MBB: NESCAC

[nescac1]

I'll second that, Wilson was a fantastic two guard.  Probably the best I've seen play in NESCAC.  On that note, by position (some of these guys played multiple positions), I'll put forth the best I've seen.  Point, Olson followed closely by Crotty, Two guard, Wilson barely beating out lots of strong contenders: Kareem Tatum, John Bedford, Adam Harper, Keith Wolff,  Small forward, easily Nogelo, followed by Tabb from Trinity and Leo Jones, power forward (the weakest position overall, Id' say), Rhoten then Zieja, center, Coffin, Geoff Chapin (Coffin was better for longer, but Chapin was better at his absolute peak). 

[Rick Vaughn]

What school did Wilson play for? 

[royhobbs9]

Amherst College, 1994-98... 25ppg, played in Europe and the CBA.

[royhobbs9]

sorry, 1993-97.

[formerbant10]

Colin Tabb was a shooting guard at Trinity...at least his senior year.  No disrespect to the Amherst guys mentioned but I'd take Tabb and Wolff over Bedford and Harper.  Tabb scored over 1,300 points in only 3 years in Hartford....and I think that Wolff only played 3 years at Trin as well netting over 1,400 points.

Yet again, if you needed some perimeter defense, Harper is the guy.

[fpc85]

Colin Tabb was a shooting guard at Trinity...at least his senior year.  No disrespect to the Amherst guys mentioned but I'd take Tabb and Wolff over Bedford and Harper.  Tabb scored over 1,300 points in only 3 years in Hartford....and I think that Wolff only played 3 years at Trin as well netting over 1,400 points.

Yet again, if you needed some perimeter defense, Harper is the guy.

being a newbie to d3hoops i never saw tabb or wolff but it is saying if you would choose them over harper. he may have been the most complete perimeter player i have seen.

Gentlemen... Long time listener, first time caller... By way of introduction I am a former NESCAC and overseas player... Just need to point out that no all-time NESCAC team can be mentioned without the name Jamal Wilson.  If Nogelo was Bird, Wilson was Magic. 

Some great players back in the day... Problem is, there's little if any documentation, and even that can be unreliable.  In pre-internet days, pre-d3hoops.com days, pre-'people actually care about this level of ball' days, even coaches themselves did not routinely submit players for awards, national teams, and/or recognition.  But a lot of dudes were legit...

Regardless, appreciate the fervor with which all of you support D3 athletics (which is basically where D1 was 10-15 yrs ago... making today's D1 more like the 'minor leagues' or CBA back in the day), but no conversation on best NESCAC players can be had without mentioning Jamal...

i believe  wilson was orignally from e.o. nj ...alot of good ball players from that part of nj.

[formerbant10]

Tabb is/was one of the most complete players to play at Trin.  His senior year averaged 24.8 points, over 7 rebounds, 4 assists, led the team in steals....did everything. 

Harper really came on strong his last 2 years, clearly defense is what he was known for(teams had to gameplan for him)....his 12+ points on offense were a bonus. 

Both very good players, but Tabb takes that one.

[feces monkey]

A touch before most of your times, but the two-guard discussion begins and ends with Matt Hancock '87-90. 2,600 points. National POY. Career avg.: 26.2.

http://www.colby.edu/athletics_cs/mens_basketball/records.cfm

Nogelo was best all-around player I've seen. Wilson was excellent and one of the first indications Hixon figured out how to recruit. Best PG I've seen was the Trinity kid their Final Four year. McKelvin? Agreed on Rhoten or Zieja. I would argue centers are the weakest. None jump to mind, although Chapin was good.

[royhobbs9]

Hancock was a stud, no doubt... but took a LOT of shots.  Love to see full stats on him.  And honestly, if you compare him with another stud from the same era, Amherst's Yram Groff... well, I'm pretty sure Y would have averaged 26ppg on 25 shots too, lol... (assuming Hancock did take that many... but in the two games I saw back then, he had the GREEN light.  wow.)

Regarding centers... Middlebury had a great center in the late 80s who played in Ireland for a bit.  Forget his name - Michael something.  And when Hamilton was in the NESCAC they had multiple All-American centers (Lemmer, Nelson, et. al.)  Lemmer was a house.  Hamermesh at Amherst could stroke it and scored 1500 pts.  Williams had Robb Williams, who was Barkley-esque, although probably a PF.  Trinity in the late 80s had Michael Stubbs, a 7-footer!!  Brandt Johnson also was great for Williams in the late 80s - rebounding machine and a true 6'8" center.   Wish there were numbers on these guys somewhere...  And Dane Aiken was the center for  Trinity in the early 90s, right?  He was GOOD, but too unselfish to demand more shots...

Era-to-era is tough too, btw...  Hancock was awesome, but in a 'Steve Alford, the offense revolves around me with multiple screens'-way.   A Harper or Wilson probably locks him down, and still gets it done at the other end.   Much more complete players. 

Disagree somewhat on McKelvin, but only saw him early in his career.  Seemed selfish for a point, though.  Out of control at times, as well.  Noah Clarke was a solid PG at Williams, and someone out there has to remember Garcia Major - I heard they named a sandwich after him in Williamstown!

And Wolff... man, he could shoot from deep.  'Lights out" deep. 

[royhobbs9]

also at center - Fitzsimmons at Amherst?

[nescac1]

Wow, you guys go way back (well before my time).  Interesting stuff ...

Keith Wolff was a transfer from Williams (Trinity seems to specialize in big-time transfers -- think Tabb, Coupe, a few other guys as well). Scary to think how good the Ephs would have been with him, Nogelo, Chapin and Botti (one of the best NESCAC defenders of all time) all in the line-up at the same time.  

McKelvin was definitely a head case, the year after the final four he quit the team midway through the season in fact.  Noah Clarke was a very, very solid scoring point guard for the Ephs, good inclusion.  

As for Jamal Wilson, he improved a lot over his time at Amherst, but by the time he was a senior he could not be stopped ... he could really light it up from 3 like all the best NESCAC guards (very, very deep range), but was also bigger and much faster / more athletic than your typical NESCAC two guard.  

Another good point, Fitzsimmons would be right up there had he stayed healthy ... he had a lot of bad injury luck which limited his court time over the years, but at full strength he was a force to be reckoned with.

[eclinchy]

Attention anyone going to the Amherst-Tufts game tonight:

Does anyone want to set up a game update swap with the women's game?  I'll text you with updates from the women's game at Tufts, you text me from the men's game at Amherst?  Shoot me a PM with your phone #, and I'll send you mine back.  Thanks in advance...

[frank uible]

Tony Mauro - he was a C/F and THE man on a Williams team which in 1954-55 defeated Harvard, BC, BU, Army, Vermont, UMass, Rhode Island and Dartmouth (all but Vermont and Dartmouth away), among others.

[royhobbs9]

Love the history... But when did the NESCAC start?  If we're talking pre-NESCAC, back when some of these schools were D2 or something and played everyone, I have to mention Jim Rehnquist (son of former Supreme Court Chief Justice William Rehnquist).   1700 points in 3 years at Amherst.  heard he was the best of the best...  Apparently he was coming back in his 40s and still dropping 40 points in alumni games against the current squad...

[frank uible]

NESCAC was founded in 1971. There was no DI, DII or DIII in 1954-55 - they didn't come along until 1973.