visit and playing games in Paris and Monaco.  The Baseball team will leave in August to play games in Japan.
Amherst just signed/ renewed  an exchange program with its sister school in Japan...that has a strong baseball team.  Where am I going?   If talented players come over in an exchange program, can they play in the states during their stay? 

[nescac1]

I, too, really enjoyed watching the Spurs play, more than NBA team I've ever seen, they were just a joy to watch play basketball.  I think the combination of (a) all the Spurs' success and (b) all the Popovich proteges who are now coaching NBA teams, we are going to see more and more of this style of play, with a bigger premium of intelligent players who can pass the ball, shoot the three, and are willing to sublimate their egos.  (Unless, of course, you can get an absolutely elite athlete like a Lebron or Westbrook or Rose, but there are only so many of those walking the planet).  This title run probably raises a guy like Doug McDermott's draft status three slots.  I think Golden State is best positioned to replicate the Spurs' success ... Steve Kerr wants to run a Pop-style system for sure, and he has a lot of the horses already in place to do so in Curry, Thompson, Iguodala, Draymond Green, Bogut.  Just needs to switch David Lee for a stretch four and he'll be in business. 

Speaking of Popovich proteges, congrats to Class of 2010 Williams grad William Hardy, who is the Spurs' lead video coordinator.  I imagine anyone with the Pop pedigree, at this point, has a long and bright future in the NBA. 

[grabtherim]

we are going to see more and more of this style of play, with a bigger premium of intelligent players who can pass the ball, shoot the three, and are willing to sublimate their egos.  (Unless, of course, you can get an absolutely elite athlete like a Lebron or Westbrook or Rose, but there are only so many of those walking the planet).  This title run probably raises a guy like Doug McDermott's draft status three slots.  I think Golden State is best positioned to replicate the Spurs' success ... Steve Kerr wants to run a Pop-style system for sure, and he has a lot of the horses already in place to do so in Curry, Thompson, Iguodala, Draymond Green, Bogut. 

Hard to argue against Duncan being among the top ten NBA players of all time without ever calling attention to himself for one second.  He also has not pushed for maximum money which has allowed the Spurs to build, re-build and always stay in the title mix during his career. 
I love Popovich as a coach, but I don't see what he is doing as "his system".  First and foremost you need talented players.  Next and perhaps what separates good from great coaches, you have to get these talented players to buy into sharing the ball, finding the open man, helping on defense, all while playing hard and being unselfish.  This "system" that Pop has nearly perfected was well established by two great guys named Red.  Auerbach, 11 times in 13 seasons with Boston and Holzman 2 times in 4 seasons in New York.  Both had all time Hall of Fame talent, but more importantly like Popovich has 5 times in the last 15 years, were able to get their talent to play hungry to win as a team and to leave their egos at the door.  For Pop to do this in an age of inmates running the asylum makes what he has done that much more impressive.     

[middhoops]

Good point GTRim.  "Red" Popovich.

[jackson5]

Maker to Marist.

Jeff Goodman ‏@GoodmanESPN  16m
Marist is expected to hire Williams College head coach Mike Maker, source told ESPN.

[P'bearfan]

Maker to Marist.

Jeff Goodman ‏@GoodmanESPN  16m
Marist is expected to hire Williams College head coach Mike Maker, source told ESPN.

Wow.  If this is true it means that Williams is not only losing 43+% of it's total scoring from last year (via graduation of Epley, Mayer and company) but they're also losing their HBC.  That's a whole lot of change for one season - especially if the next coach runs a different offense.  Williams still has many, many talented players but this will be a big adjustment.

[toad22]

Maker has been the key to the turnaround in Eph basketball fortunes. The program was in complete disarray when he came (Remember the blow out loss up at Midd to end the season in 2009?). He brought the program back from the low ebb for at least 25 years to the national championship in two seasons. He is a relentless worker, one of the hardest worker I have observed in my life. He thinks his way through problems, and develops a course of action and then sticks with it. I admire him greatly, and am quite pessimistic that his success can be replicated.

[jackson5]

Maker to Marist.

Jeff Goodman ‏@GoodmanESPN  16m
Marist is expected to hire Williams College head coach Mike Maker, source told ESPN.

Wow.  If this is true it means that Williams is not only losing 43+% of it's total scoring from last year (via graduation of Epley, Mayer and company) but they're also losing their HBC.  That's a whole lot of change for one season - especially if the next coach runs a different offense.  Williams still has many, many talented players but this will be a big adjustment.

It's real.

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