MBB: NESCAC

[ContinentalDomer]

Re: JMac comment - his father most certainly played at Amherst; his mother was also a student-athlete at Amherst.

nescac1......thanks for the info on the latest "recruit" for Amherst.  Several comments.  The timing of the info and an earlier Jayhawk post suggest that Vic may have been a regular acceptance recruit...from Florida no less.  I had thought about the future needs for the LJs, and one was at the PG position.....never can have enough talented PGs, especially looking at the recent March Madness games in both the women and men's brackets.
Viewed the highlight  videos of Vic in his school's championship run games.  Caught a comment that Dick Vitale was at the Championship game and asked Vic what schools he was interested in.....thought Vic was a Mid to High Div1 talent...interested in following his progress.  Projecting forward ahead....can you picture Dicky V. at a NESCAC game between Williams vs Amherst game in LeFrak.  I cannot!
On the subject of recruiting and travel budget for such.....have several personnel notes.  HBC Hixon has in a number of interviews and conversations wrt alums often referred to his "network"...my label here....around the country of knowledgeable contacts/friends/alums/coaches built over the years that provide leads to possible recruits for Amherst.  Helps when you have been around for decades and have built a top notch D3 program.  Anyway, this saves on the travel budget...whatever the size.  There is also the Alumni connection....wrt legacy.  I remarked in a post early in the season after a game at the Hoopsville/ Stevenson tourny that I spoke to the Un. of Chicago HBC.  He remarked that he had interest in Reid Berman....being from the Chicago area and such.  I mentioned that Berman's grandfather was an Amherst Alum and his followed on remarks indicated to me that explained to him why Reid arrived at Amherst...maybe the reason he lost a talented PG.
One also must remember that the conference ROY...Johnny Mac.....has a strong connection to Amherst.  His father is an Alum and may have played at Amherst.

[amh63]

ContinentalDomer....welcome to the board!   Thanks for the info wrt to JMac...plus K.
Personally, need to come up with a shorter "handle" for you...since I am not a good typist on a tablet among many mental limitations.

[ContinentalDomer]

I'll try to work on that. How 'bout "CD" ... ?

[amh63]

ContinentalDomer...thanks for providing an option for me. 
With respect to the young recruit...looks like a talented student- athlete in TWO sports...and plucked from under the nose of the MA. schools.  May make more of an impact on the football field early than on the hardwood...is my guess.  Of multi- sport athletes, it is a harder road for football and BB combo....imo...due to the back to back nature of the sport schedule on top of school!  It has been done with great success by a number of posters on this board.  Two senior star football players tried it their FY, but the Amherst QB and WR in the end...picked football.  In any case, the coaches at Hamilton will have inputs, I'm sure...especially the one who had a "tip" exercised.

[amh63]

It's as official as it can get.....Matt Goldsmith'08 is the the new HBC at TCNJ.  Both Amherst and TCNJ  websites now have write ups of Matt's appointment and credentials.

[ContinentalDomer]

He is a basketball commit for Hamilton. The football film was an FYI as I spotted some old posts that discussed his options/choices.

Personally, I think it is too difficult to play those sports in back to back seasons in a way that can maximize development and potential in both - but particularly so in basketball, as the recovery period alone from football will compromise a good chunk of the hoop season.

Given some of Hamilton's recent struggles on the gridiron, the prospect of becoming a human pin cushion may ensure an end to the football piece.

ContinentalDomer...thanks for providing an option for me. 
With respect to the young recruit...looks like a talented student- athlete in TWO sports...and plucked from under the nose of the MA. schools.  May make more of an impact on the football field early than on the hardwood...is my guess.  Of multi- sport athletes, it is a harder road for football and BB combo....imo...due to the back to back nature of the sport schedule on top of school!  It has been done with great success by a number of posters on this board.  Two senior star football players tried it their FY, but the Amherst QB and WR in the end...picked football.  In any case, the coaches at Hamilton will have inputs, I'm sure...especially the one who had a "tip" exercised.

[nescac1]

Some Eph recruiting news:

"Kyle Scadlock recently committed to Williams College!"

http://www.ncsasports.org/mens-basketball-recruiting/oh/chagrin-falls/university-school1/kyle-scadlock

He missed nearly his entire senior year to an injury, but looks like a guy who can play early for the Ephs if he is healthy ... an athletic 6'6 wing who can handle and shoot. 

[Hoop4Life]

Wow, the Ephs are loading up. The coach seems to be going with the run and gun offence with a lot of perimeter shooting. They should be in the top half of NESCAC table next season. I believe they have 3 wings, 1 guard and one post player in the incoming class.

