MBB: NESCAC

[P'bearfan]

http://www.umhoops.com/2015/07/13/mailbag-x-factors-wing-targets-backup-center/

At least one UM basketball blogger believes that Duncan Robinson could be the X-factor next season for the Wolverines.

[30 for 30]

Matt Hart also mentioned prominently a few times in the GW blog covering the Kenner League played each summer at Georgetown. 2cents and pops gave comments after the 7/18 game.


http://www.gwhoops.com/default.aspx?mid=0axkqpym92

[WPI89]

Colby coming to WPI Nov 20/21.  Matchups tbd  (Staten Island and Curry the other 2 teams).  Staten Island won the NY Metro ECAC last year - they only graduated 1 player (a contributing non-starter) and should prove a tough test.  I would assume WPI will schedule Curry and have Colby/SI battle it out in the first round - but I am just surmising.

So WPI could have Bates, Tufts, and Colby this year.

[TheHerst2and4]

The Amherst men's team is about to embark on a 10 day trip to Italy. The roster consists of last year's underclassmen; no incoming freshman will partake in the trip. They have two games on the schedule. It'll be a wonderful experience for the team and a great bonding opportunity to build team chemistry. Pre-game meals of fresh pasta and mozzarella...jealous.
For those interested, the school has posted a blog to follow the trip: https://amherstmensbasketball.wordpress.com/

[nescac1]

Fantastic article on Duncan Robinson, with lots of quotes from him and Maker and details on the transfer process.  Both guys are still hugely missed at Williams, but a new era is beginning in earnest with Kevin App's large first recruiting class coming in this fall.  Will surely be growing pains this year with an incredibly young team, but the program rebounded after Nogelo and Sheehy left, then after Paulsen left, and it will be back to national prominence after a few years of App's recruiting and maturation by the young guys, I'm confident!

http://www.mlive.com/wolverines/index.ssf/2015/08/duncan_robinson.html

[P'bearfan]

nescac1....thanks for the great article....it will be fun to see how he does this year.  Best of luck to him.

[Hoop4Life]

Great story. I am glad Maker supported his move. However, Maker would not have been supportive if he didn't make the move to Marist. Kevin App would have had an easier first year at the helm, but App seem to be very aggressive with his first set of recruits. I think they will surprise many. Can't wait.

[amh63]

First "bits" of info coming out of Amherst.....other than TheHerst2and4's post wrt to the team's trip blog to Italy.
Early and incomplete schedule is out.  First game is on the 20 th of Nov....Ken Wright Tourny....with opponents TBA.  There is three straight home games in Nov., followed by all away games in the month of December.  There are two away games to start the month of Jan.  The first home game in Jan. is with ECSU on a Tues., followed by a game with Williams...the one that counts in the conf....on Friday.
There is listed a new assistant coach on board with no bio or pic as well as no announcements of the hire.  Guess Coach Hixon has been busy on the upcoming trip and other matters .
The areas in Italy seems to very much like the stops my sons made recently.....separately with their wives...on vacations.
Need to point out here that TheHerst2and4 has some Italian heritage! .  I'm jealous too!

[amh63]

I did some homework.  New Amherst assist. Coach is J.D. EY.  He is a native of N.C....was a player at W.& L.....an assist coach at Washington and Lee...and recently finished  a graduate deg at UMass-Amherst.  More importantly, he was a tough front court player and captain for his team.  The two assistants that departed were both front court players at Amherst.  Need some experienced coach who can stare the young front court players in the eye while coaching them, IMO.
Wait....coach Ey stands only at 6'6"...will be looking up at most of the true front court players available and coming in. .  Still he was a big rebounder for the Generals in his playing days..and scorer in the tough ODAC.  Believe his former head coach may have given him a fine recommendation...being an Amherst grad.
Interesting that both of the recently hired assistant coaches are from the state of North Carolina...Aaron Toomey being the other. 

[nescac1]

Update on James Wang's professional career.  Good to see the various health issues that plagued him the last year and a half of his college career seem to be behind him (and that 2011 Williams team that lost at the buzzer to Wooster in the Final Four remains the second-greatest (the greatest will always be, what if Duncan Robinson had stuck around) what-if in Eph history -- needless to say, had the Eph all-Americans Troy Whittington not broken his hand and James Wang not messed up his back, I feel pretty confident about that team vs. anyone that postseason). 

Also interesting that Wang is married to former women's hoops stand-out Danny Rainer ... I just hope their kids end up at Williams ! 

http://ephsports.williams.edu/sports/mbkb/2015-16/releases/20150810s7rmgo

Another hoops tidbit, Dan Aronowitz, Jake Brown, and Tom Palleschi, who should all be all-NESCAC candidates, are playing together and touring Europe this summer: http://ephsports.williams.edu/sports/mbkb/2014-15/releases/20150803ihff16. 

All three guys are absolutely key for their respective teams, if any of them hope to move up a bit in the NESCAC rankings ... Aronowitz will be the Ephs' best player most likely, and needs to consistently play at the very high level he showed he was capable of in several games last year, Palleschi needs to dominate the middle for Tufts and play big minutes with Sabety transferring out, and Brown is the engine that makes Midd run and will need to take on a bit more of the scoring load with Sinnickson and Merryman departing. 

[amh63]

Surprise bit of info coming out of Amherst.  Website has the announcement of the Italy trip.  On the trip blog site, one finds Coach Hixon's comments on the trip planning, etc.  The surprise....Captain Ben Pollack, senior, will make the trip but will MISS playing this season.  Ben tore his other ACL over the Summer! He never made playing impact last season due to his slow recovery from the ACL injury he had late in his soph season.  Ben was a major contributor in his freshman year....the 2013 Title season....especially providing relief/backup for the starting center.  Pollack provided both scoring and rebounds with his quickness and toughness down low, especially in the post- season, IMO.
The large junior class will now need to provide the depth on both defense and offense this season...especially during the early part of the season when the newbies get integrated.

[amh70]

Speaking of Amherst recruits, anyone have a complete list for 2015?

[P'bearfan]

Captain Ben Pollack, senior, will make the trip but will MISS playing this season.  Ben tore his other ACL over the Summer!

Very sorry to hear that.  Hope there's some chance he can recover enough to get a little playing time by the end of the year. 

[amh63]

Welcome aboard Amh70!   Yes, I am aware to a degree of the expected members of the Class of 2019.  I hope I will not get in trouble with saying that I expect to see four new players...two front court players and two " backcourt" players.   However in today's student athletes, what is a backcourt player?  Amherst presently has over three guards that are listed at 6'5" that can handle the ball, rebound, and score inside and outside.  The anticipated two guards have been previously posted...as well as the big front court player.
Any more info from me and I will be in the doghouse...again.

[middhoops]

Very sorry to hear about Pollack's injury.  His potential has always been great but health issues derailed his basketball career.  Good thing he is at Amherst where he leaves with a top shelf education, regardless of his bad luck with a game I'm sure he loves.