MBB: NESCAC

[nescac1]

The Ephs have indeed struggled with turnovers.  But other than that, they've played very well -- rebounding really well on both ends, hitting their foul shots (including -- hooray -- several one-and-ones) and moving the ball for good shots.  The Ephs have also made Palleschi work very, very hard for his points.  Halaydna has been hot for Tufts, always wondered after his frosh year why that dude didn't end up as a big-time scorer for Tufts, talented player.  Teal swished three early triples for Williams after which Tufts was ALL over him. 

Williams has missed a few bunnies inside which has hurt them.  If the Ephs can just take care of the ball ...

[AmherstStudent05]

Amherst beats Midd 83-70. Story of the game was unquestionably Jeff Racy. Last week he went 0-6 from deep against Tufts, and today he was a workman like 6-6 from three. Reminds me a lot of James Klemm from a few years ago -- when he is on we just seem to have one too many weapons.

Adisa Majors, who I saw play in high school, had what had to be his best game in a Midd uniform. He was all over the place and really showed deft touch around the hoop. He has come alon way since I saw him play for Dalton.

MSA led all scorers with 20 points but I don't think this was his best night. In particular he seemed to struggle a bit on the defensive end against JMac as he was caught overplaying him a few times.

Another problem for Midd was that MSA was their only player to make a 3, so they did very little to make Amherst stretch its defense. As a result Amherst was able to clog the lane and help out down low with less risk.

Was it just me or did I hear a few "box out" calls from my webcast? Pretty funny.

In all seriousness though Amherst really needs to step up its free throw shooting. It ws totally abysmal tonight and this isn't the first time.  Sooner or later this will cost us big time if we don't get it fixed.

So now we need to root for Midd and ourselves tomorrow.  Always better when the NESCAC tournament runs through LeFrak.

[polbear73]

Huge win by Bowdoin over Wesleyan behind Jack Simonds' 27 and Lucas Hausman's 25 points as the Polar  Bears played their best game of the season. Bowdoin led by 18 with a little over 4 minutes to go as they controlled most of the second half.

[nescac1]

Tufts beats Williams by four.  Both teams played well, but Tufts made a few more big plays down the stretch, in particular a few big offensive rebounds (including one off a foul shot -- ahhhh!) when Williams could have cut down the lead.  Cole Teal hit some crazy deep threes late to give the Ephs a chance to tie on a late game possession, but Heskett's (who was a bit off with his shot all game, alas) very good look couldn't quite go down. 

The story was turnovers -- Tufts with only 4, Williams with 15.  As per the typical, the Ephs had a few that were just totally crazy, including one off an inbounds pass off a made basket, and a few where the ball just seemed to slip out of Bobby Casey's hands ... Scadlock and Aronowitz were both uber aggressive attacking the paint, which was needed, but that also resulted in getting a bit out of control at times leading to some other TOs.  Unfortunately, the Ephs' four best scorers (those three plus Teal) all continue to all have issues with turnovers.  Looking forward to them cleaning up that portion of their game as they mature (especially the two frosh), which I think will happen as they grow as players. 

For Williams, Aronowitz had yet another stellar all around game, with 22-9-5, he has cemented a place on the all-NESCAC first team.  Cole Teal was absolutely on fire tonight, hitting 17 points including 5-7 from three, and nearly all of those were very difficult shots.  He has really been in a fantastic shooting zone since the first month of the season.  Ed Flynn had a great game on the glass after recent struggles in that regard, finishing with 11 boards.  He also played good defense on Palleschi inside.  Kyle Scadlock had a good overall game as well, playing GREAT defense much of the game on Vinny Pace and tossing in 8 points and 7 boards on limited shot attempts.  Alas, the rest of the team collectively struggled to sink shots, especially Casey and Heskett, both of him seem to have a good game or two, followed by an off game or two -- again, young players.  I think Heskett typically makes that late game three in future years.  Would have liked to see Teal get that look the way he had it going, but Tufts surely was overplaying him and I'll take that shot from Heskett in general. 

For Tufts, Haladyna was on fire tonight, hitting shots from everywhere, deep 3's, mid-range jumpers, sweet drives to the hoop, plus icing the key free throws late.  He finished with 22, all seeming to come at key junctures.  Palleschi was a force on both ends but Williams' collection of big men really made him work very hard, he bulled his way to 17 points but it wasn't easy.  No one else stood out individually for Tufts, but again, they got a lot of easy baskets in transition off turnovers which continues to be the Ephs' achilles heel. 

Overall, a tough loss for Williams but they definitely played significantly better overall than they have in recent weeks.  Hopefully they can continue to build from here as we head to the postseason. 

[jumpshot]

Tufts gets a road win defeating Williams by 4, as Ephs commit 15 turnovers resulting in 15 points for the Jumbos.

