MBB: NESCAC

[nescac1]

I'd also like to see Matt Hart and Dylan Sinnickson make contributions ... let's face it, Robinson was an outlier, the most talented player (I think it's safe to say) to enter NESCAC in decades, and one of the most talented we've seen in D3 ball during the same time period.  Still, if he can be big-time at Michigan, that will certainly reflect favorably on D3 in general.  But if a few other NESCAC guys (including, eventually, Sabety), none of whom were ever the best player in the league, can make meaningful contributions, that to me will be more significant, proving that MULTIPLE NESCAC players (as I believe) would make very good D1 players, not just one historical outlier ...

[quicksilver]

Duncan Robinson continuing to impress at Michigan:

https://www.michigandaily.com/section/basketball/duncan-robinson-living-preseason-hype-0

Great stuff -- it will be fun to have a D1 rooting interest this year -- hope that Duncan can live up to the hype and will be fascinating to watch his D1 career unfold . .

[P'bearfan]

I'd also like to see Matt Hart and Dylan Sinnickson make contributions ... let's face it, Robinson was an outlier, the most talented player (I think it's safe to say) to enter NESCAC in decades, and one of the most talented we've seen in D3 ball during the same time period. 

nescac1 - great point about Robinson being an outlier.  +K to you.   I'd also like to see Sinnickson and Hart do well as they are perhaps more representative of very good DIII players.  However, for better or worse, I'm much more likely to see Robinson play and if he does well, the media will love the narrative of an over-looked guy from a small school succeeding on the big stage.

[middhoops]

One of the best quotes ever in the Duncan article.  "You almost get confused when he misses."

[P'bearfan]

http://grantland.com/the-triangle/the-nbas-next-shooting-revolution-has-already-been-televised/

Great article in Grantland about the importance of ball movement to scoring.  Only wish we had these stats for NESCAC teams.

[Old Guy]

So what's the inside story on Duncan Robinson and his D3 Williams dalliance for a year? I have friends at Bates who said he checked in there - and first person accounts about his interest in Middlebury. He was a great player at Exeter, an absolute top-of-the-line prep program. Why did he not elicit interest at the outset from D1 programs: a 6'8" swingman who could shoot the rock? It's not like those guys are a dime a dozen. True, Williams is the best D3 athletic program in the country year-after-year, but how did he, an "outlier" to be sure, end up in NESCAC and not in a D1 program, out of Exeter?

Can you help us with this, NESCAC1?

[Mr. Ypsi]

So what's the inside story on Duncan Robinson and his D3 Williams dalliance for a year? I have friends at Bates who said he checked in there - and first person accounts about his interest in Middlebury. He was a great player at Exeter, an absolute top-of-the-line prep program. Why did he not elicit interest at the outset from D1 programs: a 6'8" swingman who could shoot the rock? It's not like those guys are a dime a dozen. True, Williams is the best D3 athletic program in the country year-after-year, but how did he, an "outlier" to be sure, end up in NESCAC and not in a D1 program, out of Exeter?

Can you help us with this, NESCAC1?

Because he weighed about 78 pounds??  I saw him in Salem in 2014 - he was 'wispy' even by D3 standards!  The year-off due to the transfer has done wonders - the Michigan strength coach probably deserves a raise!  If he had been able to play Big 10 b'ball last year, he would have gotten killed.  By this year, I have great hopes he can be a star.

[toad22]

The first thing that stands out regarding the recruitment of Duncan Robinson is the fact that he grew a lot between his graduation from Governor's Academy, and his debut at Michigan. In his senior year at Governors, he was 6'5". The summer between his senior year and his PG year at Exeter, he was hurt, and missed the big showcase events. Mike Maker had been recruiting Duncan during his time at Governors. Duncan accepted an early decision spot at Williams during the fall of the Exeter year. By the end of the Exeter year, Duncan had grown to 6'7". He was attracting a lot of attention from Ivy and Patriot League teams, but did not waver from his Williams commitment. During Duncan's time at Williams, he grew to at least 6'8", and had filled out enough to attract John Beilein's attention at the end of his first year at Williams. Duncan is a late-bloomer, who probably won't fully mature till he is 25 or more. That is my take on it.

