MBB: NESCAC

[nescac1]

This is not Nescac related, but I had to share with my fellow hoops die hards.  I know the new incoming Amherst recruit plays volleyball as well, so perhaps he could practice this play:

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-ball-dont-lie/utah-s-trevor-booker-hits-the-shot-of-the-season-in-0-2-seconds-024101951.html

[nescac1]

Heck of a competition this week for NESCAC POTW:

Wohl: 30-12.5-1.5
Lin: 21.5-1-11
George: 20-9-1.3 (in three games)
Hudnut: 24-10-3 (in three games)
Hausman: 25-3.3-2 (in three games)

I think it has to be Wohl just for the sheer degree of difficulty of what he accomplished, but four of those guys (all but Hausman, who will need to show he can sustain this level) all staked an early claim to a spot on the all-NESCAC first team (Dylan Sinnickson and Graham Safford based on overall early-season play likely belong in that conversation as well).  And Lin has to be the most improved player in the league ... rarely do you see an upperclassman make such enormous strides in one year, perhaps it was that late growth spurt or just lots of reps with his brother, but he has skyrocketed from a rarely impactful bench player last year, to a top-notch sixth man to start this season, to the starter and star of his team by the mid-point of this season.  Too bad Matt Hart didn't stick around, because if so, Hamilton would have a REALLY fun backcourt right now.  Hausman is also having a big break out year for Bowdoin, which is no surprise based on the glimpses of explosive scoring ability he showed last year. 

[Bucket]

Midd struggling big time in Medford, trailing by 12 after 20 minutes of play. Panthers have no answer for Palleschi and can't buy a basket on the other end (1-7 from 3 and 3-7 from the stripe).

In addition to a big half from Palleschi, Jumbos have 17 points from the bench. And all of this without Sabety, who is in street clothes with a knee injury. Jumbo reserves certainly making the most of their opportunities.

If the Panthers are to get back into the game in the second half, it will have to be on the defensive end--getting stops, hitting the boards, and chipping away with transition hoops.

[Bucket]

Midd evens the game at 47 with 12:00 remaining, and then next  thing you know, the Jumbos reel off 7 quick points, then go on a 17-3 run and don't look back, cruising to a 17-point victory. Big props to Tufts for not folding when Midd got right back in it.

Disappointing weekend for the Panthers, obviously. Time to go home, get healthy, regroup, and come back strong on Friday.

[jumbo_hoops]

Great game played by the Jumbos today against Midd in Medford. Tarik Smith has had some shaky games this season but completely amped up his game today with 20 points (possibly a career high?). He clearly has great potential. Palleschi also played extremely well. As you said before Bucket, all of this without Sabety. I wonder how the game would have turned out with both of Tufts' big men on the court.

[Vandy74]

Hats off to Tufts this afternoon.  A complete game performance.  Palleshi could do no wrong and Tarik Smith seemed able to score at will.  Just to name a couple of Jumbos.  This was the definitive team win.  Everybody came to play.  The absence of Sabety only seemed to bring out their best and this was the kind of game that many of us expected Tufts to bring regularly this season.  A tough weekend for the Panthers.  They'll bounce back.   

[polbear73]

Does anyone else have the feeling that 6-4 may win the regular season title?

[Bucket]

Great game played by the Jumbos today against Midd in Medford. Tarik Smith has had some shaky games this season but completely amped up his game today with 20 points (possibly a career high?). He clearly has great potential. Palleschi also played extremely well. As you said before Bucket, all of this without Sabety. I wonder how the game would have turned out with both of Tufts' big men on the court.

I almost see Palleschi's game today as addition by subtraction. He had such a phenomenal game today, which he is obviously capable of on any given day, when the Jumbos needed it most with Hunter out. With Sabety on the floor, Palleschi gets fewer touches, for one. But this is a silly exercise. Whether the Jumbos would have won by 30, 17, or 7 with Sabety on the floor is moot. What I think this game does for Tufts, though, is give them confidence and demonstrate their high ceiling, especially once Hunter comes back.

[jumbo_hoops]

I agree with that Bucket; some of the Tufts players will definitely realize their potential, and hopefully already did, after todays game. I definitely have high hopes for the Jumbos this season.