As identified early in the season, basic skills have severely hampered the Ephs in reaching their potential this season ---unforced turnovers, erratic offensive possessions preventing any sustainable runs, individual defensive breakdowns such as uncontested baseline drives and open three-point shots, inability to defend the rim, and a hyper-dependence on their own long-range shooting.

It was also clear early on that this group, plus incoming talent, required a year or two to be competitive.

So, off-season skill,conditioning, strength development, etc. are critical.

In short, we'll be able to tell early next season how passionate these players will prove to be about improving in these correctable areas and bringing the energy and maturity necessary in the NESCAC.

[Old Guy]

Amherst beats Midd 83-70. Story of the game was unquestionably Jeff Racy. Last week he went 0-6 from deep against Tufts, and today he was a workman like 6-6 from three. Reminds me a lot of James Klemm from a few years ago -- when he is on we just seem to have one too many weapons.

Adisa Majors, who I saw play in high school, had what had to be his best game in a Midd uniform. He was all over the place and really showed deft touch around the hoop. He has come alon way since I saw him play for Dalton.

MSA led all scorers with 20 points but I don't think this was his best night. In particular he seemed to struggle a bit on the defensive end against JMac as he was caught overplaying him a few times.

Another problem for Midd was that MSA was their only player to make a 3, so they did very little to make Amherst stretch its defense. As a result Amherst was able to clog the lane and help out down low with less risk.

Was it just me or did I hear a few "box out" calls from my webcast? Pretty funny.

In all seriousness though Amherst really needs to step up its free throw shooting. It ws totally abysmal tonight and this isn't the first time.  Sooner or later this will cost us big time if we don't get it fixed.

So now we need to root for Midd and ourselves tomorrow.  Always better when the NESCAC tournament runs through LeFrak.

[Old Guy]

Amherst beats Midd 83-70. Story of the game was unquestionably Jeff Racy. Last week he went 0-6 from deep against Tufts, and today he was a workman like 6-6 from three. Reminds me a lot of James Klemm from a few years ago -- when he is on we just seem to have one too many weapons.

Adisa Majors, who I saw play in high school, had what had to be his best game in a Midd uniform. He was all over the place and really showed deft touch around the hoop. He has come alon way since I saw him play for Dalton.

MSA led all scorers with 20 points but I don't think this was his best night. In particular he seemed to struggle a bit on the defensive end against JMac as he was caught overplaying him a few times.

Another problem for Midd was that MSA was their only player to make a 3, so they did very little to make Amherst stretch its defense. As a result Amherst was able to clog the lane and help out down low with less risk.

Was it just me or did I hear a few "box out" calls from my webcast? Pretty funny.

In all seriousness though Amherst really needs to step up its free throw shooting. It ws totally abysmal tonight and this isn't the first time.  Sooner or later this will cost us big time if we don't get it fixed.

So now we need to root for Midd and ourselves tomorrow.  Always better when the NESCAC tournament runs through LeFrak.

Sorry. Hit "post" by mistake. "Old" Guy.

Am I right - did Amherst play very well tonight, both ends? Seems like every time Midd was poised for a run, Racy hit a three.
Majors was terrific for Middlebury, 30 minutes, 7-8 from the floor. Great story. Hamilton certainly gave the Bantams a run. Hope they have something left in the tank. Good luck to the Panthers in Hartford tomorrow.

Still student announcers, or just very young guys? They were okay, didn't clown. I would suggest they identify Amherst players by actual name, not nickname or first name (Rio, Nabo, Jayde, D.G., etc.), out of respect maybe for those who are not Amherst fans and are paying attention.

[AmherstStudent05]

Amherst beats Midd 83-70. Story of the game was unquestionably Jeff Racy. Last week he went 0-6 from deep against Tufts, and today he was a workman like 6-6 from three. Reminds me a lot of James Klemm from a few years ago -- when he is on we just seem to have one too many weapons.

Adisa Majors, who I saw play in high school, had what had to be his best game in a Midd uniform. He was all over the place and really showed deft touch around the hoop. He has come alon way since I saw him play for Dalton.

MSA led all scorers with 20 points but I don't think this was his best night. In particular he seemed to struggle a bit on the defensive end against JMac as he was caught overplaying him a few times.

Another problem for Midd was that MSA was their only player to make a 3, so they did very little to make Amherst stretch its defense. As a result Amherst was able to clog the lane and help out down low with less risk.

Was it just me or did I hear a few "box out" calls from my webcast? Pretty funny.

In all seriousness though Amherst really needs to step up its free throw shooting. It ws totally abysmal tonight and this isn't the first time.  Sooner or later this will cost us big time if we don't get it fixed.

So now we need to root for Midd and ourselves tomorrow.  Always better when the NESCAC tournament runs through LeFrak.

Sorry. Hit "post" by mistake. "Old" Guy.