[nescac1]

Speaking of D3 steals, ace shooter Tommy Mobley to Amherst.  Amherst and Williams both are having very strong ED rounds:

https://www.bostonherald.com/sports/high_school/high_school_insider/2015/10/high_school_boys_basketball_former_herald_dream

[jayhawk]

Mobley is a super player, ranked 39th best player in New England this year
Great player at Newton North, did not anticipate this
His brother player played at Newton North and Yale


Mobley announcement

Tommy Mobley ‏@Tmobilez_Mobley  12h12 hours ago
This might surprise some, but I've decided to commit to Amherst College. @Amherstbball let's get a 3rd national championship 🏀🏀🏀@ExeterHoop

[ronk]

Nescac/amh63,
  Had that previously-mentioned visit to Wtown yesterday afternoon after 4 days on Cape Cod and 1 in the Berkshires(foliage is 40% peak & 7-10 days delayed from peak but still beautiful):
   on the 1st day of bball practice for the non-Nescac schools, was going to stop in the gym(Scranton played Husson there in an NCAA regional 5? years ago) and look up the HC for any info about Williams or the NESCAC bball but wife was anxious to eat lunch after waiting for me to hike up path behind Clark Art and we still had MA MOCA to visit later in day, so I passed it up.
   lunch @ Pappa Charlie's; didn't see either of your names for the sandwiches; did see Johnny Fever's name & pic on the Hall of Fame; walked past the Purple Pub afterwards on the way to the parking lot.
   MA MOCA-some interesting exhibits for a guy not big on galleries; restrooms named for Tarses Family-saw Jay Tarses w/Tom Patchett as a standup comic act @ Cellar Door club in Georgetown(DC) in late '60s; going to drop Jay a line that I still enjoy his work as late as yesterday.
  Expecting Scranton to have another NCAA-worthy team(3 starters w a good FR and Xfer); let the games begin!   

[P'bearfan]

I listened to John Belien's Big 10 Media Day interview / press conference.  I was a little disappointed that there was no mention of Duncan Robinson as he will bring so much needed 3 point shooting to them.  However, to be fair, there was less discussion of individual players overall compared to some of the other coaches.  Wish DR well in the upcoming season!

Can't wait for the NESCAC season to begin!!

[30 for 30]

Matt Hart ready to roll. Opening eyes in DC in the midnight madness dunk contest. He will be deep in the GW rotation


https://twitter.com/gw_mbb/status/655197656344612864

[iwumichigander]

The first thing that stands out regarding the recruitment of Duncan Robinson is the fact that he grew a lot between his graduation from Governor's Academy, and his debut at Michigan. In his senior year at Governors, he was 6'5". The summer between his senior year and his PG year at Exeter, he was hurt, and missed the big showcase events. Mike Maker had been recruiting Duncan during his time at Governors. Duncan accepted an early decision spot at Williams during the fall of the Exeter year. By the end of the Exeter year, Duncan had grown to 6'7". He was attracting a lot of attention from Ivy and Patriot League teams, but did not waver from his Williams commitment. During Duncan's time at Williams, he grew to at least 6'8", and had filled out enough to attract John Beilein's attention at the end of his first year at Williams. Duncan is a late-bloomer, who probably won't fully mature till he is 25 or more. That is my take on it.

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaab-the-dagger/how-duncan-robinson-made-the-leap-from-division-iii-to-michigan-232239550.html
The above article gives more insight to the Duncan Robinson story. "He stood only 5-foot-7 entering his freshman year at Governor's Academy in Byfield, Mass", per the article.  I recall a different article I read last year in which it basically said Robinson played guard until growth spurt (as I recall) between his junior and senior years.  Late bloomer (as you put it) or simply having to adjust to a growing body, Robinson was a kid with developed guard skills (ball handling, shooting and court sense) who found himself almost over night in a small/power forward body. With the injury you noted, and still developing to a growing body, he simply would have not attracted D1 or D2 serious attention as a high school prep senior other than the Ivy league.

With Robinson's skill set, Maker a former experience as a Beilein assistant, and John Beilein's style of game; Michigan was a really good fit for Robinson.  You have to be able to play all 5 positions to fit in the Beiein system. And, having to sit out a year per NCAA rules, he worked with the strength and conditioning staff at Michigan to add 30 pounds of strength and muscle to his 185 D3 body.  At a reportedly 215 6'8" and a year to absorb the Beilein system (and it takes most players 12 - 18 months to understand it), Robinson will see playing time this season.  The reports from Ann Arbor sources are pretty good.

[middhoops]

iwumichigander, great assessment.  is it possible that you and nescac1 are sons of different mothers?  (this is a sincere compliment.)