[toad22]

7-3 seems like a good record to tie for the top spot. There just doesn't seem to be a team, or several teams, which is clearly on top. Having seen Trinity and Amherst up close this weekend, I would regard both as good teams, but teams with significant flaws, just like my Ephs. Certainly the Jumbos are right in the mix, though their overall record isn't good. I'm hoping that Williams can scratch and claw out a couple of more wins while Rooke-Ley's hand recovers, that we make it into the NESCAC tournament, then try to win it from there. Probably nearly every fan in the league feels that way. The next few weeks should be fun!

[grabtherim]

Congrats to the Jumbos on an excellent effort and win. Any Tufts fans know when the last win over Midd was?  Tufts showed some real chops when Midd tied it and they responded by immediately going on another big run.  Palleshi was the story of the game.  He was virtually unstoppable.  Smith played an excellent game, highlighted by the big 3 to take the lead right back after it had disappeared.  I hope the prognosticators are right who say the league may well be won with 4 losses.  Gives Midd a puncher's chance after a lost weekend.       

[Old Guy]

Heck of a competition this week for NESCAC POTW:

Wohl: 30-12.5-1.5
Lin: 21.5-1-11
George: 20-9-1.3 (in three games)
Hudnut: 24-10-3 (in three games)
Hausman: 25-3.3-2 (in three games)

Sinnickson -55 pts (18.5), 30 rebounds in 3 games: pretty good week, the one constant for the 1-2 Panthers. He has played at a consistently high level this season. 25 and 7 against Tufts today. Every game, he does two or three things that make you look at your neighbor and shake your head. What an athlete. Two years ago he led the Panther baseball team in hitting, played centerfield, and batted lead-off. The Baseball coach said he's the fastest player he's had going from home to first. He's fun to watch.

Midd has Castleton this week (hardly a sure thing), then the CT schools at home. Must put this weekend behind them, regroup, get a couple good nights' sleep, go to class, enjoy some familiar routines, be fresh for the weekend. Lots of hoop still to be played.

[nescac1]

A few updates on the all-crazy statistical front:

Colby's Luke Westman, who has always been a crazy-efficient shooter for a guard, has taken it up a level this year: he is shooting 73 percent on the year!  I'm not sure I've ever seen a NESCAC guard who scores over 10 ppg shoot over 60 percent from the field, let alone 70!  He's also attempting more shots this season, and averaging over 14 ppg.  He doesn't shoot threes (and I imagine he doesn't shoot many jumpers, period?) which I'm sure helps his average, but wow, that is an amazing stat for a point guard.  His stat line across the board -- 14 ppg, 4 rpg, 4 apg, 1.5 spg, .5 bpg, is really impressive.  Colby rebounded from a very poor stretch of play, four losses in six games including two really bad losses, to post a very impressive weak: beating top-25 Husson and then sweeping the Wesleyan/Conn road weekend.  Like almost every team in NESCAC, they are really hard to figure out, but certainly, they have two of the better players in the league, plus one x-factor guy in Willson.  When Willson is playing well, they are tough to beat. 

In other all-crazy stat news, Ben Ferris FINALLY hit his first two FTAs of the season vs. Midd -- he is now 2-4.  An equally incredible stat for a starting guard.  It's sad that the last few years of injuries have robbed him of his prior explosiveness ... his first two years in the league, he was really difficult to keep from getting to the hole.  Tufts has had as many bad breaks as anyone in NESCAC with injuries and illness, between Palleschi missing all of last year, Ferris playing but not nearly the same guy (think James Wang his senior year, playing after a serious back injury), and now Sabety out for ?. 

Finally, Amherst PG Reid Berman, playing nearly 20 mpg over his last five games, has a total of two points on only FOUR shot attempts -- less than one per game!  He is an excellent distributor and adept at getting teammates involved, but there is unselfish, and then there is unselfish to a fault ...

[jayhawk]

Article about Amherst Women's Basketball Team in NY Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/12/sports/ncaabasketball/at-amherst-division-iii-team-with-no-1-ambition.html?ref=sports

[gordonmann]

Wow.  That's really nice. I look forward to reading that later.