MBB: NESCAC

[D3HforLife]

(3)Amherst - The Mammoths! It feels like fans are a little down on Hixon's platoon after, relative to Amherst standards, a tumultuous past few years following the glory days of Toomey, Workman, Williamson, and Company. Now, in a weird turn of events I feel like they are being a little bit overlooked going into the 2017-2018 campaign. Johnny McCarthy is most definitely in the running for NESCAC POY as he returns for his senior go around. He is an all-time tough shot maker who is going to leave this year with a pretty impressive four year individual resume. What is missing for J-Mac are some championships and something tells me he is itching to not be left out of the jewelry jaunting at future Amherst reunions. McCarthy will be joined by fellow gunslinger Michael Riopel, who has to at the top of the list of best returning snipers after a scorching 47.4 percent from behind the arc in his junior season. There is a pretty good chance that either Eric Sellew (Mass Gatorade POY two years) and/or Joe Schneider (a highly touted recruit coming in) takes a big step forward, and you know that this squad is going to have at least one impressive freshman who makes some noise - my money is on highly touted point guard Grant Robinson from the DMV via New Hampton, but Fru Che of Somerville (MA) via The Brooks School also has some hype surrounding him too. I think the addition of Adam Hutchinson on the bench with Hixon will be a nice change of pace for the coaching staff as well.

Big question on the table: Is Jayde Dawson back? He was listed as a junior, but last year was his 4th year of college basketball after transferring to Amherst from Farleigh Dickinson. He did play some at FDU as well so I'm not sure how Hixon is trying to finagle this one. Maybe a better question though: do Amherst fans want Dawson back? I have always defended what he brings to the table - extremely talented, a competitor, and was never afraid of the moment (ex: when he won Amherst the game against eventual National Champion Babson - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=me3UWM4hUYI). Haters will point to the erratic shots and excessive turnovers, and I can see where these people are coming from. Maybe it makes sense to hand the keys completely to McCarthy and put a bunch of players around him that know their roles. I ultimately think their ceiling is higher with Dawson because he is a pretty friggin' good ball player, but it is an understandable debate. It will be interesting to see how this plays out. 

I put them at the 3 spot assuming the worst - Dawson isn't back. If he is on the court come November 17th, they are right there with Tufts for the two spot going into the season in my book. Either way, I see a big senior season from McCarthy and the mystique of LeFrak to continue to hold AC in the top three of the league.

[nescac1]

More good stuff D3HforLife!  Jayde is not playing for Amherst this year.  While a very talented scorer, I'm in the camp of, that is probably not a terrible thing for the Jeffs as a whole.  Sellew, Schneider and Robinson do indeed look like very talented guys to watch for the Jeffs; how much of an impact they will collectively make is the great unknown for Amherst.  I'd add soph three-point specialist Tommy Mobley to that list, as another touted recruit who has yet to see meaningful court time.   

[Bucket]

Midd preview posted to NBN today...

http://nothingbutnescac.com/?p=5338

[BigMike33]

Midd Hoops, Old Guy,

You got to love D3HforLife, long elaborate pre-season reviews and rankings with No Middlebury jinx.

We have a new landscape Nationally, which is mostly parity of good teams. Very few complete teams. Less than 5.

Of course my Middlebury jinx ended at the Elite 8.  Not bad eh.  I learned my lesson though last early season.

So you can exhale.  Though...... I do really like this team & it's chances

[Old Guy]

Midd preview posted to NBN today...

http://nothingbutnescac.com/?p=5338

Acute insight, beautifully written.

[amh63]

Interesting post on Amherst by  a guest poster.  Basically, it is a flawed evaluation....as flawed as his knowledge of Dawson.  I am in the camp that Amherst will be a much better team without Dawson...period.  Amherst will be a much better overall defensive team this season with the players returning.  The front court will be solid and match up well with any front court in the Nescac as needed with the returning players.  The talented newcomers contributions are not needed for a return to the post season, IMO.  Any contributions from the FYs..on defense, offense, depth will be great...especially later in the season.
The early games will be used to build TEAM chemistry..as always and to evaluate combinations of players...as always. 
The CAC has a slew of talented teams...with big front courts, talented scorers inside and outside, etc., etc., ...as always.  Success in reaching the post season will be the ability to match up with the teams one faces....especially defensively.  In short, a top defensive team will always provide the opportunity to win a game...especially when shots are not dropping.
Having said the above, I am awaiting Amherst's lineup.  Amherst does have fewer coaches on the bench this season. 
I am looking forward to a most interesting and challenging season...as always.  The start of the season is less than two weeks away!

[FanOfNescac]

Find somebody who looks at you the way Amh63 looks at David Hixon

[PeterEscobar]

Find somebody who looks at you the way Amh63 looks at David Hixon

HAHA! 

[P'bearfan]

Find somebody who looks at you the way Amh63 looks at David Hixon

Priceless! +K

[ContinentalDomer]

Addition by subtraction.  I mostly agree.  I expect this team will enjoy the game more and play a more team-oriented brand of basketball on offense - less standing around, and more ball movement.  Combined with the defense, Amherst will be dangerous.  However, there are certainly question marks about post play that won't be solved by high school press clippings.  There are some inexperienced guys who will need to make a big leap forward if the Mammoths are to improve upon last year's post season performances.