[amh63]

Hoop4Life...welcome aboard.  Though Williams does recruit very well...a word of caution wrt to the new recruits.  Even if all become freshman impact players to some degree on the offensive side, it is rare that talented players adjust to the defensive aspects of the conference quickly, IMO.
Do not believe the HBC will run the "Grinnell" system at Williams.

[P'bearfan]

Wow, the Ephs are loading up. The coach seems to be going with the run and gun offence with a lot of perimeter shooting. They should be in the top half of NESCAC table next season. I believe they have 3 wings, 1 guard and one post player in the incoming class.

Hoop4Life....welcome to the board.  Always great to have a new voice.

The Ephs are a traditional conference and national power and no doubt their new HBC will have them competitive again soon.  However, one of the issues that they'll need to address is a lack of an interior game and / or rebounding.  Everyone loves and needs outside shooting but that was far and away the Ephs' strength last year and it wasn't enough.

[nescac1]

I think most Eph fans recognize that next year is very likely to be a rebuilding year.  The team lost in the first round of the NESCAC tournament, and then graduated two of the best players in NESCAC, plus a third valuable role player.  No one on the team is likely to be a pre-season all-NESCAC type guy; Dan Aronowitz as the lone returning double-digit scorer is the closest thing the Ephs have to a star, but he will have to grow his game a lot to go from great-at-times but inconsistent third option to first option on offense.  While there are a lot of frosh with good size coming in (and some elements of the class still seem to be in flux), none is a guarantee instant-star type from what I can see (certainly, no one like a Duncan Robinson).  This is a team that was supposed to be built around Duncan Robinson and a lot of solid role players.  Now some of those role players will be thrust into the role of leading men, by necessity.  For the first time since the 2006-08 era, this is a Williams squad without a single all-America candidate heading into the season. 

Meanwhile, much of the competition next year is loaded -- the two NESCAC finalists both return every player of note and look like potential top-10 teams, nationally.  Tufts will have two nationally-elite big men, presumably both healthy, and some good shooting on the wing.  Colby and Trinity have loaded senior classes and both will be in do-or-die mode next year.  Bates returns a great frontcourt, Bowdoin the best player in NESCAC, and Midd a great backcourt.  Even Conn figures to be much improved.  For the first time that I can recall, at least in many years, Williams on paper will be the underdog vs. the majority of its NESCAC opponents.  I do think the future is bright and a lot of young players will have the opportunity to really grow over the course of the year, but while in past year a successful year for Williams was defined as winning NESCAC and/or making it to Salem, this year will be more about the process, and developing as a cohesive and competitive team over the course of the season. 

[amh63]

Nice setting up the posters here to think that the Ephs will be in FULL rebuilding mode Nescac1!
Williams always pull a few big surprises during the season and can never be overlooked....especially at home.
Curious wrt your noting that the squad maybe in a state of "flux".  Getting a big transfer player?  More talented football players?

[nescac1]

The Ephs are certainly in full rebuilding mode: only one returning guy averaged double figure scoring, how could they not be???  And even with a large frosh class coming in, frosh are frosh.  It's the least experienced Williams team I can ever recall.

The in flux is both positive and negative.  On the negative side, Ephs lost a pretty big time recruit who is now looking at D1 options.  Pretty unusual for an ED recruit to bag on a commitment:

@pollonpreps: viewpoint's miye oni no longer going to williams college (mass.), exploring division 1 options with interest from ivy league, uc riverside

[jayhawk]

Miye Oni story sounds very similar Duncan Robinson. Recruited by D3 schools summer before senior year, commits early decision and then goes on to have a blockbuster senior year. However after the success  of his senior year he decided to switch to a DI school. Part of this may stem from fact that a junior player on his high school team I believe just committed to play basketball at Harvard

[Mr. Ypsi]

Miye Oni story sounds very similar Duncan Robinson. Recruited by D3 schools summer before senior year, commits early decision and then goes on to have a blockbuster senior year. However after the success  of his senior year he decided to switch to a DI school. Part of this may stem from fact that a junior player on his high school team I believe just committed to play basketball at Harvard

Coincidentally, the Detroit Free Press had an article on DR this morning.  Michigan HBC Beilein really regretted that DR couldn't play this past year, as their single greatest weakness was lack of 3-point shooting.  (I finally found what 3-point record DR had broken: Beilein has a '50 in 5' test, where players must make at least 50 3-pointers in 5 minutes.  Nik Stauskas, now in the NBA, had the previous record in the low 70s; DR smashed the record last fall with 83!)  Working with the UM strength coaches has had the desired effect: DR has added 17 pounds of muscle since he arrived.  The only thing which may cut his playing time now is that his defense is still nowhere near Big Ten standards, but is improving.