MBB: NESCAC

[formerbant10]

At least a williams fan puts Lasell in the credible category.  How noble of you.  Considering you got waxed by almost 30 last year, maybe Lasell should be calling you a credible non-league opponent.

Williams did beat Trinity and Williams in consecutive days.....I think that made them more than credible.

[CCCalum2]

At least a williams fan puts Lasell in the credible category.  How noble of you.  Considering you got waxed by almost 30 last year, maybe Lasell should be calling you a credible non-league opponent.

Williams did beat Trinity and Williams in consecutive days.....I think that made them more than credible.

Wow, Williams is so good they beat themselves.   I"m not even mad, that's just amazing!!!

[formerbant10]

Trinity and Amherst.....but yes it was quite impressive.

Thanks for picking up the mistake.

[toad22]

Wow, Williams gets almost no respect, except from Formerbant, for winning the NESCAC last year. Last year, there were really 2 seasons, the first being a very poor season where the new freshman players had to get acclimated and Rose had to get over his broken hand, and the second season, which started when Schultz moved into the starting lineup. That second season was basketball at a pretty high level. I fully expect the Ephs to be completely competitive with all the NESCAC teams, including Trinity and Amherst. To me, it would not be an upset to have Williams win the NESCAC regular season and the playoffs. They will be very strong this year. Look for the shooting and rebounding stats to be vastly improved. I guess that Amherst is probably the pre-season favorite in the conference, but not by a whole lot.

[kitchenrat]

Hey Williams fans, Mike Crotty is getting some negative press on a New England area blog called Barstool Sports.

http://www.barstoolsports.com/randomthoughts/2007/09/13/reader_email_rate_douche_bag/

[nescac hoops]

while i am a williams fan and an alum, i have never been a mike crotty fan. i love him as a player but his personality and his persona on the floor make me cringe. the email has been going around the listserve that some of my classmates and i have all day . it is hysterical....and sadly, pretty spot on.

[nescac1]

First, this seems like total B.S. to me, from its face.  The writer is barely coherent and contradicts himself in the two sentences he does write (first saying the league is all men, then saying it is coed).  Basically, anyone can slam anyone anonymously on the web, it is a pretty cowardly thing to do.

Second, allthough I don't know Crotty, I do recall that in both final fours he played in, opposing coaches and fans went out of their way to praise the conduct and character of the Williams players and Crotty in particular, as exhibited both during and after the games.  So this does seem out of character.  For example, see this excerpt from this article:

http://www.williams.edu/athletics/news.php?id=7399&sport=3&year=2003&type=general

Shortly after the Williams post-game press conference ended, Wisconsin-Stevens Point's Jack Bennett made a detour away from the podium across the back of the media area to give Michael Crotty a hearty handshake and a hug. "You're a great, great player and an unbelievable sportsman," said Bennett. "Bennett then turned to a small group behind him and said, "That's a classy, classy team." He'll get no arguments in Williamstown.

Personally, I'll take Jack Bennett's opinion over a barely coherent anonymous rant that sounds like sour grapes. 

[feces monkey]

I would bet the quotes on both Barstool and the Williams site are bogus.

[fpc85]

Any word around the league if all players came back healthy? What's the early word on the new players.

[ephwatcher1]

Bunkley is back. Back to spit hot truth flames that make you rethink every post you have ever made. Back to regain the number one spot. I've been away for awhile, but I'm right back like I left something. I will preface my Eph knowledge by saying that nobody is above getting bunked. Nobody. However, there are some below it. I will never address the ignorance of Garrison Packer again.

Now, to the facts about the Ephs. The other day I was in the new Williams Student Center and was able to sit close enough to some players that I could overhear much of their conversation. It was Spider Snyder, Shalvoy, and Golia. They were talking about how good their post players look. Apparently, the young bigs have been developing. Which is very scary for the rest of NESCAC.

WB

[La Verdad]

The other day I was in the new Williams Student Center and was able to sit close enough to some players that I could overhear much of their conversation. It was Spider Snyder, Shalvoy, and Golia.

I think you need to change your name to ephstalker1

[nescac1]

Ephwatcher, appreciate the info.  Although I have to admit, La Verdad's post made me laugh out loud.  Hey, La Verdad, I remember talk in the spring about a huge Greek guy enrolling at Amherst ... did that actually happen? 

Should be a fun year at the top of NESCAC with Amherst, Williams, Trinity (if P. Martin is in fact returning) all returning loaded squads ... and all bringing some quality bigs in to bolster the bench. 

[hoopjunkie]

Hey Nescac 1, lets not forget the Jumbos from Tufts when talking the top teams in the NESCAC. Lets not forget they has beat Trinity every single time in the last 3 straight years, beat Williams in the regular season last year , & played  Amherst even in 3 straight overtime games . But maybe ignoring  them may be a better idea......

[nescac1]

I think Tufts will be a potential contender, but they did finish sixth last year, and they do lose three starters.  Amherst is of course the favorite, Williams returns all five starters from winning the conf. title, Trinity returns three all-conference guys (the Martins and from ROY Taylor) from the second place team in the regular season.  Based on last year's results and what each team loses, Tufts had to start out a notch below.  In fact, I think Middlebury is more likely to challenge the big three than Tufts. 

Tufts has the potential to finish as high as second, but that will require (1) their top four guys to stay healthy (as they are not as deep as the other contenders and an injury to Weitzen, Black, Pierce, or the two guard whose name escapes me would kill them), (2) Black to be as steady a leader at the point as Shepard was, and (3) someone to emerge who can actually rebound and play interior defense after losing two interior players from a team that was already height-challenged.   On paper, Amherst, Trinity, and MIdd are all at least as strong as last year, and Williams is stronger, while Tufts looks slightly weaker, so that is why I put them in the second echelon to start the season.   

As I see it, pre-season, the league stacks up in tiers like so:

(1) Amherst (2) Williams / Trinity (3) Tufts / Midd / Bowdoin  (4) Conn College / Bates / Colby  and (5) Wesleyan (who is unlikely to win a league game unless they have some ridiculous frosh coming in). 

[hoopjunkie]

All good points nescac 1 . The only point I willl make is that Tuft was in a 3 way tie for 4th place , but did wind up 6 th based on head to head competition .I still believe Tufts will be better then last year . Alot of the seniors last year were overrated & did not play to their potentiaL. It was also Pierces first year , & also they were rated way too high in the preseason polls from their great year the previous year .
The word I get from Jumboland is they are hungry & determined . Sam Mason is the defensive stopper they are looking for . Jeremy Black is playing great ball & is ready to prove to the disbelievers of which admittedly I am one of .
Good to see Williams schedule being posted & see alot of weak opponents .