Interesting post on Amherst by  a guest poster.  Basically, it is a flawed evaluation....as flawed as his knowledge of Dawson.  I am in the camp that Amherst will be a much better team without Dawson...period.  Amherst will be a much better overall defensive team this season with the players returning.  The front court will be solid and match up well with any front court in the Nescac as needed with the returning players.  The talented newcomers contributions are not needed for a return to the post season, IMO.  Any contributions from the FYs..on defense, offense, depth will be great...especially later in the season.
The early games will be used to build TEAM chemistry..as always and to evaluate combinations of players...as always. 
The CAC has a slew of talented teams...with big front courts, talented scorers inside and outside, etc., etc., ...as always.  Success in reaching the post season will be the ability to match up with the teams one faces....especially defensively.  In short, a top defensive team will always provide the opportunity to win a game...especially when shots are not dropping.
Having said the above, I am awaiting Amherst's lineup.  Amherst does have fewer coaches on the bench this season. 
I am looking forward to a most interesting and challenging season...as always.  The start of the season is less than two weeks away!

[nescac1]

Well-done, fan of NESCAC!

Here's a shot at pre-season all-NESCAC in terms of individual players:

First team:

Johnny McCarthy
Kyle Scadlock
Vinny Pace
Jack Simonds
Jack Daly

Second team:

Matt Folger
Michael Riopel
Jordan Bonner
Peter Hoffmann
Kena Gilmour

Third team:

James Heskett
Michael Grassey
Eric Savage
Jeff Spellman
Salim Green

Comments: there are really only six serious candidates for the first team.  Hoffmann is a tough omissions but I think the other five guys are all primed for huge years; still, a case could be made for him over any of the other five, who are all really closely-grouped.  I could see any of those six guys ending up as POY and/or an all-American.   After those six, I think that picking the next wave of players requires a lot of speculation.  There seems to be less sure-fire depth of veteran talent in NESCAC — especially in a very thin group of seniors —this year than in the recent past.  I went with a mix of very talented guys that I can envision making a major leap forward in production (Folger, Heskett, Gilmour, Spellman, Savage) and solid, already-productive vets who have shown steady improvement over time (Riopel, Bonner, Grassey, Green).

Rookies are always more speculative, but I'm going with Grant Robinson of Amherst for ROY, based on a combo of talent and opportunity.  Others to watch: Brennan Morris and Will Brady, Tufts; Austin Hutcherson, Wesleyan; Kornaker/Farrell/Bosco, Midd; Garrett Day, Amherst; Marc Taylor, Williams (doubtful though he gets enough PT); Francis Uzorh, Trinity; K.J. Matte, Bowdoin and Matt Hannah, Colby.

[PolarBear16]

Well-done, fan of NESCAC!

Here's a shot at pre-season all-NESCAC in terms of individual players:

First team:

Johnny McCarthy
Kyle Scadlock
Vinny Pace
Jack Simonds
Jack Daly

Second team:

Matt Folger
Michael Riopel
Jordan Bonner
Peter Hoffmann
Kena Gilmour

Third team:

James Heskett
Michael Grassey
Eric Savage
Jeff Spellman
Salim Green

What sticks out to me from this group is the utter lack of post players in this group. None of these guys are centers, and even the bigger guys like Scadlock, Folger, and Heskett bomb it from the perimeter somewhat. After the graduation of Ogundeko, Palleschi, and the Delpeches, there is an utter lack of players who are score-first options inside. That could make for a real up-tempo pace in a lot of NESCAC games this year.

I haven't been around that long, but can other people remember a time when the NESCAC was so bereft of scoring big men?

[toad22]

I am of the opinion that if a team needs to rely on freshmen, there are usually holes in the lineup. There are exceptions for unusually talented first years, but that doesn't happen very often. I write with some authority on this subject, because Williams has had several teams over the last few years that played quite a few freshmen. Most of those teams had big holes in the lineup. The exception being Duncan Robinson's year. He was just too good not to play all the time.

Looking at this year's Williams team, I am really impressed with our centers. We have 4 good ones. Of course, you can't play all of them, but the depth is reassuring. Kempton worked out really hard over the summer with his father and brothers. He appears even bigger and stronger this year, with a better low post game, and a very nice midrange jumper. My guess is that he is 10-15 pounds heavier. Karpowitz is lighter than last year, but a lot stronger. This could be a breakout year for him. Marcos Soto keeps getting better as well, so he needs to play a lot too. Time will tell how the minutes work out. The fourth center, Jake Porath, is a very good player with the misfortune of being just behind the the other three. It reminds me of the position Swen Nater was in 50 years ago. It worked out for Swen, and I know it will work out for Jake.

[nescac1]

Interesting discussion of big men.  It's a huge luxury to have a true 5 who you can throw the ball to and, six out of ten times that he is single-covered, he will either make a basket in the lane or draw a foul.  NESCAC does seem especially bereft in that department heading into the year.  Hugh O'Neil and Andrew Groll are the two returning true 5's who had the highest scoring average last year, but neither exactly put the fear of god into a defense when they get the ball with their back to the basket.  I think given more opportunities, Karpowicz is the one obvious guy in the league who might have that skill set -- his post scoring acumen is uncanny. 

But really, this is not unique to NESCAC.  Every dude who is over 6'6 used to work primarily on their post moves, and few could shoot a lick outside fifteen feet.  Now, they all want to handle the ball and launch 3's.  That's just the direction hoops has gone, and there is no reason to think it's won't filter down to Division 3 ... the back-to-the-basket post-up game is slowly dying. 

[amh63]

My response to PolarBear16  is a question.  Do you think/ believe that the nature of college ball is changing, especially in D3.  Granted, as Nescac1 alluded to, the days of Walton and Alcindor..in college maybe gone.  However, I believe if you have an effective low post game, your talents will give you much floor time.  Having big men shooting outside is ready a question for the HC. 
Amherst's best teams...Title teams...had a balance of inside and outside scorers...took what the defense allowed to score.
A question to Williams posters.  Last season, the Ephs started slow but finished strong.  Was it the growth of young players OR an offensive change/ approach by the HC?