Am I right - did Amherst play very well tonight, both ends? Seems like every time Midd was poised for a run, Racy hit a three.
Majors was terrific for Middlebury, 30 minutes, 7-8 from the floor. Great story. Hamilton certainly gave the Bantams a run. Hope they have something left in the tank. Good luck to the Panthers in Hartford tomorrow.

Still student announcers, or just very young guys? They were okay, didn't clown. I would suggest they identify Amherst players by actual name, not nickname or first name (Rio, Nabo, Jayde, D.G., etc.), out of respect maybe for those who are not Amherst fans and are paying attention.

Pity. I had just assumed that you were so enamored with my post that you decided to republish it without any additional commentary.

I think it is fair to say that Amherst really got after it and played well as a team on the defensive end.

I did not think we played that great at all on the offensive end actually, save for Jeff Racy who obviously bailed us out big time tonight. Obviously, if he doesn't go 6-6 (if he even went a still solid 3-6) this would be a much different game.

Midd needed to do a better job marking him but that is obviously easier said than done as he has such a quick release and all the other Amherst guards are so found of penetrating and kicking out.

[JEFFFAN]

Huge win by Bowdoin over Wesleyan behind Jack Simonds' 27 and Lucas Hausman's 25 points as the Polar  Bears played their best game of the season. Bowdoin led by 18 with a little over 4 minutes to go as they controlled most of the second half.

Very impressive win for the Polar Bears when they needed it.

[nescacobserver]

Amherst just figures out a way to win, consistently.  A lot of weapons, for this level.  Shooters.  Bigs.  Good players coming off the bench, who would be starters on many other Nescac teams (Riopel, Conklin, Berman). Well coached team, who just know how to finish games out when it's close.

[amh70]

Actually the ream played really well with Berman at point and Conklin in the post, and usually does. I really feel uneasy when Dawson mans the point, he dribbles incessantly and 4 other guys stand around watching. I'm not sure why Hixon doesn't see the same thing?

[nescacobserver]

I totally agree with you amh70.  That lineup of Green, McCarthy, Berman, Racy and Conklin is a good one.  Berman is not looking to be a hero and just facilitates the offense (as a point guard should), getting people the ball in the right places.  Things seem to flow better when he's out there, although he does tend to get stuck in tight places and prone to turning the ball over.  When Dawson is out there, he is looking shot first, pass second, so a lot of the perimeter players end up forcing bad shots because they know they will have limited opportunities on getting good touches.  The offense just seems more stagnant when Dawson is running point.  Could go either way with George vs Conklin.  Each have their unique strengths, but Conklin seems like the more solid, consistent big at this point.  Highly doubt Hixon will change up the starting lineup at this point, though, so late in the season.

[AmherstStudent05]

Actually the ream played really well with Berman at point and Conklin in the post, and usually does. I really feel uneasy when Dawson mans the point, he dribbles incessantly and 4 other guys stand around watching. I'm not sure why Hixon doesn't see the same thing?

Jayde has done plenty of great things for us this season.  While they obviously have completely different games, in many ways Jayde reminds me a lot of Connor Green -- capable of some incredible highs and some head-scratching lows (although, on second thought, this season Connor may be our most consistent player).

Jayde has a much higher upside than Reid but he also has stretches where he consistently makes poor decisions and does bog down the offense.  I think Hixon clearly recognizes this -- it is why Berman played more than Dawson last night. (Berman also uncharacteristically knocked down both of his three point attempts last night which was huge for us.)

Again, as I have said before, I don't think this is any great mystery. When Dawson isn't playing well, Hixon plays Berman instead.  But Jayde is much too talented not to get the first crack game in and game out. 

[GoWesYoungMan]

Impressive performance by Bowdoin last night. Wes did not have a great game but it was really more about what the Polar Bears did right vs. what the Cards did wrong. To take the burden off P'bear's statistical analysis, I did a little if my own and can say with confidence that when Bowdoin hits 12/26 three point shots and out-rebounds its opponent 42-32 they will win over 90% of their games.
Wes needs to regroup fast as they face an experienced, talented Colby team with a chip on its shoulder and lots to play for.

[polbear73]

Impressive performance by Bowdoin last night. Wes did not have a great game but it was really more about what the Polar Bears did right vs. what the Cards did wrong. To take the burden off P'bear's statistical analysis, I did a little if my own and can say with confidence that when Bowdoin hits 12/26 three point shots and out-rebounds its opponent 42-32 they will win over 90% of their games.
Wes needs to regroup fast as they face an experienced, talented Colby team with a chip on its shoulder and lots to play for.

I agree with your assessment, GoWes. The Cards did, in fact, run into a buzz saw, a game that Bowdoin had fans hoped was there, but hadn't seen except for brief flashes during the year. Wesleyan is obviously a very talented and athletic team that played with a lot of heart, but they ran into "one of those nights". No doubt that Wesleyan will regroup.

The real question for the Polar Bears is sustainability, especially against a good Conn College team. Some good games today with a lot still on the line.